Eating ready-made meals from plastic takeout containers could pose a significant threat to heart health, with scientific evidence for these risks continuing to mount, zamin.uz reported. A new, two-part study by Chinese researchers found that eating from plastic containers significantly increases the risk of congestive heart failure. This research adds to a growing body of evidence connecting plastics with serious health problems.
In the first stage of the study, experts examined over 3,000 people in China to see how often they ate from plastic containers and whether they had any heart conditions. The data revealed a clear association between frequent use of plastic food containers and increased heart problems. In the second stage, the researchers gave rats water that had been boiled in plastic takeout containers to extract chemicals, and found notable changes in the gut biome and heart tissue after several months.
The study showed that when hot food or liquids are placed in plastic containers, a variety of chemicals are released at high levels. Previous research has shown that microwaving plastic can release up to 4.2 million microplastic particles per square centimeter.
Plastic products can contain as many as 20,000 different chemicals, with some of the most concerning—like BPA, phthalates, and PFAS—linked to cancer, hormonal and reproductive disorders, and cardiovascular disease.
In the lab, rats drank water laced with plastic extract for several months. Scientists then analyzed the animals’ gut microbiome and metabolites, finding that consuming these chemicals changed the gut environment, increased inflammatory markers, and caused damage to heart muscle tissue.
Notably, the length of time water sat in the plastic (whether one, five, or fifteen minutes) did not make a significant difference—the negative impact was present in all cases.
The study did not provide specific recommendations for consumers. However, public health experts advise people to avoid microwaving or storing hot food in plastic containers, and recommend using glass, wood, or stainless steel containers instead.
Avoiding plastic is more difficult when ordering takeout, but people can bring their own glass containers or transfer food into safer dishes at home.
Experts emphasize that eating from plastic containers can disrupt the gut microbiome, increase inflammation, and significantly raise the risk of heart and circulatory diseases.
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