I am obsessed with my new Greenpan, which is a healthy ceramic non stick pan! I’ve known for awhile now that nonstick cookware can be toxic and have long term detrimental effects on our health, but I just couldn’t give up on how easy it was to cook with them! I cook eggs almost every morning, and those on a stainless steel pan are just an absolute disaster. Cleaning up an eggy pan bums me out enough to not even want to go through the process of cooking them in the first place! My new Greenpans are made without PFAS, PFOA, lead or cadmium, which means that cooking on them won’t release dangerous toxins into our foods.
Why are most non stick pans dangerous for our health?
Many of us are drawn to the convenience of cooking with nonstick pans. So what’s the drawback? Well, the most common type of nonstick pan is made with Teflon, which contains polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and perfluoroalkyl compounds (PFAs). These materials are highly toxic when exposed to heat, becoming a source of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which is a chemical compound linked to thyroid disease, reproductive problems, infertility in women, and other health issues.
So, what should I be cooking with??
Cast Iron pots and pans are great for the oven, stovetop, and grill. They are durable, non-toxic, and last a lifetime. Just be sure to clean carefully, without soaps and brillo pads! Enamel coated cast iron pots and pans (like Lodge and Le Creuset) are great options as well!
Ceramic cookware is non-leaching and non-toxic making it a very safe choice.
Stainless Steel is sturdy and not reactive with foods, making it a good option.
Glass, like Pyrex, is great for baking and roasting.
You can opt for Greenpan, which is a ceramic (not Teflon) nonstick pan, which is made from a sand derivative and is non-toxic.
Happy cooking!
When I feel the need to use nonstick (mostly for cooking eggs and pancakes), this is the brand I use!
Here are my kitchen staples: a cast iron skillet, an enameled cast iron dutch over, and my all-clad stainless steel pot
