Before you go spend a good amount of money on cookware, you might want to take a few minutes to research the different types out there and the health affects of each. You may (or may not) have read about the suggested dangers of cooking with different types of cookware. Just so we are straight, there a few basic types of cookware:
1. Aluminum (there are several that are aluminum alloys or that have different types of Aluminum, Calphlon has anodized aluminum, but its still aluminum)
2. Cast Iron (some companies now sell enameled cast iron, such as Le Crueset).
3. Stainless Steel
Bottom line is that all types of cookware that have a Non-stick coating may pose a danger to both animals and humans. There are several studies that suggest a link between consumption of food prepared in non-stick cookware and illness. The problem is that the non-stick coating leaches into the food when heated. This introduces nasty chemicals into the food (and our bodies!). These chemicals called perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) are present in almost all people in the United States at some level! PFOA are labeled as "persistent organic pollutants" because they remain in your body for years before breaking down and passing. They are believed to cause all sorts of issues from flu like symptoms, sleep issues, and arthritis. Oh by the way, PFOAs are found in many public drinking water systems across the USA! Thus, before you go and drop some hard earned cash on a nice set of non-stick cookware think again...
Another bottom line up front: All cookware will "leach" when heated. For some kinds of cookware this isn't a problem. For this reason though, we do not recommend the use of aluminum cookware. High levels of Aluminum is linked to illnesses such as Alzheimers and is believed to negatively impact the nervous system. Also, aluminum is another one of those persistent compounds that doesn't readily breakdown or pass through the body. For those of you who didn't know, you might also want to check out your deodorant. If you are using a commercially bought deodorant or anti-perspirant, then good chance the main ingredient is aluminum, yeah its great for plugging up your sweat glands too...
What do we recommend? We use enameled cast iron cookware at our house. It is easy to clean and can withstand super high temperatures. Iron is leached into the food, but iron is a needed mineral in the body (its one of the main ingredients in our blood) and is readily assimilated into the body. In the kitchen we use commercial grade stainless steel. This type of stainless steel does not contain aluminum and is a collection of basically inert metals and minerals. The other great thing about stainless steel is that it doesn't react with food like aluminum and/or non-stick cookware does so you are getting more of a "truer" taste of your food.
Here are some links you might want to check out for further reading:
http://www.naturalnews.com/cookware.html
http://www.ewg.org/featured/228
In the future, you'll see recommendations for cookware and other household items on this and our main website. Feel free to call or email us with questions, and thanks for reading...
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