Everyone has heard the term microplastics, but depending on who you listen to, microplastics could be anywhere on the spectrum from completely irrelevant to the single greatest harm to human health. One thing is certain — they’re pervasive in our environment and even in our bodies. The impact on our health is less clear, and probably won’t be obvious for some time. Until then, we have to work with the limited evidence we have.
Though they are named microplastics for their small size (less than 5 mm in length by definition), the molecules that make up plastics are actually quite large. This size and relative inability to be broken down means that microplastics could plausibly be impacting cellular and organ function, but hard evidence of this is tough to come by. For the most part, animal studies suggesting harm are all we have.
Nevertheless, I think it’s safe to say that microplastics are not beneficial to our health, and there’s a good chance that they’re harmful to some degree. None of us will be able to avoid them entirely, in fact they’re already present in all of us. That being said, I think it’s worth trying to limit your exposure. I wouldn’t dedicate immense amounts of time or money to this effort, but there are a few simple swaps that are likely worth making.
For the most part, you just want to remove plastics from your day-to-day life. Swap plastic water bottles for reusable glass or metal bottles. Replace plastic food containers with glass. In terms of cookware, it’s probably best to steer clear from non-stick pans with plastic coating in favor of stainless steel or cast iron. I like to use wood cooking utensils instead of the plastic ones that most people seem to have.
We talk often about focusing your energy on high-yield things: exercise, calorie balance, sleep, etc. While we still have more to learn about microplastics, it’s highly unlikely that avoiding them is as important for your health as getting adequate movement or sleep. If you’re able to limit your exposure, we’d recommend doing so, but as of now we can’t say it’s worth obsessing over.
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