The Medical Advisor

Scientists have found that tea bags contain millions of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPLs) that may be entering your body every time you drink tea. Research has shown that some plastics are more readily absorbed by cells in the digestive system and may cause DNA damage. Tea bags with an irregular surface may release more microplastic particles. Tea Bags Leach Plastic Particles A study published in the November 2024 issue of Chemosphere examined three types of commercial tea bags made from either nylon, polypropylene, or cellulose (a plant-based material). The researchers simulated typical tea use by immersing and stirring tea bags in water. They found that all three tea bag materials released microparticles during simulated tea preparation, with polypropylene (PP) releasing the most and nylon releasing the least. Tea is the second-most-consumed beverage globally, and each plastic tea bag steeped at brewing temperature releases around 11.6 billion microplastics and 3.1 billion nanoplast...

What you drink is equally important to your health as the food you consume. Hopefully, you are drinking enough pure water daily and completely avoiding unhealthy beverages, such as soda, artificial fruit juices and energy drinks, to maintain optimal health. Next to water, the most common beverage that people consume, and one of the healthiest that you can add to your diet, is tea. A report 1  from the Food and Agriculture Organization showed that global tea consumption has been increasing yearly by 3.3%, reaching a whopping 6.5 billion kilograms in 2022. In the U.S. alone, over 159 million Americans drink tea every day, according to the Tea Association of the U.S.A. 2 Tea can be classified into two main categories — true tea, made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, and herbal teas, also known as herbal infusions or herbal tisanes, which are crafted from various herbs, flowers, fruits or spices from other plant species. 3  ...