Every tested beverage—coffee, tea, juices, and soft drinks—contains microplastics, with hot drinks having the highest concentrations.

Hot tea in disposable cups averaged 22 microplastics per cup, while expensive tea bags leached up to 30 microplastics.

Daily microplastic intake from drinks alone far exceeds previous estimates, with 1.65 microplastics per kg of body weight consumed.

Microplastics are linked to oxidative stress, inflammation, immune dysfunction, and cancer, yet risk assessments remain underestimated.

Consumers can reduce exposure by avoiding plastic-lined cups, choosing loose-leaf tea, and using glass or stainless steel containers.

A shocking new study from the University of Birmingham has confirmed what many health-conscious consumers have long feared: every single beverage tested—from coffee and tea to juices and soft drinks—contains microplastics.

The findings, published in Science of the Total Environment, reveal that hot drinks like tea and coffee contain the highest concentrations, with hot tea averaging 60 microplastics per liter, which is nearly double that of cold beverages.

Researchers analyzed 155 beverage samples from popular UK brands, including tap water, bottled water, energy drinks, and even expensive tea bags. Not one was plastic-free. The study found that higher temperatures increase microplastic leaching, meaning your morning coffee or tea could be exposing you to far more synthetic particles than previously thought.

Hot drinks are the worst offenders

The study’s most alarming discovery? Hot tea in disposable cups contained an average of 22 microplastics per cup, while glass cups had fewer (14 MPs per cup). Surprisingly, more expensive tea bags leached the most plastic, averaging 24 to 30 microplastics per cup, which is far more than cheaper brands.

Hot coffee wasn’t much better, with 29 to 57 microplastics per liter, compared to 13 to 21 MPs per liter in soft drinks. The researchers concluded that thermal degradation and diffusion from packaging (like disposable cups and plastic-lined lids) are major contributors.

Daily exposure far exceeds previous estimates

Prior studies focused mainly on drinking water, but this research proves that beverages contribute far more to microplastic intake. Based on survey data, the team estimated that the average person consumes 1.65 microplastics per kilogram of body weight daily just from drinks alone.

As Professor Mohamed Abdallah, one of the study’s lead authors, told The Independent, "We found a ubiquitous presence of microplastics in all the cold and hot drinks we looked at. Which is pretty alarming, and from a scientific point of view suggests we should not only be looking at water, we should be more comprehensive in our research because other sources are substantial." He emphasized that governments and international organizations must take legislative action to limit human exposure.

Why this matters for your health

Microplastics have already been detected in human blood, brains, and even testicles, raising serious concerns about long-term health effects. Studies suggest these particles can cause oxidative stress, inflammation, immune dysfunction, and even cancer.

The study’s authors warn that current risk assessments are severely underestimated because they only account for water, ignoring the far greater exposure from everyday drinks.

While microplastics are nearly impossible to avoid entirely, there are ways to minimize intake:

Choose glass or stainless steel containers over disposable plastic cups.

Avoid hot beverages in plastic-lined paper cups (like takeaway coffee cups).

Opt for loose-leaf tea instead of tea bags, which often contain plastic.

Filter tap water if possible, as it may contain fewer microplastics than bottled water.

This study is just the latest evidence that microplastics are everywhere. They're in our food, water, air, and now, our daily drinks. With more than 30 million tons of plastic polluting the environment annually, the problem is only getting worse.

The question is no longer if we’re ingesting microplastics, but how much damage they’re doing over time. Until governments and corporations take real action, consumers must stay informed and make choices that limit their exposure because it is becoming painfully clear that no one is safe from plastic contamination anymore.

Sources for this article include:

MedicalXpress.com

Independent.co.uk

Earth.com