Why You Should Never Use Canned Tomatoes
By Hannah Healy
Updated July 26, 2023
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Many people are shocked when I tell them that canned tomatoes are bad. After all, tomatoes are a vegetable (or technically fruit), so how can they be bad? Well, it has more to do with the packaging than the actual food.
If you are used to using canned tomatoes regularly, you may want to reconsider. Although they are very common, canned tomatoes are not always a healthy option. Continue reading to find out why they can be dangerous and what to use instead…
Bisphenol-A (BPA), A Harmful Chemical
Most of us know that BPA is harmful. BPA, shortened from bisphenol-a is a chemical used to coat the lining of cans and most plastic products.
BPA can leach into foods and drinks by way of plastic containers, Tupperware, bottles, and cans.
Children are most susceptible to the effects of BPA chemicals. Below are just a few of the health problems linked to BPA exposure…
- hormonal disruption
- reproductive harm
- increased risk of certain cancers
- malformation of organs in children
- risk of miscarriage
- sperm defects
- increased risk of mental disabilities in babies.
BPA exposure is widespread, mostly because BPA is in most plastics and we use use so much of it, especially around our food. A survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control found detectable levels of BPA in 93% of 2517 urine samples from people older than 6 years old.
Why Are Canned TOMATOES so bad?
It’s true that most cans have BPA lining, unless it is labelled otherwise, so why am I singling out canned tomatoes?
I’m focusing on canned tomatoes because since tomatoes are highly acidic, it draws out more of the BPA into the food from the lining. So, canned tomatoes have an especially high risk of leaching BPA into the tomatoes because of the acidity. This is not to say that other canned goods do not also pose BPA exposure risks (they most certainly do), but tomatoes are one of the worst offenders.
Is it JUST Canned Tomatoes that pose a risk?
No. Although canned tomatoes may draw out BPA more than other foods, any canned food can leech BPA into your food. One study from the Journal of Environmental Research showed that people had detectable levels of BPA in their urine after consuming canned foods including soup, fruits and vegetables. Therefore, I find it’s best to avoid canned foods as much as you can and try to choose glass jars instead.
Don’t be fooled by BPA-FREE Cans!
Unfortunately, BPA-free cans don’t really solve the problem. When the word started getting out about the dangers of BPA a few years ago, consumers started demanding that companies quit using BPA. So, companies responded to consumer pressure and largely removed BPA from their packaging, BUT they replaced it with another chemical that has similar associated health risks called BPS–Bisphenol S.
So, even though the thought of a BPA-free label may comfort many consumers, it’s a false promise. The cans and plastics labelled as BPA-free will still have some sort of chemical in them and usually it’s BPS. That’s why I always recommend using natural products like glass and stainless steel to avoid ANY type of plastic.
So what should you do if you want to use preserved tomatoes?
It’s not too hard to find alternatives for canned tomatoes. Below are 3 great options:
- Use organic tomatoes in glass jars like this
- Use fresh tomatoes instead
- Learn how to can your own tomatoes in jars
Luckily it’s not too hard to find healthy alternatives for using preserved tomatoes. That way it makes it easy to make tasty recipes like my chicken tomato soup!
This post was originally posted in January of 2014, but has been updated and republished in July of 2018 to include recent studies and updated photos.
Fresh is always the best! Thank goodness tomatoes are not hard to come by here in the Philippines.
I use them quite regularly when making curries… Didn’t know they were this bad for you!
Oh, I love canned tomatoes. I never thought that it can be harmful to our health. I have to share this.
Wow! I need to show my husband this. HE literally eats canned tomatoes and cooks with them, every week.
Whoa! I hadn’t heard that before! My friend just gave me a jar of homemade roasted tomatoes and they taste a lot better than canned!
Hmmm. This is interesting. I’ll have to grow my own tomatoes from now on and then can them.
I did not know this, thanks for the information!
wow what a great post. lots a great info and makes me 2nd guess what i’m buying from the grocery store
OMG! I wish being healthy was as easy and convenient as being unhealthy! LOL. I shall stay vigilant THOUGH. As always, thanks for the top notch posts. xoxox
Thanks for the reminder! I had heard about this a while ago and stopped buying cans, but have slacked recently.
There is quite a bit of information here , I have never heard of canned tomatoes not good to eat, this is a scary concept to know that these chemicals are in the canned items , that I have been eating for years ,, but I do only eat canned items occasionally . It’s not been an every day type of thing for me , I am not saying I have not been exposed to these chemicals , but I feel that companies of this nature using canned items , they should be punished for this , and our government should put a regulation on them to not use these chemicals in their canning practice.
This really angers me to know this has been going on just to make a dollar,, I am disappointed with this post to straight up , cause like a lot of you I love tomatoes ,, and I have enjoyed canned tomatoes ,, I but as I have heard that jar packed tomatoes are best or can your own ,,, I don’t know if this is any better or makes a difference but I don’t eat from the can, I open the can and pour the tomatoes into a jar and eat them from their ,, I didn’t notice if any one made any comments concerning that ,, but I am not saying that is better , that is what I have always done with canned tomatoes ,
This is complete and utter nonsense! Tomatoes are not dangerous and I am so tired of seeing article after article saying they are. There are plenty of sustainably grown tomatoes on the shelves such as Tuttorosso, Red Gold and Redpack tomatoes that do not contain BPA. Not only are they packed in a Non-BPA lined can, they use only Non-GMO ingredients and they are free of any artificial ingredients. They have done tests even before switching to a non BPA lined can to prove that the idea of the acid drawing out BPA was completely false. So stop buying into the scare tactics and enjoy fresh tomato flavor all year long!
I agree with you !!!!… I have been eating canned tomatoes my whole life,,, and other canned vegetables ,,, I have not ever heard of such as this ,, you know I would think if there were dangerous I would certainly know by now ,, I feel fine,,,,lol,,,,
1. Has BPA actually been detected in canned tomatoes (or is its presence speculative)? 2. If so detected, how do the amounts of BPA compare with other commercially preserved foods? – objective measurements please. Please disregard question 2 if nil answer to question 1.
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concludes “No consumer health risk from bisphenol A exposure”
https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press/news/150121.htm
Best to read and decide for yourself
Cooked tomatoes go through a chemical change and are no longer acidic, so this would not be a problem.
All canned tomatoes have been cooked.
Great blog!! sound information, we all just need to get back to nature and eat fresh and clean avoiding all packaging materials as possible. Organic GMO seed is NOT organic, anything genetically modified is NOT organic 🙂 eat healthy and stay safe everyone 🙂
While I appreciate your point and totally see the problem, I wish you had a viable solution. Your link is for tomato paste in a jar, not tomatoes. They also sell sauce in a jar. The brand that you recommend in this post does in fact sell their tomatoes in a CAN. Not a jar . I don’t have a source for tomatoes to do canning. And those people that can can are probably already doing it. So until there’s an answer I will continue using canned organic tomatoes . (I have not seen an answer to the questions about aseptic packs because I could use those but assume they still have chemicals? )
POM sells pureed and chopped tomatoes in boxes. i buy mine from Amazon.
BPA and BPS aren’t the only endocrine system interrupters in plastics. I just saw an article (that is very well sourced) regarding exactly this and had to come back to your post to share it since it seems right up your alley.
https://m.motherjones.com/environment/2014/03/tritan-certichem-eastman-bpa-free-plastic-safe
We use POM tomatoes, they come in a box. I get mine from Vitacost.com
I’ve been using San Marzano tomatoes (they are low acidic), imported from Italy. What can you tell me about those? Are they safe?