Beer, tea bags, and baby fruit purees. 10 foods high in microplastics that can cause cancer

Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic less than five millimeters long that have been linked to DNA damage, cellular destruction, and even cancer. And these dangerous compounds enter the human body through food.

Blogger and eco-fighter "Beatrice, the Anti-Plastic Lady," named 10 commonly consumed foods and drinks with a high microplastic content, including beer, tea bags, and children's fruit purees. The researcher also showed alternatives that are safer for health, writes DailyMail.

Beatrice listed the dangerous products in a video on her TikTok page, where she posts educational videos about the dangers of plastic pollution and tips for living a plastic-free lifestyle.

"Over the past few years, scientists have linked these microplastics to many truly toxic effects on your body, including numerous types of cancer, accelerated cognitive decline, and general disruption of the gut microbiome," she emphasized.

Seafood

"The amount of microplastics in the ocean doubles every six years, and all of it ends up in our seafood," Beatrice said.

A study estimated that people who eat large amounts of shellfish consume about 11,000 microplastic particles each year, the blogger added.

Salt

According to Beatrice, highly processed salt is the most dangerous option when it comes to microplastic contamination.

Interestingly, researchers have found that regular table salt contains significantly fewer microplastics than processed salt.

The researcher noted that pink Himalayan sea salt, popular for its high mineral content, is particularly high in microplastics due to its extraction methods.

Processed dairy products

According to Beatrice, highly processed dairy products, such as hard cheese and supermarket milk, contain much more microplastics than minimally processed alternatives.

"Try to consume dairy products that have been much less processed. For example, local organic milk and raw cottage cheese," she said.

Purees in food bags

Interestingly, baby purees in food bags are prepared and processed in the packaging in which they are sold, contaminating the food inside with microplastics.

"All of these plastic baby food bags are pasteurized and heated in these packages. Studies have found a lot of microplastics and adhesive chemicals, numerous bisphenols and phthalates that are above the threshold of toxicological concern," said Beatrice.

The researcher recommends avoiding pureed foods in bags and giving children as much fresh, unprocessed fruit and vegetables as possible.

Food in retort foil bags

Lentils or beans are cooked in retort foil bags, which are sold in the same way as baby food bags, Beatrice emphasized.

The researcher recommends cooking dried beans and lentils yourself to protect yourself from harmful microplastics.

Tea in bags

Recent studies have shown that nylon mesh tea bags release billions of micro- and nanoplastics into the tea people consume, the researcher said.

"Try taking loose-leaf tea and using a reusable stainless steel strainer instead, or just use tea sold in paper bags," Beatrice advised.

Processed meat

Researchers have tested the microplastic content of various meat products and found that highly processed foods are high in microplastics. According to Beatrice, these include products such as breaded shrimp, chicken nuggets, and plant-based protein nuggets.

"Try to eat foods that have been minimally processed," she emphasized.

Seaweed

Seaweed is eaten all over the world, and it is also a staple of the Asian diet. The study found that the Chinese consume more than 17,000 microplastics per person per year through seaweed consumption alone. That is 13 percent of the total annual microplastic consumption, the blogger says.

Therefore, Beatrice advises reducing seaweed consumption.

Honey

Researchers have tested honey from around the world for microplastics and found that this product is highly contaminated.

Interestingly, the microplastics do not come from processing, but from the bees themselves. According to the researchers, when honey bees search for pollen in a contaminated environment, they collect plastic particles that eventually end up in the honey.

This is especially true for honey made by urban bees, where there are many harmful substances on the flowers. "Buy honey from the countryside," emphasized Beatrice.

Beer

Numerous studies have found microplastics in many types of beer. "Beer processing involves boiling hops with hot liquid. Many different plastic materials are often used during this process," said Beatrice.

Studies have shown that some of the well-known brands with a high degree of processing contained fewer microplastics due to the amount of filtration the beer went through after brewing.

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