BPA in Canned Food and Drink Causes Hypertension

A chemical lining in cans which can leach into food and drink causes your blood pressure to spike, leaving those with heart problems vulnerable, a new study claims.

According to researchers from Seoul National University College of Medicine, Bisphenol A or BPA has been used in plastic bottles and lining of cans a common packaging material since 1960s, Huffington Post reported. It was known that BPA can leak in foods. The new study showed that consuming from cans can increase blood pressure by about 5 mm/Hg.

"Systolic blood pressure adjusted for daily variance increased by 4.5 mm Hg after consuming 2 canned beverages compared with that after consuming two glass bottled beverages, and the difference was statistically significant. The present study demonstrated that consuming canned beverage and consequent increase of BPA exposure increase blood pressure acutely," researchers wrote in American Heart Association's Journal Hypertension.

The study involved 60 adults most being Korean women aged over 60, consuming soy milk thrice from either glass bottles or cans. Soy Milk was chosen as its ingredients are not known to affect blood pressure. After two hours, researchers collected urine samples to measure BPA levels and measured blood pressure besides checking for heart rate variability, reported Financial Express.  

Researchers found a 1,600 % rise in BPA following consumption of canned Soy Milk compared to consumption from glass bottles.

"I suggest consumers try to eat fresh foods or glass bottle-contained foods rather than canned foods and hopefully, manufacturers will develop and use healthy alternatives to BPA for the inner lining of can containers," said study author Yun-Chul Hong.