Heavy Metal Kitchen (Pt. 2): The “Skinny” on Cookware
Enamel Cookware Blog, Aubin, 12/17/20 TOXINS/HEAVY METALS/COOKWARE/HOLIDAY
Welcome back to our conversation on metal toxicity and common cookware. If you’re like me, you probably never considered it before, but it’s super important
Think about it. What one thing do you do with family and friends almost every day?
Cook together and share meals, right? Especially during the Holidays ....
So … I ask you again …
What’s the use in buying organic non-GMO foods and eating healthy if your cookware itself is poisoning you?
That’s why last time we discussed how slow cookers expose you to dangerous lead-filled petrochemicals over time and a quick, easy way to test yours for toxins.
If you missed it, check out Is Your Slow Cooker Not-So-Slowly Poisoning You? so you’re up to speed.
This time, we’re going to run down what other popular cookware might be slowly poisoning you and which ones are safe to use …
PLUS, I have an added Holiday BONUS for you -
It’s an indispensable research tool for determining if your cookware is safe …
And it's FREE! Before we get there, however, let’s talk about what toxins do in your body so you understand how important this conversation really is ...
Consider this:
In the last 30 years, neurodegenerative diseases have gone up dramatically. Alzheimer’s is now the 6th leading cause of death in the U.S. and Parkinson’s disease cases more than DOUBLED between 1990 & 2015.
Both are directly linked to a massive increase in toxins in our environment. Sadly ...
There are now hundreds of thousands of toxic chemical compounds that our bodies have never encountered before in this planet’s history.
AND if your liver can’t process a certain novel toxin and excrete it, it gets dumped into your fat cells for long-term storage. Why?
Because it does less damage there - “locked” into your fat - than it would circulating through your bloodstream. To avoid poisoning itself, your body will do whatever it takes to keep those toxins in storage.
In fact, it’s a little-known but SIGNIFICANT cause of weight loss resistance for some folks; their fat is loaded with toxins!
Now, here’s where it gets really scary …
Guess what is mostly made of fat in your body?
Your brain and central nervous system!
That’s right. Ever experience slight “tip of my tongue” memory issues? Well …
Toxins lodged in fatty tissues wreak havoc over time, resulting in neurodegenerative disorders as mild as brain fog and as severe as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
This is why even slight toxin exposure matters.
Heavy metals like lead are some of the worst, which is why I started paying extremely close attention to what I was preparing and eating my food in.
In short, toxins like heavy metals accumulate in your body, silently wrecking your brain and nervous system, over time.
Now, how do you know if what you’re cooking with is safe or not?
Well … here’s that Holiday Bonus I mentioned earlier. It’s an entire website devoted to sampling kitchen items for lead and other toxins.
Just search for “Tamara Rubin” or “Lead Safe Mama,” and it will pop right up …
She uses a $20,000+ testing device, and what she uncovers is shocking, so if you start reading into it and get overwhelmed, don’t freak out.
Here’s what you need to know …
The “Skinny” on Cookware:
1. Most slow cookers have enamel liners made from toxic petrochemicals...
2. Only Instapot has a safe, stainless steel liner…
3. As a rule, stainless steel is the least toxic cookware…
4. T-304 Surgical Grade Stainless Steel pots and pans are the best…
5. NO non-stick is safe, and aluminum is BAD…
6. Cast iron is O.K. but does leach iron, which can be hard on you over time…
7. Any dishware with a glaze or enamel has detectable levels of lead in it …
8. Corelle makes inert glass, completely non-toxic dishware…
9. If it says Made-in-China, it probably has a toxic glaze or enamel...
10. When in doubt, Google “Lead Safe Mama” for research-based advice …
After years of furious debate and testing in the community, experts agree that stainless steel is hands-down the least toxic cookware.
As a rule, no non-stick cookware is safe, and aluminum is the worst.
Cast iron is O.K. but does leach iron, and not the bioavailable heme iron you get from food, so it can be hard on your detox pathways over long periods of time.
As a result, I still cook with cast iron - especially outdoors - just not all the time.
After I learned all this, I did some more research and switched to the following:
My 2 “Go-To” Kitchen Essentials:
1. T-304 Surgical Grade Stainless Steel pots and pans
2. Corelle inert glass, completely non-toxic dishware.
That said, I get it … this can sound like I’m taking it too far. I mean, where do you stop? However, here’s the way I see it …
Every day, we’re exposed to a LOT of environmental toxins …
Why not make a few simple changes at home so you can lighten the load on your detox pathways?
That way your body is more able to deal with the toxins it encounters out in day-to-day life …
AND you’ll feel better, I guarantee it. Besides …
There’s a certain comfort in knowing you’re cooking and eating with totally non-toxic items.
That said, tune in next time to discover what other common kitchen items might be suspect, if not downright toxic - from your plates and bowls to your favorite coffee mug.
Again, what’s the point of eating AND cooking healthy if what you’re eating out of is poisoning you? It’s better to be safe than sorry …
“Til Next Time … bon appetite!
And Have a Happy AND Healthy New Year …
Theo
