The Weekly Skinny: All the healthy news you need (6-11-10)






BPA may be a problem in more than just plastic containers. Now researchers say exposure to the chemical is much higher in canned goods. FatFighterTV has a look at this story and other diet and fitness headlines making news this week.

BPA exposure much higher in canned foods than plastic
We've heard so much about the health concerns of the chemical BPA, or bisphenol A in plastic containers. But researchers at the University of Rochester in New York say the exposure to BPA from canned food is far more extensive. Just about anything we eat or drink that comes from a can contains BPA. There's a thin layer of it between the food and the metal can to help keep the two from interacting and preventing rust.

More pesticide residue in 'dirty dozen' produce

Did you know some produce has 47 to 67 pesticides per serving? That's according to a new report from the Environmental Working Group. The organization says the fruits and vegetables in its 'dirty dozen' list are thought to be more susceptible because they have soft skin that tends to absorb more pesticides. The nonprofit group suggests buying the organic version of these 12 fruits and vegetables: celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, domestic blueberries, nectarines, sweet bell peppers, spinach/kale/collard greens, cherries, potatoes, imported grapes, and lettuce.

A wire rack and a desk lamp get kids to eat more fruit in schools
Getting kids to eat more fruits and vegetables at school could be as simple as presentation, according to this article in The Washington Post. When the director of Cornell's Food and Brand Lab looked at school cafeterias in New York, he noticed whole fruits were displayed in steel bins in dimly lighted areas of the lunch line. When he put the fruit in a wire fruit rack and used an extra desk lamp to shine some light on it, sales went up 54 percent in one school by the end of the second week. Maybe he's on to something - here's another report that shows kids eat more fruit if it they like the way it looks.

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[photo credit: Getty Images]