Your Cookware Might Be Killing You!

Non-stick pans are a kitchen favourite for most people. They are easy to use and clean, and they don’t require a lot of oil to grease the surface. Using non-stick cookware sure makes cooking easier and more convenient. But as popular as these pans are, many are unaware of the dangers of using them. As if eating healthy is not hard enough already, we now have to consider the pots we cook in.

Unlike iron or ceramic pots and pans, this cooking vesicle can transmit a toxic chemical through the air you breathe in. Before continuing to use non-stick cookware, know of the many non-stick cookware dangers.

Studies show that the chemical perfluorooctanoic acid in a non-stick cookware can increase the risk of high cholesterol, thyroid disease and even infertility. If you use your non-stick pots and pans on a daily basis, they most likely have scratches. This increases the risk of exposing your family to harmful substances.

Research carried out using animals as test subjects revealed that non-stick cookware produces health issues in the various categories. In Children’s health and development, using non-stick cookware could lead to increased risks of liver, pancreatic, testicular and mammary gland tumours, altered thyroid hormone regulation, generalised damage to the immune system, reproductive problems and birth defects.

A safer alternative to non-stick cookware is stainless steel cookware, which can resist corrosion. The surface of stainless steel does not flake or chip, so pieces of the material do not break off and contaminate your food like with most non-stick cookware.

Stainless steel is a combination of metals, including carbon, chromium, nickel and manganese. Because stainless steel contains a mix of these metals, some lower quality stainless steel cookware may discharge a small amount of nickel into your food from the steel. High-quality cookware is essential for cooking healthy food, so special care should be taken when purchasing cookware.