5 ms·
How could it be good? At best it’s probably neutral. But given our ancestors didn’t eat microplastics and our digestive systems evolved from them, I have a hard
by kareemm 8y ago
How could it be good? At best it’s probably neutral. But given our ancestors didn’t eat microplastics and our digestive systems evolved from them, I have a hard time imagining we’re able to digest microplastics well.
- NikolaeVarius 8y agoThe entire point is that it doesn't matter if we eat micro plastics if we don't digest them in a way that matters. In the same way that I don't get iron poisoning by eating an iron bolt because my system can't process it.
- falcolas 8y agoThe problem arises when your system treats it as something else. For example, how your system treats carbon monoxide like oxygen. Remember, we used to think things like lead-based sugars were fine to eat. And, fwiw, your body would process a small amount of iron, since it's a mineral required for good health.
- toxik 8y agoI would not advise eating foods containing iron bolts, though. This is what happens with the microplastics, they're everywhere now.
- brink 8y agoMicro iron bolts would be iron; an essential mineral.
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- dragonwriter 8y agoIron is also a toxin at doses above about 10mg/kg, so, yeah, if “micro iron bolts” were liberally distributed among common foodstuffs, that could be a real problem.
- brink 8y agoToo much of a lot of things (i.e. water poisoning, or too much vitamin A) are toxic.
- drb91 8y agoWhy would you expect to not digest something you put in your digestive tract? You do, after all, digest part of that bolt.
- joe5150 8y agoNot everything that passes through the digestive tract is broken down and absorbed. A major portion of the food you eat is indigestible fiber.
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- root_axis 8y agoIf you were eating iron bolts with every salted meal I think you would find that it is not so harmless after all.
- bryanlarsen 8y agoThere are large economic and social costs incurred when people freak out about something common yet harmless.
- NickM 8y agoTrue, but there are potentially much larger economic and social costs incurred when people remain oblivious of something that is harmful. Playing it safe is likely worth the cost, even if we pay for a lot of false positives along the way.