Cookware

Have you ever wondered what kind of cookware to buy? There are so many choices! Non-stick (Teflon), stainless steel/clad, copper, aluminum, cast iron, enamel/porcelain coated... I'm sure that there are others that I've missed. Not only is there the question of which kind will cook your food the best, but you also have to wonder which one is the safest. Here's what I've found:


Nonstick- this type of cookware is coated with Teflon or various other similar materials. Tests have been done by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) which indicate that within 2-5 minutes of heating nonstick pans, they begin emitting toxic fumes. Depending on the temperature, up to six chemicals can be released including two carcinogens. These fumes have been shown to cause an illness in domesticated birds called Teflon Toxicosis which causes their lungs to hemorrhage, fill up with fluid, and suffocate them. In humans, this illness is called polymer fume fever. It causes temporary flu-like symptoms, though no long-term effects have been studied to date. Equally horrible, when scratched, plastic and aluminum are leached into your food. In a study done at John Hopkins Medical Center, the toxic chemicals in nonstick pans were found in the umbilical cord blood of in 99% of the 300 babies tested. Do yourself a favor and get rid of these pans.


Aluminum- Aluminum is dangerous to humans. There is no question that aluminum pans leach into our food; however, it does seem to be a negligible amount - maybe 3mg per serving of food. The question is whether you are interested in ingesting even a small amount of aluminum if you don't have to. Aluminum accumulates in various tissues and organs of your body. It competes with calcium for absorption into your body which could contribute to osteoporosis-type issues. It has been shown to slow growth in infants. With effects like these, I wold recommend using another type of cookware.


Stainless Steel- This has been advocated as safer than aluminum, but it's still not perfect. If it becomes scratched, stainless steel can leech small amounts of nickel into your food. Nickel is not considered toxic in these small amounts, but can cause allergic reactions. It also doesn't generally conduct hear evenly, so you might be better off with copper lined or clad stainless steel. 


Cast Iron- This is my personal favorite. Not only does it conduct heat very well, but it also keeps me from burning food on my gas stove (which is much hotter than my old electric one!) Cast Iron lasts basically forever, when treated well. It also leaches essential iron into your food. Cast iron is inexpensive and available everywhere. 


Bottom line- get rid of your nonstick and aluminum cookware. If you don't want to spend a ton of money on a new stainless steel set, spend a little and buy a cast iron dutch oven and frying pan. Those two pieces will do almost everything for you! 




References
http://eartheasy.com/blog/2009/01/healthy-cookware/
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-safest-cookware.html#
http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2009/01/safe-cookware-for-your-family.html