FitSugar

Gear Review: Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Water Bottle

FitSugar — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 12:00:00 PDT

I'm sure you've heard the bad news. Polycarbonate water bottles that contain the chemical Bisphenol A, like the ever popular ones made by Nalgene, are probably bad for you. Studies show that hard, clear plastics might possibly cause cancerous tumors, urinary tract problems, and early puberty. With news like that, you're probably in the market for a new, safer water bottle. Enter Klean Kanteen!

This Klean Kanteen water bottle ($16.95) is made of stainless steel (SIGG bottles are made of aluminum). It holds 27 ounces of water, is toxin free and can be cleaned in the dishwasher, which I love. The mouth of the bottle is wide enough to handle ice cubs, and the polypropylene screw cap is easy to grip and seals tight to prevent leakage. The bottle is skinny so I can slip it into my backpack easily or in the cage on my bike. If you are super outdoorsy, you can use a spare carabiner to attach the bottle to the outside of your backpack with the handy loop on the bottle lid.These are a little cheaper than SIGG bottles (a 20-oz. bottle is about $20), so if you're trying to save some dough, I'd definitely pick one of these up. You can buy one here.

Gear Review: Lifefactory Glass Water Bottle

FitSugar — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:30:08 PST

I like staying hydrated on the go. But I also have my concerns about chemicals leaching into my water after the Nalgene fiasco of 2008, when we learned that polycarbonate bottles release the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) into our drinks, increasing the risk of diabetes and heart disease. Many people then switched to Sigg bottles, but it later came to light that this brand's older bottles had BPA in their lining. Where does this leave us? With glass.

Lifefactory now makes adult versions of its eco-friendly baby bottles - minus the nipple, of course. Lifefactory sent me a Beverage Bottle ($22) to test out and I've been carrying it ever since. It's a 22-ounce sturdy glass bottle, with a screw top lid, housed in a protective silicone sleeve. Here's what I love about my bottle: it holds a lot of water, the entire thing is dishwasher safe (both bottle and silicone sleeve), the water inside never takes on that funky metallic taste, and since it's clear you can see how much water you have left. Here's the drawback: it's a bit heavy, which shouldn't come as much of a surprise since it is made of glass. I tried the bottle out at the gym, and quickly realized that it's not meant for use on a cardio machine since you have to screw off the lid, which is an accident waiting to happen if you're trucking along on a treadmill. On the other hand, I appreciated the break time during circuit weight training when I needed a sip and had to remove and replace the lid. I think the best use of this bottle is on driving-heavy carpooling and errand-running days, but I don't think I would take it with me on a hike.

I must say I like the polka-dot design, and the silicone really does provide ample gripping action - even for sweaty hands. You can pick up your own Beverage Bottle from Lifefactory's website. I also found the bottles, both for babies and adults, at my local co-op grocery.

Reusable Plastic Food Containers and Leaching Chemicals

FitSugar — Mon, 10 May 2010 12:00:36 PDT

In the locker room at my gym last week, I overheard a woman talking to her friend about replacing all her plastic food containers with glass ones. She said that she doesn't want plastic leaching into her or her family's food. Plastics have been getting a bad rap ever since the whole Nalgene BPA fiasco. I know water bottles containing BPA are bad news, but is it necessary to ditch all reusable plastic food containers, too?

Checking the websites of Ziploc and Glad, you learn that the reusable plastic containers made by both companies do not contain cancer-causing BPA. Plus, there is a bevy of BPA-free containers out there to choose from. While that is all very reassuring, what happens when reusable plastic containers are heated in the microwave? To find out the truth,

You might have received an email or heard the rumor that when plastic containers are microwaved, chemicals can leach into your food. According to The Harvard Medical School Family Medical Guide, the FDA "closely regulates plastic containers and materials that come into contact with food. Before approving a container, the FDA conducts tests to make sure that it doesn’t leak unsafe amounts of any substance into food." The FDA conducts tests that measure the migration of chemicals at temperatures they expect the containers to reach with ordinary use. The agency takes into consideration the ratio of plastic to food, how long the container is in the microwave, how often the user will eat straight out of the container, and how hot the container will get. You should know that chemicals do leach out, but in order for a container to be deemed as safe, "the maximum allowable amount is 100 to 1,000 times less per pound of body weight than the amount shown to harm laboratory animals over a lifetime of use."

The American Cancer Society agrees and says that when you heat something up in the microwave, some of the chemicals can seep into your food, but not enough that would be considered harmful. If this sits well with you, then go ahead and keep using those plastic reusable containers in any way you please. But if you're not OK with any amount of chemicals leaching out into your food, I'd go for glass. I think I'll keep using these containers for fruit, veggies, and snacks, but won't be heating them up anymore. I'll save that for Pyrex containers and real plates and bowls.

Remember, all those tests are done with plastic containers specifically designed for microwave use - the FDA doesn't guarantee the safety of microwaving old yogurt or takeout containers.