Why edible, non flavored straws are better than other eco-friendly straws

As the world struggles with plastic pollution, companies across the globe are coming up with innovative ways to beat the problem. There’s no one way to tackle the plastic pollution problem, but with everyone doing a little bit, the world can slowly heal. Edible straws (which many may know as ‘flavored straws’) are one such solution. In today’s blog post, we will discuss why edible straws are perfect – especially, why they’re better than other eco-friendly straws.

Edible straws don’t harm the environment

Disposable plastic straws need to be thrown out after a single use, and they don’t decompose. This means that they lie in landfills or float on oceans for centuries. The plastic can be mistaken for food by marine wildlife, and in landfills it will slowly leach chemicals into the surrounding soil. In short, there’s no happy ending when it comes to single-use plastic straws.

Reusable straws are a lot better – a hundred times, at least. However, their production is more energy-intensive, and when they reach the end of their serviceable life and are thrown out, if they’re made of hard plastic or silicone, they will cause the same problems.

Flavored straws, now, are fully edible. Once you’re done using them, you can simply eat the straw as a little snack, so it needn’t go into the trash at all. However, if you don’t want to or can’t eat it for some reason, you can throw it without guilt, because these will decompose. You can put them into your compost heap and in a year’s time, they’ll be indistinguishable from the rest of the compost. They don’t leach harmful materials into the soil and groundwater, and if the packaging is eco-friendly (like ours is), you can compost that as well.

Why edible straws are better than other eco-friendly straws

If you want to avoid single-use plastic straws, there are many other options you can choose from – metal straws, glass straws, bamboo straws, paper straws, and various others – including Loliware’s seaweed-based material. Let’s look at why edible straws are the best.

1. They aren’t uncomfortable

A frequent complaint people have with metal straws is that they feel mighty uncomfortable clashing against their teeth. For those with sensitive teeth, the very thought can be cringe-inducing. In addition, they can get hot or cold, and be generally uncomfortable. Edible straws, since they’re actually made out of food, aren’t uncomfortable.

2. You don’t have to wash them

Metal and bamboo straws usually come with a tiny little cleaner so you can properly clean them. While it’s a handy little tool and makes cleaning easier, it does tell you that those straws need regular cleaning. Flavored straws don’t. Once you’re done using them, you can just eat them. Most flavored and sugar straws can be munched on like candy, and our pasta straws can be eaten if they’ve gone soft, or you can throw them into dinner later. No need to wash and clean.

3. They can double as a treat for pets

Once you’re done drinking with your edible straw, if you don’t feel like eating it, you can give it to your pet. Flewid Friendly’s edible straws are made using pet-friendly materials, so they can safely eat it, and enjoy it! If you don’t have dog treats, you can use a straw in a crunch. You can’t really do that with your reusable bamboo straws, can you? Your dog might decide to gnaw on it anyway, and have a lot of fun, but you get what we mean.

4. They’re affordable

Metal, glass and bamboo straws are…well, fancy, to put it bluntly. They come with a little kit – carrying case, cleaner and all. The kit is useful, no doubt, but the straws are overall kind of expensive. Edible straws aren’t. You can get a pack of 30 straws for just $7.99 from Flewid Friendly, for instance.

5. There’s two uses for them

Suppose you order a pair or glass straws, but you end up not using them much. It happens – not all of us regularly drink beverages using a straw. While mindful buying is very important, it’s not the point we’re discussing right now. What happens to those straws? The materials, the energy that went into creating them was wasted. Now, if you have a box of flavored straws, on the other hand, if you realize you won’t be using them you can still ‘use’ them – as a snack!

6. There’s no plastic in them

These straws are edible, as the name suggests, so there’s no chance of there being any plastic in them. We mention this because while most people associate plastic with single-use products, there are in fact reusable plastic straws (or metal and glass straws which come with plastic accessories). Reusability makes them a lot better, but eventually, the plastic will end up in a landfill.

7. You don’t have to bring them back home

If you like to take your coffee on the go, reusable cups or straws will be a bit of trouble. Once you’re finished with your drink, you’ll have to take the cup or straw back home to clean, and figure out how to do this without getting your clothes (or purse) dirty. Edible straws don’t present this problem, since you can just throw them into the trash if it isn’t convenient to bring them back home.

Why our straws are better than flavored straws and sugar straws

While some people use the terms interchangeably, there’s a whole world of difference between simple edible straws, flavored straws, and sugar straws. Let’s briefly go over their differences, and see why unflavored straws like ours are the best.

The difference between edible straws and flavored straws is obvious from the latter’s name – while they are flavored, ‘simple’ edible straws are not. Flavored straws may contain sugar and be candy-like. Some of these come with a really narrow hole, which makes drinking thick drinks such as milkshakes difficult – not to mention the fact that your drink’s taste may be affected by the straw!

Sugar straws are made of sugar, and are rather like candy when eaten. Edible straws can be of various different types, but ours is a ‘pasta straw’, so it’s sugar-free and basically like a really long piece of pasta.

Now let’s go over some of the reasons why our straws are better than flavored or sugar straws:

1. They don’t contain sugar

If you’re trying to watch your weight or reduce the amount of sugar you eat for health-related reasons, non-sweetened edible straws such as ours are ideal for you. You can eat these without regretting it later. And of course, since these don’t have sugar, they’re that little bit healthier for your pet, if you use them as a treat.

2. You aren’t stuck with a flavor

If you order a box of flavored straws, unless you’ve tried them in the past and know you love them, there’s the very real chance that you will grow tired of their taste. These straws are vaguely comparable to candy, and you will get sick of eating the same candy over and over. Besides, flavors can be strong or weak, right or odd, and all of this affects your experience. In short, you may not like how they taste. With normal, unflavored products this problem doesn’t arise.

3. You know what to expect

We’ve all had pasta, so you know what you’ll get when you order pasta straws. They’re exactly like pasta, except they’re in the size and shape of a straw. Unlike these, ordering flavored straws can be a bit of an adventure. Will it be gummy? Will it be crumbly? Will it taste anything like it’s supposed to? Will it stick to your teeth? Will you like it? So many questions, and no objective answers!

4. They don’t attract ants!

You can compost our straws without any fear of attracting ants to your compost heap. If you tossed a sugar straw onto the heap, however, you’re almost certain to attract hordes of them. While most gardeners tolerate ants, you will admit they’re rather a nuisance – especially since they don’t seem capable of respecting boundaries, and will often decide to make your home their own. If you don’t want these pesky pests making a beeline for your kitchen from your garden, you’ll probably have to avoid composting sugar straws – which forces you to eat them.

5. They’re pet-friendly

As mentioned previously, Flewid Friendly’s pasta straws are perfectly pet-friendly, so you can give these to your pets. Of course, every animal’s requirements are different, so if you own a pet who you know can’t consume rice flour (or pasta), don’t give them these straws as a treat. But speaking generally, our straws are perfectly safe for most pets.

This was a quick discussion of why edible straws are better than other eco-friendly straws, and why non-flavored, non-sugary ones like ours are the best in the category. To learn more or to buy our straws, click the embedded links!