Some Non-stick Cookware Is Dangerous—Learn to Discern

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 The DuPont corporation lives in the cells and bloodstreams of millions of people. Teflon is one of their products that illustrates the darker magic of better living through chemicals. Fumes from the non-stick product are so dangerous when it overheats that it kills animals and makes people sick.

For example, did you know that non-stick (Teflon coated) pans can emit toxic fumes when overheated?  In fact, the fumes are so dangerous that they’ve been known to kill pet birds and cause flu-like symptoms in humans. A 2012 study confirmed that perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which is the compound used to create Teflon, increased risk of disease.

Teflon fumes kill birds and small animals when cookware is overheated. (Pinterest)

Other harmful cookware includes aluminum, tin, and low-quality stainless steel cookware. These materials can sneak into food, and over time, contribute to serious health conditions like memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease.

NaturalHealth365 shared some safer choices on BIN:

Cast iron: Good old reliable cast iron cookware is safe, but has a learning curve on figuring how to control cooking temperature to reduce sticking. Some people may experience health issues like hemochromatosis, where the body has trouble converting iron, as all metals bleed into food when cooked upon. Women may want to cook with cast iron during menstrual cycles as bleeding can cause low iron.

Ceramic cookware: It’s all the rage right now. Ceramic is a sturdy material that can handle high temperatures (as opposed to cast iron). And unlike Teflon and metal cookware, creamics do not leach into foods at all.  The only caveat is to stop using metal utensils (same rule for Teflon) to avoid scratches. If you’re looking for high quality ceramic cookware, check out Xtrema cookware – 100% all-natural ceramic cookware with absolutely no heavy metals or PFOA.

Attractive and safe, ceramic cookware is a great choice for healthy meal preparation–but don’t use metal utensils on it. (nilodudes.com)

Thermolon is Teflon’s more benign cousin. It’s composed mostly of silicon and oxygen and works as a non-stick agent in cookware without the risks of PFOA. Only use at 450 degrees or below. There have been complaints about paint flaking, when cooking at too high a temperature.

Bonus tip: In addition to cookware, modern materials like plastics used for water bottles and food storage can leach into your food and drink.

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