Print

If you are looking for safe and healthy cooking options, you might be wondering what the best non toxic cookware brands are. There are many such brands that make this claim, on the market, but did you know they are not at all safe for your health and the environment?

Some may contain harmful chemicals that leach into your food, especially at high temperatures. Others may release toxic fumes that can pollute the air and affect your respiratory system.

When hunting for non toxic cookware materials, you may come across popular cookware made from materials such as cast iron, stainless steel, ceramic and Teflon cookware. But which is the safest to use? Keep reading to discover more.

Is aluminum cookware safe to cook with?

Aluminum is lightweight and conducts heat well. However, it is a reactive metal that can leach into your food during cooking. Aluminum exposure has been associated with neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Aluminum also reacts with alkaline foods like baking soda or beans and creates a bitter taste.

Is cast iron cookware safe? How about enameled cast iron cookware?

Cast iron retains heat better and is durable (remember those good old cast iron skillets?), but it can leach ferric ions into your food which are toxic. Enameled cast iron pots like Le Creuset are no different because the enamel is made from toxic materials. Moreover, these enamel coated cast iron pans form cracks over time exposing cast iron to food.

Is stainless steel cookware safe?

Stainless steel cookware is considered a safer metal than Aluminum for cooking, but it is not completely inert. It can leach iron, nickel, chromium, and other metals into your food depending on the quality and grade of the stainless steel pots used. Some people may have allergic reactions or sensitivities to these metals. Stainless steel pans also require oil or butter to prevent food from sticking, which can add extra calories and fat to your diet.

Is copper safe to cook with?

Copper cookware has a beautiful appearance and excellent heat conductivity. However, copper is also a reactive metal that can leach into food, causing nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, liver damage, kidney damage, and anemia if ingested in large amounts. Using copper pots for cooking or storing hot food should be avoided.

Copper also tarnishes easily and requires regular polishing to maintain.

Are traditional non stick pans safe?

A nonstick pan is easy to clean and prevents food from sticking. However, most nonstick cookware is made with synthetic non stick coatings called Teflon, which contains a chemical called PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid). PFOA has been linked to cancer, liver damage, thyroid problems, infertility, and other health issues. When these nonstick pots and pans are heated, they can release PFOA and other toxic gases into the air.

Nonstick coatings also tend to scratch and peel off over time, exposing the underlying metal to your food. Using abrasive cleaners can also damage the nonstick coating.

By now, you may be thinking, “What is the safest cookware?” Keep reading as we uncover the dangers of ceramic coated cookware. And then introduce the one remarkable brand that rises above all the non toxic cookware options.

Is ceramic coated cookware safe? How about pure ceramic cookware?

Ceramic nonstick coated cookware has ceramic coating over a metal base like aluminum or stainless steel. These coatings are supposed to be nonstick and nontoxic, but they are laden with toxic chemicals. They can degrade over time and eventually chip off into your food. Ceramic may also contain lead or cadmium, which are heavy metals that can cause serious health problems. This means that just like ceramic non stick cookware, ceramic pots are no good either.

As a rule of thumb, all metal utensils are reactive, and they leach even more at high heat and/or when cooking acidic foods like citrus foods, vinegar etc. Similarly, glass cookware uses forms of lead or cadmium, as well as other toxic chemicals like boron (borosilicate glass) and an ore of lithium (petalite) to give it shock resistance and uniformity in color.

This raises an important question: which is truly nontoxic cookware? Keep reading to learn more.

Choosing the right safe cookware for you

So, what is a safe alternative to these toxic materials? The only known time tested and all-natural material is primary clay. Miriams Earthen Cookware (MEC) is a US-based company that makes 100% natural pure clay pots, free from chemicals, additives, or coatings. This non toxic cookware brand follows five principles to ensure their products are the safest to use, both for you and the planet:

1. They use only inert material, so the cookware doesn’t release any contaminants such as lead or cadmium.
2. Miriams sources the purest form of clay, primary clay from carefully selected lands that are non-industrialized and unfarmed.
3. MEC doesn’t use any additive, chemical or glaze to make sure the cookware remains 100% non-toxic.
4. They handcraft their cookware using traditional methods so there is no need for chemicals.
5. MEC is adamant about making cookware in the USA because this allows for direct and clear supervision of all processes from start to finish. This ensures the quality and integrity of the cookware.

The benefits of choosing MEC over conventional cookware

Besides being non-toxic, below are some benefits Miriams offers over conventional metal or ceramic cookware:

They preserve nutrients and flavor in your food by cooking with gentle far infrared heat that penetrates deep into the food without destroying its molecular structure. This also makes it possible to hold the pot using oven mitts while the extended rim acts as handles. This removes the need for stainless steel handles that become loose with use.

They naturally regulate steam pressure by allowing steam to condense on the inner lid surface and excess steam to escape without needing vents or valves. These pots prevent burning or sticking by creating an even heat distribution across the pot without hot or cold spots. As an added advantage, the pot becomes naturally nonstick after 5-6 uses as it fully seasons, for oil-free cooking.

They reduce cooking time and energy consumption by low heat cooking and retaining heat well. Cooking in MEC enhances alkalinity in your food by neutralizing acidic elements with their natural pH balance.

These pots and pans are easy to use and maintain. You can use them for all kinds of cooking and on all heat sources. They are also oven safe and dishwasher safe, however, you must avoid toxic detergents by handwashing this naturally non stick cookware with baking soda and mild scrubber.

If you are looking for the safest cookware and want to experience these benefits for yourself, head over to MEC’s online store and get your cookware set today.