The Safe Use of Cookware
Pots, pans and other cookware are made from a variety of materials. These materials can enter the food that we cook in them. Most of the time, this is harmless. However, care should be taken with some materials. Most cookware is safe to use for daily meal preparation, as long as you maintain it well and use it as intended. However, there are potential risks in some cookware materials that you should be aware of.
Aluminium:
No definite link has been proven, but aluminium has been associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The World Health Organisation estimates that adults can consume more than 50 milligrams of aluminium daily without harm but in my view it is better to avoid it as much as possible as we can’t know how much we are exposed to.
I would advise against cooking with aluminium pots and pans and using aluminium foil and cases. Also during cooking, aluminium dissolves most easily from worn or pitted pots and pans so wash and use with care.
Bear in mind too that the longer food is cooked or stored in aluminium, the greater the amount that gets into food. Leafy vegetables and acidic foods, such as tomatoes and citrus products, absorb the most aluminium. People used to cook rhubarb (a very acidic fruit) in an aluminium pan to ‘clean up’ the pan, which did very nicely, as the aluminium was neatly absorbed into the rhubarb.
Copper:
Small amounts of copper are good for everyday health. However, large amounts in a single dose or over a short period can be poisonous and it is not certain how much can be safely taken each day. Because of this, if you use copper pots and pans make sure they are coated with another metal to prevent the copper from coming into contact with your food.
Small amounts of the coating can be dissolved by food, especially acidic food, when cooked or stored for long periods. Coated copper cookware can lose its protective layer if scoured so always hand wash with a mild natural cleaner and water.
Stainless Steel and Cast Iron Cookware:
Stainless steel, made from iron and other metals, is strong and resists wear and tear. It is long-lasting and a popular cookware choice. The metals used in stainless steel or iron cookware which may produce health effects are iron and chromium. Cooking acidic food such as tomatoes in an iron pan can be a source of dietary iron and studies show that cooking any food in an iron pot can increase iron intake.
Iron is essential to produce red blood cells. Large amounts can be poisonous, but most women, especially if they suffer from heavy periods, are likely to lack iron than have too much. Iron cookware provides less than 20% of total daily iron intake – well within safe levels.
Small doses of chromium, like iron, are good for your health. One meal prepared with stainless steel equipment gives you about 45 micrograms of chromium, not enough to cause concern.
Non stick:
As for non stick brands, like Teflon, research indicates that most Europeans and Americans have trace levels of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in their bodies but researchers still aren’t sure if this enters via chemicals used in non stick pans and/or via environmental pollution. It is thought that PFOA is carcinogenic.
To reduce the risk of the non-stick coating eroding or flaking into your food use low or medium heat only and avoid using abrasive cleaners, metal scourers or metal utensils. Overheated non stick pans can also emit poisonous fumes so never leave dry or empty non stick pans on hot burners.
But my recommendation, and what I do at home, is to avoid any non-stick pans or utensils completely as it is just not worth having the possibility of that toxic exposure in the house, when we have enough coming in from the environment and especially when it is just as easy to cook with stainless steel or cast iron.
Ceramic, Enamel and Glass:
Ceramic (pottery), enamel or glass cookware is easily cleaned and can be heated to fairly high temperatures. The only health concern about using glassware or enamelware comes from minor components used in making, glazing, or decorating them, such as pigments, lead, or cadmium. These materials are harmful when taken into the body so just make sure you buy a reputable brand as sometimes pans or even dishes bought from abroad that are glazed can contain lead of cadmium in the glazing.
Plastics:
Using plastic containers and wrap in general should be minimised. With wrap, the concern is that food may absorb some of the plasticiser, the material that helps make it flexible. This is most likely to happen at high temperatures, when microwaving (a cooking method that I don’t recommend) or with fatty or oily foods such as cheese and meat.
Avoid visibly damaged, stained or unpleasant smelling plastics and containers; never heat food in plastic and if you must buy food wrapped in plastic always remove the plastic when you get home. At home, you can store food in the fridge in a dish with a saucer covering it instead of using wrap or putting it in a plastic container.
Silicone Cookware:
Silicone is a synthetic rubber which contains bonded silicon (a natural element which is very abundant in sand and rock) and oxygen. Cookware made from food grade silicone has become popular in recent years because it is colourful, non stick, stain-resistant, hard-wearing, cools quickly, and tolerates extremes of temperature.
There are no known health hazards associated with use of silicone cookware but do not use silicone cookware at temperatures above 220°C (428°F) as it will melt if exposed to high temperatures. You should also be careful when removing hot foods from flexible silicone cookware, as the food may slide out very quickly.
Minimising Your Risk:
Cooking healthily and safely often relates to factors that are within your control: the quality of the pots you buy, their care and choosing the right pan for the food. For example, cast iron is perfect for browning and baking but can react with certain acidic foods, such as tomatoes, altering their taste but increasing the iron content.
Copper with stainless steel lining gives precise heat control for soups and sauces but long simmering acid foods may damage the protective coating. Copper pans need to be hand washed. Knowing your cookware, what it is made of and carefully reading the manufacturing, washing and care instructions when you buy or use cookware is your best bet for cooking safely and well.