Debra Lynn Dadd

Safe Cookware

QUESTION:

What is the best cookware for someone with mild sensitivities? Also is carbon steel cookware safer to use than regular stainless steel cookware. Lastly what is the best (in terms of safest) brand or type of stainless steel cookware out there?

POSTED BY SB :: NEW YORK USA :: 12/11/2006 8:05 AM

DEBRA'S ANSWER:

The best cookware for someone with mild sensitivities...Probably Pyrex and Visions are most inert, but if your sensitivities are mild, you can probably use any cookware.
For an overview of cookware, see ABOUT: Cookware & Bakeware and My New Cookware, and type "cookware" into my website search engine. There are a lot of Q&As on this subject.

Now, to answer your questions about stainless steel and carbon steel.

Carbon steel is used to make woks and I've also seen carbon steel skillets in restaurant supply stories. It is kind of greyish black. Made simply of iron with 0.1 to 1.2 percent carbon and even less manganese, carbon steel can be recycled and often contains about 25 percent recycled content whether it is so labeled or not.

Most pots and pans, cooking utensils, and flatware are made from stainless steel, which has a special ability to resist corrosion. The most extensively used type of stainless steel for household items is made from 71.95 percent iron, 18 percent chromium, 8 percent nickel, and 0.05 percent carbon. Stainless steel products can not be recycled and do not contain recycled material.

Stainless steel is generally considered the best choice for cooking because it is sanitary, nonporous, and the metals are highly stable. But stainless steel leaches nickel and chromium into food, which may be harmful to health, and environmentally, the mining and manufacture of steel is a highly technological, energy-intensive and polluting process. So it's not one of my favorites, considering there are more healthful and environmentally-advantageous options available.

If you do choose stainless steel, as far as I know, all the brands are the same. I don't know of one brand that is safer than others.

Debra :-)

COMMENTS:

Corning Ware has traditionally made a great selection of tempered glass cookware that is a healthy choice. You do need to be aware that it has the unique quality of retaining heat so you have to judge how long you want something to cook and turn off the heat several minutes BEFORE that time you think it will be done. This is no problem with practice. Also, the handles are removeable so that they remain cool and you can use the pot for either cooktop or in the oven. The covers are made of clear glass. I have noticed that Corning has done away with a large part of their line, but you can readily find them at resale shops (i.e., Goodwill, etc.), and it is well worth searching them out.

As far as stainless steel goes, Revere makes theirs with a copper clad bottom that disperses the heat.

POSTED BY ROBYN :: OREGON USA :: 12/13/2006 3:57 AM

I found a restaurant supply company online that sells 18/0 stainless steel cookware. I called to confirm there was NO nickel, they seemed knowledgeable when they said no, and they acknowledged that the pans were magnetic. I ordered a few pots and pans to try - prices are very reasonable. Search under 18/0 stainless and it should bring you to the page with fry pans and stock pots. They also sell a nonstick variety but obviously you would not want those.

the website is wwww.mainesupply.net

POSTED BY LINDA GIELLA :: CALIFORNIA USA :: 05/15/2008 11:53 PM

Hi I am wondering if anyone knows about SandFlow™ and if it is truly a safe product? In my quest for safe cookware I came across this site:

www.cookware.com/View-All-EarthPan-Cookware-C177828.html

that advertises EarthPan pots as safe non-stick because of SandFlow technology that originates from sand.

COMMENT FROM DEBRA: This question came up before and I was unable to get any information on it.

POSTED BY VANITA :: ALABAMA CANADA :: 10/16/2009 12:52 PM

Can you tell me if you know is there a difference between the Mercola and Xtrema cookware? They look the same but have different names, it's kind of confusing.

COMMENT FROM DEBRA: Dr. Mercola is "private labeling" Xtrema cookware under his own name. They are one and the same.

POSTED BY LT :: NEBRASKA USA :: 11/12/2009 12:10 PM

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