I have this fear of hurting my kids unintentionally, I'm sure it will still happen but I don't want it to be from my cooking. I have done my job of going to the farmers market and buying locally grown, pesticide free and organic ingredients but now I have to continue to figure out healthy ways of using proper utensils and storage equipment. I see that this might be boring for many but I believe is so vital.
I am listing a quick guide of pans pros and cons. I got this from mothering.com community and believe almost everything except the part about silicone. I just don't trust the stuff, not in my kitchen and not in my breasts.
Pots and Pans Quickie Guide
Actually, the iron you get from your cast iron pans, if in large doses, isn't the greatest thing for you. It's not a bio-available form and can leave deposits of metallic iron in your organs and tissues. This is especially bad if you have the genetic mutation that makes your body store 'iron' like a camel stores water in the desert...So, here is my break down of various cooking equipment and what's good and not so good about it.
Note: If you have aluminum 'cookie sheet's and are worried, you can put parchment or wax paper on them, then put your cookies on them to bake. You can line muffing cups with organic paper (HFS sells them) and then you have no worries about them 'touching' or leaching aluminum. Conversely, a more environmental conscious way would be to buy 'silpats' to line them.
If you have teflon coated ones, and you are just using standard baking temps, like 350 deg F, then this technique should be safe. It's temps over 500 deg F that make the teflon put off gasses that are toxic. So NO broiling of meats on teflon sheet pans or baking pizzas at hot temps!
CAST IRON
Good Stuff:
* Lasts a lifetime and then some, with good care.
* Heavy, even heat distribution. Great for doing pancakes and tortillas.
* Great for frying things, and is naturally non stick, if properly seasoned.
* Safe surface to cook on, if properly seasoned and you don't cook highly acidic foods in it.
Bad Stuff:
* Heavy to lift if you have strength issues.
* Have to make sure to reseason if you accidentally scrub it too hard, wash in heavy soap, or use acidic foods in it while cooking.
* Acidic foods (anything with tomato or citrus) will eat through the 'seasoning' and therefore react with the iron, and leach it into food. Can make it taste funny, metallic, and leach high amounts of iron into your body.
STAINLESS STEEL
Good Stuff:
* 100% non-reactive metal, no rusting or leaching
* No toxic off gassing
* Lighter in weight for lifting, compared to cast iron
* Lasts a lifetime with proper care
* Can cook even eggs and such, with proper heating techniques and a light oil coating
Bad Stuff:
* Some foods can stick, but it can be scrubbed to death, with no damage.
ENAMEL COATED CAST IRON
Good Stuff:
* All the benefits of Cast iron, but a 'scrubbable' and 100% totally non-reactive surface, regardless of what you cook in it.
Bad Stuff:
* If the surface coating (porcelain) is chipped or cracked, you can get 'rust' spots there.
* Heavy to lift
* Heat distribution is affected by the porcelain, so good for long slow cooks, but not quick, heat sensitive 'sauce' making.
GLASS
Good Stuff:
* 100% non reactive material
* Easy to clean (scrub) and lift (usually)
Bad Stuff:
* Breakable
* There are no 'glass' frying pans to my knowledge and cooking an egg would royally suck, on glass...(can't take high direct heat and would not be able to 'distribute' it)
PORCELIN (Ie, Corning ware)
Good Stuff:
* 100% non reactive (it's a form of high tempered glass) - no leaching
* Cook to dinner top ready, pretty to look at
* Fairly easy to clean, stuff can stick if not soaked right away. (Sometimes stains with tomato type sauces)
Bad Stuff:
* It is breakable, but usually more durable than regular glass
TEFLON COATED ANYTHING
Good Stuff:
* It's non stick
Bad Stuff:
* It off gasses toxic fumes if exposed to high temperatures, the PTFE (polytetrafluoro-ethylene) coating breaks down.
* The process to make them, puts highly toxic material into our environment (PFOAs)
* If it gets even a tiny scratch, you should toss it, as it can leach into your foods.
ALUMINUM (Unclad)
Good Stuff:
* It's super light weight
* The 'air pocket' kind bakes evenly
Bad Stuff:
* It's highly reactive to acidic foods
* I still wouldn't want foods touching an unclad aluminum surface, as it can leach into foods given the right circumstances.
* It bends and warps in the oven making your pans 'wonky'...
ANODIZED ALUMINUM
Good Stuff:
* Super lightweight
* Super strong material
* The chemical process (acidic dip and electro current) method to convert the aluminum to 'anodized aluminum' makes the metal surface 'super slick' and there fore 'non stick'.
Bad Stuff:
* Still not convinced that this 'changing of the aluminum into anodized aluminum, is 100% non-reactive. But if you HAVE TO HAVE a nonstick pan, pay the big bucks for this kind, over the cheaper PTFE 'coated' pans.
STONEWARE
Good Stuff:
* Can develop a nice 'non stuck' coating like cast iron when used alot (esp with high oil content food)
* 100% non reactive surface
* Can distribute heat evenly like cast iron, but lighter in weight (still kind of heavy)
* It makes the most AMAZING pizza stones!
Bad Stuff:
* Can break if dropped from really high or hit with something hard (don't ask)
* Is kinda expensive if you buy it from Pampered Chef (but worth it, IMO)
SILICON BAKEWARE
Good Stuff:
* Super super light weight
* Technically and chemically speaking 100% non-reactive (if solid silicon)
* Super easy to clean and care for
* High heat resistant (for baking and such, do no put on top of a burner)
* Easy to remove baked foods from it and clean (non stick by nature)
Bad Stuff:
* Mmm, still trying to figure out if there are any. It might melt or stick to a burner if you accidentally left it on one, and the kid turns it on...
* There is a slight chance they might use something to process the silicon that is environmentally bad. The silicon should be 100% non reactive, but who really knows. If you were eating the silicon, well, that's different...
No comments:
Post a Comment