Healthy Cookware: How to Choose the Right Material for Your Health

Mar 4, 2020

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Last updated on April 5th, 2023 at 01:26 pm

I have noticed that we (I included) spend so much time thinking about all the food we eat and the quality of the food we eat.  Still, we overlook the importance of the cookware we use to prepare our organic and whole-food meals.  It is important to avoid using cookware with coatings or substances that can leach into the food and use healthy cookware alternatives instead.  Numerous studies have found that the two most popular cookware choices, Teflon non-stick cookware and aluminum, tend to leach metals and other harmful chemicals into the food.

With that thought in mind, I thought it would be great to discuss this subject and share some healthy cookware alternatives.

Teflon:

Non-stick cookware is and has become very popular.  For a good reason – it is relatively inexpensive and super easy to clean, which is incredibly convenient.  But, unfortunately, it emits toxic fumes when overheated, and over time the coating will wear away and end up in whatever food you are cooking.  Teflon is the trade name (hello, DuPont) for polytetrafluoroethylene or PTFE polymer.  In brief, non-stick cookware is simply a crappy metal pan with a toxic PTFE coating.  If you’d like to learn more about Teflon and DuPont.  I highly recommend watching the documentary “The Devil We Know” and reading through some of these articles from the Environmental Working Group (EWG).

Aluminum:

Aluminum cookware is another trendy choice because of its affordable price point and fast heating capabilities.  Still, it, unfortunately, comes with a list of health concerns.  Aluminum is considered a neurotoxin.  Hence, it accumulates in the brain, bones, and liver.  Studies have also shown that aluminum leaches into food during cooking.

Anodization subjects the surfaces of aluminum cookware to a process that builds up the metal’s natural oxide coating.  This creates a hard, nonreactive substance that forms a very tough coating.  This results in anodized aluminum cookware that is non-stick, scratch-resistant, and easy to clean.  Personally, using this kind of cookware is also a hard no for me.

healthy-cookware

Here are some healthy cookware options to consider for your kitchen

Stainless Steel

My favorite choice.  In all transparency, I only recently made the switch and am in love.  I understand the investment, so I buy individual pieces, starting with the ones I use most often.  It doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing approach – little steps and replacements are acceptable in my book.  I love that stainless steel is a non-reactive metal – so it doesn’t corrode or pit like other materials can and probably will.  Stainless steel is supposed to last for years, so it is an excellent long-term investment.  Since switching over, I have learned that heat and fat are the key to avoiding food sticking.

Ceramic/Enamel

Ceramic or enamel cookware is a fantastic option for those who love the even heating of regular cast iron but don’t care to bother with the seasoning process that comes with those pieces.  The cast iron is coated in hard enamel, making it non-stick and easy to clean.  Staub, as well as Le Creuset, has beautiful enamel pieces.

Cast Iron

Cast iron is another great option.  It is a great conductor of heat and is also very affordable.  Should you choose cast iron, it is worth noting that acids can cause some iron leaching, so it is best to avoid cooking acidic food in cast iron.  I prefer to buy cast iron that has yet to be seasoned, as most pre-seasoned pieces have been seasoned with soy oil.

healthy cookware

Here’s a list of the healthy cookware in my kitchen

As mentioned before, I don’t buy sets.  Instead, I buy the pieces I grab most often and use them all the time.

Skillets: 12-inch stainless steel skillet, 8-inch stainless steel skillet, 3-quart stainless steel skillet

Butter warmer: 3 ½ inch butter warmer

Pots and saucepans: 8-quart stainless steel stockpot, 1-quart stainless steel saucepan

Dutch oven: 4-quart Dutch oven

Grill pan: 10-inch cast-iron grill pan

If this is new information for you, please don’t panic.  Sit with the information and formulate a plan to overtime switch out your core cooking pieces to safer alternatives.  Living a healthier and more natural life doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing approach.

You can find the healthy bakeware guide here.

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