Foods With The Most Microplastics [and what to do instead]

by Mila McManus, MD

Plastics have transformed modern life, but their durability comes with an unintended cost: tiny fragments known as microplastics are now turning up in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. Researchers are only beginning to understand their impact on human health, but evidence suggests they are both widespread and potentially harmful. Knowing the most common food sources—and what you can do to reduce them—can help you make smarter choices without sacrificing nutrition.

What Are Microplastics?

Microplastics are plastic particles smaller than 5 millimeters, while nanoplastics measure under 0.1 micrometers. They come from two main sources:

• Primary microplastics, manufactured at a small size (e.g., microbeads in cosmetics).
• Secondary microplastics, formed when larger plastics break down through sunlight, heat, or friction.

They are light, persistent, and easily carried into oceans, soil, and food systems. Once ingested, they may pass through the digestive system or, in the case of nanoplastics, penetrate tissues and circulate in the bloodstream.

What We Know So Far

The scope of exposure is striking. A 2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin review found microplastics in 99% of seafood samples tested. A Nature Medicine study detected about 4,800 micrograms of plastic per gram of brain tissue, and microplastics have also been documented in the lungs, liver, kidneys, and placenta.

Health outcomes are still under investigation, but early evidence points to concerning links. A 2024 New England Journal of Medicine study reported that people with microplastics embedded in arterial plaque had higher cardiovascular risks. Other research suggests that plastics may trigger inflammation, disrupt immune function, impair fertility, and contribute to metabolic disorders. While safe exposure thresholds remain undefined, experts agree that minimizing intake is wise.

Health Problems Implicated

Although we cannot yet quantify the exact risk, the strongest associations so far include:

• Cardiovascular disease: Microplastics detected in arterial plaque correlate with increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.
• Inflammation and immune dysfunction: Plastics may provoke chronic low-grade inflammation and interfere with normal immune signaling.
• Endocrine disruption: Additives such as phthalates and bisphenols in plastics act as hormone disruptors.
• Metabolic and reproductive issues: Animal studies suggest reduced fertility and metabolic disturbances with high plastic exposure.

While more human studies are needed, the precautionary principle suggests reducing unnecessary exposure now.

The Top 7 Food Sources of Microplastics—and What to Do Instead

• Bottled Water
  • Problem: Up to 240,000 plastic particles per liter, especially in bottles exposed to heat.
  • Solution: Choose filtered tap water in stainless steel or glass bottles.
• Tea Bags
  • Problem: Nylon or plastic-sealed tea bags release microplastics when steeped in hot water.
  • Solution: Switch to loose-leaf tea with a metal or ceramic infuser.
• Seafood (Especially Shellfish)
  • Problem: Shrimp, oysters, and other filter feeders accumulate microplastics directly from the water.
  • Solution: Moderate shellfish consumption, diversify protein sources, and favor whole fish over processed seafood.
• Highly Processed Foods
  • Problem: Ultra-processed items—like breaded shrimp, nuggets, and snack foods—have consistently higher levels of contamination, likely from processing and packaging.
  • Solution: Emphasize whole, minimally processed foods.
• Rice
  • Problem: Microplastics cling to grains during growing, storage, and processing.
  • Solution: Rinse rice thoroughly before cooking, which can reduce levels by up to 40%.
• Salt (Especially Sea Salt)
  • Problem: Sea salt is made by evaporating seawater, which is now laden with microplastics.
  • Solution: Use mined or rock salts such as Himalayan or kosher salt.
• Drinks in Glass Bottles with Plastic-Sealed Caps
  • Problem: Painted metal or plastic-lined caps leach particles into beverages.
  • Solution: Prefer beverages in cork-sealed glass bottles (like some wines) or use tap water and fresh-prepared drinks.

Practical Ways to Reduce Exposure

• Cook and store food in glass, metal, or ceramic rather than heating in plastic.
• Avoid single-use plastics such as straws, cutlery, and takeout containers.
• Boost dietary fiber: Insoluble and soluble fibers may help bind microplastics in the gut and promote excretion.
• Limit dust exposure by vacuuming with HEPA filters and wiping with natural fiber cloths—household dust is another ingestion pathway.

Bottom Line

Microplastics are nearly impossible to avoid entirely, but small, consistent changes can dramatically reduce your intake. Our best strategy is two-fold: reduce exposure while promoting detoxification as a matter of routine. While a targeted effort at detoxification may have been optional in decades past, it is essential in our toxic times for anyone desiring to obtain or maintain optimal health, sustain strong immunity, and slow aging. It’s important to make detoxification both a daily focus, and a periodic hyper-focus. Detoxification methods can range from gentle to aggressive, or from targeted organs to whole body, and the best options should be made individually based on your circumstances. Talk to your provider regarding the ideal detoxification efforts for you.

Avoid Microplastics, Detox, Detox, & Detox. Be well.

References

• Beyond Plastics. (2024). Microplastics exposure fact sheet. Beyond Plastics. https://www.beyondplastics.org/fact-sheets/microplastics-exposure
• EatingWell. (2024, October 18). How to limit microplastics in your food. EatingWell. https://www.eatingwell.com/how-to-limit-microplastics-in-your-food-11713723
• Marine Pollution Bulletin. (2025). Review of microplastic and nanoplastic contamination in seafood. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 199, 115050. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.115050
• Nature Medicine. (2025). Detection of plastic particles in human brain tissue. Nature Medicine, 31(2), 275–283. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-025-01876-2
• New England Journal of Medicine. (2024). Micro- and nanoplastic particles in human carotid artery plaques. New England Journal of Medicine, 390(7), 643–653. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2309825
• Super Age. (2025, April 10). 7 foods and beverages that have the most microplastics (and what to eat instead). Super Age. https://superage.com/7-foods-and-beverages-that-have-the-most-microplastics-and-what-to-eat-instead/
• Super Age. (2025, July 16). Microplastics are in our seafood: Here’s how to protect yourself. Super Age. https://superage.com/microplastics-are-in-our-seafood-heres-how-to-protect-yourself/