Dump your Teflon pots and pans!

[MariroseP]

If you're like me, you hung onto that one teflon frying pan as a security blanket, cuz hey, you can't screw things up with Teflon.  I knew it wasn't great to use.  I definately wasn't aware of how "not great" it was until I read this article. 

"It has been implicated by some research to cause increased instances of cancer in the pancreas, liver, testicles, and mammary glands. Also increased were instances of miscarriage, weight loss, thyroid problems, weaker immune systems, and low organ weights."

"Although the DuPont Corporation has stated that PFOA is only used in the manufacturing process and should not be found in the final products, it must be noted that the chemical is found in the bloodstream of 95% of American men, women, and children." 

The other day in NE class, we discussed how Americans are naive in believing that if something is obviously harmful to humans, it would certainly make it on the front page of a newspaper.  Why isn't this on the front page of a newspaper? 

For the full text of the above excerpt, check out the link below.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_10252.cfm

Marirose
NE Berkeley Student

[AbbyB]

I was just reading about this today on Mercola.com.

I just ordered a $99.00 Le Creuset enameled cast iron pan that weights 7 pounds - good for the muscles I guess

Unfortunately, most of my (expensive) Calphalon cookware is nonstick. The coating seems to be very high-quality, but I'm assuming that it's still the same toxic stuff.

Does anybody know whether Calphalon uses a better-quality nonstick coating that doesn't come off as easily? I read somewhere that the better-quality coatings are bound with polymers or something. I'm really dreading the thought of getting rid of all these nice pans

What kind of cookware do natural chefs use?

[blujay]

If you could, I would recommend returning the Calphalon pans and getting some store credit to by some high quality polished stainless steel pans. (the best being "All-clad", but I personally use a discount set of stainless steel pains made by Cuisinart, along with my trusty handed down cast iron pans)

There really isn't a 'healthier' type of teflon. You will still get the same carcinogens by the leaching of the materials into fatty and acidic foods cooked at any temperature, even if there isn't any chipping of the material.

Le Creuset pots have a coating of enamel (a kind of glass compound) that is the most non-reactive surface to cook on. But you must be careful in caring for them, the enamel can chip off and expose the iron below to rusting. But they are well worth the investment.

Another form of pan to avoid like the plague is Aluminum (including Anodized Aluminum). This is one of the softest and cheapest metals for utensils. Aluminum works great as a heatsink, and engine blocks but is terrible for cooking with. It quickly transmits heat, which makes for a quickly burnt meal, plus it easily leaches and scrapes off into your food.

Aluminum has been implemented in many disorders, especially alzheimer's disease.

My experience in the cooking and restaurant industry has convinced me to avoid all institutionally cooked food for this very reason. They all use non-stick and aluminum cook ware. I've even found scrapings of aluminum and Teflon in such food.

So again, I would recommend recycling or refunding all your non-stick cookware (including things like Teflon coated pizza cutters). And invest in these cookwares, depending on your budget:
Le Creuset (non-reactive enamel)
Polished stainless steel (All-clad, Cuisinart, etc...)
Good old cast iron (the best ones are old seasoned ones you can find at Goodwill or garage sales)

[AbbyB]

Arrgh - that's what I was afraid of! I can't get any store credit because these pans are old, but it's definitely worth it to me to get new pans. Thanks so much for the suggestions! At least I have a few Le Creuset pans from years ago, so I don't need to get rid of everything.

And thanks also for the heads-up about restaurant food. I hadn't even thought about that! One more reason not to eat out so much

[Marlina E]

I bought an enamel coated iron pan and love it for many uses, however I am in a total quandry, because it seems like the best pans to cook eggs and omelets and such in seem to remain to be the teflon/coated type pans.....What do others cook their eggs in??

[blujay]

Eggs cook up best in a lot of Butter or oil!

This is an unfortunate reality. Its a fool proof way to cook anything, which is why restaurants use it so much, even when they use teflon or aluminum pans. Obviously this isn't the healthiest option. So there is some better ways to cook an egg (about 109 different ways).

I Think the healthiest way to eat an egg is to eat the yolk raw (or use it in a shake, egg nog, home-made aoli/mayonnaise, Caesar dressing, etc..) and lightly poach the egg white.  (This ensures that the delicate oils and vitamins are easily assimilated, while the protein inhibitors are neutralized, which makes for the second best source of High Biological value proteins and fats. Raw Cultured milk being the first) 

Second best way would be to lightly poach a whole cracked egg into simmering water with a little salt and vinegar in the water.

Third best way to cook an egg is to soft boil a room temperature egg for 5 minutes in boiling water then shock in cold water. (or try the traditional English egg, lightly boiled egg eaten out of the shell)

But for those of you who must have a pan fried egg. (ie omelet, easy over, etc...) I would recommend a well seasoned cast iron pan. a little saturated fat and warmed eggs (run them under warm water for a few minutes)
-Heat the pan it to a medium low heat.
-Sprinkle a little water on the pan to see if it will bead up. Once it does, splash a little more water on the pan to cool it slightly, while keeping the heat the same. (this cools the surface and protects your oils and proteins from quickly over cooking and generating carcinogens)
-Once the water has evaporated, then add a pinch of salt then a small amount (1/2-1 t) of high saturated fat oil (to avoid the carcinogens and oxidized fats that form in other oils) such as coconut, palm, or butter oil (clarified butter or ghee)
-If it begins to smoke before you can get your egg in, start over (wash out the pan with water and start again with a bit lower heat and be quicker).
-Crack your room temperature/warmed eggs into the pan. Cook them briefly until they form a lightly browned crust and separate from the pan. (if your heat is to low they will stick no matter what kind of pan you use)
-If you must flip them, wait till the egg losses all transparency before flipping carefully. 

Have an Egg-citing time cooking
Jay

[AmandaL]

I love my cast irons.  I use butter or ghee to cook eggs.  I have always cooked with butter--even a lot of butter.  As a kid I would steel the fresh butter my parents made and eat it with a spoon.   Nothing better than butter!

[MargieS]

Thanks for the information. I went through my cupboards and tossed all of my non stick pans and just ordered a new set of the All-Clad. from Macy's to be delivered in a couple of weeks.  Inch by inch, ...right??!!!

[SabrinaF]

Wow!  I am amazed at all of the information I just learned about pots and pans and the best way to cook eggs!  Thanks everyone for sharing your wealth of knowledge and for taking the time to ask questions that help others as well!  I've been frustrated when cooking eggs in pans that do not have the non-stick coating and now I have a few tricks up my sleeve!  I look forward to trying these new methods and hope that I won't waste too many eggs in the process  .

[KellyT]

I have a 16 qt pot called "granite ware". Does anyone know what it is made out of? I was at Target and saw more of them, but the label doesn't say what the material is. I tried the website for the company that makes it (also called Granite Ware) and I could not find out what material it consists of. The parent company lists that they are the premier maker of "porcelain on steel"...could this be what it is? And, is that safe?

Thanks for any help!!

[ClaireW]

Hello - After learning that aluminum is a suspect for causing Alzheimer's Disease, I am trying to get rid of my cookware that could contain aluminum. In one of the postings it was mentioned that stainless steel (all clad) is safe. However I found the following article from the Mercola site which says that even stainless is not entirely safe because it can be leaking toxins too:

http://products.mercola.com/cast-iron-cookware/

Has anyone tried the enameled cast iron cookware advertised on the same site and is it easy to use (i.e. does it take longer to cook)?

Thanks.

Claire