Plastics from your Cutting Boards! 😬

You’re Probably Eating Plastic…

Plastic cutting boards are convenient and easy to clean, but those same qualities can lead to a host of negative health consequences!

When you cut on a plastic cutting board, tiny pieces of microplastics get sliced off and leach into your food. 🍽️

Research has linked microplastics to various health issues, including inflammation, cellular impairment, changes in gut microbiota, IBS, cancers, neurodegenerative diseases, autoimmune disorders, respiratory issues, hormone disruption, obesity, diabetes, and even genotoxicity in human cells. 🧬

These plastics accumulate in the body over time, causing increasing harm, so the sooner you can make changes away from plastics, the better! 🌱

Did you know humans may ingest up to a credit card’s worth of plastic each week? Studies suggest that globally, we could consume anywhere from 0.1 to 5 grams of microplastics weekly! 📉 Reuters Graphics provides an incredible visual representation of how much plastic we ingest over a week, ten years, and even a lifetime! I highly recommend checking it out here: The Amount of Plastic We Ingest!

The overall consensus is clear: we are ingesting a significant amount of microplastics, and plastic cutting boards are one of the sources. Why not make an easy switch to reduce your plastic intake? 🌍

What Should I Choose Instead?

Opt for a wooden chopping board! 🪵

If possible, select an unsealed board, as many are coated with plastic-based finishes. You can naturally seal it with beef tallow—just rub it into the wood to create a protective layer that helps prevent bacteria buildup.

For cleaning your board, I recommend using apple cider vinegar or regular vinegar to kill unwanted bacteria naturally.

I keep a spray bottle filled with a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water. Once a week, I spray the board, gently scrub it, and let it stand on its side for about 20 minutes. Afterward, rinse with water and dry with a clean cloth. ✨

Alternatively, make a paste with baking soda and water for a deeper clean—just scrub, rinse, and you’re good to go! 🧽

Enjoy your meals without the added plastics! 🍽️😄

Studies used:

• PMID: 37220346

• PMID: 33669327

• PMID: 38460665

• PMID: 34185251

• Ghosh, S., Sinha, J. K., Ghosh, S., Vashisth, K., Han, S., & Bhaskar, R. (2023). Microplastics as an Emerging Threat to the Global Environment and Human Health. Sustainability, 15(14), 10821. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151410821.