This subject has been a big ol’ bee in my bonnet for a long time, especially since the Keurig style coffee systems are now ubiquitous. Much focus in recent years has revolved around the studies of potential dangers of BPA, or bisphenol A, but what about the myriad of other chemicals commonly used in plastics, demonstrated to also have damaging effects in the body? Now that BPA has been in the spotlight, many companies in the U.S. have been obliged to remove it from their products so that they can market them as “BPA free” and use alternate plastic ingredients instead. However, other chemicals in food-grade plastics have been shown to have even greater estrogenic and disruptive effects than that of BPA.

Here is an interesting NPR article and audio concerning how estrogenic chemicals are found in the majority of plastic items found in food and beverage packaging.

NPR article- Most Plastics Leach Estrogen-like Chemicals

The short story is this- plastics are very much a part of modern life, and some have been designated safe for use in food and beverage packaging. Their safety profile has been well documented in controlled lab studies, and only small amounts of plastic chemicals have been demonstrated to leach into food or beverages in lab safety studies for “common use.” So for storage of non-acidic, cooled food and drink items, contamination levels are minimal and not much to worry about. However, when plastics are exposed to hot water or foods, acidic food ingredients, UV light, mechanical wear and tear, or any combination of these factors (the stuff that can happen with actual use)- the amount of leaching have been shown in studies to increase exponentially by a thousand-fold and more per use. Have you ever tasted water from a bottle left in your car on a hot day? Snack food after it has been toted around in a plastic bag? It tastes bad, like plastic, right? Because that is exactly what you are ingesting.

(for more more details about types of plastics, references for how they leach into beverages and foods, and tips for safe selection and use- you can check out one of my previous articles: Plastic Water Bottles: How Safe Are They?)

So, we do our best to avoid putting hot beverages and food leftovers into plastic containers (glass, stainless steel and food-safe designated ceramics are much better choices.) But now there are K-cups- a fresh cup of plastic, er- I mean coffee, brewed into your mug every day. Combine hot water temperatures and the acidic qualities of coffee and now there’s a chance to spike leaching and chemical contamination to new heights. In studies, common plastic chemicals have been shown to interfere with healthy metabolism, promote breast tumor growth in animals as well as in human cells, significantly reduce sperm counts, increase obesity, and other disturbing effects. And these are just the short term use studies, very little is known about the long term effects of consuming these substances in low doses day in, day out for years and years. And, because K-cups can’t be recycled, there is no recycling code on them to even tell us which chemicals are in the plastic containers- their ingredients are completely hidden from consumers. Research is non-existent to ascertain their safety over years of use. So if we already have safer choices at hand, and demand is ultimately what drives the types of products manufactured, why not just use safer alternatives now?

We already have a lot of choices to navigate when it comes to maintaining our health, but it might be worth questioning where to draw the line on convenience versus safety. While hot coffee paired with plastic might be a relatively small detail to consider in life, the evidence nonetheless shows an insidious potential for harm on many levels. Environmental exposures to estrogenic compounds are already a clear and present burden on our bodies and will continue to affect generations to come. However, if making simple changes today can decrease your overall exposure, isn’t it worth it? Corporations and product innovation will follow our lead, and our dollars are the votes.

By all means, please enjoy the culinary and health benefits of consuming coffee, but be selective in the equipment that you use, and demand safety first as a consumer. Your body will thank you.

-Update-

In response to incredibly high interest and many inquiries regarding this article, I researched and found the following stainless steel, reusable K-Cup device available on Amazon that is highly reviewed (similar versions made by “Ekobrew” are available at Walmart and Walgreens):

Ekobrew Stainless Steel Elite Cup, Refillable K-Cup For Keurig K-Cup Brewers

In Canada? You can find it here.

This device cuts down on the amount of plastic surface area that your hot water and brewing coffee will contact, improving safety (and taste, according to reviewers). It still routes water through a BPA-free plastic “dispersion cone” within the lid of the device, but it does not encapsulate the coffee grounds in plastic while steeping, like a k-cup does. It reduces waste in landfills, and will save you bundle of money in the long run by not paying a fortune for single use containers- estimated at $50- $124 per pound according to this NY Times article.

Of course- you still get some contact through the plastic lid and the hot water contact with plastic tubing with the Keurig machine itself. If you would like an efficient solution that skips the expensive coffee machine hardware as well as the requirement to pass hot liquids past ANY plastic or paper parts at all, check out The Elan Stainless Steel Re-usable cup or Bartelli Paperless Pour Over Coffee Dripper and Brewer – Permanent Reusable Ultra Fine Stainless Steel Mesh Micro Filter – Single Serve Cup or Small Pot. Brew your favorite coffees whenever you want, followed by a quick rinse, and you are done! (Improve taste of your coffee, while cutting out plastic waste and plastic chemical contaminants.)

For those who do not want to give up the convenience of disposable cups, particularly in the office environment, you could consider a single use, paper filter system. This has a small plastic ring at the top to secure it into place, but also greatly reduces plastic to hot water contact during brew time. This is a well-reviewed brand of organic coffee in a 97% biodegradable cup:

San%20Francisco Bay OneCup, French Roast, 80 Single Serve Coffees ” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>San Francisco Bay Coffee Organic Rainforest Blend, 36-Count OneCup Single Serve Cups

Author: Dr. Rivard is a licensed naturopathic doctor (N.D.) and owner of Seasons Natural Healthcare, LLC in southern NH. (And I love a good cup of espresso or coffee, brewed the old fashioned way.)

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