What does nut milk have to do with plastic?
Plastic and plastic-lined milk containers are a source of harmful chemicals to the body!
Plus, my tried and true recipe for creamy cashew milk that foams effortlessly and does not separate when it mixes with coffee, refined after years and years of trying to find the perfect replacement for cow's milk.
The “age of plastics,” so-called due to the rampant rise in use of synthetic polymers since the 1950s, is characterized by widespread plastic pollution (1). Recently, microplastics (particles less than 0.5mm) have been detected both in tap water and in human waste, demonstrating that humans are absolutely contaminated.
But, how does the plastic get into the tap water? Plastics do not decompose into organic molecules in the same way that, say, paper and glass do. Instead, they are simply broken apart by physical, chemical, and biological processes into smaller and smaller pieces, eventually reaching micro or nano (0.001-1mm) sizes (2,3,4). Further, nanoplastics may not be excreted like microplastics are. Recently, researchers found that nanoplastics permeate the blood-brain barrier in top predators, leading to brain damage and behavioral disorders (5).
Microplastics carry with them environmental pollutants in addition to the chemical cocktail of additives already contained from manufacture. Because of plastic’s hydrophobic nature, environmental pollutants adsorb to its surface (6). Therefore, in addition to additives introduced during processing, plastics serve as a vector for additional contaminants to enter the food web. These substances are subsequently absorbed by organisms during digestion, even if the particle itself is excreted.
The extent of these impacts is still being researched, though studies have demonstrated harmful effects of chemicals including bisphenol A, phthalates, and other endocrine disruptors (7,8). Where do these chemicals come from? They are added to plastics during manufacture to give plastic its desired properties like flexibility, malleability, heat resistance, etc. Endocrine disruptors mess up the system of hormone regulation within humans and other animals. This can cause reproductive and developmental harm, in addition to cancers of various reproductive systems (8).
So, how do these substances get into your milk? Milks bottled in plastic and mixed sources (cartons) absorb these substances from their containers. Quick, chemistry lesson! Milk and nut milk contain fat, which is "nonpolar," whereas water molecules are polar. These two substances repel each other... we all know this - oil and water don't mix. Plastic, which is made of hydrocarbons, also has this nonpolar property. Therefore, the substances within plastic containers are attracted to the fats within the milk. These chemials then leach into the milk from the plastic.
So, to protect yourself, buy milk from glass containers or make your own at home!
I'll bore you with the environmental catastrophe that is plastic another time. For now, let's make some creamy cashew milk for our morning caffe lattes and cappuccinos. And while you're sipping, check out my list of eco friendly shops and products to further distance yourself from plastic!
Recipe:
- 1 cup raw cashews *I buy in bulk either from the store or 5-10lb bags online
- 2 1/4 cups filtered water
- pinch of salt
- optional vanilla extract
- optional date or 1tbs maple syrup
Method:
- Soak 1 cup cashews in enough water to fully submerge for 2 hours.
- If under time constraint, soak in boiled water for 10 minutes.
- Discard soaking water and rinse nuts with water.
- Add to blender with 2 cups filtered water, pinch of salt, and optional flavors.
- Blend on high for 1-2 minutes.
- No need to strain if using a high powered blender!
- Pour into glass jar.
- Use remaining 1/4 cup to get the rest out of the blender by slowly streaming it down the sides to get as much milk as possible and add it to the finished product.
- Keeps in refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Bonus - Foamy Latte how-to:
You will need:
- Coffee or Espresso
- Steamer wand or electric milk foamer
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 2 drops vanilla or hazelnut stevia
Method:
- Brew coffee as per usual
- Add sweeteners to the foaming device, then fill milk to the minimum or maximim froth line (~ 1/2 cup milk) and press the heat + foam button
- Pour milk into cup, pour coffee into foamer to get all the excess milk from the sides, then pour coffee into cup
- Sprinkle with cinnamon
- Voilà !
References:
1. Thompson Richard C., Swan Shanna H., Moore Charles J. & vom Saal Frederick S. Our plastic age. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 364, 1973–1976 (2009).
2. Van Sebille, E. et al. A global inventory of small floating plastic debris. Environmental Research Letters 10, (2015).
3. Carson, H. S., Nerheim, M. S., Carroll, K. A. & Eriksen, M. The plastic-associated microorganisms of the North Pacific Gyre. Marine Pollution Bulletin 75, 126–132 (2013).
4. Eriksen, M., Thiel, M., Prindiville, M. & Kiessling, T. Microplastic: What are the solutions? Handbook of Environmental Chemistry 58, 273–298 (2018).
5. Mattsson, K. et al. Brain damage and behavioural disorders in fish induced by plastic nanoparticles delivered through the food chain. Scientific Reports 7, 11452 (2017).
6. Andrady, A. L. Microplastics in the marine environment. Marine Pollution Bulletin 62, 1596–1605 (2011).
7. Depledge, M. H. & Billinghurst, Z. Ecological Significance of Endocrine Disruption in Marine Invertebrates. Marine Pollution Bulletin 39, 32–38 (1999).
8. Meeker John D., Sathyanarayana Sheela & Swan Shanna H. Phthalates and other additives in plastics: human exposure and associated health outcomes. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 364, 2097–2113 (2009).
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