Harvard doctor urges people to throw out ‘toxic’ kitchen item found in thousands of households

A leading doctor has revealed three potentially killer items lurking in your kitchen—and they don’t include a knife block or faulty gas oven.  

Dr Saurabh Sethi, a Harvard trained gastroenterologist, shared his warning in a social media video which has been viewed more than 8,000 times. 

Posting to his TikTok channel @DrSethiMD, he told his 500,000 followers that there are three common household items which should be thrown away ASAP as they can cause havoc with the body.

One of the items is commonplace in millions of homes—a plastic chopping board. 

Dr Sethi said: ‘Knife marks can shed tiny plastic particles into your food.’ 

Microplastics are now in almost everything we touch, from food and clothing to water, kitchenware and household items.

They leach from plastic items into our bodies, either through contact or consumption, building up over-time and wreaking havoc on our hormones, increasing the risk of disease, drying out the skin, inflammation and weight fluctuations.

‘The risk builds up over years of use,’ said Dr Sethi, adding that ‘better options’ are a well maintained wood or bamboo board, or a ‘hygenic’ glass one, although it ‘dulls knives quickly.’ 

Another kitchen staple which he urged his followers to bin were scratched and chipped non-stick pans because they are covered in ‘forever chemicals’ called PFAS linked to a string of illnesses, including cancer. 

Perfluorooctanoate acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) are considered two of the most dangerous forms of PFAS.

PFOA and PFOS are synthetic chemicals used in firefighting foam, non-stick cookware and stain repellents to make them water and stain resistant.

PFOA is considered a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), meaning it causes cancer in animals. PFOS, meanwhile, is a Group 2 carcinogen, suggesting it may cause cancer in animals.

Both chemicals are also thought to to be endocrine-disrupting chemicals, meaning they imitate the body’s hormones and interfere with the production of – and response to – natural hormones like estrogen and testosterone.

This increases the risk of developing hormone-sensitive cancers like breast and ovarian cancer.

Dr Sethi explained: ‘Older pans often use PFOA, which is linked to reproductive and hormonal issues.

‘The modern non stick pans are PFOA free, but scratches can still release microscopic coating particles plus any additives trapped inside.

‘Better options [are] stainless steel, cast iron or pure ceramic cookware.’ 

The other item he said has no place in a healthy home is a ‘regular scented candle’. 

Many of these, he explained  ‘contain phthalates, which can disrupt hormones and paraffin wax, which can release soot and VOCs when burned.’ 

Phthalates are most commonly found in plastics, as they make them pliable and soft. 

They are used in thousands of products, from plastic food wrap to vinyl flooring, garden hoses and shower curtains.

They are also estimated to be in around three-quarters of scented personal care products like deodorants, nail polish, hair gels, shampoos, soaps and lotions.

The chemicals have been associated with fertility issues in both men and women.

Not ready to give up your sweet smelling home? He suggests making sure you’re only lighting up unscented soy, coconut or beeswax candles.