Tips for Choosing Healthy Cookware

You came back from the market with some fresh and green vegetables as well as meat and now you are going to cook it to get some healthy and piping hot meal. But the question here is, do you have healthy cookware at home? Are you using a pan or stockpot which adds toxic chemicals when cooking your meal?

There are varieties of cookware options available these days such as copper, cast iron, ceramic, clay, stainless steel, and aluminum. Among this cookware, some of them are fine while others may harm your health. Everyone should choose healthy cookware to make sure that their food shall remain free of chemicals.

Today we are going to discuss how to choose healthy cookware. You must consider the chemical of the cookware, also its durability and price. Here are some tips that will help you to buy non-toxic and safe pots and pans.

1- Durability:  No one wants to throw away a pot or pan after using it for a year or two. The lifespan of these cookware depends on how you treat them. Keeping them in good shape will increase their lifespan. The other reason is how easily the material gets damaged. Stainless steel, cast iron and even the stoneware cookware last for many years while most of the non-stick cookware wear out in one or two years.

2- Chemicals: The pans and pots are made from different materials and chemicals. These chemicals do not stay in the pots and pans. When preparing food, these chemicals leaches into your food and then go into the air when the cookware is heated up. Leaching depends upon the type of primary component used in the cookware. But many non-stick cookware brands are the worst offenders.

Now let us discuss some least safe cookware.

Least safe Cookware

Aluminum Cookware:

Aluminum is one of the best heat conductors, so your pan will quickly become hot and your food will be cooked fast. It is also relatively inexpensive. But the things that make it the least safe cookware are its leaching and less durability. Study shows that aluminum leaches into the food when cooking acidic foods. When an excessive amount of aluminum enters the body, then it causes diseases. It is also not as durable as cast iron or ceramic. It is corrosion-able and easily scratched.

Copper cookware:

Copper cookware has been around for many years. Copper is favored by many chefs because it conducts the heat very well and also loses the heat quickly. So you can easily control the temperature by using copper cookware. It is lined with stainless steel or tin. The important thing to notice is when this coating gets scratched, and then there is a chance that this coating will leach into the food then into your body and can cause some serious harmful diseases. So therefore copper is considered the least safe cookware.

Non-stick Cookware:

Non-Stick Teflon coated cookware is very easy to clean but they are toxic. They release fumes into the air on heating. Therefore you are advised to use low heat on such products. Teflon coating is very common and known for the production of fumes that are harmful and very dangerous to birds. So no doubt they are also dangerous for humans. If you are cooking with Teflon coated non-stick cookware, you must need to cook on low or medium heat.

Healthy Cookware:

These are some safe and healthy cookware to use.

Ceramic Cookware:

Ceramic cookware is one of the safest cookware to choose because for several good reasons. You can use ceramic on the stove and bake with them without worrying about the leaching and coatings of chemicals. Also, it is free of cadmium, poly, lead, and is scratch resistant. Ceramic cookware is durable as it is manufactured from inorganic chemical materials. Ceramic cookware can last for years if maintained properly and is a very eco-friendly choice. It is the best choice among non-toxic cookware.

Stainless Steel Cookware:

This cookware is very popular and is using in kitchens for decades. Stainless steel cookware is made from metal alloys with some percent of chromium, nickel, or other metals. It is safe and healthy cookware as it works very well for steamed vegetables, soup, and cooking legumes. Buying high-quality stainless steel cookware will be expensive but it will last for many years. Stainless steel cookware is durable, safe, easy to maintain, and clean.

Enable Coated Cast iron:

Cast iron cookware is also very safe. Its unique heating abilities make it more safe and durable. Cast iron is very heavy and solid that needs preheating to provide the best cooking. It can easily be moved from the stovetop to the oven as it is a single piece of metal.

Enabled cast iron is easy to maintain because of porcelain coating. It does not need seasoning before use because it’s naturally non-stick. As it is non-stick so the chemicals will not leach into your food. Therefore it is also very safe cookware for your cooking.

 Conclusion:

There are varieties of cookware available these days. You should choose among them according to your cooking needs. If you cook acidic dishes like sauces, then you should choose copper or ceramic. For high temperatures, cast iron will be the best choice to go with.

We have made the difference between healthy and toxic cookware. But this toxic cookware can also be used if proper guidelines can be maintained. We recommend Ceramic and stainless cookware as the safest and best cookware to you because they both are versatile and easy to maintain.