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I just read this lifesaving article over at The Crux. It’s by my friend and former Stansberry Research colleague, David “Doc” Eifrig, MD.
From Dr. David Eifrig, MD, MBA, editor, Retirement Millionaire: Your convenient cup of coffee might be killing you. There has been some controversy lately over the type of plastic used in those single-use Keurig-brand coffee cups.
According to the company, its pods have been approved by the FDA as “BPA-free.” But—and it’s a BIG BUT—the company will not disclose the types of plastic in the pods, only saying they are “Class 7” plastic.
The problem is… Class 7 plastic is a general catchall designation that means “other.” The concerns arise because a lot of Class 7 plastic is made from a material called polycarbonate, which is known to contain BPA. The pods may not contain polycarbonate, but there is no way to know if they contain something similar. And since plastics can “leach” chemicals similar to BPA when they are heated, it seems a bit risky to use an unknown plastic container to brew steaming hot coffee.
My research assistant brews her coffee with reusable, fully BPA-free pods made of metal and Class 5 recyclable plastic (the same kind recommended for baby bottles). These reusable pods are not only more environmentally conscious, but you can use any kind of coffee to fill it.
Reusable pods also save money. Right now, it costs her about $0.25 per cup of coffee. Keurig cups, sold in packs of 12 or 24, generally come out to about $0.75 per cup (sometimes more)… a 66% reduction!