Do you know what’s in your kitchen?

Have you ever looked at your pots and pans? I mean really looked at them? What kind do you use? Why? Are they the non stick/teflon variety?

Did you know that teflon can actually be toxic?

I heard about this years ago and paid it no mind, because what I didn’t know couldn’t hurt me, right? Plus, I can’t afford to just toss all my pans and buy new! But alas, this info has come across my desk again, so I’m finally taking notice.

Take this fact for example: Bird owners have known for years that using these pans at high temps can actually kill birds, as it causes their lungs to hemorrhage. Will it cause the same to happen to you? Most likely not, but didn’t we used to use canaries to help the miners in case of toxic gas build up in the mines? What effects them , may potentially effect us to some degree as these toxins can build up in our bodies. I won’t get into all the boring statistical details, but if you want to read more, you can head over to Environmental Working Group.

The reason teflon and other products may be toxic is that they use a chemical called PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid). It’s found in everything from teflon pans, paper plates, microwave popcorn bags, stain resistant materials, food packaging, and even cosmetics.

In animal studies PFOA has been associated with:

• “Significant increases in treatment related deaths” in rat offspring at doses that did not affect the mothers
• Serious changes in the weight of various organs, including the brain, prostate, liver, thymus, and kidneys
• The deaths of a significant number of rat pups of mothers that had been exposed to PFOA
• Damage to the pituitary at all doses in female rat offspring (The pituitary secretes hormones that regulate growth, reproduction, and many metabolic processes. Change in pituitary size is associated with toxicity)

Other unrelated studies have also found evidence of birth defects in babies from PFOA-exposed workers. In 1981, two out of seven women who worked at a DuPont Teflon plant gave birth to babies with birth defects. DuPont then moved 50 women workers at the plant to reduce their exposure to PFOA. (source)

or this,

Better alternatives for cooking are going to be cast iron and stainless steel. (and glass for baking) And when you really sit down and think about it, buying cast iron or stainless steel really is a better bargain seeing as how they last so much longer. We even have cast iron pans from Todd’s grandma that are still usable today and they are old pans! My non-stick pans lasted only a few years before they got to the point you see above. I had to replace them anyways, so why not replace them with a better alternative that’s healthier for my family? I still have a few non-stick pans that I’ll be phasing out when money allows, (or Christmas comes around..hint, hint!) but for now they’re all I’ve got. For the most part I use my large stainless steel for any frying, etc. and my small cast iron pan for eggs. What I would really like to replace is my large teflon pot and my cookie sheets.

If you must use your non stick pans or can’t afford to replace them yet, use them as safely as possible. To keep any Teflon pans you currently have in good condition to lower the risk of toxic fumes and pieces breaking off into your food follow these tips:

• Don’t put these pans in the dishwasher, hand wash only
• Use at lower temperatures than you would normally, to cook food slower
• Don’t allow food to sit in them once cooked
• Don’t use metal utensils in them, and use wood instead of plastic.

And if you can’t get over the fact that you’ll have to use butter or oil while cooking/baking, think of this: Better to eat a little butter than a little teflon!

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