This is a 329-word summary of an outstanding 2,600-word article on ultra-processed foods published by the Washington Post. Their article contains superb illustrations that greatly aid comprehending this complicated issue. You are highly encouraged to click other to that article now. (May have paywall or registration required.) Extensive industrial processing of food has been associated... Continue Reading →

By: Becca Yeamans & Lewis Perdue We’ve talked about microplastics quite a bit recently. If you're curious about any of our previous coverage, check out the following links for more on; microplastics in disposable plastic cups, how to prepare black peppercorns to reduce microplastic exposure, how to choose a pepper grinder for reduced microplastic exposure, as... Continue Reading →

By Lewis Perdue Reducing environmental chemicals is vital in a properly designed dietary intervention study. That makes it more likely that blood markerssuch as inflammation will be measurably different between the before (normal food and environment) and after (reduced contamination) legs of the study. Because of that, a causal and replicable experiment requires extreme laboratory-precise... Continue Reading →

By Lewis Perdue The company owning Instapot filed for bankruptcy in June, 2022. However, because of its popularity, it will probably still be available once the court action is over. It happens to be one of the most useful and versatile appliances for greatly reduced plastic contamination of food. The thin gasket and sensor cover... Continue Reading →

By: Becca Yeamans & Lewis Perdue Disposable plastic cups – we’ve all used them! Having a party and don’t want a million dishes to wash? Get out the disposable plastic cups!  Moving and haven’t unpacked the kitchen boxes yet? Get out the disposable plastic cups! Getting a drink at the drive thru? Get handed a... Continue Reading →

While the ingredients in cooked dishes are measured in tens or hundreds of grams per portion, herbs and spices are usually called for in fractions of a gram. While no peer-reviewed data exists, it seems unlikely that studies can maintain reproducability if ordinary ingredients can be measured to a tolerance of +/- 5 grams and... Continue Reading →

Photo copyright by Lewis Perdue, all rights reserved. When you can, for certain spices like black pepper, it is best to get the whole versions and not the pre-ground. Even when whole, however, they do still go through some processing, which could result in dust and other microplastics to make it into the packaging in... Continue Reading →

The following were part of techniques and standards utilized during our last study. Remember that every abrasion, every knife cut on a plastic cutting board will produce microplastic particles. PLASTIC = NO! Plastic = BAD! Photo copyright by Lewis Perdue, all rights reserved. Bamboo has many glue joints, plus the raw material undergoes extensive processing.... Continue Reading →

The following were part of techniques and standards utilized during our last study. Like most ground spices, pepper experiences significant plastic contact during processing and packaging. Use whole spices and grind your own. This ad-free article is made possible by the financial support of the Center for Research on Environmental Chemicals in Humans. Please consider... Continue Reading →

Particulate pollution, especially those of 2.5 microns or smaller — has been demonstrated to cause, promote, or aggravate numerous serious health effects including inflammation and specific syndromes involving the immune system, diabetes, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, cancer, cardiovascular disease as well as neurological and psychological maladies. A recent study found wildfire smoke loaded with numerous... Continue Reading →