We all love to sip on our favourite beverages using a plastic straw. Be it a smoothie or a soft drink, an energy drink or a cold coffee – using a straw is a super convenient and fuss-free way of enjoying any cold drink. Many like to enjoy their drinks this way because using a straw reduces the exposure to sugary and carbonated drinks in the mouth, preventing acid erosion of the teeth out enamel. While it may be convenient to drink beverages using plastic straws, it might not be an eco-friendly option. Moreover, this could be an unhealthy practice too. If you haven’t known the health hazards plastic straws can bring, we unveil some of them.
According to Chief Nutritionist Priya Bharma, Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute, “We sip our drinks through straw because it is simply easier. It has somehow become our habit to use straw while sipping cold or hot drink that is poured in a glass. It’s highly recommended to not use straw as they are supposed to be made of polyethylene compounds and contains harmful chemicals that enter your body and welcome many diseases while we sip. Try not to use straw but if you wish you may use paper straw or bamboo straw.”
While drinking beverages using a straw, the movement of the mouth area may encourage the breakdown of collagen and elasticity more quickly and easily, causing unnecessary wrinkle and fine lines. This may be true in case of regular sipping on beverages with a plastic straw.
Another reason to drop the straw is the presence of many chemicals in the plastic. Most straws contain petroleum based plastic called polypropylene and Bisphenol A (BPA) that can easily leak chemicals in the liquid, especially if it’s a hot cup that heats and melts the plastic. These plastic chemicals are known to cause obesity and, in extreme cases, even cancer.
Another reason to drop the straw is the presence of many chemicals in the plastic
Along with drinking just liquid using a straw, you are also swallowing excess air unknowingly that is responsible for causing gas and bloating in your stomach. Therefore, it is always better to drink your beverage directly from the glass rather than using a second source.
Another concern related to plastic straws is that it may cause cavities; this however has to do with the location at which you place the straw in the mouth and how you sip. Most people sip with the straw in the middle of their mouth. Sipping through a straw can concentrate the exposure of sugar to one area, causing tooth cavity or decay over prolonged usage.
It is good to give up on plastic straws as they have the potential of not only harming your health, but also doing nothing good for the environment considering they are non-recyclable. Drop the straw and enjoy your lemonade and iced teas without any external health risks.
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