WKOW 27: Madison, WI Breaking News, Weather and SportsFoods to watch out for before they hit the cart

MADISON (WKOW) -- You might think you are eating healthy, but experts say some foods might not be as healthy as you think.

We have always heard things like fruits and vegetables are healthy for us, but it is not just what we are eating that matters. We also need to pay attention to how it is made.

"Those are good and they taste better, but it varies," said grocery shopper Nina Troia. "It depends on what I am making."

"I do not usually feel like spending the extra money," said grocer shopper Michael Vergeront.

What we do not usually like to think about while grocery shopping is what happens to the food before it gets to the store.

There are three things you can pay closer attention to: Meat, fresh produce and canned goods, specifically canned tomatoes.

Canned Goods

"Looking at the can type and seeing if it is organic and being aware of every product you buy at the grocer store is the best way to take care of your body," said grocery shopper Lisa Kerr.

"I can my own [tomatoes]," Troia said.

"I would rather save the money and eat what is on the shelf," Vergeront said.

What is on the shelf could increase your risk of diabetes and obesity if it is in a tin can.

University of Missouri-Columbia researcher Frederick vom Saal said most have linings with bisphenol A, or BPA. Acidic products like tomatoes can cause BPA to leach into your food, according to vom Saal's research.

A Harvard School of Public Health study shows eating canned soup can also drastically increase the BPA in your system.

The solution? You can look for glass jars, or some companies now make BPA-free cans.

General Mills finished transitioning to BPA-free cans for its Muir Glen tomatoes last year, according to a General Mills spokeswoman.  

Trader Joe's and Whole Foods also have a wider selection of BPA-free cans than most grocery stores.

Produce

Then, there is produce often coated with pesticides.

"There is no way the Environmental Protection Agency can keep track of what is going into our food. There are over 77,000 chemicals out there," said UW-Madison professor Warren Porter.

He said companies only register the main ingredients with the EPA despite adding other chemicals.

"These very low subtle doses, stuff that is very hard to measure even with our best technology, are capable of modifying the way we function," Porter said.

He said pesticides have been linked to Parkinson's disease, birth defects and obesity. Washing that apple is not enough. Porter said the chemicals go right through the skin into the produce to kill pests.

"There was one instance, it was a product we used, I found a dead bird at the end of the field one time," said Larry Alsum, president and CEO of Alsum Farms. "That was the one when I said, ‘This is wrong. We have got to change.'"

Alsum is part of Wisconsin's Healthy Grown program. They try to use fewer and safer pesticides on their products.

"We have what we call our red list," Alsum said.

It is a list of chemicals he will not use, and instead of regularly spraying all the potatoes, scouts look for problem areas.

"It has allowed us to get a better quality crop, get better yields out of our crop," Alsum said.

Something he said he could not do if he did not use any pesticides.

So find out if your food is "healthy grown" or go organic if you are concerned about the effects of pesticides.

Beef

You can also take a closer look when buying beef. Corn-fed versus grass-fed. 

"The grass fed tastes better. It is more expensive," Troia said. "It is good but it's harder to find."

Like with pesticides, feeding cows corn is a more cost-effective way to meet the demand.

UW-Madison professor Mark Cook said beef from pasture-raised cattle is higher conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA. It might cost more but research shows CLA can protect against cancer and reduce things like asthma and arthritis.

"Your body is worth a lot. If you do not have your health, you do not have anything," Kerr said.