If science has taught us anything, it’s that people will do stupid things because they see other people doing it or because they think it will make them popular. Social media has not helped these issues become any less prevailing in human culture. It’s why we see things like planking, gender reveal parties that cause wildfires and deaths, and people falling off of milk crates. Oh, and remember the Tide Pod thing? The trend that showed us people will eat anything? Well, turns out society never learned its lesson, and now people are eating packing peanuts. Which can be toxic.
Cosmetic company Lush has reportedly been using packing peanuts made out of biodegradable vegetable starch instead of Styrofoam. So okay, they’re technically “edible,” but why would someone still try to eat them? We guess if you’re trying to make it as an ASMR mukbang channel it could be one way to boost your viewer count, but is it worth it?
The answer is “no,” in case that wasn’t abundantly clear. Just because something is legally edible, doesn’t meant that idea should be put into practice. Play-Doh is non-toxic, but it’s not meant to be eaten nor should it be. The same can be said about these packing peanuts and for very similar reasons.
Poison Control website notes Play-Doh can make someone sick to their stomach if eaten in large quantities. The same can be said for the packing peanuts, whether they’re edible or not. The actual Styrofoam ones don’t break down in the human body, and some are toxic. Meanwhile, the “edible” packing peanuts can be high in omega-6 fatty acids, which can cause inflammation in high amounts.
And here’s the thing that should really make people not want to eat these things: where the hell were these things before you eat them? Cheese puffs, potato chips, pretzels, they all come in sealed packages that were produced in a placed that specialized in food prep. Packing peanuts are not made in such a location or in such a manner. Would you eat a hamburger someone made for you at the post office? No, of course you wouldn’t. So why would someone eat packing peanuts in a box that was shipped to you?
This is a completely asinine trend and it’s only a matter of time before someone gets sick, if they haven’t already. Admittedly, do packing peanuts look more desirable than those awful circus peanuts, yes. But even those would be a better option for a snack.
Do not eat packing peanuts. Just….don’t do it.
