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17
2011
Choosing Healthy Cookware
Filed in: Food Choices, Products & Services, ShoppingReader Question
Hello Ashley,
Now that I’m done university I’m looking to upgrade my flaking Teflon-coated pots and pans with something that isn’t going to kill me. There appears to be a growing number of non-stick cookware choices but are any of them actually safe? What would you recommend?
Thank you,
Paige
Ashley's Answer
Dear Paige,
Every time I walk into a Value Village and see people grabbing the $2 scratched up Teflon-coated frying pans I cringe. Teflon, as you may know, is associated with “polymer fume fever” in humans, presenting symptoms similar to a flu, while it is highly toxic to birds, causing their lungs to hemorrhage and fill with fluid, leading to suffocation. This is known as “PTFE (Teflon) toxicosis”. These situations arise when Teflon is heated to the point where it becomes unstable – a situation that happens more easily, and more often, than you may think.
According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), “At 680°F Teflon pans release at least six toxic gases, including two carcinogens, two global pollutants, and MFA, a chemical lethal to humans at low doses.” DuPont claims that Teflon-coated products are safe under normal use but EWG tests show that the high temperatures at which Teflon becomes unstable (above 464°F) can happen in 3 – 5 minutes on a typical household range. Refined avocado oil doesn’t even begin to smoke past 520°F!
It is clear that people who are concerned about these findings will want to steer clear of Teflon all together. Even if you feel you can control the temperatures to stay within the “normal use” guidelines, it doesn’t address the other problems associated with the manufacture of Teflon, namely the use of PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid), which is infamous for its amazing ability to kill birds when its fumes are released into the air. There are alternatives.
One alternative that has received a lot of attention is the PTFE/PFOA-free GreenPan. It’s coating is made from Thermolon, which is resistant to high temperatures. GreenPan’s “revolutionary new” coating has received endorsement from a number of third-party test labs but it is a new technology, making some health advocates asking for more data. Rebecca Sutton, a scientist with EWG, was quoted saying: “We’d like to see all the data they provided to FDA, as well as FDA’s assessments of the product, required for its approval as a food contact substance.” She also said that a discussion of Thermolon’s chemistry would also be advantageous for those evaluating the product’s safety. I’d have to agree – if you have nothing to hide then why hide it?
For those not wanting to leave things to chance, there are plenty of healthy options. You may use cast iron, un-chipped ceramic coated, enameled, glass, silicone (for baking), stainless steel (if not pitted or scratched), or carbon steel (great for woks) for all your cooking needs. I prefer to use high quality cast iron for my frying pans. A well-seasoned cast iron pan is virtually non-stick, it moderates temperature, and it will even give you a little dose of iron, which we all need to produce red blood cells. The key with any frying is to ensure the pan (and the oil in it) is hot enough so that the food will instantly sear. If not, the moisture in the food will cause it to stick. This is particularly important if using a stainless steel frying pan or wok.
For general-purpose pots, you can feel good about using glass, enameled, or stainless steel options. You don’t need anything fancy to boil water and you certainly don’t need a pot coated in Teflon. As with most of my advice, keep it simple and you shouldn’t have any issues.
Happy cooking,
Ashley
Ashley Lubyk, BSc. in Environmental Science, is the founder of the Healthy Homes program at Green Calgary. Please send your environmental questions to Ashley.