A Practical Guide To Limiting Microplastics In Your Kitchen
How to push back when plastic is everywhere, even in the brain
Hello everyone. I am writing to you from the midst of Brain Health Week at Rancho La Puerta. Besides giving talks about brain health and teaching at the cooking school here, I am hosting a small group of BHK subscribers for a retreat within the week. We’ve been enjoying getting to know each other over leisurely dinners and focused workshops to taste green tea, chocolate, and extra-virgin olive oil. Meeting BHK subscribers in real life is such a treat for me, and we have been having a lot of fun.
Paying subscribers hear about new retreats first and get full access to all the articles, recipes, and guides I share. Founding Members also get 4 live-on-zoom Cooking Classes a year.
For today’s newsletter, let’s continue our discussion of how to reduce microplastic exposure. This is the third installment of our environmental toxins mini-series. Catch up with these posts:
Microplastics are stressing us out
The thought of microplastic accumulation in the body and the brain is certainly distressing. I am hearing from many of you how futile it seems to limit exposure when they seem to be absolutely everywhere. I definitely share your concern.
Microplastics have been found in the highest mountains and the deepest parts of the oceans, where there is evidence of biological harm. Microplastic exposure comes primarily from the air we breathe, our water, and our food. They are pervasive in food and drink and have been detected throughout the human body.
And, as I wrote last time, we still don’t know how these microscopic shards of plastic may be shaping neurologic health.
In the meantime, I propose a rationale, doable approach to reducing exposure and thus hopefully accumulation in our bodies and brains. Why?
Because it seems prudent to take action on what we already know before waiting for proven brain health risks.
Because reducing plastic consumption is better for the planet.
And because working towards less plastic in your home enhances its function and beauty.
Today I’ll focus on what you can do starting with your kitchen.
Simple Swaps to Replace Plastic in 5 Areas of Your Kitchen
1. Skip single-use plastic bottled water.
If there’s one concept everyone agrees on, it’s that plastic water bottles release micro- and nanoplastic particles into water. If that plastic bottle is warm or hot, the “shedding” of microplastics is accelerated.
If you need to hydrate and all you can access is a plastic water bottle, that’s OK, just be sure to keep it away from sunlight and heat. The rest of the time, do this instead:
Filter tap water. A water filter that has a pore size of 1 micron or less can help reduce microplastics in tap water; smaller micron pores will be better at filtering out smaller particles. Make sure your filter is not made out of plastic itself. Instead, use ceramic or carbon filters certified by NSF International or the Water Quality Association.
Find a nonplastic water bottle you love. Stainless steel, glass, and ceramic refillable water bottles are all options. Just be sure that it doesn’t also have a BPA lining.
My favorite water bottle is from an Italian company 24Bottles. It’s made of lightweight titanium, is BPA-free, keeps liquids cold for 24 hours, and has a great lid that never leaks (albeit thanks to a small plastic rim). Each bottle is a small investment. For me, this means this is the bottle I don’t misplace. I also like their snackboxes, lunchboxes and BYO travel cups.
For cycling, I still use a plastic water bottle and an Arcteryx water bladder for longer rides. Both are made from BPA-free plastic. To minimize plastic shedding, I keep them cold by filling them with ice. And, because microbes can speed up shedding, I keep them meticulously clean. The water bottles get hand-washed after each use and the bladder gets stored in the freezer to keep the hose from harboring microbes.
This stainless steel water bottle is designed to fit in a bike’s water bottIe cage and has good reviews. I’ll give it a test drive and let you know how it goes.
Swapping out plastic that comes in contact with drinking water is probably the most impactful strategy we have to reduce microplastic exposure.
2. Consider Your Coffee and Tea.
The cups we drink from are another huge source of plastic exposure. And because many of these drinks are hot and consumed daily, swapping out cups is another low-hanging fruit to reduce exposure.
Avoid drinking from a plastic-lined paper cup. Instead, BYO stainless steel or ceramic cups to coffee shops or drink in house. I have yet to find one that also has a lid you can drink through, but this one from Soma is my go to.
Use ceramic, glass, or stainless steel coffee makers and pour-over kits. Water is more likely to carry microplastics when it is heated, which makes many coffee makers a daily source of exposure. For pour-over coffee, there are plenty of non-plastic alternatives. My coffee set-up is entirely plastic free.
When making a full pot, it is more challenging to find a coffee maker without plastic components. These from Breville have a stainless steel or glass carafe, and this one from Ratio is plastic-free, but it’s pricey. This French press is made from stainless steel. From a brain health perspective, however, there are disadvantages to the French press method (a type of unfiltered coffee).
Avoid single use plastic coffee pods (such as K-cups) for making coffee. Microplastic shedding is just one of the reasons I am not a fan of coffee pods. I go into the others here.
Replace electric kettles with a plastic carafe to one made from stainless steel or glass. (This one from Stagg is a splurge, but I’ve used it daily for years.)
What about tea bags? Drinking tea is a brain-healthy habit with science to back it up. If you’re a tea drinker, you may be distressed by reports that tea bags shed a lot of microplastics. And it’s true: most tea bags are made with polypropylene or another type of plastic. At home, choose loose leaf tea over tea bags whenever possible.
When shopping for tea bags, look for ones made with abaca or cornstarch. Tea bags that are stitched (not heat-sealed) are generally plastic-free. Avoid bags that are pyramid-shaped and glossy unless labeled compostable/biodegradable. Some companies have already pivoted to non-plastic tea bags, such as Pukka, Teapigs (a personal fave!), Numi, Yogi, Traditional Medicinals, and Republic of Tea.
3. Upgrade Your Food Storage.
By now you have probably given up storing and reheating most of your food in plastic containers. Replacing the plastic ones can take a big bite out of the home microplastic problem, while increasing the beauty and efficiency of your kitchen. Here’s what to use instead:
Ceramic: I’ve been very happy with the performance of these Caraway food storage containers, and I love that they can go from the fridge to the microwave or the freezer to the oven. In fact, I was so impressed by this line of food storage and cookware that I reached out to Caraway to get you a discount code. Order here and enter code ANNIE10 for 10% off.
Glass: I favor glass canning jars for much of my food storage, from companies like Mason, Ball, and Weck. Bormioli Rocco, an Italian brand, comes in lots of different sizes, and is perfect for storing my homemade nut milk, leftovers, and sauces. I’ll even use them to freeze things like pesto, but I’m careful to not fill the jars to the brim. Refrigerating jars overnight before transferring them to the freezer helps avoid breakage.
I also love this set for pantry staples like pasta, legumes, nuts, and seeds. These glass spice jars were a gift from one of my sons (thanks Nick!). Now I transfer all my spices into these jars to keep my spice cabinet organized and avoid exposure from plastic packaging.
Stainless steel: Metal lunch boxes, bento boxes, and other containers (such as these by Kleen Kanteen) are an excellent alternative to plastic.
4. Clean Up Your Kitchen Appliances and Utensils.
Microplastics can shed from common kitchen appliances and utensils, especially under heat, from mechanical force, or when exposed to acidic foods. Blenders, food processors, spatulas, and chopping boards made from lower-grade plastics are major offenders. Repeated use, scratches, and exposure to dishwashers or boiling liquids increase the risk.
Here’s a practical approach to tackle this area of your kitchen:
Swap in wood, bamboo, metal, or certified silicone utensils for plastic. Silicone isn’t plastic, but a rubber-like material made from silica (sand), oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen. Kitchen utensils made from silicone (like baking mats, spatulas, and muffin pans) are heat resistant and chemically stable, making them a safer alternative. But not all silicone is created equal.
Look for food-grade silicone products. Avoid silicone that’s too soft, sticky, or discolored. Look for LFGB-certified on the label, which ensures no toxic fillers or leaching. (LFGB stands for Lebensmittel-, Bedarfsgegenstände- und Futtermittelgesetzbuch, which translates to the German Food, Commodities and Feed Act. It's the strictest European standard for food-contact safety, particularly for products made of materials like silicone, plastics, and ceramics.)
Seek out appliances made from metal or glass or low-shedding plastic. It’s good to know that the plastic pitcher in a high-end blender, such as a VitaMix, is not the same as in other cheap plastic containers. It’s made with Tritan, a type of plastic that is more durable and less likely to shed. Same with the bowl of some high-quality food processors. That’s why I’m not tossing my VitaMix or Cuisinart as of yet, and I still feel comfortable with their almost daily use in my kitchen.
Here are a few trusted brands:
Vitamix: Plastic pitchers are made from BPA-free Eastman® Tritan® copolyester, a high-quality, low-shedding type of plastic. Stainless steel pitchers are also available.
Cuisinart: Cuisinart food processor work bowls, particularly in newer models, are typically made of BPA-free Tritan, but some older models may have Lexan plastic parts. Cuisinart also uses Tritan for other parts like the work bowl cover and pushers. The brand offers stainless-steel food processor bowls on select commercial models.
Oxo Good Grips: Offers silicone and stainless steel utensils.
If you have a high-end blender, such as a VitaMix, it is probably low-risk, although you may want to avoid using it for hot soup. Be sure to replace any plastic appliance once it has cracked, chipped, or is otherwise visibly worn down.
5. Simple swaps for the dishwasher and cleaning.
Reducing plastic exposure from the wide array of cleaning products is beyond the scope of this discussion. Still, here are a few simple things you can do while keeping the kitchen clean.
Don’t put plastic utensils or appliances in the dishwasher. The heat and friction of the dishwasher may increase microplastic shedding. The dishwasher can also contribute to wear and tear of your high-quality plastic appliances. It’s best to hand wash plastic items.
Swap out plastic sponges for natural fiber brushes. Kitchen sponges shed more than microplastics; they also harbor bacterial pathogens like E. coli and Staph aureus. Look for natural products instead made with loofah, cellulose, walnuts, and wood pulp. Products labeled “scrubbing pad” probably contain plastic or nylon. Plastic-free dish brushes are often made with bamboo or wood and have natural plant fiber bristles.
Say good-bye to dishwasher pods. Although convenient, these plastic pods of dishwasher powder and gel are yet another source of microplastics. Skip the pods, and try a plastic-free dishwasher tablet instead. I’m trying out this one from Branch Basics. Please share any products you have used.
Limiting plastic cooking tools in the kitchen, avoiding plastic water bottles, and drinking filtered water probably eliminates 50% of microplastic exposure.
Confronting microplastic reality
My kitchen has gone through several cycles of a plastic purge. And yet, I haven’t been able to toss my favorite flexible spatula, the one I use to flip pancakes. Or my plastic spiralizer or fave nut milk maker. As for food products that touch plastic—like tofu, boxed greens, and almond butter—it is currently impossible to determine their contribution to the body’s microplastic load. And let’s not ignore all the potential sources outside of the kitchen: synthetic textiles (clothing, carpets), tires, paint, and personal care products.
Reducing microplastic exposure requires a progress over perfection mentality. It’s impossible to eliminate entirely, but it is possible to put a dent in what enters your home, your kitchen, and therefore your brain.
Next time we’ll look at food products
Do food products packaged in plastic contribute greatly to our microplastic exposure? What about ultra processed food? Take-out and restaurant food? Which animal products bioaccumulate plastics most? I’ll get into that next time, with a practical look at whether brain-healthy eating guidelines should be modified with microplastics in mind.
After that, I’ll be devoting an entire post to finding the best “nontoxic” pots and pans. Please share any specific questions you may have.
Until next time, please accept my gratitude for reading, sharing, and taking the best care of your brain. If you found this helpful, please tap the heart, restack, or share with someone you love, all of which help others discover our community.
Love,
Annie
Brain Health Retreats Update
Want to join me on a Brain Health Retreat this year? Your brain will thank you! For detailed information about each trip, click on the links below or tap on RETREATS on the homepage.
Sardinia’s Secrets For a Long and Healthy Life, October 12 to 19, 2025. This fall I am headed back to Italy to explore Sardinia’s blue zones. Find all the details here; call 877-298-9677 for more information and to reserve your spot. This Brain Health Retreat was featured in National Geographic Traveller UK.
BHK Retreat at Rancho La Puerta, Mexico, November 15 to 22, 2025. Join me at the Ranch for a special retreat within a retreat. To register or submit questions, contact Donna Sher at 858.449.3672 or email her at dsher52@hotmail.com.
Costa Rica in February 5 to 10, 2026: Fitness + brain health in the jungle by the beach! This retreat is 100% plant-based and alcohol-free. Learn more and reserve your spot here. 3 cabañas left!
Looking for a spring trip in 2026? I’ll be announcing a new retreat soon.
So appreciate all of your knowledge and advice Annie!
If you can come up with an example of a good sponge and some good cleaning products, it would be enormously helpful. Already purchased the dishwashing pods you suggested.
Thank you so much!!
Informative article - what brand of cutting boards do you prefer? I have some I need to replace.
Some of my pantry storage jars are acrylic. Do these need to replaced?
Thanks, Annie