Is your cookware making you sick?

[Guest guest]

This is an awesome article on the subject. I hope you can read it.

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From: Enid Fox <enid.fox1@...>

Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2010 08:54:16 -0800

Subject: FitNet - Is your cookware making you sick?

Hello,

It is well known among people with companion birds that non-stick cookware

should be eliminated from the home. This is because non-stick cookware

heated to high temperatures releases fumes that kill birds. Our cookware,

mattresses and sofas may be making us sick due to a man made chemical called

perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).

Removing this chemical from our environment is difficult. One place to start

is with your cookware. Eliminate the use of non-stick cookware and you

reduce your exposure to PFOA. Don't forget your coated irons, ironing board

covers and waffle irons too!

<http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/176657.php>

Link Between Stain Repellent Chemical And Thyroid Disease In Adults

<http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/176657.php>

Article Date: 21 Jan 2010, Medical News Today

" A study by the University of Exeter and the Peninsula Medical School for

the first time links thyroid disease with human exposure to

perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). PFOA is a persistent organic chemical used in

industrial and consumer goods including nonstick cookware and stain- and

water-resistant coatings for carpets and fabrics. Our analysis shows that in

the 'ordinary' adult population there is a solid statistical link between

higher concentrations of PFOA in blood and thyroid disease. "

" PFOA is a very stable man-made chemical that excels at repelling heat,

water, grease, and stains. It is used during the process of making common

household and industrial items including nonstick pots and pans,

flame-resistant and waterproof clothing, wire coatings, and

chemical-resistant tubing. PFOA can also be formed by the break-down of

certain other highly fluorinated chemicals used in oil and grease-resistant

coatings on fast-food containers and wrappers and in stain-resistant

carpets, fabrics, and paints. "

" Previous animal studies carried out by other scientists have shown that the

PFOA compounds can affect the function of the mammalian thyroid hormone

system. This is essential for maintaining heart rate, regulating body

temperature and supporting many other body functions, including metabolism,

reproduction, digestion and mental health. "

Another source adds:

<http://www.care2.com/greenliving/dangers-of-cookware-safe-alternatives.html

>

<http://www.care2.com/greenliving/dangers-of-cookware-safe-alternatives.htm

l>

" The associated health risks are so undeniable that DuPont has voluntarily

committed to eliminate the sources of exposure to PFOA from their

manufacturing operations and products by 2015. The EPA classifies PFOA as

carcinogenic in animals, causing testicular, pancreatic, mammary and liver

tumors in rats. Workers exposed to PFOA have increased risks of dying from

or needing treatment for cancers of the pancreas and male reproductive

tract. Numerous studies have shown that PFOA alters reproductive hormones in

the male, causing increased levels of estrogen and abnormal testosterone

regulation. "

Other Cookware Options:

<http://www.care2.com/greenliving/dangers-of-cookware-safe-alternatives.html

>

<http://www.care2.com/greenliving/dangers-of-cookware-safe-alternatives.htm

l>

Aluminum is not considered a good choice. Although it conducts heat

beautifully, direct contact with food is undesirable. It¹s a soft and highly

reactive metal that can leach into food, especially when acidic ingredients

are cooked and stored.

Plastic simply shouldn¹t be an option.

GreenPans boast a new non-stick material called Thermolon. It is being

billed as the first environment-friendly, PFOA-free, PTFE-free non-stick

cookware and uses a ceramic-based nano non-stick technology. But take note,

nanotechnology safety is open to debate.

GOOD CHOICES:

Anodized Aluminum

Cookware made of anodized aluminum was made famous by Caphalon­it is dark

gray-black and has a smooth surface, but doesn¹t feel coated. The

electro-chemical anodizing process locks in the cookware¹s base metal,

aluminum, which makes it non-porous and non-reactive. The anodization can

breakdown over time, especially with the frequent cooking of acidic foods

such as pasta sauce, well-water use or dishwasher¹s caustic soaps.

Cast Iron

This may seem odd to those not in the know, but those charming heavy cast

iron pans are beautifully non-stick when properly seasoned (cookware-speak

for lightly oiled and baked). They hold heat wonderfully They require some

extra maintenance but they are inexpensive and add a little iron to your

diet as well. For people at risk for iron overload disease, cast iron is NOT

recommended - have your ferritin level checked before using!

Clad Cookware

Layered cookware is called clad­think of those lovely, and costly, All-Clad

pots and pans. Typically, stainless steel surrounds a sandwich of other

metals, such as aluminum or copper. The inert stainless steel provides the

cooking surface, while the aluminum or copper improves the heat

conductivity.

Enameled Cast Iron

Picture those dreamy many-hued sets of Le Crueset­more expensive than cast

iron, but also more non-stick than plain cast iron and don¹t require

seasoning. Iron Chef superstar Batali has also come out with a line of

enamel cast iron cookware that is lovely on the eye, and about half the cost

of the classic Le Crueset.

Glass

Glass is the most inert of all cookware, meaning that it doesn¹t leach

metals or other ingredients into the food.

Stainless Steel

Stainless is a very good choice for healthy cooking because it is one of the

most inert metals. It reportedly does leach a small amount of nickel. One

drawback is that it doesn¹t conduct heat evenly, so consider stainless

³clad,² described above, for this purpose.

Wok Cheap and easy, a cooking tradition as old as stir-frying in a wok is

worth its weight in gold. Make sure it is a carbon steel or cast iron

version; some western woks are coated with Teflon.

Bamboo is non-reactive and considered to have no harmful effects on food,

but its uses are limited: you can¹t fry eggs in bamboo.

ALSO (hot off the press this week!) check out why cereal, yogurt, protein

bars, lunch meat, bread and soup may be contaminated with mercury:

Study Finds High-Fructose Corn Syrup Contains Mercury

<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/26/AR200901260

1831.html?referrer=facebook>

Be Aware and Thrive!

E

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