Just when you thought those “nonstick” pans at Ikea were safe, some bad news hits the wire that has health-conscious moms across the globe frustrated. ALL nonstick pans are more harmful than useful. Therefore, If you want to protect your family from hormone disruption, nonstick cookware and bakeware should be removed from your kitchen. This is going to put a dent on the amount of time we all spend on the dishes. But just like how frequent dusting can protect your family from fire retardants, avoiding nonstick cookware protects your family from perfluorinated alkylate substance (PFAS) exposure. You’ve trusted Mamavation to bring you topics like nontoxic & eco-friendly school supplies, 12 reasons to ditch your plastic cooking utensils, & disposable diaper and baby wipes investigation, now join us as we bring to you the nonstick cookware industry and the dangerous chemicals they contain.
Table of Contents
Click Here to View Mamavation’s Full Cookware Investigation
Disclosure: This post is written by Hannah Gardener, an epidemiologist and nontoxic living consultant, from A Green Slate. You can find her consultancy also on Facebook here. This post contains affiliate links.
Nonstick Chemicals are Toxic Study Says and Replacements Aren’t Any Better
“Generation X”, the replacement chemical to PFOA in Teflon, has been deemed problematic by the Environmental Protection Agency. This is bad news for all the nonstick products you have in your kitchen. This means that pans and cookware that marketed themselves as “nontoxic” because they were PFOA-free weren’t exactly telling the truth about their replacement chemicals. Replacement nonstick chemicals that are marketed as “nontoxic” have demonstrated problems when seriously evaluated for health and human safety.
If you’ve been paying attention to this topic over the past 10 years you have probably heard that conventional nonstick cookware, often referred to by the brand name Teflon, is unhealthy. Teflon is the brand name for a chemical known as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which was originally made using the surfactant perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA, aka “C8”). PFOA is an infamous member of the class of chemicals known as PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) or PFCs, which have come under increased scrutiny in recent years – by scientists, medical researchers, regulatory bodies, and the public – for their health effects.
Once the carcinogenic potential of PFOA became more understood, chemical manufacturers scrambled to come up with substitutes that did not compromise the superior nonstick capability of Teflon that required minimal cleaning. In 2009 Dupont introduced GenX and touted it as a safer substitute for PFOA. However, there was no evidence to support GenX as a safer substitute. It was simply not PFOA, but its structure was quite similar. GenX also falls into the category of PFAS (Or PFC) chemicals. Therefore, it is not shocking that in recent years since GenX came on the market, new research, particularly studies conducted with animals, have suggested that GenX has similar toxic effects as PFOA. So we’d be smart to remove any nonstick cookware made from GenX off our shopping list and get it out of our kitchens too. It should be clear at this point that substituting a known toxic PFAS chemical with a structurally-similar option can’t be trusted as health-protective either.
(Sidenote: This alphabet soup of letters can get confusing. Just remember that these abbreviations are a similar class of chemical to avoid: PFOA, PFOS, PFCs, PFAS, C8, etc.)
The Health Impacts of NonStick Cookware to Your Family
The first thing to know is that your cookware can impact your health, just like your food can impact your health. These “indirect additive” chemicals within nonstick cookware can be detected in your food, so it’s important to take them seriously. Cookware can leach toxic chemicals into your food and can even impact the air quality in your kitchen, releasing unhealthy fumes. PFOA was slowly phased out as its health hazards became more widely recognized, but note that PFOA was only one chemical in a class of chemicals called PFAS chemicals (Or PFCs). PFAS chemicals, as a chemical category, are believed to have carcinogenic effects and are known as endocrine disruptors, impacting the fine balance of hormones in the body. PFAS chemicals are linked to the health ailments below:
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- metabolic diseases like obesity & diabetes
- reduced vaccination response
- affect the growth, learning, and behavior of infants and older children
- lower a woman’s chance of getting pregnant
- interfere with the body’s natural hormones
- increase cholesterol levels
- affect the immune system
- increase the risk of cancer
PFAS chemicals, including PFOA, are pervasive in our environment, with exposure detected in all subsets of the population. And they don’t go away… like NEVER! They accumulate in our tissues and in the environment and have been a recent horror story to water agencies across America as they have shown up in tap water. And what is even more disturbing is how difficult is it to get them out of our bodies because of their persistence. Detoxing them out of your body is difficult. They don’t just pass right through us like other endocrine disruptors (eg BPA). This just underscores the fact that we want to consciously limit our exposure and not support the production of these toxic man-made substances inside products in our home.
Safer Options than Nonstick Cookware For Your Family’s Health
So the bottom line is that when shopping for healthy cookware and when parsing down your own kitchen, you want to avoid all nonstick cookware, regardless if it says it is PFOA-free or not! Don’t let them trick you with another “regrettable substitution” chemical. You’re smarter than that! The replacement chemicals are just as bad and they are banking on you not knowing. So, now that we have covered the biggest health threat when it comes to cookware, what do we want to buy and keep? Here’s our suggestions as you are going through your kitchen cookware.
Click Here to View Mamavation’s Full Cookware Investigation
Nonstick Pans, Bakeware, & Specialty Pans–AVOID
Nonstick cookware typically includes a chemical class called PFAS or PFCs. (Scientists and public health officials disagree on what to call them so I’m giving you both chemical abbreviations.) GenX is the more modern substitute chemical that replaced PFOA called ammonium 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoro-2-(heptafluoropropoxy)propanoate, CAS no 62037-80-3. Teflon production originally was comprised of the chemical PFOA, but it’s very clear now that it was toxic to humans and the environment, so has been phased out. But be very wary of the replacement chemicals. They aren’t any better. Bottom line, if it is nonstick, its out!
Ceramic-Coated Cookware–AVOID (Except There is One Good Brand)
Where does ceramic-coated cookware stand in the ranking? Sort of in the middle. I classify it as “meh”… Ceramic-coated cookware (eg Green Pan, ScanPan, Cuisinart Green Gourmet, and many others) can reliably be classified as FAR safer than conventional Teflon cookware. It also performs extraordinarily well from a nonstick perspective – quite similar to Teflon in fact. However, they are not ideal as they can sometimes be contaminated with heavy metals and dangerous titanium dioxide nanoparticles. Thermalon is an alternative non-stick coating for pans found in brands like Green Pan. It’s made from silicon dioxide. But a study released from the journal Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A, reported on the possible release of titanium dioxide nanoparticles from non-stick coatings into food. This is incredibly problematic because chronic oral exposure to nanoparticle titanium dioxide results in immune disruption and precancerous lesions in the gut. However, we couldn’t find any migration studies on Thermalon specifically but are taking precautions regardless. There are several brands here we would avoid that have gotten really popular as replacement cookware such as Green Pan, ScanPan, Cuisinart Green Gourmet, etc.
Update 12/20/18: We did find ONE ceramic cookware company that is 100% ceramic with no coating that contains nanotechnology. That is Xtrema Cookware! We had to go back and forth with them a bit to say this, but it’s true. No nanotechnology used and we are overjoyed there is a good brand in this category!
- Xtrema Cookware is Safe! And they have a sale here, Christmas Sale! 25% or More Off Everything! Plus, Christmas Bonus Buys
Aluminum–AVOID
Your grandmother’s old aluminum pots can leach aluminum into your food, especially with extended contact, and especially when cooking foods that are acidic or high in fat (like tomato sauce or fish). Aluminum is a metal with suspected neurotoxic effects (meaning it is bad for our brains!). Luckily, you don’t see bare aluminum pots and pans much these days.
Cast Iron–KEEP OR PURCHASE
Cast iron is safe and healthy, durable, and easy to clean. Season it with organic high heat oils to make it an even better option. The brand Finex even comes seasoned with organic oils. Cast iron is the healthiest option that is even marginally nonstick, making it a good option for cooking eggs and pancakes as long as you use oil or butter.
Here are some recommendations you can add to a wishlist on Amazon:
Stainless Steel–KEEP OR PURCHASE
Another great option! To minimize leaching of nickel and chromium I suggest avoiding scratching it when possible, which may be particularly important for people with nickel allergies. All Clad stainless steel cookware is made in the US, which is an expensive but ideal option.
Here are some recommendations you can add to a wishlist:
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Cuisinart MCP-12N Multiclad Pro Stainless Steel 12-Piece Cookware Set
- Calphalon Classic Stainless Steel Cookware Set, 10-Piece
- Heritage Steel 5 ply Titanium Cookware Set (not nano)(Made in the USA with global materials)(Use discount code “MAMAVATION” for 10% off products!)
- Heritage Steel 5 Ply Eater Series Cookware Set (Made in the USA with global materials)(Use discount code “MAMAVATION” for 10% off products!)
Glass Pots & Pans from Visions–KEEP OR PURCHASE
Glass is inert and nontoxic, and you can throw it in the dishwasher. The only drawback is that you have to avoid extreme shifts in temperature to avoid shattering.
Here are some recommendations you can add to a wishlist on Amazon:
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CorningWare French White Round and Oval Bakeware Set (12-Piece)
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Pyrex Basics Clear Glass Baking Dishes 3 Quart Oblong and 2 Quart Square
Click Here to View Mamavation’s Full Cookware Investigation
Bottom line: if you want to maximize the health of your cookware choices, both from a consumer health perspective and an environmental health perspective, go for a variety of cast iron, stainless, steel, and glass options. And take the five extra minutes required to soak and scrub your pots and pans from stuck on food. Those extra few minutes may seem tedious but they can decrease your family’s exposure to toxic PFAS chemicals and also decrease the amount of PFAS chemicals that will enter and remain in our environment forever, polluting our bodies and our waterways.
Is Lanolin Safe for Breastfeeding? Nope. Here’s Why with Better Alternatives.
It sounds like there is some research and databases associated with this article. I have been trying to figure out this stuff for hours, and the vast internet is giving me a wild goose chase of facts that seem to contradict each other. That is why claims need to be cited with evidence, or the information is worse than worthless, it just adds to an ever confusing pile of laundry. I understand that PTFEs are chemically inert up to 500 degrees F. I was hoping to find on this article and many others some discussion of the experiments showing this and why they would or would not support PTFE being safe with good care (not heating up the pans empty or anything). Until this is discussed, I will have no hard reason for avoiding PTFE based non-stick pans other than my natural inclination, and indeed might sound like an uneducated idiot if I try to convince others.
Just wanted to say thank you for the article. Everything seems to have some level of toxicity. Why people get angry trying to defend their own personal views or ask for some kind of proof is nonsense. You want “proof” you have the mighty internet at your disposal… get to work. You want to believe what you have using is good because you are not sick (Yet) then okay do that. Or you can just enjoy the work done and the facts presented an formulate a strategy that works for you. I had recent blood work done for heavy metals… many of them rare. No problem with my blood work for the metals used in Stainless Steel and I use it every day. Can’t say about the Teflon Variants I have used off or on for years because I do not even know how to test for them and neither does my Doctor. No I find out the Tactical Clothing I love so much is all sprayed with Teflon Water Repellent. Somethings going to kill me but I hope it is not my own ignorance. Corporate America dose not care about anyone… just the bottom line. Keep it in mind folks. Everything is Toxic. You are lied to daily. Fukushima is still pumping radiation into the Pacific and Corporate Food and Government are paid to lie. If you really want to fell bad about yourself think about the cosmetics you use, the toxins in the shower water (Tap Water you may be drinking) and exposure to Radiation from all the Cell Phone Towers. Yikes… we can only do our best.
If I used the internet to do my research for a few hours, looking at research results from studies, I would have gotten my new PTFE non-stick pan or ceramic pan and never looked back. There is a lot of seemingly contradictory evidence out there and we need places to parse it all out and figure out why it seems contradictory and what is being misunderstood. We need more discussion of the evidence, not less!
This is really an eye opening for me. I have decided to get rid of almost all my cookware. I had no idea i was harming myself by using these pots, pans, and other kitchenware items I have.
there are good lessons to learn in this article. try not to dismiss it as nonsense. mainly, learn, and teach yourself to eat healthy and cook healthy. i moved away from everything non-stick years ago when my mom was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and passed away. i am certain it played a part, as it was always flaking and chipping after a number of uses. it was basically in every piece of cookware we had. these companies are ruthless at putting carcinogens in our body, all to maximize profits, and they will lobby hard to push their product, even if it’s unsafe. NEVER EVER doubt that, not even for a second. i’ve moved to only stainless steel and learned to steam, boil, bake without using oil. sparingly, i will make a stir fry with no more than a teaspoon of oil. a liter of olive oil will literally last me a year these days. its not very good for you. no oil is good for you, so i use it sparingly on special occasions. again, companies will lobby for health authorities to push vegetable oils (evoo, canola, corn, etc) as heart healthy. yeah, tell that to all the heart disease victims. learned my lessons the hard way.
Is Cera Titanware safe?
I bought their portable grill and got rid of my George Foreman one.
Cera Titanware claim to be PTFE, PFOA & PFOS free.
Getting rid of my fairly new air fryer since it’s non stick but not as sad as I might have been because Ta da, I found an air fryer attachment for the Instant pot on Amazon! Just ordered it, hope it lives up to my hopes!
Thank you so much for all of this! I’m looking at stainless steel and am disheartened that they have aluminum in their base. Cause for concern?
What about Caraway Home? New brand. Non-toxic. They even sent me their leaching report/testing results when I asked!
Im afraid caraway use nano particles so i wont be using it.
They MAY use nano particles but this report shows no detectable levels in their pans. https://www.leafscore.com/eco-friendly-kitchen-products/answering-reader-questions-about-caraway-cookware-and-greenwashing/
I only use cast iron or stainless steel, so I feel pretty safe. We changed over mega years ago because of coatings chipping off, aluminum was s definite no.
Thanks for sharing this information article. shock to see the investigation report.
What do you use for baking cupcakes?
Cupcake liners/papers!
But doesn’t the pan still put out fumes that are toxic?
I’m not sure I’m convinced about the danger of nanoparticle titanium dioxide from ceramic pans. I long ago abandoned teflon for ceramic non-stick. Titanium dioxide itself is the main component of latex paint that is probably on most walls of your house around you, and it’s used everywhere, including in some mainstream cottage cheese by companies like Cabot, which I think is beyond terrible, as well as in sunscreen, and until 2015, in the sugar powder on Dunkin Donuts.
So, while I believe eating cottage cheese with titanium dioxide is a terrible idea, if it is embedded in pans, the likelihood is that the amounts leeched into food are miniscule. And it is a compound that is ubiquitous in the environment, so very tiny amounts shouldn’t be a problem. It’s important to keep perspective here–if you were to grind up and eat an ounce of even your cast iron pan, it would kill you (more than about half a gram of iron is a toxic dose). Because a substance can be harmful does not mean that using it is automatically a bad idea. It all depends on if and how much of it gets into you.
Nanoparticles are not predictable the way regular particles are. So you can’t predict it’s behavior. These particles are nano sized. So even smaller. And yes, a problem.
Very interesting read. Thank you for the information!
Go to your local university and ask a chemist what they think
I know this reply is several months late but, I can’t help reading about all the concern and fear of nanoparticles released from surfaces like cookware. Most of the discussions never include the size of the nanoparticles used in these surface coatings. Most of the companies using this technology uses nanoparticles less than 100 nm in size. At this extreme small particle size and formed into a surface it would be impossible in ordinary use to break apart the nanoparticles back into their original sizes. Even nanoparticles that are dried into nanopowders, it takes high powered pulsed ultrasonicated probes in a liquid medium to separate them into their perspective sizes. And have to be stabilized to keep them from reacting with one another to form larger particles. Because of their ultra-small size, they are highly reactive at their surfaces and will bond readily to substances once dried out of their solution. if they are using only nanoparticles as a coating, it could not be more than several nanometers thick and would not be of much use. Most nanoparticles are infused into the coating matrix itself so if were to wear, chip off or flake, the pieces would be at the micron level, well above the “dreaded” nano level.
Nano-particle titanium dioxide is entirely different chemically from other forms of titanium dioxide. The nice little trick that the industry used to get these materials into the market without testing is pretending they are the same.
For instance titanium dioxide protects skin, but nano-particle titanium dioxide (from my experience) seems to cause rosacea.
You might want to read this: http://www.foodpackagingforum.org/news/nanoparticles-released-by-quasi-ceramic-pans to find out your real risk. I was sanguine about it until I read that pans do not have to be overheated or have hot liquid in them for two hours to release nano-particles. They just need normal wear and tear.
And what does latex paint have to do with anything? The problem with nano-particle titanium dioxide is what is does to a person’s gut.
Yes, the Food Packaging Forum advises us so thank you for posting them!
Why viewers still use to read news papers when in this technological world everything is available on web?
I really hate to see this because I really was getting used to using the Teflon and the nonstick really good ones that really works really well but I think I’m going to go back to my glass pans that I really enjoyed using the kind of work better anyways kept everything cooked evenly I believe
Can you link some research studies that validate these claims? Too much fake news on Facebook.
Is it okay to use cast iron pan for boiling or steaming? I like to have an all in one cookware.
Absolutely! Cast iron is the best versatile cookware created!
Cast iron leaches iron into food and too much iron causes inflammation in the human body. Use cast iron occasionally only.
silicone bake-ware???
I use silicon bake ware in my convection oven. It can be expensive but I just shopped for them on ebay and found them fairly reasonable. My daughter-in-law uses them all the time.
We don’t recommend heating silicone
Can you elaborate on why you don’t recommend heating silicone? Our baby bottles are silicone as that seems to be the “safer” option when it comes to bottles (outside of glass, of course). Obviously we warm the bottle in the warmer every night before giving to her so I am very interested to know more about why heat on silicone is not recommended. Thanks!
I quit using teflon/non-stick cookware and aluminum cookware almost 40 years ago. I have tried to cook with cast iron and failed lol I have a large collection of Paul Revere stainless steel skillets, pots, and pans. I didn’t see this brand on your list but will assume they are safe. Thank you for the article!
A nonstick oven liner almost killed me!! I have used cast iron, stainless steel and glass all my life, but my daughter bought me an oven liner as a gift…. thought it was safe since my food would not be touching it. Boy was I wrong. (from September 2016 to March 2017) I did not notice that the oven liner was turning into a white powder at bottom of my oven. As soon as I put it in I got sick, like a cold, then it didn’t go away then was diagnosed with bronchitis, now add flu like symptoms; puking, aching muscles and joints, fevers, uncontrollable shakes, pressure in my throat, when I breathed the air always felt cold, I would sleep for about 20 hours a day and my hair was falling out. I had many doctors, specialist, an 3 times to the emergency room. No one could figure out what was wrong with me. For the 6 months that was in my oven. I was dying an no one knew why!!! I finally figured it out an I had to replace my stove. I lived very healthy before this; I ate healthy, took vitamins, active with my farm, owned my own business. My other family members had been having medical issues also, but not as bad as me. ( They were not home while I did most of my baking, I made everything from scratch no boxed foods.) I had 4 dogs at the time this was in my oven an two died ( one had the uncontrollable shakes like me) the 2 younger dogs were also sick but different issues. Once I told the doctors what it was they had no clue how to help me. An now I can not tolerate anything cooked on Teflon I can tell cause my throat gets pressure in it, my daughter gets blood blisters in her mouth if she does, an unknowingly my husband cooked microwave popcorn in the microwave an the fumes brought back what I suffered before, I spent a week in bed. I am still battling to get back my health, I don’t know if I will ever completely recover. I thank God I did not have small children they would have probably died an no one would have known why. If there is a way to detox it out I would love to know how or a doctor that knows about this type of poison that may be able to help me please let me know.
I hope you have obtained a lawyer and are suing the manufacturer for liable.
wtf
My reply with suggested resources for your concern didn’t go through. If interested, feel free to email me: rosie 1 c at yah oo dot com (eliminate spaces and use conventional format).
I’m sorry to hear of your health issues. If it’s the type of oven liner that I’m thinking of, they are supposed to be placed on the lower metal pullout rack, with at least an inch trimmed off from each side. It should not be sitting directly on the bottom of your oven. These were the directions enclosed with the one my mom purchased for me. I will be reading up on the possible health related issues associated with these.
What about bake Ware?? I no longer have nonstick cookware but I’ve been struggling to find good bakeware!! I mean I have glass pie plates and ceramic casserole, or do I need to toss the casserole too? I want muffin tins, cookies sheet, and loaf pans!! Any recommendations?!? TIA
ive been searching for the same, i hope someone has a suggestion!
Stoneware people! Builds up a coating like iron and is great for baking. Comes in muffin, loaf, pizza stone, cookie sheets, casserole, 9×13, you name it. Pampered Chef seems like there stuff is made well, but there are many others…
What about ceramic from Calphalon?
Ceramic from that brand has a nanotech glaze 🙁
What about hard-anodized?
Corningware French White is not glass, it’s stoneware. I think it might be enamel-coated, but I’m not sure.
What about Le Creuset?
It has lead. Very dangerous. Check out leadsafemama.com
When I was in composition class and other English courses, we were taught to source all claims being made and back up our arguments with facts and scenarios. I have seen NONE in this post.
I really don’t care. We are all going one way or another. Besides you are ” going to investigate” too much stuff later.
I wonder if you will still feel that way when you are going through chemo, radiation, and trying to tell everyone you love them.
Drama queen
bitch
The more I read, the more confused I get. I need to replace everything in my kitchen. What is the best, safest option?
Are there safe crock pots? Guessing the cooking container in those isn’t safe either.
I have multiple health issues so I need to make the healthiest choices.
Thanks
Cast iron has been around forever. It’s trued and true. It’s never been in question.
So, if it ain’t broke…don’t fix it.
Use cast iron sparingly, too much iron is inflammatory to the human body.
I’m guessing my Instant Pot is out? Is the liner aluminum?
The Instsnt Pot is stainless steel, no problem.
it’s stainless – 304 – made in china, so def not high quality. i put mine back in the box and it’s now in storage. i shifted to using Saladmaster made with surgical implant grade of stainless with titanium. i fell
so in love with the whole line, that i trained to become one of their cooking coaches.
I don’t suppose the instant pot non-stick insert is all right?
https://instantpot.com/portfolio-item/ceramic-inner-cooking-pot/#tab-id-2
Just wanted to share this about the Xtrema cookware! May not be so great ????
https://tamararubin.com/2018/08/july-2018-ceramcor-xtrema-saucepan-update/
You make mention of non-stick cookware in your headline, yet state nothing to be the case about ceramic non-stick cookware. Thanks for giving the appropriate heads-up to all of us health conscious readers out there who strive to make the most of our time
Did you miss the part about nanotechnology leaching into food in quasi ceramic pans? That’s quite serious.
You must have missed the whole section on ceramic nonstick. It’s there.
What about https://www.costco.com/J.A.-Henckels-International-3-piece-Capri-Granitium-Nonstick-Fry-Pans.product.100396210.html
I am not sure what Granitium is or if it’s toxic.
We can look into this later, but if it’s made of a nano-ceramic glaze, it’s going to fail.
I would love to know about these too!
I contacted the company about their Granitium pans and they confirmed they contain PTFE, so that would put them in the “avoid” category….
I love my Calphalon cookware not only because it is nonstick but also because it is not super heavy. It is anodized aluminum, which I have not seen mentioned in your posts with the alphabetical list of harmful products. What is anodized aluminum compared to Teflon?
Hi
What about the Woll Products from Germany? They say they pans are 100% nom stick amd safe.
Please advise as my dad needs non stick cookware as Dr says he is not allowed any oils etc in food.
Please can you email me answer as well.
Thank you
You’ll have to link me up to it so I can see. If he got it from Germany, that doesn’t mean it’s any better.
I see this question posted a couple of times, but haven’t found an answer. What about the Copper Clad line, and similar lines with copper in the name. Thanks!
I would go for anything either clad in SS or made of cast iron, If the interior of the pot is SS, it’s good to go…
Hey Rhonda! We are tackling ALL the different brands and including the copper lines. That investigation should be out by next week so stay tuned. If you are not already getting the newsletter, sign up and you’ll be first to know about it!
I like non stick as it doesn’t stick.
Have you guy’s tested the blue diamond cookwere?
We are looking into them in our next investigation out very soon. Sign up for the newsletter and you’ll know right away!
How do you guys feel about Le Creuset enameled cast iron cookware?
Safe?
It’s pretty stuff, that’s for sure. I use the french press. So I’m not cooking with it really. I believe I will work with cast, stainless & glass. Even though I feel like the Le Creuset is safe. Hope a Scientist can answer this…
What about the copper cookware that’s advertised these days? Where do these products fit in?
Would also love to know about copper particularly the All-Clad C4 Copper Pans
I stopped using non stick years ago when news came out about pet birds dying from the fumes and they were still dying with the new improved stuff. Several vets have reported dying and sick birds in homes with air fryers. My thought was if this was toxic enough to kill birds what was it doing to us. Well now we know.
How do you guys feel about Le Creuset enameled cast iron cookware?
Safe?
Purchasing the right cookware to use is so aggravating! So much conflicting information!
I have money to spend on whatever cookware is deemed the safest or healthiest but after 3 years of googling
I am just as confused! I basically cook eggs in a skillet, cook veggies and rice in sauce pot, and I like to oven bake meats like
chicken breasts and pork chops…
What kind of skillet should I buy? What kind of pot? And what should I be cooking my meats in the oven in?
Its so confusing lol! Right now I use a cast iron skillet, stainless steel pot, and Pyrex for oven baking/roasting meats.
Stainless steel pots and cast iron pans.
Salad master cookware is my best. Made with 316 stainless steel titanium (on the inside) same as the metal plates used in surgery or placed inside someone’s body – for medical purposes…
What about porcelain/enamel coated cast iron? That is common in Dutch ovens.
this is what I use and believe it is ok, I have a ceramic cooktop and cast iron is not recommended because it scratches cooktop
We have another investigation looking at all the brands coming out in January. Stay tuned!
Same problem, So do you use the enamel clad cast iron? Help before I replace with the wrong thing. Thank you. vee
Hey Veronica! Are you on the newsletter yet? There were good and bad cast iron brands. That investigation will be out next week!
FYI, look around flea markets, garage sales, etc. for vintage cast iron. It’s far superior to most contemporary iron, being better made, smoother, lighter, etc. and can often be had for pennies or even for free from relatives that have it shoved in the back of a cupboard or attic. Vintage, even when it’s got some rust, is easy to restore, and will provide you with an amazing cooking experience for the rest of your life.
A quick overview of how toxicologists approach these kinds of questions.
When assessing safety of any chemical or component, there are two types of information that needs to be gathered: hazard characterization and exposure assessment. In other words, what is the toxic compound and what toxic effects might it cause (hazard characterization)?
Then, are people exposed to the compound? If so, how does it get into the body? And how much? Is the amount people are exposed to enough to cause harmful effects (exposure assessment)? Toxicologists design experiments to generate these two types of information.
just bought a small Cute Mini Non-stick Omelette Frying Pan. is cheap pan is that toxic ? Material said is cast Iron but can be that cheap ?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-Egg-Pancake-Frying-Pan-Cute-Creative-Kitchen-Tool-Cooker-Non-Stick-Pot-New-/263279843592
We can include this in our next investigation! Thanks!
@leah any responses to a few of us who are curious about enamel lined cast iron like Le crueset Le the copper pots like All Clad C4? Would love to make new pots and pans a Xmas gift so long as I am buying the right ones! Thanks!
Hey Lacey! I’m adding all that to our product investigation out next week. We are tackling all the different brands and ranking them. Each category of cookware has good and bad brands.
Just a comment on Visions :
It is indeed very healthy and safe cookware. However, it’s not made of glass or typically susceptible to shattering due to temperature changes.
It’s made of a transparent Pyroceram that is not reactive to thermal shock like ordinary alternatives, etc…
I read once that Visionware can have lead in it.
What about carbon steel cookware??
Sean, carbon steel is fine as long as it’s not coated.
What about those baking sheets (Silpat)?
We are doing that investigation soon!
What’s your take on Hydrolon ? Did not see it covered. Pretty “mysterious” to me…
There are LOADS of those mysterious coatings. We’re looking into them now. Wish us good luck wading through the muck!
What about Ceramic titanium??
There are some issues with quasi ceramic leaching nanoparticles and heavy metals.
Eurocast cookware is 100% toxin free, even at high temps. Certified ferno green. I’m surprised you didn’t include it in your “keep or purchase” choices.
They use a “ceramic blend” which likely means nanotechnology. So that would put them into the meh category. Nanotechnology glazes have been leaching into food.
What about the copper non stick cookware? They claim to be PTFE and PFOA free.
Something that is PFOA free can still contain other chemicals from the PFAS category. It’s like the alphabet soup of abbreviations of replacement chemicals.
Did any of you guys actually read the EPA article? I don’t find any of the things listed there that they talk about here
One very reasonably priced option in SS cookware is Farberware. My mom gave me a set for my wedding 35 years ago and I use it every day. I think the full set still costs about what it did in 1983, around one hundred dollars! Unfortunately I did also buy a full set of non stick for a vacation home. Guess I’ll be throwing that out.
I will take it .. do not buy into this garbage article
I didn’t read the whole article, but is it really that bad?
Probably not- we’re in the golden age of mind ( they can’t turn it off).
When I was diagnosed with cancer that was the first thing my doctor told me to get rid of.also artificial sweeteners.
Fortunately, doctors have been paying attention to issues behind Teflon pans. It’s all those replacement chemicals that haven’t been front and center yet.
Ultrex 11/ 18/10 stainless? How is this product?
I found a stainless steel rice cooker on Amazon. It took me a few hours to research and all that, but it works good!
Happy for you! We have a food processor investigation coming up soon!
What brand? I’ve been looking for one for years
WHAT ABOUT THE ALL CERAMIC ,Xtrema Pure Ceramic Cookware?
We have our investigation about all the brands coming out in January/February, so stay tuned!
Are non stick ovens also a concern? I don’t know what ours is made of, but seems logical that the high heat could cause fumes also?
That’s a good question. We can look into that.
I tried to find an airfryer that didn’t have non-stick but was unsuccessful. I try to avoid placing food directly on the surface but this is quite literally my only oven. Everything else is old cast iron in our tiny house on wheels. They add to the weight of our Airstream but worth the sacrifice of weight, time and water usage.
Get a hot logic. You can put glass cook or bakeware in it , plug it in & cook or warm up
I recently bough the non stick line from Le Creuset, precisely because they are not done with toxic materials. Was I lied to?
Can you link me to it please so I can see what you got?
Great article! We use only stainless steel and cast iron to cook with. Cast iron is my all-around favorite. My husband brought home a new rice cooker the other day. He’s going to return it today. It has a non-stick interior finish that definitely concerns me. I had already told him we’ll cook rice the old-fashioned way: on top of the stove. But you know men… they need to be educated too!!
Sounds like a great idea!!
Thank you! I’m similar with what I use in my home. 🙂
I found a stainless steel rice cooker on Amazon. It took me a few hours to research and all that, but it works good!
That’s great!
I found a rice cooker with a stainless steel insert. The cooker sucked, but the insert fits the regular Black & Decker 3 cup rice cooker. So, anytime my cooker stops functioning, it’s easily replaced. I love it!
I’ve talked with the manufacturers of Green Pan and they have repeatedly said that there are no nano materials of any kind in the product, is that different from what you have been told?
Hey Lindsay! To be honest, it’s a messy industry with very little public info. We’ve already seen the results of nanoparticles leaching out of ceramic in Europe. They didn’t look at every brand, but we are being precautious here because looking at every single brand wouldn’t be possible. I’m not convinced these quasi ceramic products are as safe as they say they are. Isn’t love to see an NGO test them all and I’m sure that will happen soon. However, I’d rather be safe than sorry which is why I say it’s “meh” and avoid.
Great, I purchased a ceramic waffle maker to avoid all the teflon ones. I wasn’t able to find a stainless steel belgium waffle maker on Amazon, although I looked for a few hours easily. I really wanted stainless steel, but u guess they don’t make them anymore! Very frustrating. All you have to do is oil it for the waffle to come off.
Hey we are doing an investigation on the best waffle irons and food processors next so stay tuned!
The waffles will likely do you more damage than the waffle-maker.
What about slow cookers and pressure cookers?
We actually are working on an investigation about this right now!
What about the aluminum plate base in calphalon stainless steel cooking set you have linked in this post? Is the aluminum not leaking in the food?
We also have a pot and pan investigation coming up so I’ll double check for you and you’ll see the results. Thanks for stopping by!
Where does silicon bake ware fit in?
Food packaging forum isn’t recommending you don’t heat it so that would be a no
Are there any recommended muffin pans or baking sheets that are safe?
Would also like to know.
Yes, that investigation is coming out in January! Stay tuned!