Plastic Fantastic Lover: How Much Plastic Is In Your Day? 🫖🧴🕯️
Totaling tea and getting soba curious
4 min read
GIVE P’S A GLANCE
We have a few silent p’s to discuss. As in PHTHALATES, the endocrine disrupting chemicals in plastic products that were once dismissed as PSEUDOSCIENCE but in fact, need your attention. The link between plastics and heart disease made headlines this week in a study showing 350,000 deaths from heart disease in 2018 resulting from exposure to plastics. Aside from the more obvious phthalate carriers like Lysol and some Clorox products (i.e. anything that makes you wheeze), many shampoos, lotions, air fresheners and scented candles top the list of culprits. What to do if you still like to, say, wash your hair and create some vibes in the room? 🕯️
Read your labels: watch out for products containing “fragrance” or “parfum” that don’t list specific ingredients. Shop for candles using natural soy or coconut waxes with essential oils, not synthetic fragrances.
Learn your acronyms: DBP (dibutyl phthalate), DEP (diethyl phthalate), DEHP (di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate), DINP (diisononyl phthalate) are all best avoided.
SPILLING THE TEA
So you’ve swapped out your cutting boards and your shampoo for plastic-free, and you’re avoiding microwaving anything in Tupperware EVER, right? Now it’s tempting to just curl up with a hot cup of “not my problem,” but not so fast. One of the most wellness-y, pro-health practices out there – drinking tea – has some hidden culprits within. The quantities of microplastics found in some tea bags are not small, and the problem is compounded by the fact that the toxins do their best work at high temperatures. Like when you’re brewing tea, or God forbid, microwaving it 😱. Do your homework, or let me start you with a cheat sheet:
Brands who are “working towards being plastic-free”: Tazo, Celestial Seasonings, Lipton, Teapigs, Twinings
Brands who are plastic-free (some with the exception of the exterior wrap): Republic of Tea, Pukka, Yogi, Stash, and even the ubiquitous airport staple Bigelow…I’m as surprised as you are. (Husband takes a victory lap 🏃🏻♂️)
Best bet: Loose-leaf tea. It takes one extra step, but worth it in the long run.
TEA FOR TU
My current tea of choice? Himalayan Tartary Buckwheat tea, aka soba cha, like this one – brewed as loose groats, i.e. no teabag. It’s nutty, toasty, caffeine-free and loaded with benefits.
Buckwheat is actually not wheat or even a grain, but considered a PSEUDOCEREAL (in a happy editorial coincidence, another quiet P!). It’s a powerful superfood, gluten free, high in fiber and resistant starch, which helps the body metabolize glucose and stabilize blood sugar. Buckwheat protein extract is highly efficient in lowering blood cholesterol levels, and Tartary buckwheat specifically contains more beneficial compounds than standard buckwheat.
Enough science! How do we get the groats?
CLEAN & SOBA
If you’d rather chew than sip your buckwheat for all those extra benefits, here’s a recipe from the good old BluePrint days that I bust out every summer. It’s a twist on cold sesame noodles using buckwheat (soba) noodles and almond butter instead of peanuts, and makes a hearty side dish or a light meal loaded with veggies, fiber, and healthy fats. Buckwheat – it’s the GROAT. (Greatest Recipe of All Time?)
Soba Noodle Salad with Spicy Almond Dressing – makes 2 servings
4 oz buckwheat soba noodles – most widely available are a mix of buckwheat and wheat flours, so not 100% gluten-free. Pure buckwheat noodles work, but tend to break easily.
½ English cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into thin strips
¼ cup scallions, sliced, plus more for optional garnish
½ red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
½ cup mung bean sprouts
½ cup Spicy Almond Dressing
½ lime for garnish/finishing
Spicy Almond Dressing – makes 1 cup, you’ll have leftovers
½ cup raw or roasted almond butter, salted
6 TBSP cherry tomatoes, chopped - blending in tomatoes bulks up the sauce but keeps it light
2 TBSP Nama Shoyu or low sodium tamari soy sauce
2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sesame oil
3 tsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp agave nectar
¾ tsp fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
¼-½ tsp ground cayenne pepper
½ tsp pink salt
1. Make dressing first – combine all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth
2. Cook noodles according to package directions, minus 30 seconds for slightly firmer noodles. Rinse in COOL water to shed starches
3. Place cooled noodles in a bowl and add cucumber, scallions, and red bell pepper. Toss with dressing until coated and garnish with bean sprouts, lime and optional toppings. Add your favorite protein to make it a meal
Optional garnishes: chili crunch, toasted cashews, sliced scallions
ALWAYS ON MY MIND
Watching your plastics is a lot to keep in mind, so it’s equally important to keep things in perspective, ie don’t make yourself crazy. Look at Willie Nelson – he turned 92 this week! He’s been around almost as long as plastic itself, and he seems to be doing just fine.
🥳 🌸 Happy Weekend, all. It’s May! As in, MAY I suggest you buy a copy of my new book, Tuning Up? Keep all your tips on hand, and make it cute.
🤠 Austin, TX readers: Please join me on Tuesday 5/6 for a healthy happy hour to celebrate the launch of my book! Downtown ATX, 5pm-7pm, Message me for details! NYC events to come! 📖