Instead of plastic, try these biodegradable straws made of corn starch

Corn Next makes non-flavored and fruit flavored biodegradable straws. Pam LeBlanc photo

I hate it when I go to a restaurant and the server delivers my drink with a straw.

Most folks don’t need straws – or single-use plastics in general – but we use them anyway, because someone hands them to us. (And yes, I understand some people need straws because of coordination or medical issues. That’s fine.)

I avoid straws and other single-use plastics when I can, which is most of the time. Plastics are filling up trash dumps, washing up on beaches and breaking into tiny bits that, ultimately, wind up inside our bodies as microplastics.

The straws stay sturdy for several hours. Pam LeBlanc photo

Happily, some businesses have stopped using plastic straws, shifting to paper straws. Still, Americans use hundreds of millions of straws every day. And in February, the White House banned the federal government’s purchase of paper straws, shifting back to plastic.

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Which brings us to the latest product I’ve been testing – straws made from corn starch, water and natural enzymes.

I tested a few made by Corn Next this week. They’re thicker than regular straws and felt almost like dry pasta. You can’t bite through one when it’s fresh.

The plastic-free straws sell for $8.99 for a pack of 50; less if you buy in bulk.

More on straws made of corn

Corn Next sells biodegradable straws made from corn starch. Photo by Pam LeBlanc

According to the company’s website, they can get slippery and expand after they’ve soaked in a drink for a while. I stuck one in a glass of ice water and after an hour it was still sturdy, and not at all slippery.

Weirdly, they come in both non-flavored (recommended) and fruit flavors including lemon, lime, orange, strawberry and blueberry. I tried lemon, which elicited a curious citrus twang when I used it in water.

My recommendation? Don’t use a straw at all if you can avoid it. If you must, try one made of corn starch.

According to the Corn Next website, the straws work best in cold drinks and are not recommended for hot ones. (Does anybody drink coffee with a straw?)

The straws are made with corn grown in America and break down in 30 days. They should be stored in a cool dry place, away from direct sunlight. And if you have a corn allergy, don’t use them.

Sounds corny, but I’m all for it.