The list of everyday goods and consumables that contain perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as "forever chemicals," is growing as we learn more about these items. Now, green tea is one of them.
What's happening?
Green tea is seen as a healthier alternative to black tea, and several health gurus have promoted it over the years.
Unfortunately, a study done by Mamavation's Environmental Protection Agency-certified laboratory found PFAS in six popular green tea brands. This comes after Mamavation found PFAS in other types of teas as well.
The lab tested 12 brands, which means 50% of them had PFAS. Of those six, four had levels reaching "quantifiable." Those were Pique Sun Goddess Matcha Green Tea Radiant Skin, The Republic of Tea's The People's Green Tea Daily, Traditional Medicinals Organic Green Tea with Toasted Rice Matcha, and Yogi Green Tea Pure Green.
"The results speak for themselves. No one wants to be ingesting PFAS when they drink green tea," said Terrence Collins, the director of the Institute for Green Science at Carnegie Mellon University. "It's somewhat comforting that PFAS contamination is not universal, at least in Mamavation's spot-testing."
Brands with no detected PFAS were From Great Origins (FGO) Organic Green Tea Bags, Harney & Sons Nourishing Green Tea Japanese Sencha, Numi Organic Green Tea Gunpowder Green Full-Bodied and Gently Rolled, Pukka Spreme Matcha Green Daily Power, Rishi Jasmine Organic Scented Green Tea Sencha, and TAZO Organic Zen Regenerative Green Tea.
Again, though, the lab only tested 12 total brands, and the sample sizes were not high, so these results should be seen more as indicative of the notion that many tea brands may contain PFAS rather than a guarantee that any specific brand has or does not have PFAS in it.
Why are PFAS in green tea concerning?
This study and its findings are a wake-up call for green tea drinkers. Advocates of the drink have linked it to improved weight management, reduced skin inflammation, and decreased Type 2 diabetes risk.
However, the newfound risk of PFAS in the tea should give frequent drinkers pause.
PFAS are toxic chemicals. They are often found in food packaging, toiletries, cosmetics, nonstick cookware, and clothing, but their appearance in foods and drinks can be common as well.
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Majorly 😥 PFAS are called "forever chemicals" because they can take hundreds of thousands of years to fully break down. Numerous studies have linked PFAS to all sorts of health problems, including cancers of the liver and kidney, reproductive issues, low birth weights, weakened immune systems in children, increased cholesterol, and weight gain.
What's being done about PFAS?
Studies like these are a great way to bring awareness to the forever chemical crisis. Mamavation's study points out which green tea brands to stay away from.
As for PFAS awareness generally, more and more information is being shared with consumers as scientists learn more about these chemicals.
It is unlikely that you can avoid PFAS entirely, but you can take protective measures. For example, experts suggest that eating at home as often as possible can contribute to lower PFAS consumption, as many takeout containers have these chemicals.
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