Ingredients aren’t the only chemicals in foods

Reading ingredient labels to hunt down and avoid harmful chemicals is important if you wish to eat well and be well. It is a skill that gets easier over time and actually makes your shopping experience much simpler as it immediately eliminates many brands and items from your shopping list.

Once you feel confident with label reading you may wish to think about the types of packaging that you are buying your foods in as packaging is another way in which harmful chemicals can enter our food supplies and worryingly these are chemicals NOT shown on any ingredient label.

Plastics are obvious chemical sources in food plus the production and disposal of plastic packaging is one of the big environmental issues of our time. Glass is a great alternative and easily recyclable.

Tinned products are more concerning, especially lined tins given the recent warnings about Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical product which also exists in many plastics. Fears about health issues when this chemical leaches into foods have caused many countries to investigate and ban the use of BPA. Australia is yet to follow this lead.

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Lindy Schneider is a writer and researcher with a keen interest in health, wellbeing and natural childcare. She is an advocator of a chemical-free lifestyle in the best interests of her family, the community and a sustainable world.