Microplastics in salad? What's really in your leafy greens 🌬️🥗

Microplastics in our food? What sounds like an exaggerated headline is now scientifically confirmed. A new study by Li et al., published in Nature (2025), reveals: plants can absorb micro- and nanoplastics directly from the air – without needing to go through soil or water first.

How plastic gets into plants

The tiny particles enter through microscopic openings (stomata) or directly through the leaf surface. From there, they move through the plant tissue – all the way to the trichomes, the hair-like structures on the leaves.
The remarkable part: researchers found up to 100 times more plastic particles in outdoor vegetables than in greenhouse-grown plants. The longer a leaf grows outdoors, the more particles it accumulates.

Lettuce particularly affected

Leafy greens like lettuce, spinach, or arugula are especially vulnerable. These varieties are often grown outdoors and typically eaten raw – which means any plastic particles go directly onto our plates.

Health effects? Still unclear

It is still unclear how these amounts of microplastics affect our health. Long-term studies are lacking. What is clear: research is still in its early stages, and many questions remain unanswered. That said, there’s no reason to panic – but rather to act with awareness.

What you can do

Choosing protected cultivation methods can reduce exposure. Especially effective: local indoor solutions like a Raumgarten. Here, herbs like parsley, thyme, or arugula grow right in your kitchen – seasonal, fresh, and unaffected by outdoor air.

Conclusion: mindful, not fearful

Microplastics in plants are a serious issue that requires further research. At the same time, there are already simple ways to take action. A Raumgarten is a great start: healthy, independent, and right next to your kitchen counter. 🌱✨

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