have been forced to use tomato paste more as we
basically cannot prepare many meals without
cooking our much loved tomato stew. Basically,
Nigerians enjoy eating meals that would have the
red stew made from tomatoes in it.
This being stated, you can understand the plight
of Nigerians now that tomatoes are scarce and
expensive. Although, this is a product used in
almost every home, some Nigerians do not eat it
on a regular basis. But now in the face of want,
our choices are limited and people are starting to
use this product more and more. It is only a few
Nigerians that can afford to cook now and use
tomatoes as they please.
There are some health hazards attached to the
use of tomato paste. This is mainly as a result of
the packaging. Nigerians are used to calling tomato
paste ‘Tin tomato’ as a result of the containers
in which they are sold. Only a few brands sell
theirs in sachet.
Using tomato paste is more or less the same as
buying fresh tomatoes and making them into pastes
yourself. However, the moment they are packaged
in tins and cans, their composition changes. This
is because of the presence of Bisphenol-A, a
harmful chemical used to coat the linings of cans
and most plastic products. This chemical can leak
into foods and become a potential threat to your
health.
Find below some of the dangers involved in
cooking with tomato paste which is packed in cans
or tins that are coated with Bisphenol-A:
1. Hormonal disruption
Bisphenol-A can cause hormonal disruption in
humans if it is leaked into the tomato paste that
will be used in cooking. We are usually at risk
because of the duration in which the tomato paste
gets stored in those tins or cans that are coated
with this harmful chemical.
2. Risk of miscarriage
Without boring you with the chemical composition
of this harmful chemical, the disintegration of
Bisphenol-A in the body which is leaked as a
result of tomato paste packaged in cans that are
lined with it can put you at risk when it comes to
miscarriage.
Tomato pastes are being singled out of all
products that could be packed into cans and
containers because tomatoes are highly acidic.
They can absorb more of the Bisphenol-A chemical
from the tin coating into the food.
3. Increased risk of cancer
Just like any other processed food that has been
packed for too long, there is every tendency that
some of the regular consumers would end up with
cancer. The BPA chemical puts one at risk of
cancer and since tomatoes are high offenders of
the chemicals considering their high level of
acidity, consuming this product is not so healthy.
4. Malfunction of organs in children
Although the economic situation has forced many
homes in the country to improvise and make more
use of tomato paste, it may not seem like a
healthy choice for the children especially if the
tomato pastes are in cans and tins. This puts them
at risk of consuming the Bisphenol-A (BPA)
chemical which could cause some of their organs
to malfunction.
Also, continuous consumption of this chemical which
could have been absorbed into the tomato paste
used for cooking could increase the risk of mental
disabilities in babies. This means it is not a
healthy choice for expecting mothers.
5. Sperm defects
Bisphenol-A chemical has the ability to disrupt the
development of sperm in men. This means that
continuous intake of this chemical through the use
of tin tomato would lead to a decline in male
fertility. BPA mimics the effects of estrogen and
end up damaging the stem cells.
That being said, we understand that tomato paste
is an essential commodity at this point and not
everyone would be able to avoid cooking with it.
However, one could be careful and minimize the
use of canned tomato paste. Fresh tomatoes or
organic tomato pastes in jars could be used
instead. If you are a lover of tomato paste, you
can try learning how to make it yourself. This way
you can monitor what you eat and reduce your
chances of being sick.
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