Suitable material options for cookware and bakeware are available, but there is no substance that meets the ideal criteria. General materials found on the market are metal, aluminum, copper, cast iron, stainless steel, carbon steel, crock pots, and nonstick.

Aluminum is a great conductor of heat, available in abundance, light in weight and very easy to clean. However, it is said that foods that are acidic in nature dissolve some of the aluminum in itself, leading to aluminum poisoning. Saltwater pierces aluminum cookware, making old pots a potential source of arsenic and fluorides. In the long run, our health pays a sad price!

Porcelain enamel coated aluminum and steel are a better choice until the enamel is intact. Good quality utensils will not scratch, have an extremely hard finish, and are well fused to the metal.

Cast iron is preferred by many cooks for its hardness and heavy nature, although great care must be taken to prevent it from rusting. The hardware should be cleaned with table salt to remove grease and abrasions from time to time.

Many health conscious people prefer stainless steel. Relatively inert, compared to other metals, the health effects of these metals leaching from stainless steel are generally not dangerous to the average person, although sensitive individuals may be affected.

Stainless steel itself is not a good conductor of heat and therefore does not heat evenly, causing food to burn. Copper-coated bottom steel cookware solves this problem and makes stainless steel a good choice for cooking.

Copper, while considered a very essential mineral for good health, is also considered highly toxic. Copper toxicity causes tenderness in the calf muscles, nausea, irritability, hyperactivity, fatigue, etc. Therefore, it is important to use copper vessels lined with tin or steel to avoid toxicity.

Non-metallic, ceramic, and glass items are easy to clean and can be heated to fairly high temperatures. Although in their purest forms they are highly reliable, their glazing, decoration, paints, and pigments are of great health concern. Any highly decorated product with these pigments should only be used as a decorative piece and not for cooking.

With the increasing use of Teflon-coated cookware, better known as non-stick, it’s important to be aware of its side effects if not used carelessly. Although they lower the level of fat in our food, they are made from a chemical used to adhere the non-stick coating to the pan called per-fluoro-octanoic acid which causes cancer, low birth weight and a weakened immune system. Leaving an empty nonstick skillet on the stove unattended for more than five minutes can cause Teflon to leach into your food. Scratches and abrasions on the surface will also lead to further leaching.

Being healthy is, after all, the main importance in every home. Therefore, it is not only important to eat healthy, but also to cook healthy.