Tea, tea bags, and microplastics
When you live in a damp or cold climate, sometimes a hot “cuppa” is just the thing to help warm you up. So, you reach for your favorite Camellia Sinensis tea conveniently packaged in a tea bag, put the kettle on, and await its boiling whistle. The tea’s aroma is released as the hot water opens the leaves, allowing them to remove the antioxidant-rich polyphenols and modest amounts of caffeine into the brew.
“Tea is the elixir of life. ”
Research has found significant health benefits in daily tea drinkers. The risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, experiencing a stroke, or premature death is significantly less in people who enjoy 2-3 daily cups of tea. For those trying to conceive, one to two daily cups of tea may slightly increase one’s chances of conceiving compared with those who don’t drink tea.
Impact of microplastics on human health
Tea’s health benefits may quickly diminish and even become a source of endocrine disruption, inflammation, and possibly disease when prepared in a microplastic bag. These silken bags vaguely resemble a pyramid and are usually used by premium tea brands. As the boiling water brews the tea, it also brews the plastic tea bag, leading to thermal degradation of the bag.
A 2019 study found a single plastic tea bag released upwards of 11.6 billion microplastics (plastic particles <100μm) and 3.1 billion nanoplastics (particles less than 1000nm) in one cup of tea. This is important because nanoplastics can be easily absorbed in the gut, leading to inflammation, oxidative stress, and endocrine and metabolic disruption. The full impact of micro- and nanoplastics remains unclear, but there are clear signals that these chemicals may contribute to significant issues. Plastics in the form of phthalates were associated with lower antral follicle counts, fewer eggs retrieved, and, ultimately, fewer high-quality embryos during IVF.
What can we do?
If you are a tea drinker, ditch the prepackaged tea bag and choose loose tea. I’m a personal fan of the small ceramic tea pot with a stainless steel basket. When I’m done brewing the tea, I remove the metal basket, and poor a cup into a ceramic cup and enjoy with splash of oat milk. If you only want a single cup, when brewing your tea, use a stainless steel basket or tea ball in your cup or mug.
When on the go, avoid having your tea served to you in a plastic cup or with a plastic top. Bring your own container that has its own tea basket or an unbleached, reusable tea bag. There are many portable tea containers on the market and choose glass or stainless steel versions. Avoid clear plastic containers or plastic baskets.
If you can’t avoid pre-bagged tea, choose tea bags free from epichlorohydrin and completely biodegradable, plastic-free, organic, or made with plant-based materials.