Many foods widely considered to be ‘healthy’ are actually teeming with microplastics that have been linked to cancer, DNA damage and other health issues.

Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic less than five millimeters long, or smaller than a pencil eraser.

They can be found in almost everything, including our air, water, soil and the food we eat.

When people inevitably come in contact with them, they work their way into the body and cause damage. 

Certain foods contain higher amounts of microplastics than others, typically because they are highly processed, stored in plastic containers or because the environment they’re sourced from is highly contaminated.

But some of the biggest culprits may be surprising, as they are generally praised as healthy foods. 

Carrots, apples and salads all made the list, even though these are considered staples of a nutritious diet.  

While it would be nearly impossible to completely remove microplastics from your diet, there are swaps you can make to help reduce your intake.  

Many foods widely considered to be ‘healthy’ are actually teeming with microplastics, which have been linked to cancer, DNA damage and other health issues

1. Carrots

Carrots are jam-packed with vitamin A, an important nutrient for vision, growth, cell division, reproduction and immunity, according to the Mayo Clinic. 

But research shows that root vegetables are also filled with microplastics.

That’s because plants absorb microplastics in water and soil through their roots, and the majority of these particles become concentrated in this part of the plant with only a tiny amount travelling up to the shoots.

Therefore, leafy vegetables such as lettuces and cabbage contain lower amounts of microplastics compared to root vegetables such as carrots, radishes and turnips, according to one study. 

If you want to reduce your microplastics intake by eating fewer carrots, but still want a healthy dose of vitamin A in your diet, try swapping them out for spinach or red, yellow and orange bell peppers.

2. Plant-based nuggets  

A study that tested different types of proteins for microplastic contamination found that plant-based nuggets contained the second-highest amount of plastic particles 

Researchers tested different types of proteins for microplastic contamination, and found that plant-based nuggets are one of the main culprits.

Of the four different plant-based proteins they tested, the chicken nugget alternatives had the highest level of microplastics contamination at 0.32 particles per gram.

This is due to the fact that these nuggets are highly processed and tend to be packaged in plastic. 

Rather than buying processed, packaged plant-based nuggets at the store, trying making them at home using tofu or seitan to reduce your plastic consumption. 

3. Apples 

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, or so the saying goes.

But this popular fruit actually contains more microplastics than any other, with one study finding they have more than 100,000 particles per gram.

Like carrots, apple trees absorb microplastics through their roots, which ultimately find their way into the fruit they produce. 

If you want a safer alternative, choose fruits that contain anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant that may protect the body against some of the harmful effects of microplastics, according to new research. 

Some examples of Anthocyanin-packed fruits include blueberries, cranberries, pomegranates and grapes.

4. Rice

One study has shown that people consume three to four milligrams of plastic for every 100 grams of rice they eat, and instant rice is worse 

Rice is a healthy source of carbohydrates, fiber and B vitamins. But eating it also gives you a dose of plastic contamination.

One study has shown that people consume three to four milligrams of plastic for every 100 grams of rice they eat.

And when it comes to instant rice, that number jumps to 13 milligrams per serving. 

Rice picks up plastic particles from the soil it grows in, the machines used to pick, store and move it, as well as the processing, packaging and handling it goes through before ending up on your plate. 

The study found that washing rice before cooking it reduces plastic contamination by 20 to 40 percent. 

5. Bottled water

This one will come as no surprise. Water packaged in plastic bottles is teeming with microplastics.

One study found that on average, a liter of bottled water contained about 240,000 plastic particles, and about 90 percent of them were nanoplastics.

Nanoplastics are 150 times smaller than a hair, and research suggests they are small enough to get inside human cells.

Fortunately, it’s easy to eliminate plastic-bottled water from your life by purchasing a reusable water bottle. 

6. Ready-to-eat salads

It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly how many microplastics are packed into these quick, light lunches, as they vary widely in terms of packaging, size and ingredients

Like bottled water, the microplastic contamination in ready-to-eat salads stems from the packaging. 

It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly how many microplastics are packed into these quick, light lunches, as they vary widely in terms of packaging, size and ingredients. 

But its inevitable that tiny pieces of the plastic packaging will shed into your salad. So if you want to avoid them, it’s best to make your own salad using fresh, washed vegetables. 

7. Seafood

A recent study showed that the amount of microplastics in the ocean has been doubling every six years over the last four decades, and those particles make their way into our seafood. 

Clams, mussels, crabs and nearly every type of fish are a few examples of seafoods that contain very high amounts of microplastics. 

In fact, one study estimated that people who eat large amounts of shellfish ingest about 11,000 microplastic particles each year.

Unfortunately, there is not an easy swap for seafood, as microplastics can be found in practically every kind of fish and shellfish. 

But you can reduce your microplastics intake by cutting back on your seafood consumption and trying to avoid highly processed fish, such as frozen fish filets.   

8. Pink Himalayan sea salt 

Highly-processed American table salt is the safest option when it comes to microplastic contamination

Pink Himalayan sea salt is widely considered healthy because it is minimally processed and therefore contains more minerals that the body needs. 

But interestingly, researchers have found that processed salt contains far fewer microplastics than less processed salts. 

For example, one study found that highly-processed, conventional table salt in the US contained significantly fewer microplastics than minimally processed salts, such as those used in Asian countries.

That’s because unrefined salts contain plastic pollution from the oceans they are harvested from, and in this case, processing actually works to remove much of those microplastics.

Pink Himalayan sea salt is especially high in microplastics both because it is unrefined and because of the mining methods used to extract it.

Thus, highly processed American table salt is the safest option when it comes to avoiding microplastic contamination. 

9. Processed dairy

With the exception of salt, highly processed foods generally contain more microplastics, and this is definitely true for conventional dairy products.

Studies have shown that highly processed dairy products such as powdered cheese and conventional milk contain significantly more microplastics than minimally processed alternatives.

To reduce your microplastics intake from dairy, reach for locally-sourced, organic milk, cheese and yoghurt at the store instead of the processed stuff.  

10.  Tea in nylon bags 

Nylon mesh tea bags release billions of micro- and nanoplastics into a single cup of tea

Nylon tea bags release tons of microplastics into your hot cup of tea.

One study found that steeping a single nylon mesh tea bag in 200°F water releases roughly 11.6 billion microplastics and 3.1 billion nanoplastics into a cup of tea.

Using tea in paper tea bags, or loose leaf tea and a reusable stainless steel strainer, are much safer options when it comes to limiting microplastic exposure. 

11. Seaweed 

Just like seafood and sea salts, microplastics make their way into seaweed products too.

These particles become trapped on the surface of seaweed, clinging to its tiny crevices and fibers. One study found that conventional washing methods are ineffective in removing most microplastics from seaweed. 

Seaweed is eaten all over the world, but is a predominant staple of Asian diets. That same study found that people in China consume more than 17,000 microplastics per person per year through seaweed consumption alone.

That represents 13 percent of their total annual microplastics intake.

If you love seaweed-wrapped sushi but want to cut down on your microplastics consumption, try making it with rice paper, lettuce or thinly-sliced cucumbers instead.

12. Honey

One study found that honey made in urban environments contained far more microplastics than honey made in rural environments

Researchers have tested honey from all over the world for microplastics, and found that this food staple is widely contaminated.

In this case, the microplastic pollution does not come from processing, but rather the bees themselves.

When honeybees forage for pollen in polluted environments, they pick up plastic particles that eventually make their way into the honey. 

This is likely why one study found that honey made in urban environments contained far more microplastics than honey made in rural environments.

Therefore, you can cut down on your plastic consumption by purchasing honey made in rural locations.