What’s your take on the controversy swirling around nonstick cookware? Studies have proven that when a nonstick pan is heated to extreme temperatures, it can produce toxic fumes from the Teflon [a brand name of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)] that can kill pet birds and cause people to develop flu-like symptoms called Teflon flu. Who knew that our government would allow us to cook with a pan that can produce toxic chemical emissions?
But Teflon is also made using Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) a compound that most of us have in low levels in our bloodstream which is a concern as it is possibly carcinogenic to humans.
Is this hype or do we need to forgo the Teflon marvels that make cooking eggs so easy?
After researching the subject, I must agree with the study done by Good Housekeeping Magazine. Their answer is qualified by how you choose to use the pan. If they are not overheated, they are safe to use. But it was amazing how quickly, especially the cheap, thin nonstick pans reach the above 500 degrees needed for the breakdown to begin. The Teflon coating breaks down on a molecular level that you can’t see, and that is when the toxic particles and gases, some of them carcinogenic, are released. The study states that there’s a set of compounds that will come off when Teflon is heated high enough to decompose, issuing the toxic fluoropolymers.
It took less than 2 minutes for an empty lightweight nonstick pan, set on high heat, to reach temps over the 500-degree mark! I often, before this research, would allow my nonstick pan to get hot before adding the French toast or eggs. Now I know that’s a recipe for toxic fumes! What’s more disturbing is that at very high temperature; over 660 degrees and above the pan will start releasing fumes strong enough to cause polymer-fume flu with symptoms that include chills, headache, and fever. If that is not enough of a reason to only use nonstick at low temperatures, are no long-term studies of what the of what Teflon fumes do to humans over prolonged periods of time.
I plan on rethinking how I use my inexpensive nonstick, but the real solution is going to a classic cast iron skillet that you can season to have its nonstick non-toxic coating.
Many cooks that are on a path to a simpler life are passionate about their growing heirloom cast iron cookware collections. There are national clubs of cast iron collectors who swear by their Griswold or Wapak or Le Creuset or my favorite since its available and still made in the USA, Lodge brand of cast iron.
Why cast iron? Well, for one thing, cast iron can take the heat without releasing any toxic chemicals. By using these, instead, you might get a small amount of iron in your body which most of us need for good health. Another reason to use them is for their durability. I don’t know of any Teflon skillet heirloom clubs as we toss them when the coating starts to flake off. Cast iron is next to impossible to break with casted handles that never wear out.
If you are thinking of trying cast iron, then what kind should you buy? I have purchased some cast iron at auctions, but most of my pieces I bought new. That way, I can season the new surface to my specs. I don’t have to worry about hair-line cracks or mystery crud from improperly cleaned pans. There’s no beating an old vintage skillet with a lovely almost silk-like patina inside the bowl. Most of those skillets are true heirlooms passed down to family members.
What are the best brands? The best money-is-no-object skillet is Le Creuset, a French company with their enameled finish that requires no seasoning. I don’t own any, as the price is entirely out of reach for my budget, which brings me to the best all-around brand, Lodge Cast Iron Cookware. It is rated in the top 5 cast iron choices and usually falls in second place only after the more expensive Le Creuset brand.
Lodge Manufacturing is one of America’s oldest cookware companies founded in 1896 and is still owned and managed by the Lodge family. In 2002, Lodge became the first cast iron manufacturer to factory season cast iron cookware.
After the research on nonstick, I chose to use my cast iron skillets, especially the new smaller one I purchased from the wide variety of Lodge products available at Buchheit. Picking just one was hard. I know that a griddle is my next purchase! I am leaning towards a smaller flat griddle rather than the more significant two burner kind that’s great for a larger family. Let me know what you think of cast iron cookware. Send me a photo of your heirloom; I would love to see it!
Hope this is helpful. Stay safe! Anne
