4 Toxins in Cookware to AVOID for Healthy Cooking
Learn how to avoid the worst toxins in cookware including harmful chemicals in non-stick pans and other types of cookware.
Could something as healthy as cooking be harming your health? The answer is YES! Your pots and pans may be harboring toxic chemicals that can leach into the food you are working so hard to prepare.
This is because the materials used in cookware are not well regulated for safety. Therefore, companies can use chemicals and manufacturing processes that either have not been tested for safety or in some cases, have been shown to be harmful but have not been outright banned.
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The Worst Toxins in Cookware
We don’t want health concerns about chemicals to keep us from cooking delicious, healthy food in our homes because home cooking is inherently healthier than eating out. Given that, we need to understand what toxins to AVOID in cookware so we can make the best choices and feel confident in our cooking!
Let’s take a look at the biggest health risks from cookware and what types of chemicals to AVOID:
1.) Always AVOID: Non-Stick Coatings Containing PFAS
Traditional nonstick cookware is made with a non-stick coating that contains perfluorinated compounds (known as PFAS), such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Exposure to these chemicals has been linked to cancer, elevated cholesterol, liver damage, endocrine disruption and other human health issues. (source)
High temperatures can cause the nonstick coating to to break down and release toxic fumes into food and the surrounding air. Over time the nonstick coatings can get scratched and start to peel, so that you may actually be ingesting some of that nasty stuff.
On top of that, PFAS chemicals (also known as forever chemicals) don’t biodegrade, meaning they will always be in the environment and have been shown to accumulate in our bodies. (learn more about health risks from PFAS contamination)
Traditional nonstick pans or Teflon cookware is the #1 type of cookware you should swap out right away.*
*Note: Beware non-stick cookware that claims to be PFOA-free. It probably contains PTFE, which is likely just as bad!
2.) AVOID : Straight Aluminum Cookware
Aluminum is a fantastic heat conductor but there are concerns that cooking directly on aluminum could cause neurological issues such as Alzheimer’s disease in some people, especially individuals with specific health conditions, like kidney issues. (source)
This argument is hotly debated but to be safe, keep cooking in exposed aluminum to a minimum, especially when cooking acidic foods such as tomato sauce, vinegar, and citrus. Anodized aluminum pans will leach less than untreated aluminum, because the electrochemical process called anodization makes the aluminum less reactive.
Note: Cookware that has an aluminum core and is “sandwiched” in between layers of stainless steel is fine because the aluminum does not touch the food.
3.) AVOID: Cookware with Heavy Metals
Exposure to dangerous heavy metals like lead and cadmium is associated with many health problems including brain and nervous system damage, cardiovascular problems and reproductive harm. (source)
Lead is particularly concerning because it is bio accumulative and difficult to remove from the body. It is especially worrisome in pregnant women because it can cross the placental barrier and potentially cause birth defects.
Heavy metals are sometimes detected in enameled cast iron pans – especially those with bright colors like red, yellow or orange. (source) A brand-new enameled pan is probably not a problem, but once the surface has been scratched or chipped, heavy metal leaching may occur. Lead is also sometimes found in inexpensive aluminum cookware, so avoid the cheap stuff.
4.) Try to AVOID: Nanoparticles
Ceramic cookware is an increasingly popular type of non-stick cookware, but there is some concern about nanoparticles of titanium dioxide used in the ceramic coating. Some studies have shown that nanoparticles may be released due to scratches and wear and tear of the coating over time (source).
That said, there are no conclusive studies on the negative effects of nanoparticles at this time.
If you do opt for ceramic-coated pans, choose high quality brands that are transparent about manufacturing and perform third-party safety testing, including passing California’s Prop 65 leach testing which is very stringent.
Now that you know how to avoid these dangerous chemicals in cookware, take a look at the best types of non-toxic cookware that we’ve tested and reviewed – including stainless steel cookware, cast-iron pans, carbon steel and more.
my favorite cookware is cast-iron. most of the time we have purchased from the Lodge company for years. I have some glass Pyrex and some glass anchor hocking baking “dishes”, & we have some older stainless steel sauce pans. I want something better for stainless steel but I need to wait.