Little Changes - Cookware

Our journey to healthier, more natural living started with some small changes in our home when an acquaintance casually mentioned all the chemicals we were poisoning ourselves with daily.  Wait... What?  I knew that everything (from household cleaning products, to shampoo, to our food storage containers) were comprised of synthetic chemicals along with natural elements.  However, I had never taken the time to learn about these chemicals or the effects they were having on my body.

I will admit I am an obsessive researcher.  If I hear something that disturbs, interests, or challenges me I will research it until I know every detail inside and out about the subject.  This acquaintance had mentioned Teflon, BPA and Parabens and that is where my research began.  For several days I studied Teflon noting all harmful effects it can have on a person.  I studied until I was convinced that it would be best to get rid of the old scratched up Teflon pots and pans and replace them with the safer, harder to clean stainless steel option.

So why is Teflon or polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE) so harmful? Actually the man made chemical  polytetrafluoroethylene isn't the problem, it is the chemical perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) that is used in the process of making PTFE that is dangerous.  This chemical is unknowingly consumed when the Teflon pan is scratched and tiny particles break away into the food being cooked.  Fumes can also be released into the air when food is cooked at a very high temperature. 

The EPA and American Cancer Society websites have some good information about PFOA.  While there is not conclusive evidence that it is detrimental to human health there is enough evidence of harmful effects that  "EPA and the eight major companies in the industry launched the 2010/15 PFOA Stewardship Program, in which companies committed to reduce global facility emissions and product content of PFOA and related chemicals by 95 percent by 2010, and to work toward eliminating emissions and product content by 2015."  -- http://www.epa.gov/oppt/pfoa/

After hours of research, I decided it would be best to toss those old pots and pans and search for a healthier option.  After looking at all the cookware options available, from aluminum to cast iron to stainless steel, I decided stainless steel was the best option for our family.  Stainless steel is considered one of the safest materials for cooking.  The drawback is that it they are definitely not non-stick and take greater effort to clean.  Cast iron is also a very good option and I do use a cast iron griddle.

I would encourage you not to just take my word for it, but to do your own research and see what you discover!