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☁ “A Side of Plastic with Your Water?”
Your Summer Hydration Series: What You Really Need to Know.
Claudi Clouds
August 11, 2025
THE WATER METHOD TO WELLNESS
HEY FROM THE SOURCEThis summer, I’m sending you two thoughtful emails each week for five weeks, unpacking hydration myths. Clarity, context, and care. No buzzwords. No diet gimmicks. Just honest, practical insight you can trust, because how you treat water reflects how you treat yourself. Download the full free digital guide and get your hydration checklist. A companion to the insights we explore. |  |
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#7: When the Bottle Becomes the Contaminant
Not all water is created equal. And increasingly, neither are the containers we drink from.
A 2024 study from Columbia University challenged our assumptions about bottled water. Using a cutting-edge imaging technique called stimulated Raman scattering microscopy, which uses two finely tuned lasers to make specific molecules light up, researchers discovered that a single liter of bottled water contains, on average, 240,000 plastic particles.
90% of those are nanoplastics, particles smaller than one micrometer. That’s small enough to pass through cell membranes and enter the bloodstream, tissues, even the brain. Where are they coming from?
From the bottle itself.
Over time, plastic degrades, especially when exposed to heat, light, or repeated use. Microscopic fragments begin to shed. Each sip might be delivering more than just hydration.
But here’s the twist:
A 2025 study by France’s ANSES Laboratory for Food Safety found that glass bottles aren’t exempt either. In beverages like soda, beer, and iced tea, glass bottles often contained more microplastics than plastic bottles. Not because of the glass, but because of the paint on the metal caps.
Their analysis traced the source to fine scratches on the cap’s paint, often caused by friction in storage. These microscopic paint flakes end up in the drink, especially in glass bottles sealed with twist caps.
The only drinks relatively spared?
Wine. Especially when sealed with corks or non-painted caps.
Bottom line? No container is perfect, but being informed helps.
Nanoplastics in bottled water are largely invisible, but their potential to accumulate in the body is real.
Glass is still one of the safest bets, but watch the cap. Reusable bottles with non-toxic, unpainted lids (like stainless steel or ceramic) are the best long-term option.
— Clouds
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A Final Note
NOTES FROM THE MEADOW
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Until next time! ☁
Disclaimer: This newsletter does not provide medical or nutritional advice. The content shared here is for informational and educational purposes only. To inspire a more mindful and empowered relationship with water, and yourself.