We’re all eating microplastics (whether we like it or not)
It’s not the most appealing thought…
But microplastics and nanoplastics are now being found in our food, our water, and even inside our bodies. Tiny particles formed as plastic breaks down small enough to pass through the digestive system and build up over time.
This is obviously not ideal!
While we can’t completely avoid them, it does raise an interesting question:
Can our gut actually help deal with them?
Your gut does more than you think
Your gut isn’t just there to digest your food.
It’s constantly interacting with what you eat - breaking things down, transforming them, and helping move things through the body. Including a few things you’d probably rather not keep around.
So… where does kimchi come in?
This is where things get interesting.
Recent research has been looking at a bacteria commonly found in kimchi called Leuconostoc mesenteroides.
Early findings suggest this bacteria can:
- Bind to micro and nanoplastic particles in the gut
- Help carry them through the digestive system
- Support the body in removing some of them
You can read more about it here.
In simple terms - certain bacteria found in fermented foods may help your body deal with some of the microplastics you’re exposed to.
Now here’s the part we found really exciting
We recently had our kimchi tested to see exactly what bacteria are present.
And guess what?
Leuconostoc mesenteroides came up as one of the most abundant bacteria - ranking No.3 in our kimchi.
That’s not something we added in. That’s fermentation doing its thing!
It’s a naturally occurring bacteria that develops as the vegetables ferment - part of what makes kimchi a living food.
And it just so happens to be the same bacteria now being studied for how it interacts with microplastics in the gut.
That connection is pretty powerful!
What’s inside our kimchi
Loving Foods Kimchi contains:
- Live lactic acid bacteria (including Leuconostoc mesenteroides)
- Organic vegetables + salt
- No artificial ingredients
- No added sugar
- No fish sauce or fillers
Why that matters:
- It’s a living food, full of active bacteria
- It supports a diverse and resilient gut
- It contains bacteria now being studied for how they interact with environmental particles.
Which brings us to why we use glass (and why it matters)
Here’s something most people don’t think about.
Kimchi and sauerkraut are naturally acidic. And when acidic foods sit in plastic, there’s potential for compounds from the packaging to migrate into the food over time - especially with heat or longer storage.
That’s one of the main reasons we use glass.
- It’s non-reactive
- It doesn’t interact with acidic foods
- It keeps what’s inside exactly as it should be
In a world where microplastic exposure is increasing, choices like this start to matter more.
If you’d like to go deeper into this, we’ve written more about it here.
What we know so far
This area of research is still evolving, but the early findings are promising.
Certain bacteria found in fermented foods can interact with micro and nanoplastics, helping bind to them and support the body in moving them through the digestive system.
At the same time, everyone’s gut is different, and research in humans is still ongoing.
What’s becoming clear is this: your gut is actively engaging with what you consume every day and the bacteria you feed it can influence how that process works.
The bottom line
We’re not going to eliminate microplastics overnight.
But we can support how our body responds to them.
And that starts with the gut.
Fermented foods have always been part of that picture. What’s exciting is that we’re now starting to understand more about why.
And sometimes it’s the simplest habits like adding a forkful of kimchi to your plate that makes a big difference.
An easy place for you to start
Don’t overcomplicate it!
A small forkful of kimchi alongside your meals is enough to start introducing live bacteria into your gut on a regular basis.
It’s simple, it’s quick, and it fits into what you’re already eating.
If you’re ready to make it part of your routine: