I love to cook, but do NOT love it when food sticks to the pan.  You may have had it happen before and know what I’m talking about; grain-free pancakes are the worst.  They come out lumpy and off-shaped, appearing almost uncooked in some areas and burnt in others.  Yeah, I don’t love that.

This is why, in theory, non-stick pans and cookware sound like such a good option: you can have perfectly shaped and cooked pancakes without any trouble!

SO, WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?

Toxins, of course!  PFCs (Per-or poly-fluorochemicals) make up the chemical coating put on aluminum pans to make them non-stick.  According to the EWG, this chemical family has been associated with things like kidney and testicular cancer, high cholesterol, abnormal thyroid hormone levels, pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia, obesity and low birth weight.

Teflon is bad then?

Yes.  And no.  It depends.  Turns out that Teflon is “safe” to humans when not heated above 500•F, according to Robert L. Wolke, Ph.D. (chemistry professor and author).  According to this chart, off-gassing of chemical release is noted starting at 554•F.  Get a little bit hotter and Teflon (heated to 662•F, “a temperature easily exceeded when a pan is preheated on a burner or placed beneath a broiler“) is known to cause “polymer fume fever” in humans, a condition accompanied by fever, chills, shortness of breath, headache, cough, and sore throat.

A few tests run by Good Housekeeping found foods like scrambled eggs and chicken stir fry to be “safe,” falling under such dangerous temperatures if only cooked between 3-6 minutes, while foods like hamburger patties, steak (656•F… Hello, polymer fume fever!), or simply pre-heating a pan are declared “risky.”

So, yeah, Teflon is “safe” sometimes.  Then again, PFCs at lower temperatures clearly aren’t that innocent.  Pet birds can catch “Teflon Fever” and die from the fumes at temperatures as low as 325•F, and EWG finds non-heated PFCs off-putting enough to also avoid when found in clothing items like North Face jackets.

Let’s talk aluminum.

Aluminum, in large quantities, can be a very toxic heavy metal.  It is known to leach especially in high temperatures (i.e. cooking) and when in contact with very acidic or basic foods.  Around 99% of what is consumed will be disposed of by healthy kidneys, but still, limiting our exposure to “healthy” levels can be tricky since aluminum is naturally occurring in some soils and added to many products (like table salt), which we often overlook.  This makes avoiding aluminum, when possible, especially important in my opinion.

The bottom line:

Our family spends a lot of time trying to put the healthiest real foods we can on our table.  If we are going to avoid canned goods, plastic baby bottles, ziplocs & tupperware due to possible chemical leaching and toxins, then the last thing I want to do is cook my real food on a possibly harmful surface when truly safe and affordable alternatives are out there.

NON-TOXIC SOLUTIONS:

Stainless Steel & Cast Iron

Stainless steel & cast iron are great non-toxic options, and when properly cared for they can be virtually non-stick too!  We own both types and feel they are much sturdier, more longer-term pieces than the non-stick stuff we’ve previously owned.  Cast iron is pretty inexpensive as far as high quality kitchenware goes, and it offers the added bonus of adding a bit of iron into your food (which is especially great for feeding babies).

Here are a few options (click on a photo to view product info):

Glass

Glass baking dishes work well for roasting and baking in the oven.  Some Pyrex glass dishes also come with tight-seal lids, so they easily double as a non-toxic storage option.  Yes, some lids are plastic, but as long as you don’t over fill the dish and keep it right side up no food should come into contact with it.
Here are a few options (click on a photo to view product info):

Enamel

Enamel coated cast iron (like pans from Le Creuset) is a great naturally-non-stick option, but can come with a higher price tag.  We definitely have these on our wish list, but haven’t been able to buy them just yet!

Silicone

Silicone has been proven safe in low temperatures, but there isn’t much data on its safety under high heat.  For the most part I use silicone for chilled treats (like smoothie popsicles, gelatin, or coconut oil bites), but I do have some silicone cupcake liners that I’ve been known to employ from time to time.  In my opinion, silicone is safer than Teflon or aluminum, but I’d definitely opt for cast iron, steel, or enamel if given the choice.

IF YOU ALREADY OWN TEFLON:

Replacing a non-stick stock isn’t always financially feasible.  If new pots and pans aren’t on the table for you, so to speak, then try out these tips to help keep temperatures down and the biggest of baddest chemical fumes at bay:

• Pre-heat pans without oil at the lowest temperature possible
• Use medium (or lower) flames throughout cooking
• Cover as much of the pan’s surface area as possible with food (think scrambled eggs rather than fried, stir-fried beef and vegetables rather than a single steak)

Above all, keep healthy real foods on that cookware!  Let’s eat to health & vitality!

This post is part of my “Farewell” Friday series.