Plastic are the most recent hidden risk for the world, and they’ve also been found in chewing gums. UCLA researchers have found that every moment we chew gum, plastic are released directly into our mouths. Additionally, a&nbsp, a&nbsp, and a&nbsp, a fresh research &nbsp, tested 10 chewing gum companies, all of which revealed plastic. This was discovered to be the situation with both natural and synthetic types. A ounce of candy produces around 100 plastic on regular, with some sections spiking as high as 600.

The issues about unintentionally consuming microplastics are just rising as chewing gum becomes a delivery system for them. According to previous study, the average person consumes between 39, 000 and 52, 000 microplastic particles annually from food and drink. This number climbs to over 120, 000 if you include flying particles.

We spoke with a family doctors to know how this might impact your health. What foods have the highest levels of microplastic information, what foods are the worst, and what can you do right away to lessen your contact? We discussed this.

Read more: Microbeads Are Hiding in Your Home. How to Spot Them: Here’s How to Find Them

How some plastic are too many?

” There is no actually established’ risk-free’ or’ unsafe’ degree of microplastic intake. According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, a board-certified home remedies naturopathic doctor, “it makes feeling to need your coverage to be as low as possible.” &nbsp,

Plastic can input our meal due to leakage where the food was grown, raised or processed. According to Mercola, one of the ways microplastics may end up in foods is by using plastic compost and cheap seed coatings in agriculture and irrigation with polluted water. Additional options include plastic containers, utensils, and presentation. &nbsp,

Recent information doesn’t indicate that the levels of microplastics in food pose a danger to us, according to the US Food and Drug Administration. You might want to keep in mind how many microplastics you use at once. These are the most popular foods that contain plastic, and the measures you can choose to decrease your vinyl intake.

Major ten foods in your diet that are microplastics-containing.

Seafood

Single-use polymers that break down and find their way into waters and dirt are one of the most important ways plastic debris end up in our foods. When they reach the oceans, they end up in our seafood.

” Microplastics are then taken up by plankton and mistaken for food by fish and shellfish,” according to Mercola. The phrase” The tiny particles accumulate in the flesh… then end up on our plates”

A recent study published by Portland State University discovered a variety of microplastics in 180 out of 182 tested seafood samples. The most prevalent type of microplastic is found in oceans is microfibers, but this is not the only type.

Tea bags

Polypropylene, a plastic that is frequently used to make tea bags, can still contain microplastics even if you use paper ones. The issue is that microplastics may be released into your tea when the bags come into contact with hot water. &nbsp,

Researchers at the Autonomous University of Barcelona discovered that nylon and cellulose tea bags can release plastic&nbsp particles in billions, while polypropylene tea bags can release them in billions.

How to stop drinking tea without doing it Switch to loose-leaf tea and invest in a stainless steel diffuser to enjoy your tea free of microplastics.

Rice

Rice is also a breeding ground for microplastics. According to a study from the University of Queensland, there are 3 to 4 milligrams of plastic for every half cup of rice. If you use instant rice packets, that number is four times higher, at 13 milligrams.

How to avoid it: A study found that washing your rice can reduce plastic contamination by 20 % to 40 %. However, it’s worth noting that the study only rinsed with filtered water.

Sugar and salt

When you top off your dinner with a sprinkling of salt, you’re getting an unintentional side of microplastics. It is challenging to surpass salt. We consume it almost everywhere we eat, and our bodies require a certain amount of sodium to maintain the balance of our fluids and electrolytes.

One study found that&nbsp, 90 % of the 39 sampled salt brands worldwide contained microplastics. This most likely comes from plastic production and packaging, which are both contaminated with the environment. Sugar contains microplastics as well.

How to avoid it: To reduce your exposure to microplastics in your salt and sugar, you can buy them packaged in glass or cardboard.

Bottled water

Bottled water is one of the most well-known sources of micro and nanoplastics. According to one study, 240, 000 plastic particulates are found in one liter of bottled water. It wasn’t surprising to see polyethylene terephthalate ( PET ) plastic represented in the majority of the plastic water bottles you buy at the store. Plastic particles break apart when bottles are squeezed or exposed to heat. Additionally, there are other types of nanoplastic that researchers have discovered in plastic water bottles.

How to avoid it: Drinking tap water from a glass or stainless steel container can lower your chance of ingesting plastic waste.

Honey

You might not expect your honey&nbsp, to harbor microplastics, but it does, even if it’s in a glass jar. Bees and pollution are the sources of microplastic fibers. Bees can continue to disperse microplastics through honey, according to a study that looked into whether honeybees ingested or carried them into hives.

How to avoid it: Buying honey from local beekeepers who often use more natural and sustainable harvesting methods may reduce the risk of microplastic contamination.

vegetables and fruits

Fruits and vegetables are a must-have for a balanced diet. They can also contain microplastics. According to a study that conducted fruit and vegetable samples, apples were the most contaminated fruit and carrots the most contaminated vegetable. How does this take place?

” Plants have been shown to uptake micro- and nanoplastics from soil through their root systems, thereby contaminating the edible portions”, Mercola said.

Fruit and vegetables are frequently packaged in plastic bags at grocery stores to keep them fresh. There isn’t enough evidence, according to the FDA, to show that microplastics from plastic food packaging enter food. But Mercola suggests you avoid it as much as you can anyway.

How to avoid it: Wash your fruit thoroughly, peel it as often as possible, and buy local or organic produce.

Proteins

A recent study from researchers at the Ocean Conservancy found that 88 % of vegetable and animal proteins contain some level of microplastics. However, highly processed proteins, such as fish sticks or chicken nuggets, are the most abundant sources of microplastics, suggesting that food processing may be a factor in the microplastic contamination. According to the study, breaded shrimp had an average of 300 microplastic pieces per serving. Plant-based nuggets had 100 pieces per serving.

Not only can microplastics enter these protein sources, but food processing is one way. Animals are fed on microplastics and raised in other places. Plant-based alternatives can be contaminated through the soil or irrigation. &nbsp,

How to prevent it: You might be wondering what kind of protein to consume after reading that. The reality is that more research is needed to know the exact levels and their impact on our health. No matter what source you choose, getting enough protein is important because our bodies need it to function.

Read more: A Simple Protein Visual Guide for Maximizing Muscle Gains

What do microplastics in food mean for you?

Do all foods also have microplastics in them? I’m unsure, but I can. I can tell you, however, that more research is needed to understand just how eating foods with microplastics affects us. Even so, microplastics are something to watch out for and stay away from if the long-term health effects are an issue, as Mercola explained.

Ingested microplastics have been found to accumulate in the circulatory system and various organs, including the brain, where they can inflame and damage tissue, according to Mercola.

Other potential side effects are hormonal imbalances caused by the endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in plastics. Microplastics can also ingest and introduce other environmental toxins into the body.

There isn’t a recognized safe level of microplastics, and we can’t outrun them completely: they’re found everywhere and everywhere. But it’s a good idea to minimize exposure where you can.

Expert advice on how to cut down on microplastics intake

By heeding this advice, you can cut down:

Be careful how much shellfish you eat
Avoid overdoing it because shellfish like mussels, oysters, and scallops contain more microplastics.

Avoid plastic food storage containers.
This is one of Mercola’s biggest suggestions because of the “plasticizing chemicals” in plastic. BPA and phthalates are endocrine-disrupting substances that can transfer from plastic to food. Because they are fat-soluble, fatty foods are more likely to cause this. It’s best to store foods with fat in glass containers, but you can store dry foods in plastic if you need to.

Avoid foods that come in plastic bags.
Although it may be simpler to say than to do, it should be a priority in settings where you can switch.

Get rid of plastic kitchen utensils
If your vegetables are plastic, you are ingesting microplastics, from the spoons we use to stir our sauces to the cutting boards we use to chop our vegetables. Anything that comes in contact with your food should be replaced with ceramic, glass, stainless steel, or wood, according to a general rule.

To help address the overall issue of microplastics in food, you can install a filter in your clothes-washing machine. A special filter will catch microfibers before they pollute water systems, if you have the money. The PlanetCare 2.0 microfiber filter costs 125 dollars.

We still have a lot to learn about microplastics and their long-term implications for our health when ingested. Although it may seem difficult to believe they are present in a lot of our foods, you shouldn’t let that stop you from eating well. Your body will need enough fuel to function and thrive, whether it’s from microplastics or not, with a balanced diet of protein, fruits, and vegetables.