Wood or Plastic Cutting Board? The Best Choice For Your Health.

If like me you like to cook, you have surely already asked yourself this question:

should you buy a wooden cutting board or a plastic cutting board?

What is the best choice for your health? It's not that simple ... Explanation:

Wooden planks

Several types of wood are used to make the wooden planks.

The beech plank: this is the most common one in your kitchens. It is particularly resistant but has the disadvantage of being damaged in contact with water because it is porous. It lets in water and eventually warps.

The exotic wood plank: they are the most solid. Exotic woods have the particularity of being rot-proof. On the other hand, check the origin of the wood carefully. It must come from controlled sectors participating in the sustainable management of tropical forests in order to avoid wild deforestation.

The bamboo board: bamboo is a strong and hard wood. It reacts well to water and is environmentally friendly because it grows back very quickly. But beware of small splinters that may exist on this surface.

Plastic boards

There are two types of plastic boards.

The PVC board (Polyvinyl chloride): it has the advantage of not being porous, of being solid and of ensuring good hygiene. However, with use, it can release small fibers that will contaminate food.

The HDPE board (high density polyethylene): it is also non-porous, very rigid and strong. This is arguably the best alternative if you are looking for a plastic cutting board.

What is the most hygienic board?

In fact, if you follow European legislation, it is better to avoid wooden planks. So, are we tempted by a plastic board?

Not so sure when you know that plastic can contain lead, cadmium, phthalates and DEHA. The latter is a chemical suspected of promoting cancer, based on animal studies. It can also have harmful effects on the liver, kidneys, spleen and bones.

Plastic cutting boards can also contain phthalates. Because of the plastic microfibers that can break off when cutting up food, phthalates contaminate our food and end up in our stomachs. That's not really good…

But that's not all.

In my experience, both the wooden board and the plastic board always end up being marked by the grooves made with the knife when cutting food.

And in both cases, this is where the germs will hide. Suddenly, I wondered which was the most hygienic in the end.

Scientific test in support

Dean Cliver, a microbiologist working at the University of California in the United States, conducted an experiment. He contaminated a wooden and a plastic cutting board with bacteria.

He then soaked them, then washed and finally dried. He then took samples from each of the boards. And here is its result:

Wood is a porous material. The bacteria from the wooden plank stayed where he had put them. But according to the scientist, wood naturally gets rid of bacteria which eventually die. In the end, they can hardly infect us.

On the other hand, the microbiologist finds that there are more bacteria on the plastic boards. They become embedded in the traces left by the knives. And washing is not enough to remove them. In addition, they tend to reproduce more easily and quickly.

In short, in the end, plastic boards would not be as hygienic as wooden cutting boards. The only solution to avoid these problems is to choose a very resistant HDPE (high density polyethylene) board.

So what is best for you?

The wooden board: the best choice for your health

From my point of view it is better to choose a wooden board, but not just any.

Choose a board made from hardwood that will limit the spread of germs in the traces left by the knives.

I recommend this one in bamboo.

In any case, know that it is important to replace it regularly. As soon as it starts to get damaged, change it.

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