What to eat (and avoid) in a world full of plastic | Dr. Sabine Donnai

Plastic is everywhere. In our homes, on our streets, in our oceans. But recent research suggests it’s also inside us: in our blood, our organs, even our brain. So how concerned should we be?

Today, Jonathan and Dr. Federica Amati are joined by longevity doctor and clinician Dr. Sabine Donnai to explore one critical question: what does plastic exposure mean for our long-term health?

Dr. Donnai breaks down how microplastics travel from packaging, food, and air into our bloodstream, and why their size means they may cross biological barriers once thought impenetrable, including the blood-brain barrier. The conversation also looks at the broader health implications of plastic-associated chemicals like BPA, their potential links to hormone disruption, inflammation, and cardiovascular risk, and why avoiding them may be especially important for those living in urban areas.

For listeners keen to take practical steps, this episode offers simple and empowering guidance. Dr. Donnai shares specific tools that can reduce your exposure without creating unnecessary fear or overwhelm. You’ll also hear how diet plays a key role in supporting your body’s natural detox processes and why a colourful, fibre-rich diet may help us all manage the modern plastic burden.

If plastics are entering your brain and bloodstream, what does it mean for your future health? And how much control do we really have in a world built on plastic?

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Timecodes

00:00 Intro

03:20 Plastic production has doubled- why isn’t it slowing down?

05:55 What exactly are microplastics?

07:15 Why microplastics are in the air you breathe

09:10 The hidden plastic in your tumble dryer

11:10 How long do microplastics last?

12:20 Sushi trays, black plastic & hidden fire retardants

14:55 Are BPA-free plastics actually safe?

16:10 Plastic bottles aren’t inert - your water isn't safe

18:00 Hundreds of thousands of plastic particles - in every bottle

20:00 Tap water: bacteria-free but full of toxins

22:50 What does plastic do inside your body?

23:50 Plastic in your brain has doubled since 2016

25:40 The nose-to-brain highway: how plastic bypasses defenses

27:00 Who's going to volunteer for a clinical trial of plastic ingestion?

30:10 We’ve never found a patient without plastic in their blood

32:00 Microplastics found in artery plaque of stroke victims

34:30 Are plastics worse than saturated fat for heart attacks?

35:45 Plastics and hormone disruption: the hidden fertility threat

36:00 The BPA bomb in your shopping receipt

39:00 Which foods contain the most plastic?

41:00 The vegetables that actually help detox plastic

42:30 How to reduce your plastic exposure without going insane

43:30 The #1 habit to reduce plastic exposure at home

45:30 Cookware swaps that protect your health

47:15 Can you detox plastics with diet? Yes.

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook (amzn.to/4amfIMX)

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati (amzn.to/4blJsLg)

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector (amzn.to/4amZinu)

Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector (amzn.to/4hU1Df5)

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition (zoe.com/freeguide?utm_medium=podcast&utm_s…)

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks (zoe.com/gutguide?utm_medium=podcast&utm_so…)

Better Breakfast Guide (zoe.com/breakfastguide?utm_medium=podcast&…)

ZOE’s Holiday Hosting Guide (zoe.com/holidayguide?utm_medium=zoe_podcast&am…)

Mentioned in today's episode

Bioaccumulation of microplastics in decedent human brains (nature.com/articles/s41591-024-03453-1), Nature Medicine (2025)

Bisphenol-A and Female Fertility: An Update of Existing Epidemiological Studies (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9736436), Journal of Clinical Medicine (2022)

Fenugreek and Okra Polymers as Treatment Agents for the Removal of Microplastics from Water Sources (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12019522), ACS Omega (2025)

Rapid single-particle chemical imaging of nanoplastics by SRS microscopy (pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2300582121), PNAS (2023)

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Episode transcripts are available here (zoe.com/learn/category/podcasts).