evidence: How it contains plastic: You may have been warned against microwaving your leftovers in plastic containers since heating plastic speeds the transfer of toxic chemicals and releases microplastics into your food. So, by the same logic, shouldn’t we avoid soaking plastic bags in boiling hot water that we plan to consume? This study found that steeping a single plastic teabag at brewing temperature (95 °C) releases approximately 11.6 billion microplastics and 3.1 billion nanoplastics. Just when we thought we were making a healthy choice to shake up our morning caffeine craving! Ways to avoid it: This doesn’t mean you should stop enjoying tea altogether. Loose leaf tea gives you all the benefits, minus the plastic. Look up a local tea store near you or search the web for endless options. It often comes at a higher price point so you may want to consider making your own. Peppermint, chamomile, lavender, ginger, and lemon, are all the ingredients you need to make some tasty blends. Add some orange, vanilla, or cinnamon for added flavor. [...] How it contains plastic: Remember how many paper products contain a plastic liner and toxic PFAS chemicals? Microwavable popcorn bags are no exception. It helps keep the buttery, greasy goodness contained in the bag until it’s done popping. Problem is, you must heat the bag to get the kernels to pop, thereby releasing those PFAS into your food. Bonus: avoid non-stick cookware for these same reasons.