Unfortunately, endocrine disruptors are in many products, as the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Dirty Dozen List of Endocrine Disruptors reveals. The list includes the worst endocrine disruptors. Since these 12 are so scary and so pervasive, the following is an overview of what each one is and how to avoid exposure.

1. BPA

BPA, which stands for bisphenol A, tops the list. It is used to make polycarbonate plastics, including compact disks, plastic dinnerware, and some toys. BPA epoxy resins are used to line food cans. It has been linked to breast and other cancers and shown to affect the reproductive systems of laboratory animals. A Centers for Disease Control study of 2,517 participants ages six years and older found BPA in the urine of almost all of the people tested. The best way to avoid BPA exposure is to swap canned foods for fresh ones or look for BPA-free canned foods, often available in most natural food stores.

2. Dioxins

Dioxins make the number two spot, and they are a class of chemical contaminants formed during combustion processes such as waste incineration or some industrial processes, including paper pulp bleaching. People are mainly exposed to dioxins through eating contaminated food and through feminine hygiene products. Dioxins have been found to cause reproductive and developmental problems, interfere with hormones and damage the immune system. All people have background exposure to dioxins and a certain level of them in the body, according to the World Health Organization. Since most of the food found to be contaminated with dioxins are meat, milk, eggs, butter, and fish, the best way to reduce exposure is to eat fewer animal products.

3. Atrazine

Atrazine is one of the most widely used pesticides in the U.S. It is mainly used on corn, sorghum and sugarcane and is applied most heavily in the Midwest. The pesticide has been banned in the EU. A 2009 analysis of drinking and surface water by the Natural Resources Defense Council found “pervasive” contamination across the Midwest and South. Atrazine was found in 80 percent of drinking water samples taken in 153 public water systems. All of the 20 watersheds sampled in 2007 and 2008 contained atrazine. Sixteen of the watershed samples had average concentrations higher than the level shown to harm plants and wildlife. The best way to avoid atrazine exposure is to buy organic produce and get a drinking water filter certified to remove the pesticide.

4. Phthalates

Phtalates are a group of chemicals used to make plastics more flexible. They are used in all sorts of products, including vinyl flooring, adhesives, plastic clothes (raincoats), garden hoses, inflatable toys, and some personal care products (soaps, shampoos, hair sprays, and nail polishes). Some studies show that phthalates cause gender confusion in children exposed to them. A study of 145 preschool children found that mothers with high concentrations of two common phthalates in their prenatal urine had sons less likely to play with male-typical toys and games. A great way to avoid phthalates exposure is to avoid plastic food containers. Another way to avoid exposure is to read labels and look for “fragrance” listed as an ingredient. Most fragrances contain phthalates.

5. Perchlorate

Perchlorate is both naturally occurring and a man-made chemical used to make rocket fuel, fireworks, flares, and explosives. Even the EPA admits that it may have “adverse health effects” because studies indicate it can disrupt the thyroid’s ability to produce the hormones that are needed for normal growth and development. Both EWG and government test data found that perchlorate is found in much of the produce and milk in the U.S. It’s almost impossible to avoid exposure, but you can reduce potential effects by making sure you have enough iodine in your diet.

6. Fire Retardants

The EPA classifies chemicals in some fire retardants as “persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic to both humans and the environment.” The NRDC calls flame retardants a “classic example of a stupid use of a chemical.” Studies have linked these chemicals to lower IQ and other serious health effects. There are several ways to avoid exposure, including using a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter, and being careful if you replace the old carpet.

7. Lead

Lead affects almost every organ and system in our bodies. Children six years and younger are particularly vulnerable to the effects of lead, but adults and older children can also be affected. The EPA lists a number of ways to avoid lead, which include inspecting and maintaining painted surfaces to prevent deterioration, cleaning debris out of outlet screens or faucet aerators on a regular basis, and wash children’s hands and toys often. Another way to reduce exposure is through eating a healthy diet because studies show that children who eat healthier absorb less lead.

8. Arsenic

When you think of arsenic you are probably likely to think of murder by poisoning. However, arsenic is found in some drinking water supplies. It can cause skin, bladder, and lung cancer. The best way to reduce exposure is by using a water filter that lowers arsenic levels.

9. Mercury

Mercury is an element that occurs naturally and is found in air, water, and soil. Even just being exposed to a small amount can cause serious health problems and could be a hidden risk in your home. The World Health Organization (WHO) considers mercury to be one of the top 10 chemicals that are a major public health concern. It gets into the air and oceans mainly through burning coal, according to the EWG. The best way to avoid exposure is to eat safer seafood. Check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch pocket guide.

10. Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs)

Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) are used to make non-stick cooking ware. The EPA is concerned about PFCs because they are found all over the world in the environment, wildlife and people. They have been found to be toxic to laboratory animals and wildlife. Exposure to PFCs is widespread. Ditching non-stick pans, avoiding water and stain-resistant clothing, furniture and carpets are the best ways to avoid exposure.

11. Organophosphate pesticides

Organophosphate pesticides affect the nervous system by disrupting the enzyme that regulates the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine. The Pesticide Action Network is particularly concerned about them as a number of fruits and vegetables are contaminated with these toxic pesticides. Buying organic produce is the best way to avoid exposure.

12. Glycol Ethers

Last but not least, glycol ethers are in a number of household products, including cleaning products, liquid soaps, and cosmetics. Animal studies have found reproductive and developmental effects from inhalation and oral exposure to glycol ethers. You can avoid exposure by reading labels and looking for ingredients such as 2-butoxyethanol (EGBE) and methoxydiglycol (DEGME).

It's important to avoid endocrine disrupters at any age but especially in menopause. Check out this video series we did with Leah Segedie from Mamavation.com.

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Read about takeout packaging

PFAS in Food Packaging

Safer Chemicals tested takeout food packaging and other food packaging at some of the largest grocery stores in the U.S. What they found is that PFAs are widespread in takeout packaging. Almost two-thirds of paper takeout containers contain elevated levels of fluorine, which is a marker of PFAS. Eleven percent of the bakery and deli papers tested were also likely treated with PFAs. PFAs can leach into the food. Exposure to them is linked to health problems such as cancer, liver damage and immune suppression.

The tested Whole Foods Markets’ materials fared the worst because the grocery store chain offers the biggest variety of paper takeout containers. Most of those containers are likely treated with PFAs. After learning of the results, Whole Foods Market released a statement committing to remove “all prepared foods and bakery packaging highlighted in the report.” They added that they are “actively working with our suppliers to find and scale new compostable packaging options.” Safer Chemicals credit Whole Foods for taking action but points out it “falls short of a full ban of all PFAS-containing food contact materials.”

Trader Joe’s is another grocer who is committing to taking action. “Trader Joe’s is asking its vendors to avoid the use of Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in packaging for our products,” Bloomberg reports. “In addition, Trader Joe’s does not have food bars or delis, so takeout food containers are typically not found in our stores.”

Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed a bill into law that bans the use of PFAs in paper food packaging. The legislation takes effect on January 1, 2022.

Although there are greener and non-toxic takeout food packing available, unfortunately, outside of Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s no other grocery store chains have committed to even dealing with PFAs.

PFAS in Fast Food Packaging

The latest study by Toxic-Free Future shows the packaging on fast-food items is no better. The study found that nearly half of the packages tested contained potentially toxic chemicals. Some of the packagings tested included Burger King, McDonald’s, and Wendy’s as well as some of the healthier chains like Cava, Freshii, and Sweetgreen. Most of these chains do not have a public chemical policy to address the issue of toxic PFAS in their food packaging materials. Some chains have made a commitment to moving away from these packages by 2021 as a response to this new study, like Cava and Sweetgreen's. And other chains made a commitment already like Chipotle, Panera Bread, and Taco Bell.

PFAS in dental floss

A new study found that a certain type of dental floss, Oral-B Glide contributed to PFAs in the bodies of 178 middle-aged women. The study, published in the  Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology (JESEE), found that women who flossed with Oral-B Glide had higher levels of PFHxS (perfluorohexanesulfonic acid), a type of PFAs. The researchers tested 18 dental flosses for the presence of fluorine. The three Glide products tested positive for fluorine.

“This is the first study to show that using dental floss containing PFAS is associated with a higher body burden of these toxic chemicals,” lead author Katie Boronow, a staff scientist at Silent Spring, said in a statement. “The good news is, based on our findings, consumers can choose flosses that don’t contain PFAS.”

Bottom line

Be aware of the PFAs lurking in takeout containers (you might bring your own from home instead) and dental floss. Are you looking for alternatives to dental floss that do not contain PFAs? Check out  eoFLOSS Carbon Bright and Cocofloss.

Read about dental floss

DISCLAIMER: This article contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, Naturally Savvy will receive a small commission so we can keep pumping out amazing articles like this one. Thank you so much for your support!

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1. Benzoic acid (sodium benzoate)

Benzoic acid (sodium benzoate) is derived from the chemical benzene. It is used to help prevent yeast growth, which can cause food to spoil. Short term studies of rats found disorders of the central nervous system after feeding high doses of benzoic acid. Other effects observed included reduced weight gain and changes in organ weights.

Note: This refers to sodium benzoate being used as a preservative in food products only.

Read more about why sodium benzoate is so scary

2. Potassium sorbate

Potassium sorbate is derived from sorbic acid as a potassium salt. It is used to prevent mold, fungi and yeast growth. It is considered to be safe for human consumption but has been linked to various side effects, including diarrhea and asthma.

3. Polysorbate 80

Polysorbate 80 is used as an emulsifier in certain foods, including ice cream. Studies have linked it to infertility and anaphylactic shock.

4. Carrageenan

Carrageenan is derived from red seaweed and is used to improve food texture. It is often used as a vegan alternative to gelatin. It can be found in a variety of food products, including dairy and plant-based milk such as coconut milk. Studies have linked it to gastrointestinal problems and cancer.

5. BHA

BHA is short for butylated hydroxyanisole and is added to prevent oxidation in foods with fats and oils. Based on evidence from studies on lab animals, it is considered to be a possible human carcinogen. In other words, it could cause cancer.

Read more about the preservative BHT

Image: Johnathan Nightingale

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Of all the pesticides used in U.S. agriculture in 2016, 322 million pounds were of pesticides the EU banned, 26 million were of pesticides banned in Brazil, and 40 million pounds were pesticides banned in China. Over a quarter of all agricultural pesticide use in the U.S. is comprised of pesticides banned in the EU. Most of the pesticides banned in the EU, Brazil, and China have not “appreciably decreased” in the U.S. over the last 25 years and most of them have either increased or stayed constant in the last decade.

Read About How Eating Organic Reduces Pesticide Exposure

Donley also found that the pesticides banned in at least two of the other nations may have been implicated in acute pesticide poisonings in the U.S. Some of them are restricted by individual states. There is a big regulatory problem with the U.S., as he points out in his study. “The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) has all but abandoned its use of non-voluntary cancellations in recent years, making pesticide cancellation in the USA largely an exercise that requires consent by the regulated industry,” he stated.

Five of the pesticides (bensulide, dicrotophos, phorate, terbufos, and tribufos) banned in other countries but used in the U.S. “are in the neurotoxic organophosphate class that was once used in chemical warfare in World War II,” Donley wrote in a blog post. Paraquat is another one that is in use in the U.S. and banned in other countries. It is “one of the most acutely lethal pesticides still in use today, with a teaspoon-sized dose being enough to kill a grown adult,” according to him.

Read the 2019 Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 EWG List

California is the top agricultural producing state in the U.S. and produces half of the nation’s produce. Pesticide use in the state is at near record-high levels, according to recently released data. In 2017, pesticide use in California exceeded two hundred million pounds for the third straight year. Pesticides included in the total increase are the organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos and two fungicides (chlorothalonil and mancozeb) known to cause cancer. Glyphosate is one of the pesticides most widely used in the state. The World Health Organization classified glyphosate as a probable carcinogen in 2015, and California lists it in a list of chemicals under Proposition 65 known to cause cancer.

What you can do

There a few things you can do to help reduce pesticide use in the U.S.

1. Buy organic produce. By increasing the market for organics, you help to reduce the need for pesticides.
2. You can appeal to your local, state and federal government representatives to make sure they know you don't want to be exposed to these pesticides. You can find or start a petition to send to show you are not alone in your request.
3. Grow your own fruits and vegetables when you can.

Read This Next: Eating Organic Reduces Pesticide Exposure

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Read about living plastic free

Where do the plastics we are eating come from?

The sources of the microplastics that people regularly ingest are common food and beverages. Drinking water is the largest global source of microplastics, a study on bottled water found. All samples that researchers tested contained plastic. The samples came from around the world. Some places have more microplastics. American and Indian tap water had twice as much as European or Indonesian water.

Shellfish accounts for up to 0.5 grams a week. The reason is that shellfish are eaten whole, and their digestive systems may contain the plastic they ingested. The world’s oceans are filled with plastic pollution. There is a plastic gyre in the Pacific Ocean the size of Texas.

What are the effects of eating microplastics?

The effects of ingesting microplastic on human health are not fully known, but experts suspect that there is more of an impact than is understood currently. However, studies have found that beyond particular exposure levels of plastic fibers, mild inflammation of the respiratory tract occurs. There are types of plastic that contain chemicals and additives that can affect human health.

Another study backs up what WWF found

The WWF study is not the only one to look at how much plastic is consumed by people. A recently published American study found that Americans consume 39,000 to 52,000 particles of microplastic a year. When inhalation is factored in, the estimates increase to 74,000 and 121,000. Researchers discovered that people who meet their recommended water intake through bottled water may be ingesting an extra 90,000 pieces of microplastic a year. People who only drink bottled water consume about 4,000 extra pieces. The study concluded that the estimates “are likely underestimates.”

The root of the microplastics problem

Many of the products that we buy are packaged in plastic. Our constant demand for convenience causes more plastic to be manufactured. And since 2000, more plastic has been produced globally than all the preceding years combined. A third of all of that plastic is leaked into nature. The current production of plastic could increase by 40 percent by 2030 if all predicted plastic production capacity is reached. The ocean will contain one metric ton of plastic for every three metric tons of fish by 2025 if nothing changes.

A wake-up call to governments

WWF is calling on governments to take action. One big way governments can take action to stop the plastic crisis is to support more research on plastic and microplastics in nature, and their health effects on human health. Another way for governments to take action is to create national targets for plastic reduction, recycling, and management. The Canadian government recently set a target of banning single-use plastics as early as 2021.

“These findings must serve as a wake-up call to governments,”  said Marco Lambertini, WWF International Director General, in a statement. “Global action is urgent and essential to tackling this crisis,” said Marco Lambertini, WWF International Director General, in a statement.

What you can do to minimize your exposure to microplastics

There is something you can do to help bring change. Sign the petition by WWF which demands a global legally binding agreement that involves every country in ending this plastic crisis by 2030. The petition has already garnered over 500,000 signatures.

There is something else you can do. Aim to reduce the amount of plastic you use. Swap bottled water for a stainless steel reusable water bottle. Take your own cloth bags to the grocery store instead of using the single-use plastic ones that stores freely give. Every little action will help to reduce overall plastic use.

Read about ocean plastic

Read this next: Living Plastic Free…As Much As Possible

The post Plastic: What You Didn’t Know You are Eating Every Day appeared first on NaturallySavvy.com.

Read about diet drinks

The study, published in the American Heart Association’s journal, Stroke, is the first to look at the association between drinking diet drinks and the risk of specific types of stroke in a large and racially diverse group of post-menopausal women. Researchers looked at data on 81,714 postmenopausal women (age 50 to 79 years in the beginning) who participated in the Women’s Health Initiative study that tracked health outcomes for an average of 11.9 years.

Researchers found the women who drink more than one diet drink a day are:

• 23 percent more likely to have a stroke
• 31 percent more likely to have a clot-caused stroke
• 29 percent more likely to develop heart disease
• 16 percent more likely to die from any cause

Researchers also found that women without previous heart disease or diabetes were 2.44 times more likely to have a common type of stroke caused by a blockage of one of the small arteries in the brain. Obese women without previous heart disease or diabetes were 2.03 times as likely to have a clot-caused stroke. African-American women without previous heart disease or diabetes were 3.93 times as likely to have a clot-caused stroke.

“Higher intake of artificially sweetened beverages was associated with increased risk of stroke, particularly small artery occlusion subtype, coronary heart disease, and all-cause mortality,” the researchers concluded. “Although requiring replication, these new findings add to the potentially harmful association of consuming high quantities of artificially sweetened beverages with these health outcomes.”

Read about diet drinks and depression

“Many well-meaning people, especially those who are overweight or obese, drink low-calorie sweetened drinks to cut calories in their diet,” said Yasmin Mossavar-Rahmani, Ph.D., lead author of the study. “Our research and other observational studies have shown that artificially sweetened beverages may not be harmless and high consumption is associated with a higher risk of stroke and heart disease.”

Other studies have found links between health problems and the consumption of diet drinks. A 2017 study found that people who drank diet drinks every day had an increase in their waists of an average 3.16 inches. A 2014 study found an association in mice between drinking diet drinks and developing glucose intolerance by altering intestinal microbiota.

Read about artificial sweeteners

[Editor's Note: If you think you may be having a stroke or heart attack, please seek medical attention immediately. Here is a link to the symptoms of a stroke or heart attack.]

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Read about organics

The study, published in the journal Environmental Research, tested the urine of four families in Oakland, Minneapolis, Atlanta, and Baltimore after they ate a conventional diet for six days and organic food for six days. Researchers found that the pesticide and pesticide metabolite levels detected decreased by 60.5 percent after eating an all-organic diet for six days.

“The study shows that eating organic works,” Kendra Klein, Ph.D., senior staff scientist at Friends of the Earth on Thursday, and lead author of the study told Naturally Savvy. “What we've found is eating an organic diet rapidly and dramatically reduces exposure to pesticides.”

Eating organic not only reduces your exposure to pesticides but promotes a healthy food system. As Klein said, “In rural communities, farmers and farm workers have significantly higher rates of a whole range of disease and health problems linked to pesticide exposure. So, we're using the study to try to inspire people to think about the importance of shifting from a pesticide-intensive food system to an organic food system for all of us.”

Eating organic reduces exposure to the most toxic pesticides

The most significant decreases occurred with a class of pesticides called organophosphates. The study found a 95 percent decreased in levels of malathion and an almost two-thirds decrease in chlorpyrifos, two organophosphates. A 2016 review of studies on organophosphates found a link between chronic occupational exposure to organophosphates and neuropsychological effects.

A study on Salinas farmworkers and their families, called the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) Study, found that prenatal exposure to organophosphates is associated with a shorter duration of pregnancy, poor neonatal reflexes, lower IQ and poorer cognitive functioning in children, and increased risk of attention problems in children.

“The whole class of organophosphates are so toxic and harmful to children,” said Klein. “What the study shows is that we can reduce the exposure to chlorpyrifos as we work to ban and phase out harmful pesticides. We know that organic works.”

Pyrethroids are a class of pesticides that one study found “seems to have an adverse effect on fertility, the immune system, cardiovascular, and hepatic metabolism as well as enzymatic activity.” Eating organic for a week caused a 43 to 57 percent decrease in pyrethroids.

2-4-D is one of the two ingredients in Agent Orange and one of the top five most commonly used pesticides in the U.S. By 2020, 2,4-D use on farms in the U.S. could increase between 100 and 600 percent. The families that ate organic had a 37 percent drop in 2,4-D, which is associated with a slew of health issues including endocrine disruption, thyroid disorders, increased risk of Parkinson’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and developmental and reproductive toxicity. In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified 2,4-D a possible human carcinogen.

Pesticides do not just harm humans, but animals and insects as well. Neonicotinoid pesticides are associated with endocrine disruption and changes in attention and behavior but also are linked to insect pollinator losses. Eating organic caused an 83 percent decrease in clothianidin, a neonicotinoid pesticide.

Read about the harmful effects of pesticides

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Hawaii became the first state to ban sunscreens containing the chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate earlier this summer.

Hawaii Governor David Ige signed a bill into law which bans the sale and distribution of sunscreens in the state containing the chemicals, starting January 1, 2021. Both chemicals harm marine ecosystems, including coral reefs. The law is the first of its kind in the world. The law excludes prescription sunscreens that contain oxybenzone and octinoxate.

A press release by State Senator Mike Gabbard, who introduced the bill into the state senate, states that the reason for the delayed effective date is “reformulation of sunscreens that are free of oxybenzone or octinoxate, but are also effective in preventing skin cancer.”

Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History characterizes coral reefs as the “most diverse of all marine ecosystems,” possibly containing one-quarter of the world’s ocean species that depend on reefs for food and shelter. They cover less than one percent of the world’s surface and less than two percent of the bottom of oceans.

Studies have shown that oxybenzone and octinoxate have harmful impacts on Hawaii’s marine ecosystems, including coral reefs. A 2008 study found that chemicals in sunscreens “cause the rapid and complete bleaching of hard corals, even at extremely low concentrations.” A 2015 study looked at the effects of oxybenzone on the coral reefs. What the researchers discovered is that the chemical contributes to coral bleaching and concluded that it “poses a hazard to coral reef conservation and threatens the resiliency of coral reefs to climate change.”

Just one drop of oxybenzone can kill coral reefs

“A single drop of oxybenzone, one of the sunscreen chemicals included in Hawaii’s ban, can kill the coral reefs in an area the size of 6.5 Olympic-sized pools,” Nova Covington, Founder and CEO of Goddess Garden, told Naturally Savvy. “Every bottle of reef-safe mineral sunscreen a person uses instead of a chemical one has the potential to protect 684 million gallons of water for the reefs.”

Once the company started investigating the chemicals approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in sunscreen, they discovered the “enormous impact these same chemicals had on the reefs and other marine life,” said Covington. She added that Goddess Garden has been “educating on this issue and participating in sunscreen trade-ins for years, but the ban on oxybenzone and octinoxate highlighted the problem-and the easy solution-in a much larger way than we could do by ourselves.”

Goddess Garden Organics, maker of natural mineral sunscreens and other natural skin care and personal care products, has played a role in Hawaii’s legislative ban on oxybenzone and octinoxate. The company helped by providing testimony in support of the bill in 2017, and writing to state senators and representatives urging them to support the bill.

Caribbean island Bonaire follows Hawaii

The Caribbean island of Bonaire, a municipality of the Netherlands near the Venezuela coast, is following in the proverbial footsteps of Hawaii. The island’s council voted unanimously to ban sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate. The ban will take effect on January 1, 2021.

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Read about food waste

One company that has a solution to food waste that is plant-based is California-based Apeel Sciences, started in 2012. The company came up with a solution that allows farmers, suppliers, and retailers to double the lifespan of harvested fruits and vegetables without refrigeration. It ships a powder to farmers and suppliers that they mix with water and apply to the surface of produce. A thin layer is left on the produce that is tasteless and slows water loss and oxidation, the main factors that cause produce to spoil.

Made of lipids and glycerolipids derived from plants, Apeel is fully compliant with all U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations and is designated as “Generally Recognized As Safe.” Produce sprayed with it lasts twice as long, and it is good for both organic and conventionally grown food.

Only avocados are currently treated with apeel, but the company states on its website that it has been effective at improving the shelf life and quality of over two dozen types of fruits and vegetables. Avocados treated with Apeel are sold at Kroger grocery stores, the largest retailer in the U.S. Del Rey Avocado Company began supplying avocados treated with Apeel to Costco Wholesale stores in the U.S. Midwest.

“We’re excited to be working with exceptional partners as they share our vision of a food system that provides better quality food for all and less waste,” said James Rogers, CEO and Founder of Apeel Sciences in a statement.

Apeel is a solution to reduce the huge amounts of wasted food in North America

Apeel can help reduce waste in North America where 168 million tons of food is wasted every year. Americans waste 915 pounds per capita, while Canadians waste 873 pounds per capita, according to a report by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation. The biggest share of food waste occurs at the consumer level. While up to 40 percent of food in the U.S. is wasted, one in eight Americans are food poor, struggling to put enough food on the table.

Food waste is bad for the environment, exacerbating climate change. As a result of the food waste in North America, there are 193 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions from the life-cycle of wasted food, which is equivalent to the emissions from 41 million cars driven for a year. Food waste costs money. The U.S. retail food sector creates eight million tons of waste a year in distribution centers and stores, amounting to $18 billion a year in lost value for retailers.

“With our partners, we believe we can increase the availability and accessibility of high quality, nutritious produce while simultaneously preserving our natural resources and environment,” Rogers said.

Read about food labeling

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Read about vitamin D

Researchers studied the effects of the supplements on 25,871 men and women aged 50 and older from across the U.S. for 5.3 years. They divided the participants into four groups based on the supplements given: those given vitamin D and omega-3s, those given just vitamin D, those given just omega-3s, and those given placebos.

What they found is a 28 percent reduction in heart attack risk among participants who took omega-3 supplements, but no effect on cancer. The reduction of heart attack risk among those taking omega-3s was significant among African Americans, with a 77 percent reduction found. Researchers also discovered cancer deaths were reduced by 25 percent among those taking vitamin D, with no effect on heart attack risk.

Earlier trials researched whether fish oil or other supplements prevent heart attacks or strokes in patients with either a history of heart disease or at very high risk for it. The study is the first large trial of omega-3 supplements to prevent the occurrence of heart disease in a general population. The study, conducted by researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, is the first randomized clinical trial of vitamin D and omega-3s in a racially diverse population. Twenty percent of the participants were African American.

The results of the study referred to as the Vitamin D and Omega-3 Trial (VITAL), were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Researchers are looking at the effects of vitamin D and omega-3s on rates of diabetes, cognitive function, autoimmune disease, respiratory infections, depression, and more.

“Over the next six months, we will have even more results to share that may help clinicians and patients understand the benefits and risks of taking omega-3 and vitamin D supplements,” said lead author JoAnn Manson, MD, DrPH, chief of the Division of Preventive Medicine at the Brigham.

Manson recommends that for people already taking the supplements, “there’s no clear reason to stop.” However, for those who “want to consider starting, our recommendation is to talk with your healthcare provider, but this does not need to be done on an urgent basis,” she said.

Read about omega-3 fatty acids

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