Are You Using Toxic Cookware?

Traditional “non-stick” cookware might be convenient and seem to get the job done but they can actually be a major source of lurking toxic chemicals and they will, without a doubt, contribute to the body’s toxic load overtime.

One of the worst things you can do is cook healthy, clean, organic foods on pans that are made out aluminium, teflon, lead or other dangerous materials.

You really need to begin to cook with non-toxic pans if you’re serious about your health!

Changing all of your cookware overnight will be difficult but you can start replacing the pot or pan that you use the most and slowly replace the rest one at a time over the next few months.

WHAT TO AVOID:

 1. Aluminium

By using aluminium or metal spatulas and scraping the pan, you can get little aluminium pieces (at a microscopic level) in the food which then leads to aluminium toxicity in the body over time.

High levels of aluminium can contribute to a host of health issues in the body, including those related to the nervous system, high blood pressure and infertility.

2. Ceramic-coated pans

These are usually made out of metals and coated with a synthetic polymer that wears off about a year later. Once this happens, the material beneath which usually contains toxic metals will start getting into your food.

3. Non-stick cookware (Teflon)

These pots and pans are coated with compounds like PFOA or PTFE which are highly toxic and have been linked to a number of serious health issues, including cancer, infertility, organ failure and neurological issues.

Even though newer non-stick cookware is usually free of PFOA, it usually contains PTFE and this compound is still extremely toxic and carcinogenic so be careful!

4. Copper pans

Cookware made out of copper with no coating means that little pieces of copper can leach into the food over time. A build-up of copper will lead to lower levels of zinc in the body and this will directly lower your immune system and can cause adrenal and thyroid issues.

After seeing countless hair tissue test results (an at-home functional lab test that looks at minerals and heavy metals), low zinc and high copper is very common so you really need to be careful with this one.

HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVES:

1. Cast Iron

These are good but the problem is that high heat, acidic foods and a lot of scrubbing can result in your food being contaminated with lead and cadmium.

You have nothing to worry about if that specific pot or pan has been tested and proven to be free of cadmium and lead. So not all cast iron cookware is made equally. Choose yours wisely.

That being said, you will get some iron from using cast-iron so this can be beneficial for those that are anaemic or have low iron.

However, it may not be the best choice for post-menopausal women as iron can start to build up in the body. You could always test this with you medical doctor to keep iron levels in check.

Another drawback of this is that acidic foods can react with the pot or pan and there might be some cadmium getting into the food. This is because the enamel coating is often made of clay, which can leach lead and cadmium in the food. Clay is natural dirt from the environment but don’t forget that our soil contains led!

So the bottom line is that cast iron is great, there are some benefits to it and it is better used on occasion rather than on a daily basis.

2. Stainless steel pans

Even if they have an aluminium core, they are inside so they won’t actually leach into the food or into the body.

However, if you start scraping it, you might start leaching some nickel and chromium into your food. 

This is the least expensive one and very stable at high temperatures.

I don’t personally love these but it could be a great option if you can’t afford the other types right now.

3. Non-toxic ceramic cookware

Ceramic cookware is amazing as long as it is lead and cadmium free and doesn’t contain PFOA or PTFE.

Look for those with no titanium dioxide and watch out for any glazing.

4. Stoneware

This can be excellent for baking and grilling. It is also a great alternative to aluminium baking sheets or roasting pans.

It can hold up a lot of heat so it is great to make crispy veggies or just cooking some fish or chicken on it.

5. Glassware

I personally use this to bake any sweet recipes and roasting foods like chicken, fish and duck. I also use it for storage (especially meal prepping).

When it comes to spatulas, choose those made out of wood and bamboo. Ditch the plastic and aluminium spatulas!

THE IMPORTANCE OF FUNCTIONAL LAB TESTS

Checking your numbers with at-home functional lab tests is absolutely vital. How would you ever know if you’re building all of these heavy metals if you don’t test?

Conventional medicine never looks at these things and that is why we have so many people with chronic and autoimmune health issues today…