http://www.greenlivingonline.com/HomeGarden/greening-your-kitchen-non-stick-vs-uncoated-cookware/
(Feb 25, 2008)
For most people who like to cook, the worst part is the cleanup. Cleaning greasy pots, caked-on stains, and hard-to-remove leftovers can turn into a full day’s work. 
Hazardous non-stick coating
That’s why many people opt for non-stick pots and pans even though they are not as durable as their aluminum or stainless steel counterparts.
Within the past few years, several studies have started to illustrate the dangers of non-stick cookware.
Ongoing research at the University of Toronto has influenced the EPA to outlaw the production of perfluorochemicals, the ingredients used to make Teflon, Stainmaster, and Gore-tex materials. Perfluorochemicals may give pots and pans that non-stick glide, but they are also carcinogenic.
Proper use important
There is also some concern about the health risks associated with scratched non-stick cookware. We’re supposed to only use plastic or wooden utensils with teflon pots and pans since metal can damage the surface, scraping away the non-stick coating. Putting non-stick cookware in the dishwasher is also a no-no, as the vigourous cleaning strips away the coating.
If you commit the cardinal sin and use a metal flipper or chuck your Teflon pot in the dishwasher, it will no longer be completely non-stick (and thus harder to clean).
Experts recommend that you don’t cook with Teflon using high heat since toxic fumes can be released. You should also replace non-stick cookware every year -- especially once it’s been scratched. It’s possible for the dangerous perfluorochemicals to eventually leak into your food over time.
Uncoated options
Green Living's Eco-Geek and other enviro-experts recommend using other uncoated cookware. Although they can be more expensive, uncoated cookware does last longer. Each has its own strengths and drawbacks:Anodized aluminum is a relatively lightweight material, and it’s an excellent conductor of heat, so that vegetable stew will warm evenly throughout the pot. But it stains easily, and it is not dishwasher-safe. Avoid the thin-gauge aluminum since it’s prone to denting and warping. Enamel-coated aluminum, typically found in low-end lines, can chip easily. Stainless steel, on the other hand, can go in the dishwasher, but it doesn’t conduct heat very well, and is therefore less energy-efficient. Lower end lines will be aluminium with a stainless steel coating. Copper tends to heat and cool quickly and efficiently - it’s also heavier, more durable, and generally more expensive. Because the copper usually reacts with the acidity of certain foods, the pots are often lined with stainless steel or tin. Cast iron is the all-time classic. Strong, inexpensive, it conducts heat evenly and adds extra iron. Rust can be a problem so the inside should be coated frequently with unsalted cooking oil. Don’t wash with strong detergents or scour. Wipe dry immediately after rinsing. Tempered glass breaks easily and cooks unevenly on the stove. But it is more versatile and can directly from freezer to the stove, oven, broiler, or microwave and continue on to the table. Porcelain coatings are easy to maintain and they're tough. But they are the most expensive of all cookware and can be chipped. Read more about the different options, benefits and drawbacks with Consumer Reports.
What’s the verdict?
Non-stick or uncoated? Aluminum, stainless steel or copper? The answer is probably somewhere in the middle. Stock your shelves with a variety of non-stick and uncoated cookware.
Teflon pans can be a lifesaver to cook a quick morning breakfast but the uncoated cookware will last longer, and in certain cases, will make for a tastier, more evenly cooked meal.
Mihira Lakshman is a Toronto based freelance writer.
Greening your kitchen: Non-stick vs uncoated cookware
Image: istockphoto.com/Robert Byron
Hazardous non-stick coating
That’s why many people opt for non-stick pots and pans even though they are not as durable as their aluminum or stainless steel counterparts.
Within the past few years, several studies have started to illustrate the dangers of non-stick cookware.
Ongoing research at the University of Toronto has influenced the EPA to outlaw the production of perfluorochemicals, the ingredients used to make Teflon, Stainmaster, and Gore-tex materials. Perfluorochemicals may give pots and pans that non-stick glide, but they are also carcinogenic.
Proper use important
There is also some concern about the health risks associated with scratched non-stick cookware. We’re supposed to only use plastic or wooden utensils with teflon pots and pans since metal can damage the surface, scraping away the non-stick coating. Putting non-stick cookware in the dishwasher is also a no-no, as the vigourous cleaning strips away the coating.
If you commit the cardinal sin and use a metal flipper or chuck your Teflon pot in the dishwasher, it will no longer be completely non-stick (and thus harder to clean).
Experts recommend that you don’t cook with Teflon using high heat since toxic fumes can be released. You should also replace non-stick cookware every year -- especially once it’s been scratched. It’s possible for the dangerous perfluorochemicals to eventually leak into your food over time.
Uncoated options
Green Living's Eco-Geek and other enviro-experts recommend using other uncoated cookware. Although they can be more expensive, uncoated cookware does last longer. Each has its own strengths and drawbacks:
What’s the verdict?
Non-stick or uncoated? Aluminum, stainless steel or copper? The answer is probably somewhere in the middle. Stock your shelves with a variety of non-stick and uncoated cookware.
Teflon pans can be a lifesaver to cook a quick morning breakfast but the uncoated cookware will last longer, and in certain cases, will make for a tastier, more evenly cooked meal.
Mihira Lakshman is a Toronto based freelance writer.
No comments yet.
Add your comment
Facebook
Digg It
del.icio.us
Reddit
StumbleUpon
Care2
RSS
.gif)
rss