How safe are Non-Stick cookware?

Non-stick cookware are very convenient and ubiquitous. It looks stylish and cleans easily. So over the years our kitchen has undergone if not total,some transformation with these shiny cookware making their way into our homes.

What are Non-stick cookware?

These are cookware coated with a material called polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), commonly known as Teflon.Teflon is a synthetic chemical made up of carbon and fluorine atoms.It was first made in the 1930s, and provides a nonreactive, nonstick and almost frictionless surface.Teflon has a number of other applications. It is also used to make wire and cable coatings, fabric and carpet protectors, and waterproof fabrics for outdoor clothing such as raincoats

What do we need to worry about?

Fluropolymers such as polytetrafluoroetheylene (PTFE) and substances containing polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl compounds (PFAs) are commonly used to create conventional non-stick cooking surfaces. These materials are extremely toxic and highly resilient, both in relation to their interaction with the human body and also the wider environment. These compounds contain fluorinated chemicals which give rise to that slippery surface that we all enjoy cooking on.

When exposed to heat, most non-stick cookware becomes a source of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which is a long-chain chemical compound that has to a frightening range of health problems including thyroid disease, infertility in women, organ damage and developmental and reproductive problems. 

But there are many studies which play down the risks.

Alternatives?

Think backwards when it comes to type of cookware. Traditionally Indians used healthy, environmentally sustainable cookware and had no problems for centuries. Below are the best cookware choices.

Best Nontoxic cookware:

1. CAST IRON

Cast iron cookware is an old-fashioned favorite made from cast iron and many health experts agree it’s one of the safest cooking options available. Cast iron retains heat extremely well so you can use a lower heat setting, which is an easy way to prevent food from sticking to a pot or pan. Cast iron cookware can also stand much higher temperature than non stick cookware so you can use it on the stovetop or in the oven.

It also adds Iron to our food so good for maintaining haemoglobin levels.

2. STAINLESS STEEL

It is one of the safest of nontoxic cookware options. Real, high-quality stainless steel cookware is the perfect solution for many of your needs in the kitchen because it’s made to resist dangerous leaching and reactivity.

3. GLASS

The conventional Indian cooking might not use baking as a method of cooking. But glass cookware is the best for baking. Glass is best for storage as well.

4. COPPER

Again copper pots were extensively used in yesteryears. Copper is a very good conductor of heat so can give even cooking. Copper containers with an inner lining of stainless steel are the best.

My Take:

What is the verdict then? Should we stop using the nonstick cookware completely? These are some of the questions which i come across a lot in my daily practice.

My take is that the Indian market is flooded with light weight nonstick cookware. We do not know whether they are safe for use. There is poor regulation. It is a grey area and I believe when it comes to health there should be no room for doubts. Stop using Non-Stick cookware and switch to healthy alternatives.