Author: Ruth

As we make an excellent decision to choose to eat more healthy it has now been brought to our attention that with all-our good intentions we could be doing ourselves more harm if we use the wrong cookware to prepare these meals.

It is very important when choosing cookware for your home to know the risks of each type of cookware and decide which is the best cookware for healthy cooking

There are so many options in cookware that we are confused by the look and what may seem to make it easier for us that we overlook the safety concerns.

There are cookware made of different materials:

 Ceramic Cookware

Despite their name, ceramic pans are made with a stainless steel or aluminum body and exterior, and the interior cooking surface is coated with a natural sand derivative that is formulated into a spray solution, says Jordan Nathan.

“This solution is then applied as layers onto the core body of the pans. Finally, each pan is then cured in an oven to create the nonstick outer surface,” he explains.

If used on a regular basis, ceramic cookware is not as durable as other cookware,

Ceramic cookware is still relatively new, there are not enough studies to prove many of the manufacturer’s claims.

But as sol-gel ceramic surfaces wear down, tiny particles can break off and release into the food. there are no scientific studies to prove that the chemicals in these particles are toxic.

GreenPan is a Belgian brand with an international reputation. It’s the brainchild of two school friends: Jan Helskens and Wim De Veirman. Upon discovering that traditional non-stick pans released toxins when overheated and used PFOA during the manufacture of the coating, they set out to create a new alternative.

After a long search, they found the perfect material for their range: a ceramic coating called Thermolon.

With the biggest challenge out of the way, the duo put an expert team together and had a lot of pleasure in designing cookware that looked beautiful, performed brilliantly and made cooking even more of a joy.

10 years later; their pans are loved around the world.

Aluminum Cookware

Aluminum is an abundant metallic chemical element that is widely used throughout the world for a wide range of products. Many consumers interact with some form of it on a daily basis, especially if they are active in the kitchen.

one of the more common applications of cast aluminum is in the creation of cookware.

Aluminum is used for skillets, baking pans, and other kitchen essentials. Usually created using the die-cast approach, the cookware can withstand the high temperatures required to cook food properly and will remain useful for a number of years with no more than minimal care.

Aluminum is a great heat conductor, which means that your pan will heat up quickly and cook food evenly.

Aluminum cookware is known for being highly reactive and leaching into food

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Stainless Steel Cookware

Stainless steel is one of the materials that people often check when looking for non-toxic cookware. It is said to be inert and doesn’t leach harmful chemicals to the food.

Stainless steel pans are popular and have been in kitchens for decades. These are made from a metal alloy that also contains percentages of nickel and chromium or other metals

if stainless steel cookware is cleaned in a harsh manner with abrasive cleaning materials, then this can result in damage to the lining. Once damaged, it’s no longer as healthy of a cooking device because the leaching of metals then becomes possible

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Nonstick Cookware

Nonstick cookware pretty much always contains a manmade chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid, also known as PFOA or C8. According to the American Cancer Society, “PFOA has the potential to be a health concern because it can stay in the environment and in the human body for long periods of time.

The coating on some non-stick cookware can emit toxic fumes if heated past 450-500 degrees; it may be a surprise that a frying pan can easily reach or surpass that temperature on the stovetop.

There’s also some concern that PTFE coatings emit toxic fumes even at normal temperatures. If heated to the point of degradation, PTFE can cause flu-like symptoms.

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Cast Iron

Cast iron cookware is a very old form of kitchen equipment, it is created by pouring molten iron into molds shaped like skillets, bread pans, and other bakeware.

Cast iron cookware is highly regarded for its even heating, versatility, and durability.

Many professional chefs will choose cast iron cookware over modern pans because of its natural nonstick qualities and ability to withstand high temperatures without warping.

Cast iron is unique in its heating abilities. It’s a solid, heavy piece that requires pre-heating to best conduct heat, especially to incredibly high temperatures.

Meat sears well and pan-fried food turns out crispy. If your cast iron is pre-heated properly, you can even take it off the stove and it will retain enough heat to cook or warm food.

Cast iron cookware free of PFOA and PTFE should not contain any other chemicals. But there is one substance that can end up in your food with this type of cookware: iron.

Cooking with cast iron is actually a natural way to increase iron levels.

Copper

While it can be safer than other options, the risk of using 100 percent copper cookware is that it could lead to an overconsumption of copper.

Copper cookware has been around as long as, or longer than, cast iron cookware. It conducts heat quickly and also loses heat quickly

You can find copper cookware that is actually copper on the outside (great for conducting heat) but has a non-reactive stainless steel lining on the inside, this type of cookware is the best type for healthy cooking

Glass Cookware

There are Some key advantages of glass cookware, they respond well to most oven based cooking, glass cookware does not react with acidic foods, safely stores all foods in it, and most importantly it is healthy as there are no adverse side effects from cooking in it.

Glass cookware is not just non-toxic and friendly to the environment, it’s also really durable. It’s another option to reduce the use of cookware containing poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) or highly fluorinated chemicals

Although glass is a good conductor of heat, it does not disburse it evenly, and therefore glass utensils are not at all efficient for stovetop cooking, as they easily form hot spots causing the glass to crack.

Additionally, glass vessels are totally incompetent when it comes to deep-frying, as the food necessitates constant stirring and longer cooking times.

Glass utensils should be cleaned with non-abrasive, self-polishing cleansers or with specially formulated mildly abrasive cleansers as suggested by the cookware manufacturer.

Glass-ceramic and glass utensils are dishwasher safe, and because they are non-porous, soaking very effective in unraveling burned-on foods or leftovers. With proper care, cookware made of glass can last at least seven to ten years.

When it comes to your health, you should be careful when choosing your cookware, there is a lot of cookware available today that is made with toxic chemicals, more and more brands offer non-toxic lines of cookware.

Have you had any experience with either of the cookware mentioned in this post, please let me hear of your experience,

I appreciate your time reading this post. And I I look forward to your comments and question and please remember to share

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