Making wise food choices and preparing most of your meals at home is essential to creating sustainable wellness. The DIY approach keeps you in control of the quality, the ingredients, and how your meals are prepared, the goal being to feed your body well so it can thrive. But cook up all those high-quality ingredients in low-quality pots or banged up, old non-stick pans and you’ll likely undermine your efforts with extra exposure to hormone-disrupting chemicals which, over time, can set the stage for a number of health-busters like cancer, heart disease, and cognitive damage.
In other words, what you cook with matters, so choosing cookware consciously is an easy way to add one more healthy behavior to your repertoire. Which options make the most sense for health-conscious chefs?
While there’s no perfect answer, I always default to the classics, as in safe cookware that’s made without a lot of extra chemical interference or coatings – and I encourage you to do the same to help reduce your toxic load. Here are a few thoughts on how to do it: Making wise food choices and preparing most of your meals at home is essential to creating sustainable wellness. The DIY approach keeps you in control of the quality, the ingredients, and how your meals are prepared, the goal being to feed your body well so it can thrive. But cook up all those high-quality ingredients in low-quality pots or banged up, old non-stick pans and you’ll likely undermine your efforts with extra exposure to hormone-disrupting chemicals which, over time, can set the stage for a number of health-busters like cancer, heart disease, and cognitive damage.
In other words, what you cook with matters, so choosing cookware consciously is an easy way to add one more healthy behavior to your repertoire. Which options make the most sense for health-conscious chefs?
While there’s no perfect answer, I always default to the classics, as in safe cookware that’s made without a lot of extra chemical interference or coatings – and I encourage you to do the same to help reduce your toxic load. Here are a few thoughts on how to do it: Cast iron cookware is a classic safe cookware option that’s been used for generations. Moderately priced and durable, a well-seasoned skillet or pan will behave similarly to non-stick and provide even heat to whatever you put in it. Cast iron cookware can be used both on the stovetop as well as in the oven so it’s a great multi-tasker. And while cast iron can leach tiny amounts of iron into food, for most people, the extra iron is beneficial.
For those who are iron-sensitive, cook a lot of acidic dishes, or simply prefer their cookware in a variety of colors, then high-quality, porcelain-enameled cast iron cookware is an easier-care alternative to traditional cast iron which requires seasoning and a bit more TLC to prevent rust. Stainless steel is a bit of a health mixed bag, but it’s popular because it resists corrosion and stains and is relatively easy to clean. If you’re in the market, look for stainless pieces marked 18/8; 18/10; ‘300 series’ or ‘304 grade’ – which indicate higher quality, and more corrosion resistance. Made from a mix of metals, higher quality stainless steel pieces will generally be more resistant to corrosion and leaching.
To minimize exposure to the metals in stainless steel or if you have chemical sensitivities, consider buying just one pot or pan (instead of an entire set) and use sparingly – or sidestep stainless altogether. You might also take a look at titanium cookware which, though pricey, is a good alternative to stainless. Source:
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