‘Eat right to reduce microplastic toxicity'

The Star

7 days ago

PETALING JAYA: Purple sweet potato, black glutinous rice (pulut hitam), black seeds, roselle and red dragon fruit – put more of these on the table.
Health experts say these types of food help fight the inflammatory and toxic effects of microplastics in the body, with reports highlighting that Malaysians are the world's top consumers of small plastic particles, ingesting an average of 502.3mg of it daily.
Toxicologist Prof Dr Mustafa Ali Mohd said while completely avoiding microplastics would be unrealistic, eating more of specific foods offered a practical and science-backed approach to reducing their risks.
'Microplastics are everywhere and we're consuming them. They potentially affect our liver, nerves and cause mild inflammation,' said Dr Mustafa of the Global Institute for Leadership and Management, Singapore.
'To help reduce inflammation, we need to consistently consume antioxidants.
'The best source for antioxidants are black seed (habbatus sauda) and monk fruit (luo han guo).
'Black seed contains thymoquinone – a very important anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compound,' the dean of the institute's Medicine and Wellness programme said in an interview.
According to a study published last year in the Environmental Science and Technology journal, Malaysia was tops among 109 countries in the consumption of microplastics, which are plastic particles less than 5mm in size.
Nutritionist Dr Nurul Husna Shafie said another natural antioxidant, anthocyanins, has been shown to reduce toxicity caused by microplastics, by alleviating oxidative stress and inflammation in reproductive tissues.
'They may also help improve gut health by reducing microplastic-induced gut dysbiosis and inflammation,' said the official from the Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Universiti Putra Malaysia.
Dr Nurul Husna said meta-analyses indicated that dietary anthocyanins could reduce oxidative stress biomarkers and enhance the body's antioxidant capacity.
'Specifically, anthocyanins reduce stress biomarkers such as malondialdehyde (MDA), oxidised LDL (Ox-LDL) and isoprostanes.
'They also boost antioxidant defences by increasing total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and the activity of key enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx),' she said.
She said anthocyanins were pigments responsible for the red, purple and blue colours in fruits, vegetables and grains.
'In Malaysia, common anthocyanin-rich food includes purple sweet potato, black glutinous rice, roselle, red pitaya (dragon fruit), butterfly/blue pea flower (bunga telang), eggplant and red cabbage,' she said.
She added that they could be easily incorporated into one's daily diet.
'Purple sweet potatoes can be steamed or boiled for breakfast, used in traditional kuih, made into chips for snacks or served as healthy desserts.
'Traditional Malaysian food such as ulam and fermented items like tempeh and tapai are often rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals, which support the body's detoxification processes,' she said, suggesting fresh food over processed ones and using water filters.
Dr Mustafa said that while including antioxidant-rich food in one's daily diet was an effective way to reduce the effects of microplastics in the body, it was equally important for people to minimise their overall exposure to these toxins.
'Do not dispose of or burn plastics carelessly, as it can break down and release particles into the air which we then inhale.
'Avoid storing food in plastic containers, especially when it comes to hot, oily or highly acidic food, even if these containers are labelled as food-grade.
'There is a high likelihood that microplastics can leach into food, as certain conditions can cause the plastic to break down and mix with what we consume,' he said.
Sahabat Alam Malaysia honorary secretary Mageswari Sangaralingam advised consumers to reduce the use of plastic containers.
'We need to break free from plastics. Replace plastic containers and products with safer, durable materials.
'Bring your own non-plastic, reusable containers when buying takeaway food. Replace plastic baby bottles with glass bottles.
'Babies and infants are particularly vulnerable to health risks associated with microplastic exposure,' she said.