"When you cook at home," Leah notes, "not only do you control the ingredients (which means you can use more healthy, whole foods), you also decrease the amount of phthalates you consume daily." Phthalates are nasty, hormone-disrupting chemicals inside plastics and fragrances that have been linked to degraded sperm, infertility, behavior problems in children, obesity, and certain cancers.
Leah adds, "These contaminants typically get inside your food from packaging, handling, and processing, which is more common in restaurants. If you prepare most of your meals at home from whole foods, you are way ahead of the game.