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Answers to Readers' Questions on Health:
Cooking Surfaces
The following 22 comments and questions have been sent in. They are listed according to date.
List of first 10 items
- What are the dangers of using nonstick pans?
- Worried about baking soda test for Luster Craft cookware
- Is aluminum safe for popping popcorn?
- What are the pros and cons of titanium cookware?
- Comparing enamel and ceramic pots
- What stainless steel cooking pots are best?
- Does Corning Ware leach lead?
- Cooking information about bicarbonate soda
- What happens in the baking soda test with SaladMaster?
- Is an aluminum core safe in cookware?
What are the dangers of using nonstick pans?
Question
April 22, 2009
Are there any confirmed disadvantages/dangers to using non-stick pans? Does the surface emit the same toxin as some plastic containers have been found to recently?
Jerushah - USA
17644
Answer
One problem with nonstick or Teflon pans is that after time the surfaces may get scratched and pieces of the material may get into your food. Although the amount is small, it still may be hazardous. Teflon has been known to be toxic to birds.
Another problem is that at high temperatures the nonstick materials and Teflon outgas or emit fumes that can get into the food. Although Teflon is manufactured under strict controls, some of the less expensive nonstick materials may not be as safe. If cooking with Teflon is done at higher than recommended temperatures, the material will outgas.
When using plastic containers, as well as surfaces on cooking utensils, the greater the temperature, the more risk there is of materials getting into your food. This is especially true with soft plastics and soft nonstick materials.
Worried about baking soda test for Luster Craft cookware
Question
April 7, 2009
I have 20yr old Luster Craft Stainless steel cookware. I found your email on that site. I was at a SaladMaster Cookware Home demonstration and they used mine and others cookware to show how metal is leaching into our food with our cookware. How can this be if it is stainless steel?
They put 1 tsp of baking soda and water in their Salad Master brand pot and all the others who brought their pans. After it boiled, we all tasted each, it was terrible in all but the Salad Master batch of boiled water. How can this be? It seemed like my cookware is not good for our nutrition, as I dont want metal to leach out. please advise any opinions you have.
Suzanna - USA
17577
Answer
The SaladMaster baking soda test is very convincing, but it also can be misleading. For one thing, they are using new pots. An older stainless steel pot may have scratches from being cleaned, and thus could give off a taste from the metal underneath. Whether what is tasted from a stainless steel pot is harmful is questionable.
One person tested a Pyrex bowl with baking soda and also noticed a distinct taste. And that was coming from glass. So that makes me wonder about the validity of the test or what it really shows.
SaladMaster uses high grade 316 stainless steel. Even for lower grade stainless steel, the amount of material leaching into the food during cooking would be extremely small.
If your cookware is in good shape, you could be safe keeping it. But if you plan to upgrade, SaladMaster is a good option.
Is aluminum safe for popping popcorn?
Question
December 24, 2008
I'm looking for a healthy oil popcorn popper. There are some that the pan is made of aluminum. Can these be safe for popping popcorn?
alex - USA
16999
Answer
Aluminum popcorn poppers should not cause any health problems. The better ones are made of anodized aluminum, which has a harder surface. Certainly, the best is stainless steel.
It is better to have an aluminum popper than one that is coated with Teflon. Many complain that after a while the Teflon flakes off into the popcorn.
What are the pros and cons of titanium cookware?
Question
May 3, 2008
I'm looking for info on Titanium cookware. Pros/cons. Does the titanium leach?
Pauline - Canada
15859
Answer
Titanium cookware should be very safe. Some think it is a bit of an overkill. Its major advantages are that it is lightweight and strong. That is why it is used in aircraft. The disadvantage is that it can be expensive.
Comparing enamel and ceramic pots
Question
May 1, 2008
I agree with the assessment of the different cookware surfaces, especially the water test with about 4 or 5 other pots,the company was Salad Master, the best demo I've every seen. waterless, and no oil, cooking, great chicken, (top of stove) chocolate cake, and veggies. and they said Salad Master uses Surgical stainless Steel.
I still did not buy, as the lowest priced set was $2400.00.
I did see a demo at Costco for a set that used Cast Iron with a dark Ceramic
(non stick) surface. Again the demo was great,($395.00 set) I did not buy, as my wife would go nuts, she thinks they are all scams. Probably so.
The last surface was in a vitamin (Swanson's) mail out book.
Cast iron with Enamel cooling surface. Of course they state this is the best technology.
What is your thought on these claims. Enamel and ceramic?
Sincerely:
Robert - USA
15847
Answer
Usually cookware sets give you more pots than you would ever need. You can usually purchase high quality pots on an individual basis, such that you get what you need.
Our preference is stainless steel, which cleans easily, lasts a long time, and doesn't leach into the food. You can get such pots and pans at a reasonable price.
Ceramic is probably better than enamel, but I wonder if they will ever chip. Also, since many of those pots are made in China, I wonder about the safety of the materials used.
My recommendation is going with stainless steel and first buying just one pot to see how well it works out before purchasing more.
What stainless steel cooking pots are best?
Question
March 11, 2008
What stainless steel cooking pots are best recomended for cooking without any chemicals leaching into food?
Claudia - USA
15519
Answer
Most stainless steel pots are very good and safe for cooking.
The best type is called surgical stainless steel. It is the most pure, but many people question if you get much more for the extra cost. Also, some companies may advertise surgical stainless steel but actually use standard stainless.
Does Corning Ware leach lead?
Question
March 3, 2008
Thank you for your research and article posted on the internet.
I have a question. What are the health drawbacks of using Corning Ware Visions cookware? I have been told that it leaches lead. I had sent an email to Corning ware asking them about the material used in their cookware, however, I never received a response from them.
Another concern of mine is I am wondering about boiling water in an electric kettle. I notice there is a major difference in the taste of the boiled water and as well as to the taste of my tea made with water boiled in different kettles.
How can I be sure?
Thank you for any advice,
Gloria - Canada
15476
Answer
Corning Ware Visions cookware is glass and does not contain lead. In fact, the State of California recommends Corning Ware over ceramic cookware. See http://www.dhs.ca.gov/childlead/tableware/twtalk.html
High quality stainless steel kettles are best to avoid getting metallic taste in the boiled water. We used an electric kettle but noticed rust spots inside where the bubbles came up. Since then, we switched to a stainless steel tea kettle, which seems to work better. Aluminum kettles are the worse for adding taste to the water.
Cooking information about bicarbonate soda
Question
June 27, 2007
Regarding the bicarbonate test.
I just wanted to let you know that bicarbonate is everywhere, started in your water, vegies and fruits.
You cook with "baking soda"/ bicarbonate every day.
The test will accelerate the process, but new stainless steel will also change test, as it start corroding after 14min when submit to heat above 60deg!
Now if you still have an excuse after that, try to cook an apple! The same apple in different pot. It will also change test, unless you use 316 stainless steel.
Try, you will be amazed.
Cheers,
Kellyne
Kellyne - Australia
13990
Answer
Thanks for your interesting information.
What happens in the baking soda test with SaladMaster?
Question
April 20, 2007
hi,
i had a saladmaster demonstration in my home the other day. they did the baking soda test up against my all-clad. i read some material on your website about this test. so what exactly was i tasting? and why did theirs (in their 316L cookware) taste so differently than mine (18/10 cookware?
- USA
13623
Answer
Baking soda does react with many surfaces, such that you get a bad taste when sampling the water. The idea is that such taste would get into your food. But people sell them -- if ever -- cook that way. Apparently, SaladMaster uses materials that do not react with baking soda.
SaladMaster is a highly-rated brand of cookware, but I'm not sure that another brand that failed this baking soda test would not do just as good a job of cooking.
Is an aluminum core safe in cookware?
Question
December 3, 2006
hi,
I know that stainless steel is the best in pots and pans. I here aluminum is no good for you . but i was wondering if the pot set says sealed ,heat-radiant aluminum layer core extra-thick aluminum base.if the pans are still good with the aluminum in them and if the outside of the pan is the stainless steel.
I recently bought some pan and wondered if they are good..
one is president choice chef stainless steel cookware.18/10 stainless steel with brushed finish professional copper base.
the othe set i am looking into is lagostina 11 pc. "windsor' cookware set. what are your veiws on that set.i just want to know is i got a good set of pots . any prose and cons about this cook ware would be nice.i now all-clad is a good set of pots .but i bought the other sets and cant afford another set. so are those two sets ok.thank you.
- Canada
12541
Answer
The outer layer of the cookware is what is comes in contact with the food. That is why high quality stainless steel is very good. Often cookware has layers of other metals inside to help the distribution of heat, so there are no hot spots.
Very expensive cookware uses a thick copper core to help distribute the heat, but most cookware uses the less expensive aluminum, which does just as good a job. It is perfectly safe to have aluminum as a core material.
It's always nice to be able to try out a single pot before purchasing a set, just to make sure it works as desired. But that is not always possible. If the set looks like it has high quality, will cook as desired and the price is right, it is probably a good buy. Unfortunately, we don't have evaluations of the various brands.
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