WTF is BPA? And why should I even care about it?

BPA stands for Bisphenol A. I don’t know about you, but we can’t help but think whoever named it kinda gave up half-way through because the second half of that name is a total cop out…


Nonetheless, BPA is a chemical mainly used in the production of plastics and has been around since the swinging 60’s. BPA is often found in plastic containers that we commonly use to store our food and drinks; think Tupperware and water bottles. BPA is also used to coat the inside of many metal products, like food/drink cans, and bottle tops. It’s also used in a whole host of other products…the bottom line…it’s everywhere.


Sounds pretty useful doesn’t it? So why you should even care?


Well BPA can actually seep into whatever food or drinks you are storing in the containers which are made with BPA. This means whenever you eat or a drink something that has been stored in a container made from BPA, you are actually ingesting small amounts of BPA. The longer the food or drink has been in the container, the more likely it is that BPA has seeped into it.


A whole host of studies have been undertaken into the risks of over-exposure to BPA, and research indicates potential dangers that range from an increased risk of heart disease, to reduced fertility. The good news, is that these concerns are negligible. Phew.


That said, there are some greater risks that are posed by BPA. When BPA enters our bodies, it acts almost like a hormone, and can impact our hormone levels. It is even argued that because of this, BPA can contribute to weight gain. Although this is still yet to be agreed on by the scientific community, the next time someone asks us why we’re not in shape AGAIN this summer, we’re 100% using BPA as our excuse.


More importantly, acting as a hormone impacts a whole host of different things in our bodies, and this has the biggest negative impact on the development of foetuses, young babies and children. So the biggest watch-out here is really for pregnant mothers and those with little mini-me’s running about!


BPA is so wide-spread that you would pretty much have to go back to living like a Neanderthal to go completely cold-turkey on it. But if you are worried about BPA, there are a couple of things you can do to try and reduce your usage:

  • Use BPA-free products. Look for products clearly marked as BPA-free.
  • Reduce your use of canned food and drinks. 
  • Use alternative containers for food, like glass or porcelain.


If you’re serious about cutting down on your use of BPA, then a great place to start is by moving to a reusable drinks bottle. Not only will you reduce your BPA exposure, but you’ll also significantly reduce your plastic waste and is much kinder to the environment.


All of our Mana Collection Drinks Bottles are made from Stainless Steel, so you can wave goodbye to any BPA. Check them out here: -


Reference studies on impacts of BPA:

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