Cookware 101: What to Use and What to Junk
Okay, so I have a bit of a dilemma.When I see friends looking so excited while chef-ing up some nutritious food I feel so HAPPY. But then, almost inevitably, I see what their food is being cooked on/in, usually of the Teflon/non-stick variety, and it makes me so SAD.
I don't want to start lecturing them about the best types of cookware to use and make them feel bad about their current choices, but I also don't want them to keep cooking on scary surfaces and unknowingly put nasties into their body.
Sometimes I'll try to say something really subtle, being all like, "Hey, have you ever tried cooking on cast iron? No? Oh, you totally should. It's the berries. Way mo' betta than Teflon.", when my face probably looks more like, "AHHH! IS THAT TEFLON?! YOU'RE GOING TO DIEEE!"
I think I need to work on my approach.
In the meantime, here's a sweet-ass little rundown on which pieces of your cookware you should add to your daily rotation and give a big smooch to, and which ones you should (literally) kick to the curb.
THE GOOD:
Cast Iron
Ceramic
Stoneware
Glass
Stainless Steel
THE BAD + THE UGLY:
Teflon (and most other non-stick cookware)
Aluminum
Plastic
I'm sure right now you're wondering - why are the bad + ugly SO bad + ugly? Great question. Many answers.
TEFLON:
Teflon (and many other non-stick options) is made out of extremely toxic, carcinogenic chemicals called PFCs (or perflourinated chemicals). Once we've ingested or breathed in PFCs, our body has no way of metabolizing them, so instead they're stored in our cells and build up over time. Not only does this majorly add to our toxic load, it overtaxes our liver and thyroid, weakens our immune and endocrine systems, increases our risk for cancer, can contribute to infertility and childhood developmental issues, and can even make us sick with flu-like symptoms.
When Teflon is heated it releases toxic chemicals which either leach into your food, or rise up into the air. It attacks you and any other living things in your vicinity from all angles. It's a sneaky bastard.
I know, I know - you don't want to give up your Teflon because nothing sticks to it and it's so easy to clean. I get it. But consider the damage you're inflicting on your body just so you can avoid coating your cookware with some (delicious and nutritious) ghee or avocado oil to prevent sticking, and then giving it a scrub in the sink once you're done cooking. Seems crazy, right?!
ALUMINUM:
Cooking in aluminum encourages the aluminum to leach directly into our food. I'm sure by now you've heard of the dangers that come with introducing heavy metals like aluminum into our bodies (such as Alzheimer's, dementia, epilepsy, and ADD), and not only is it getting into our systems via cookware, it's also included in common household products like deodorant, shampoos, cosmetics, and medicine. It's best to steer clear of when possible - especially since there are so many awesome cookware options out there.
PLASTIC:
The only time people really cook with plastic is when there's a microwave involved. I'm not going to dive into my feelings on microwaves right now, but in short, they can strip your food of its nutritional value, create carcinogens, and mess with your blood makeup. Adding heated plastic to the mix just puts the cherry on top of that toxin cocktail.
Plastic can leach BPA and phthalates (more toxic chemicals) into our food - which can cause birth defects + developmental issues, while also disrupting our endocrine system (i.e. hormones). EW. Long story short, what I'm getting at here is that whenever we have the opportunity to reduce the amount of toxic chemicals in our bodies/environment, we should. And since we use our cookware daily, reaching for the most health-friendly varieties takes a huge burden off of our body in the longterm.
I know there may be a liiiittle bit of a learning curve when switching out of non-stick cookware and/or microwave-land, but trust me, it's worth it - and your food will be even more delicious and nutritious because of it.
Keep on cookin', friendos!