Why We Don't Buy Vet Brand Dog Food

In one of my other blogs I mention a few of the better higher premium dry kibble dog foods that we like best. These brands contain no grain, no wheat, no gluten and no meat by products. The brands we put at the top of our list in regards to dry kibble dog food is Orijen, Acana, GO, and NOW. All of these brands have a higher quality of ingrediants, and are Grain Free, Gluten Free, No Meat By products.

We went through a lot of growing pains with our one German Shepherds who has a very sensitive stomach and is allergic to wheat and gluten. It took us a long time to find a diet that fits our dog's nutritional needs, as well as satisfies his taste's buds and is easy on his stomach.

We have two German Shepherds, and feeding them something they enjoy as well as providing them with a full nutritional diet is very important to us. We alternate our days in feeding our dog's. Every other day our dogs will eat their dry kibble which we buy the GO FIT Puppy large breed NO Grain, No Meat By products, and on the opposite day our dog's eat home cooked meals from recipe's we've made up.

A few of the times that we have taken our dog's in to the Vet to get their weight documented, shot's, and their health check ups we get the pressure of add on sales. Each time we have brought our dog's to the vet they find a way to push their Dog Food product on us. The thing is, this really annoys me, not only do I feel that I am being pushed to buy their only endorsed brand of dog food, I know from my own research and due diligence that their kibble dog food is over priced, and contains meat by products and tons of fillers and preservatives. Let's compare the Ingredients and Price of Dog Food. I mentioned that one of the brands that we prefer for our dog's is GO Fit Grain Free. Here is the list of ingredients in order of content.

GO! FIT + FREE™ Grain Free Puppy Recipe ($60 CDN) Chicken meal, turkey meal, salmon meal, de-boned chicken, de-boned turkey, de-boned trout, potatoes, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), peas, tapioca, lentil beans, chickpeas, natural chicken flavour, whole dried egg, apples, duck meal, herring meal, flaxseed, salmon oil, alfalfa, de-boned duck, de-boned salmon, sweet potatoes, canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), coconut oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), potassium chloride, pumpkin, carrots, bananas, blueberries, cranberries, broccoli, spinach, alfalfa sprouts, blackberries, squash, papayas, pomegranate, dried chicory root, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Aspergillus niger fermentation product, dried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation product, vitamins (vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, inositol, niacin, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (a source of vitamin C), d-calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, beta-carotene, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement), minerals (zinc proteinate , iron proteinate, copper proteinate, zinc oxide, manganese proteinate, copper sulphate, ferrous sulphate, calcium iodate, manganous oxide, selenium yeast), sodium chloride, taurine, yucca schidigera extract, dried rosemary, green tea extract, peppermint, parsley, rosehips, zedoary, dandelion, chamomile, ginger, fennel, tumeric, juniper berries, licorice, marigold extract, cardamom, cloves. Royal Canin Medi Cal Large Puppy Breed (90$ CDN)

Ingredients Chicken meal, corn, wheat gluten, wheat, brewers rice, pearl barley by-product,

brown rice, chicken fat, natural flavors, dried beet pulp, sodium silico aluminate, vegetable oil, fish oil, powdered cellulose, calcium carbonate, potassium phosphate, psyllium seed husk, salt, fructooligosaccharides, potassium chloride, hydrolyzed yeast, taurine, choline chloride, L-lysine, marigold extract (Tagetes erecta L.), vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol acetate (source of vitamin E), L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), biotin, D-calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin A acetate, niacin supplement, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), riboflavin supplement (vitamin B2), folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement], glucosamine hydrochloride, L-carnitine, trace minerals (zinc oxide, zinc proteinate, ferrous sulfate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, calcium iodate, sodium selenite), chondroitin sulfate, rosemary extract, preserved with natural mixed tocopherols and citric acid.

You don't have to be a Scientist, or Health Analyst to see that the Vet recommended brand is full of fillers and those fillers are high up on the content of ingredients! As you go through the list of ingredients in Medi Cal, you will only see dried beet pulp, but other than that no where down the list do you see real vegetables or real fruit? If you don't believe me, visit Royal Canin website directly and see for your self the content of ingredients. http://www.royalcanin.ca/index.php/Veterinary-Exclusive-Nutrition/Canine-Nutrition/Veterinary-Care-Nutrition/Development-Puppy-Large-Dog-Dry

Brothers Love Chicken Hearts

This morning as I was at the local grocery store I came across some really inexpensive chicken hearts and regular ground beef that was on sale. So I stalked up on both and came straight home to experiment with a new recipe. Now I was pretty sure my dogs would love what I was going to make for them as I haven't yet come across a meal they didn't love. But after today's recipe, I'm fairly confident I discovered Remy's and Rhino's new favorite dish. Before preparing all the food, I let my dog's try a chicken heart each as a little taste test treat, they were still frozen, but my dogs went Bonkers over them.

Why I like using Chicken hearts in my dog's recipe is because this food is low in Sodium. It is also a good source of Folate, Pantothenic Acid, Phosphorus and Copper, and a very good source of Protein, Riboflavin, Vitamin B12, Iron and Zinc. However it is high in cholesterol so this isn't something I would serve them more than twice a month. The entire time I was cooking they sat patiently at the end of the kitchen counter, not a sound, no whimpering, no begging, no jumping up, just patiently waiting as they knew mom was making something special for them. The funny thing is whenever I cook for my family my dog's seem to recognize the difference.

When I cook a meal for myself or my entire family both dog's are resting or playing in the living room. But as soon as I start getting pots and pans out for the dog's meal, they both come and sit in the kitchen watching me prepare their delicious meal! It makes cooking for them that much more fun and enjoyable, I have my own little audience. Now keep in mind many recipe's that I post don't include any omega 3 fish oils, as I already give my dog's their vitamins separately. However if you do not give your dog fish oils or probiotic pills then you need to add 2 table spoons of omega 3 fish oil to all my recipe's and a good reputable probiotic powder can be mixed in the dog's food. Here is what you will need. 600 grams of regular ground beef, 150 grams of chicken hearts fresh or frozen. 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries dethawed, 1 large peeled banana, 1 medium size diced up zucchini raw with skin, 4 cups of cooked gluten free white basmati rice.

I like to use a certain brand of rice called Lundberg, because it comes in gluten free and my dog's have issues with gluten. Lightly cook the ground beef till it's brown on the outside but still nice and pink on the inside and be sure to include and save all the fat juices from the beef to pour in with the rest of the ingredients. Cook 4 cups of Rice as per packaging and set aside. Puree both the blueberries and 1 large banana. I love to use my Magic Bullet to puree the fruit for my family and our dogs.

Poach the chicken hearts till they are slightly cook, and still pink on the inside. You never want to over cook the meat for your dogs as it will destroy and lose all the natural nutrients. Mix in a large bowl the beef, chicken hearts and rice, stir all together then add the puree blueberries and banana and zucchini and serve! Zucchini is a fantastic vegetable to add to your dog's meals because it plants pack a variety of important minerals. Did you know that 1 cup of zucchini contains almost 20 percent of your daily value of manganese, which is important for creating connective tissue, bones, blood-clotting factors, and sex hormones.

Zucchini also contains approximately 10 percent of the recommended daily allowance of magnesium and potassium. Our dog's need potassium for proper cellular function, affecting all tissues and organs, while magnesium is a crucial mineral for bone formation. It is also an antioxidant; it can block some of the damage caused by free radicals, byproducts that result when your body transforms food into energy. Free radicals are often the cause of many diseases. Zucchinis also contain about 10 percent of your RDA of vitamin A, and almost 8 percent of vitamin K. The vegetable also has a range of B-complex vitamins, including B1, B2, B3, B6 and folate, which is technically B9. B vitamins are important in metabolism and energy as well as nerve and blood health.Zucchini also contains some protein, omega-3 fatty acids and L-tryptophan. According to the World's Healthiest Foods, each cup gets you 6.3 percent of your RDA for omega-3s, 3.3 percent of your daily protein requirement and 3.1 percent of your recommended allowance of L-tryptophan.

Remy's Soothing Glucosamine Peanut Butter Bars

Awhile ago my husband suffered from a severe Knee/Leg injury where he tore his ACL among other things. Now both my husband and I take a lot of various vitamins, but one vitamin my husband takes for his sore joints and recovery is Glucosamine. Glucosamine is one of the most popular ingredients in joint based supplements, because it works.

Glucosamine, which is produced naturally in the body, plays a key role in building cartilage, the tough connective tissue that cushions the joints. There are no major food sources of glucosamine, so you must get it from supplements. Most supplements are made from chitin, the hard outer shells of shrimp, lobsters, and crabs. It is one of the key building blocks of the skeleton and the joints, and therefore when supplemented, it can over time supplement and rebuild the joints. Users have reported it takes time to see results, but over time the results only improve. Glucosamine is also very beneficial for dogs, especially larger breeds like our dogs who are both German Shepherds. Our one dog suffers from Hip and Elbow Dyslplasia and has already had 2 major elbow surgeries. As you can imagine his recover is very important to us. We noticed a huge improvement in both our dogs shortly after we started them both on Glucosamine Chrondirtian MSM.

Fresh, ground peanut butter is more nutritious than regular peanut butter because in every serving, you are eating 10 percent more peanuts and not the other bad ingredients. Peanuts are full of essential nutrients, such as protein, vitamin E, folic acid, niacin, B6, folate and thiamin. In order to get my dog's Glucosamine in their diet I give them a pill a day inside their bite size peanut butter bars. It's important to check with your vet in regards to how much Glucosamine your dogs need. Mix and combine 1 cup organic peanut butter (creamy natural with no added salt or sugar) 3 cups organic natural rolled oat You can either flatten peanut butter and oats in a cooking dish or a tupperware container, you can also separate into little cookie size balls place on wax paper in container, you can layer them on top of each other and by separating the layers with wax paper and freeze. I give my dogs these treats frozen, but you can give them the treats after they have been in the fridge for at least an hour so they are cold and hardened.

Every Dog Needs A Bone

When it comes to loving our pets, we all want the best for them. Providing them with love, attention, plenty of excersize, play time, good variety in diet and of course snacks. There is nothing more satisfying than preparing a delicious Bone in Rib Eye Steak for my husband and seeing the look of pleasure on his face as he bites into his juicy steak. I feel the same way about my dogs. When dog's eat bones, the act of chewing actually releases serotonin, a stimulant. There is nothing that pleases me more than watching my German Shepherds laying on the front porch tearing into a raw bone after a long walk at the dog park…it just doesn’t get much better. We like to give our dog's a snack once a day, and the type of snack we give our dog's are various raw bones. They absolutely love turkey necks, chicken necks, Bison Knuckles, Elk and Bison Rib Bones. Bones are a very important part of nutrition for dogs. When fed responsibly, bones can help with their dental, diet and mental health. Always consult with your local vet before giving bones to your dog's in regards to which bones are safe.

Supervise your pet when feeding raw bones and manage your pack if you have a multi dog household. Bones are high value resource and fights can break out. Never feed cooked chicken bones, or any kind of cooked fowl bones – EVER. They can splinter and perforate your pet’s intestines or stomach and cause severe injuries or death. Raw bones are nutritionally valuable to our dogs. They provide a natural digestible form of calcium, that is a natural balance to high levels of phosphorous found in raw meat. This calcium from raw bones can be up to four times more digestible than most common calcium supplements found in commercial and some raw food. Raw bones play an integral role in dental hygiene for dogs and can make trips to the veterinary dentist unnecessary which in turn reduces risks associated with sedation that is generally given in order to clean teeth. Even more, feeding raw meaty bones actually have a beneficial effect on the dog's digestive tract. It has a scouring effect providing needed roughage in the diet, and provides bulk for healthy fecal motions that stimulate anal gland expression.

Remy & Rhino's Protein Power Lunch

I love to cook and I also love to experiment using a variety of healthy alternatives such as cous cous and quinoa. A great salad and healthy meal that I enjoy making for myself is a varied Greek Quinoa Salad. Sometimes it's hard to think of different recipes and what to eat outside of the typical meat and potato meals. Unfortunately I'm allergic to wheat, gluten, soy and most dairy products. Our older Shepherd has many of the same allergies as me. So I have had to become creative in cooking for Remy. Rhino on the other hand is like a doggy garborator, he can eat anything and not get sick. Just like human's, dog's prefer variety in their meals too. So I started using Quinoa in my dog's recipes. Quinoa has many health benefits, and this also applies to your dogs. Quinoa is a complete protein, which means that it contains all the amino acids necessary for our nutritional needs. Complete proteins are rare in the plant world, making quinoa is an excellent food for vegetarians and vegans, or for anyone looking for healthy protein source.

It's also high in iron and calcium, and is a good source of manganese, magnesium and copper, as well as fiber. For people who have dogs that have sensitive stomach's like our one German Shepherd does, Quinoa is a naturally gluten-free grain. It's also an excellent food for celiac patients or other people following a gluten-free diet. Quinoa flakes are a perfect substitute for oatmeal. Yesterday I experimented with cooking and made my dogs a new recipe that they literally devoured up. I use all organic ingredients when cooking for my family and our dogs, but you don't have to buy organic you can use regular products. Here is what you will need. I have included the exact brand of Organic foods that I use for this particular recipe in the event you would like to know what kind to buy. 2 Table Spoons of Natural Smooth Unsalted Peanut Butter 600 Grams of Beef Liver 1 Cup of Peas from Frozen 1 Large Banana 1 Package of Quinoa 1/4 Cup Of Pumpkin ( Natural Pumpkin, Not Pie Filling Pumpkin) Poach liver in juices slightly undercook. Dethaw in bowl of water peas while making recipe. Puree banana, cook quinoa as per package. Mix Peas, banana peanut butter, pumpkin and quinoa together. Dice into thin pieces liver and add to mixture and serve! Why I like to use Liver in my dog's meals? Liver is a good source for several important nutrients, including iron, calcium and vitamins A, D, E and K, as well as all of the B vitamins. Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency in the world, this applies to dog's too. Nowadays people feed their dog's kibble because it is cheaper and more convienent.

Eating beef liver can reduce your risk for several health issues related to nutrient deficiency. Boosting your dog's intake of vitamin A through consumption of beef liver can help decrease your dogs likelihood of experiencing night blindness and other vision problems. Increasing the amount of iron helps prevent anemia, and getting enough folic acid may help reduce your dog's risk for nerve and memory problems. The thing is most kibble brands do not have real high quality meat in them or the meat that they do have is very low on the order of content list and it is a meat by product. There are some excellent brands of dry kibble dog food like Orijens and Acana as well as GO and NOW which all come in Grain free so there are no fillers.

NOW which is made by PetCurean is full of nutritious ingredients like 100% market-fresh turkey, salmon and duck. 100% fresh Omega 3 and 6 oils from coconuts and canola. Wholesome berries, fruits and veggies such as peas, spinach, cranberries, pumpkin, blackberries, alfalfa sprouts, kelp, lentils and carrots. Yum! Zero grains, zero rendered meals, zero by-product meals, or artificial preservatives. But we have tried all of the premium Grain Free Dry Kibble and carefully read the ingredients in each of them, and we found the higher end brands list Real Meats like Chicken, Salmon, Beef at the top of the content list with zero grains and zero fillers. Our Dogs both really seem to like the Puppy version of "GO" dry kibble dog food the best. GO! FIT + FREE Grain Free Puppy Recipe is pure protein power, prepared with a balanced blend of premium quality chicken, turkey and salmon proteins and essential Omega oils along with DHA & EPA for your puppy's brain & eye development. Your puppy will get so much more, from eating less.

Why I like using peas in my dog's meals. Just one cup of green peas provides over 51% of the required amount of vitamin K, 42% of your daily manganese, 40% of the daily requirement of vitamin C and over ¼ of your body's daily requirement of vitamin B1 (thiamin). It also contains between 12 to 25 % of the daily requirement for folate, vitamin A, tryptophan, phosphorus, B6, protein, niacin, magnesium, riboflavin, copper, iron, zinc and potassium. You don't need a lot of extra fiber because just one cup of peas provides over 1/3 of the necessary daily fiber. Best of all, they taste good. The carotenoid in the green pea is lutein, well known for reducing the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration. Studies on peas show that they help lower cholesterol, strengthen the immune system, maintain level glucose levels in the blood to keep energy levels consistent, promote bone health and cardiovascular health. The high vitamin C content is a great natural antioxidant that protects the body from cell damage.

The Benefits of Bananas! The fiber in bananas not only keeps digestion regular, but also helps maintain low blood sugar and curbs overeating. This applies to our dogs! Studies show that the high amounts of potassium in bananas (over 13% of the RDA) can lower one's blood pressure, which in turn lessens the possibility of atherosclerosis, heart attack and stroke. Along with lowering blood pressure, potassium prevents the weakening of the body's bones. A high sodium intake, which is typical of many American diets, can cause excessive amount of calcium to be lost through the urine, which threatens not only the strength and general health of the bones, but also negatively affects blood clotting, proper muscle contraction, and normal nervous system function. The potassium found in bananas neutralizes the high amounts of sodium in one's diet, thus allowing for healthy amounts of calcium to remain within the body.

The potassium in bananas is not the only means to ensure healthy levels of calcium in the body. Bananas also contain high levels of fructooligosaccharide (FOS) that--along with insulin--promotes calcium absorption. FOS further nourishes healthy bacteria in the colon that manufacture vitamins and digestive enzymes that boost the body's overall ability to absorb nutrients. Bananas can diminish the uncomfortable effects of diarrhea and constipation. The high amounts of potassium in bananas can restock electrolytes that are easily depleted when suffering from diarrhea -- potassium being an important electrolyte itself. Furthermore, bananas can relieve the body from constipation and help restore regular digestion with pectin, a soluble polysaccharide that helps normalize the digestive tract. Bananas protect the healthy constitution of the stomach in two ways. Firstly, they trigger the production of mucus in the stomach, which provides a protective barrier against stomach acids. Secondly, bananas possess protease inhibitors, a substance that breaks down bacteria in the stomach that cause ulcers. So every now and then give your dog a banana!

Remy's Crunch N Munch

Dogs all love crunchy stuff especially puppies! So here is a recipe I made up that is a sure way to please every dog's crunchy desire, and fuel his body for energy!

1/2 Cup Almonds Raw Diced 3/4 Cup Carrots Raw Diced or Grated 1 Apple Raw diced (Red Delicious) 1/2 Cup Zucchini raw diced 2 Tbsp smooth natural unsalted peanut butter 2 Large Eggs Hard Boiled 1/2 Cup Plain Yogurt 400 grams of Poached Chicken 300 grams of beef liver You will want to poach the chicken and the liver first. I always slightly under cook all my meat so that I don't destroy any natural nutrients in the meat. Dogs can fully digest raw meat, but I like to slightly cook my dog's meat and serve them a warm meal that isn't nuked in the microwave. Then dice and combine in a bowl the almonds, carrots apples, zucchini eggs yogurt and peanut butter. Dice up finely both the chicken and liver, and add the juices from the meat. Mix all ingredients together and serve! I love adding almonds or walnuts to my salads to not only replace the crunch you get from croutons but for it's healthy benefits. I am also lactose intolerant so I drink Almond milk as an alternative. Almonds have so many health benefits they are a rich source of vitamin E, calcium, phosphorous, iron and magnesium. It also contains zinc, selenium, copper and niacin. Almonds contain the most nutrients in comparison to all other nuts.The health benefits of almonds include getting relief from constipation, respiratory disorders, cough, hearth disorders, anemia, impotency, and diabetes. It also helps in hair care, skin care (psoriasis), and dental care.

Almonds are good for the brain, they are a source of many nutrients which help in development of the brain. Almond induces high intellectual level and has been considered as an essential food item for growing children and dogs too! Almonds also regulates cholesterol, regular consumption of almonds helps to increase the level of high density lipoproteins (HDL) and reduce the level of low density lipoproteins (LDL), thereby effectively controlling cholesterol levels. LDL cholesterol is called bad cholesterol. Mono-saturated fat, protein and potassium contained in almonds are good for the heart. Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant and reduces the risk of heart diseases. The presence of magnesium in almonds helps to avoid heart attacks. Almonds help reduce C-reactive protein which causes artery-damaging inflammation. Almond is also a good source of folic acid. They therefore help to reduce the level of homocystein, which causes fatty plaque buildup in arteries. In previous blogs I talk about the importance of fish oils as they are great for your dog's skin and coats. The benefits of almond for skin care are well known, our older Shepherd often gets sore legs so we massage him with an almond oil which is great for his skin, and safe for him if he decides to lick it off. Potassium present in almond helps to regulates blood pressure. Almonds are very low in sodium which also helps in containing blood pressure. Almond improves the movement of food through the colon, thereby preventing colon cancer. Almonds also help in reducing the rise in sugar and insulin levels after meals. This offers protection from diabetes. The mono-saturated fat contained in almonds satisfies appetite and prevents over-eating. Studies have revealed that almond rich low calorie diet is good for obese people to assist in shedding their weight. Almonds are rich in fibre. Like most other fibre rich food, almonds also help in preventing constipation. The presence of manganese, copper and Riboflavin helps in energy production. Happy cooking!

Rhino's Apple Burger Patties

Summer time is around the corner, and we all love to BBQ Hamburgers for the family. The other day I was BBQ and Rhino was sitting next to me while I was flipping the burgers. His little nose was propped straight up as he caught a wiff of the burgers on the grill. His little brown eyes looked right at me and spoke for themselves.

So I decided the other day I would make my dog's a healthy doggy version burger. Now in my other blogs, you will have already read that I give both my dogs a pro biotic pill and an Omega 3 fish oil pill daily. How ever if you don't give your dog's vitamins you can always add a tsp of cod liver and salmon oil to your dog's meals and there are various probiotic powders you can sprinkle over your dogs food. Here is Rhino's Apple Burger patties. Lightly pan cook Regular Ground Beef till it's brown on the outside and slightly pink on the inside. Cook a Hard Boil and Egg (20 mins) and discard shell peel, and mash the egg coarsely. Pulse the carrots, apple and honey together. Add oat's, egg, and tomato sauce with remaining ingredients and stir. You can mix all the ingredients with the ground beef and hand make them into patties and serve your special home made Apple Burger Patties to your dog! For dog's who love cheese and don't have any stomach issues with cheese you can grate some cheese over the dog's patties while they are still warm and the cheese will melt on burger.

1 Cup of diced apples with skin raw 640 Grams of Beef lightly cooked (pink on inside) 1/2 Cup of grated carrots 1 Large Egg Hard Boiled 1 Tsp spoon of honey 1/2 Cup of Tomato Sauce (plain no salt added) 1/2 Raw Organic Oatmeal (uncooked oats) I hope you enjoy making this meal, and that your dog's love it as much as mine do! Everyone is familiar with the expression "An Apple A Day Keeps the Doctor Away". Apples are so great for our dogs too. Not only does it help clean your dogs teeth but it also helps strengthen their gums.

Apples are great for lowering the level of cholesterol in your dogs and it also Detoxifies the body and has an antiviral property. Apple's will also prevent constipation because it helps digestion. One large apple supplies almost 30% of minimum amount of fiber that should be consumed daily. If your dog's have sensitive stomachs like mine do, you will find that another benefit of eating apples is that it helps with indigestion, and may be helpful in cases of diarrhea. In this recipe I include Tomato sauce to give the patties a bit of a tangy flavor. I use Organic Tomato sauce ( In Glass jar)

for my organic turkey chili, or my husbands favorite organic sweet spaghetti sauce. But there are many benefits to tomato sauce, thanks to an ingredient called lycopene. Lycopene is a phytochemical that acts as a powerful antioxidant, potentially helping to reduce the risk of prostate, esophageal and breast cancers. As most dog lovers know, our beloved pets are also prone to various Cancers. The reason I use tomato sauce in this recipe for my dogs is because you will receive the best absorption of lycopene from cooked or processed products such as tomato-based pasta sauce, tomato paste, sauce, soup, juice, bottled salsa, chili sauce and ketchup. A bonus: When these foods are eaten with a little fat like ground beef, the lycopene is even better absorbed. Now the Reason I stated that I use Glass tomato sauce over canned is because of Bisphenol A (BPA) which is an industrial chemical widely used in common plastic products, such as baby bottles, children’s toys, and the linings of most food and beverage cans. Many scientific studies—including the largest study of BPA ever conducted on humans—have found links between BPA and serious health problems, from heart disease, diabetes and liver abnormalities in adults to developmental problems in the brains and hormonal systems of children. Given the wide use of BPA in so many products we encounter every day, it is probably impossible to completely eliminate your exposure to this potentially harmful chemical. Still, you can lower your exposure—and your risk of possible health problems associated with BPA—by taking a few simple precautions.

The easiest way to lower your intake of BPA is to stop eating so many foods that come into contact with the chemical. Eat fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, which usually have more nutrients and fewer preservatives than canned foods, and taste better, too. Choose Cardboard and Glass Containers Over Cans Highly acidic foods, such as tomato sauce and canned pasta, leach more BPA from the lining of cans, so it’s best to choose brands that come in glass containers. Soups, juices and other foods packaged in cardboard cartons made of layers of aluminum and polyethylene plastic (labeled with a number 2 recycling code) are safer than cans with plastic linings containing BPA.