Love to start your mornings with a refreshing cup of tea? Beware, you might be drinking microplastics, all thanks to the premium plastic teabags, according to a new study.

The study, by researchers from McGill University in Montreal, showed that a single plastic teabag can release harmful particles into your cup — 11.6 billion microplastics and 3.1 billion nanoplastics.

When water fleas were exposed to the plastic-laden beverage, they showed significant behavioural effects and developmental malformations, according to the study published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.

1. THERE IS PLASTIC IN YOUR GREEN TEA!

What? How is that possible?
According to research conducted at McGill University, it was found that a single plastic tea bag can release 11.6 billion microplastic and 3.1 billion nano-plastic particles into the water! This amount is greater than previously reported plastic in other food items such as beer, honey, fish, shellfish, chicken, salt, and bottled water. This is because green tea bags contain polypropylene, nylon and even rayon mixed with paper to help maintain the tea bag’s shape. All the plastic leaches out in the hot water while we patiently wait for our favourite green tea to brew.

2. GREEN TEA BAGS HAVE FEWER ANTIOXIDANTS

A compound termed EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate), which is responsible for antioxidant, cancer-fighting and even fat-burning properties are found in lesser amounts in green tea bags. This fact is research-backed- The study found 1.09 to 2.29mg of ECGC in each green tea bag, which is insufficient to generate healing antioxidant effects.

3. THERE IS A CARCINOGEN IN GREEN TEA BAGS

Epichlorohydrin is a substance (also used as a pesticide) that is present in green tea bags to bind them together. But when this substance comes in contact with water, it produces cancer-causing chemicals. It can disturb your hormonal balance and can be a cause of infertility

The irony here is, that we, especially women who have reproductive and infertility issues sip on green tea to balance their hormones, whereas the same tea bags can disturb their hormonal balance!

4. TEA BAGS ARE CHLORINE BLEACHED

In the majority of the cases, the good-looking white tea bags are because of the chlorine chemical treatment of the paper. So, when you steep your tea bag in hot water, all the chlorine leaches out and off it goes damaging your body.

5. STAPLER PINS IN GREEN TEA BAGS ARE BANNED BY FSSAI

In July 2017, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) prohibited the use of stapler pins in tea bags. Consumers should avoid using staple pins in tea bags because any loose staple pin consumed inadvertently with tea can lead to serious health consequences. The metal of the pin might also interact with green tea constituents and reduce its effectiveness.

6. GREEN TEA BAGS ARE POOR QUALITY

Apart from loose leaves, green tea bags contain dust particles because tea leaves are finely chopped and diced. So, Tea compounds react with moisture and oxygen, resulting in a rapid loss of quality of the tea.

FINAL VERDICT- Ditch the green tea bags and save yourself! Buy loose green tea and a cute little strainer and you are sorted.