Microwaves & Plastic

I need to share some important info in case you are unaware:

Don't EVER microwave your food in plastic!

And when I say "plastic" this includes Tupperware containers, the new disposable plastic containers, yogurt or cottage cheese-type containers, baby bottles, Nalgene bottles, plastic children's dinnerware, etc. It also includes plastic wrap, which people sometimes put over the food to keep it from splattering.

Plastic, by definition, contains chemicals. The FDA keeps close tabs on anything designed for contact with food -- and it stands by the safety of approved plastic containers, saying they leach negligible amounts of chemicals into our food when used for their expressed purpose. (But, then, you are all aware by now my feelings about the FDA, so take their approval with a grain of salt!)

But what about the new disposable plastic container that you used for leftovers and then popped into the microwave for reheating? Federal standards only address how plastic performs during it's "intended use." While studies are mixed as to how much of the chemicals in plastic we can tolerate ingesting, research does confirm at least three things: First, certain types of plastic contain dangerous compounds, including carcinogens and hormone imitators, substances that the body can mistake for estrogen or which alter testosterone levels in boys (I'll write more about this in a separate entry); second, overheating or overusing plastic food containers can cause these compounds to "migrate" into food; and third, heat from microwaving mixed with high levels of fat in foods like meat, cheese or breastmilk will expedite this migration.

So what is a busy mom with cranky, hungry kids suppose to do? Take the time to switch your food from the plastic container to one that is glass or ceramic and cover your food with a napkin or paper towel rather than plastic wrap before you microwave. Yes, it's an added step, but it only takes about 10 seconds and it will keep cancer-causing chemicals out of your children's food, and hence, out of their adorable, little bodies.