What’s that sizzling…? It's mystery chemicals leaching into your food! Not to be gross, but for many people, that is exactly what is happening while whipping up a meal-time favorite. Conventional pots and pans have been linked to several health hazards due to the leaching of chemicals that can occur during the cooking process. Prolonged exposure to toxic substances in cookware has been associated with health issues, from respiratory conditions to neurological disorders. [1] Toxic cookware materials are abundant in the marketplace, and no perfect cookware option exists, but there are healthier choices that we can be making in the kitchen when it comes to safer cooking utensils. Let's take a moment to shine a spotlight on cookware to uncover non-toxic pots and pans that won’t leave a bad taste in your mouth.
Here's what to be cautious of that’s found in most conventional cookware:
Non-stick coatings (a.k.a Teflon): The health risks of Teflon cookware are numerous when it comes to pots and pans. Non-stick coatings are made with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and have been found to contain perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) to allow for resistance to heat, but may release toxic fumes and even leach into food when overheated. [2][3] Not only that, but PTFE is part of a large class of human-made chemicals called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that are referred to as forever chemicals as they are known carcinogens (cancer-causing). [4] Additionally, PFOA can lead to health conditions like chronic kidney disease, liver disease, thyroid disorders, testicular cancers, reproductive concerns, and more. [5] The health impacts of many of these chemicals are not fully known at this point, so it’s best to simply steer clear of Teflon when possible.
Nano Titanium Dioxide (TiO2): These particles can be found in non-stick cookware, but when overheated or exposed (dings or scratches), it can lead to nephrotoxicity, liver damage, tissue damage, and disrupt other systems. [6] Since studies are recently emerging about TiO2, the full health impacts of it are still relatively unknown.
Aluminum: Aluminum is common in most cookware, but can leach into your food, especially when preparing acidic dishes like tomatoes or lemon-based meals. Aluminum may contribute to brain and kidney disease as well as other unknown health challenges. [7] Though aluminum is hard to avoid in most cookware, oftentimes, safer choices will encase the aluminum in stainless steel, preventing it from leaching into your food. Just be sure to use proper cooking utensils to prevent scratching (exposing the aluminum core) and rotate between different cooking pots and pans daily.
Lead & Cadmium: As we all know, we are regularly exposed to lead and cadmium in our daily routine, but it’s important to limit that exposure when possible, like in cookware. This is because lead and cadmium are linked to organ damage, notably in the kidneys and brain, bone disease, and developmental delays. [8]
Chromium: Stainless steel cookware has been found to leach nickel and chromium, especially when cooking acidic foods. [9] Excess exposure to these metals can impact the respiratory tract and reproductive system as well as cause skin irritation and other health risks. [10][11]
Copper: While copper cookware conducts heat well, excessive copper intake due to leaching or over exposure can lead to copper toxicity, causing nausea, vomiting, and even kidney and liver damage. [12] [13]
Keep in mind, not only is your cookware potentially toxic, but so is the dishware you use to serve up your delicious creations. Read my post about safer dining solutions to learn more.
Switching to safer cookware can help ensure that your meals are free of harmful chemicals, safeguarding the health of your loved ones and yourself. Not only that, but better cooking pots and pans made out of materials like stainless steel and cast iron are more sustainable as they don’t require harmful plastics that are hard on the environment. Investing in quality, non-toxic cookware may cost a bit more upfront, but with a little bit of budgeting, in the long run, it's clearly a worthwhile investment in your health knowing that your food is free of any mystery chemicals.
Top Non-Toxic Cookware Options
Please note, for best cooking practices with regards to health, it’s important to rotate cookware between stainless steel, cast iron, glass, and pure ceramic cookware to decrease your overall exposure to similar toxic contaminants. Below, I recommend some safer cookware products that offer eco-friendly kitchenware alternatives and include a diverse selection of pots and pans for you to explore.
*Some people have allergies or sensitivities to nickel, but 430 stainless steel is safe for people with nickel allergies. Nickel is sometimes used in pots and pans for better heat conduction, so I am providing three stainless steel cookware options below that include one with nickel, one with minimal nickel, and one without nickel.
360 Cookware 3-Piece Fry Pan Set (WITH nickel)
360 Cookware is made of three primary metals, which are bonded together to form the pots and pans. The cooking surface (inner layer) is made of T-316 surgical grade stainless steel, 18/8, meaning it’s 18% chromium and 8% nickel. The layer that sits on the burner (outside layer) is T-400 series stainless steel (low nickel content and high carbon steel content). Both of these layers of stainless steel surround an aluminum core, so the aluminum does not touch your food, but provides even heat conduction. Also, they use a dry sanding process on the cookware to avoid any harmful coatings and their cookware is free of any Teflon coatings and chemicals such as PFAS, PFOA and PTFE.
HOMI CHEF 14-Piece Stainless Steel Set (WITHOUT nickel)
HOMI CHEF cookware follows 3-ply construction with one layer of aluminum (unexposed to prevent leaching) at the core that sits between layers of 430 stainless steel. Their nickel free stainless steel is non-toxic and non-allergenic. The cookware does not have any coating, allowing it to be free of chemicals and PFAS.
Nöni Stainless Steel Cookware (may contain trace amounts of nickel)
Nöni cookware is made from non-nickel ferritic stainless steel and is wrought from one solid piece of material, meaning there are no rivets, joins or screws with most of their cookware being around 3mm thick. No toxic coatings or chemicals are used while making their products.
*This cookware is from a business based in Australia, and they are working on opening up a Solidteknics company in the U.S. as well so check their website for updates regularly if you’d prefer to purchase once they’re set up in the U.S. to avoid high shipping fees.
Find it on their website.
FINEX cookware uses domestically sourced materials for their cast iron cookware with handles that are handcrafted from stainless steel and brass. The pans come pre-seasoned with organic flaxseed oil, which is a safer option than most. Their cookware is free of PFAS, PTFE, PFOS, Teflon, as well as any type of chemical coatings. Also, you can purchase lids for these pans, which isn’t always an option when it comes to cast iron cookware. Their lids are free of PFAS and chemical coatings as well. Remember, rotate cookware daily to avoid over consuming iron.
Xtrema ceramic cookware is handcrafted with pure ceramic (clay, water, natural minerals and oxides). Their cookware is made with non-coated ceramic, free of harmful chemicals as well as PFAS. I reached out to them to learn more and they confirmed that their cookware is completely free of PTFE, PFOA, PFAS, GenX and any polymers, glues, coatings, or dyes. Also, they mentioned that their products have been proven not to leach toxic chemicals or heavy metals. Please note, since their cookware is made with naturally occurring clay, that means that heavy metals such as chromium, nickel, cobalt, etc. may be present. However, no leaching of any metals has occurred during testing, allowing for safe use of their products. Their cookware is FDA compliant and meets California Prop 65 standards, stating that the cookware is free of more than 800 compounds that may cause cancer, birth defects, or reproductive harm. These pots and pans are third party tested to ensure their cookware is safe and does not leach chemicals, metal, cadmium, lead, or change the taste of your food. Overall, they were relatively transparent about their products and offer one of the only ceramic cookware options on the market that is not coated with unwanted chemicals, making them an all-around safer cookware option.
Find it on their website.
This cookware set by VISIONS is made of glass. It is free of lead, cadmium, and other heavy metals as well as any toxic coatings, making for a good set of pots to add into your cookware rotation.
It’s true, none of these options will solve every problem when it comes to potential health concerns, but they offer healthy cookware choices compared to many conventional pots and pans. Additionally, rotating between cookware like the above mentioned selection will help you limit overall exposure to unwanted chemicals and heavy metals. Now, let the cookware catastrophe be over so you can get back to enjoying some familiar mealtime favorites, bon appétit!
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