Some wellness influencers say theyve stopped using tea bags for fear of hormone-disrupting toxins.
Are Tea Bags Toxic?
Its unclear whether drinking tea exposes people to harmful levels of microplastics.
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Animal and cell studies have linked microplastic exposure to DNA damage, oxidative stress, and reproductive issues.
What Are Some Safer Alternatives to Tea Bags?
you might switch to paper tea bags to reduce your microplastic exposure.
A recent study by researchers at Northwestern University also found that tea can help remove lead from drinking water.
Tea leaves and cellulose bags both have a lot of surface area, which helps absorb the lead.
The longer tea steeps, the more lead it can remove.
For example, brewing iced tea overnight in the refrigerator may extract more metals, Shindel said.
Still, tea isnt a replacement for standard water purification methods.
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Food and Drug Administration.Microplastics and nanoplastics in foods.
Environmental Protection Agency.Microplastics research.
2025;5(3):928-933. doi:10.1021/acsfoodscitech.4c01030
