Your Tea Bags Are Releasing a Disturbing Amount of Microplastics Into Your Drinks

I’ve said it before, but is anything safe anymore? Now microplastics are rearing their ugly head in our prized tea bags. We can’t even enjoy a calming cup of Earl Grey without worrying about whether or not we’re exposing ourselves to future health risks. 

A December study by the Autonomous University of Barcelona in Spain determined that when tea bags are steeping, the boiling water leads to billions of microplastic particles being released into the cup of tea you’re about to drink. The research analyzed an array of materials from nylon-6, polypropylene, and cellulose. It didn’t matter, they’re all bad.

Polypropylene was the worst, releasing 1.2 billion particles per milliliter. The other two were in the millions, for what it’s worth. Does it even matter? We’re just consuming dangerous substances either way. 

Microplastics Found in Tea Bags

Microplastics and their risks have become a hot-button topic recently. This study only confirms what we probably could have imagined, right? I mean, putting any material in boiling water has to release something into our beverages, so it’s not all too surprising. This is just another reminder, though, that nothing is safe anymore.

Earlier speculations suggest that consumption of microplastics can have an array of effects on our bodies, from infertility to digestive issues. The National Library of Medicine published a report studying its effects and how we consume microplastics, essentially concluding that humans are constantly taking in these particles and we honestly have no idea about the long-term effects. Fun!

“Little is known regarding the impact of microplastics on human health and the toxic effects that may vary depending on the type, size, shape, and concentration of microplastics, as well as other factors,” the report concluded. 

It’s not great to learn that tea bags are also a culprit of releasing microplastics, but let’s face it, we’re breathing in these particles every day anyways. There’s no escaping this invisible threat.