From Conasi we want to contribute to make us more aware of the influence that kitchen utensils have on the food we cook. Therefore, we offer you all the necessary information to make informed decisions and a careful selection of products that do not transmit toxicity to food: bakers, frying pans and kitchenware, knives and cutting utensils, boilers, juice extractors, germinators, mills and grinders: all of them free of Teflon, toxic plastics and heavy metals.
Kitchen utensils and toxicity
Without realizing it, we contaminate our food in the kitchen itself, with recognized toxins such as heavy metals or synthetic products. This is even more paradoxical when organic products are consumed. We buy these foods because they certify us that no toxic products have been involved in any of their cultivation, breeding or elaboration processes and then at home they go straight to a Teflon frying pan, an aluminum pot or a casserole that possibly releases lead.
Intoxication with heavy metals occurs because our body has no systems to eliminate them. Their accumulation produces a slow, insidious and inevitable toxicity.
To make us more aware of the scope of this issue, here is a list of materials that are part of our usual kitchenware:
Aluminum utensils
The use of aluminum utensils or cooking with aluminum foil are factors related to aluminum poisoning (be careful with papillotte and aluminum containers of industrial food).
Aluminum is deposited in the brain and is recognized as one of the factors related to mental disorders such as Alzheimer's among other health problems, although it has not been identified as a direct cause.
It is a material banned for culinary use in many countries, however it is commonly found in restaurant and school kitchens. Only anodized aluminum has received a special treatment that protects it from corrosion and seals it (this material is a different color inside and outside) so that no aluminum is incorporated into the food it contains.
It is a good conductor of heat and a light metal, so it usually forms part of the base of frying pans and kitchenware or diffuser bottoms. It does not present any problem when it is sealed by harmless materials.
Iron is not a good conductor of heat (so cooking in iron utensils requires more energy consumption than with other materials), weighs a lot and has the added problem of the care it needs to avoid oxidation.
As for the possible incorporation of iron in the diet, this is a controversial issue and there is no consensus about the absorption of this iron or that the iron that can be absorbed is really physiological. But the most important thing if you decide to buy cast iron utensils is that the manufacturer can certify that they do not contain lead.
Lead poisoning is usually slow and chronic, leading to gastrointestinal problems, fatigue, anxiety, insomnia, sleep problems and many others. Children are more sensitive to lead poisoning, and it can produce in them, among other symptoms, IQ and attention disorders. Beware also of canned foods and old water pipes with lead pipes.
Enamels and glazes of traditional metal or earthenware pots and pans may also contain lead or other heavy metals. If the glaze is worn or damaged by a blow, the food is exposed to the material in the base.
It is important to always make sure that they do not contain lead and how many layers of enamel have been sprayed on the base. It is therefore a safe choice if the manufacturer certifies its non-toxicity, as is the case with Riess enameled cookware, which is highly resistant, heat-conducting and durable and suitable for all types of kitchens.
Stainless steel is an alloy of iron with carbon, to which heavy metals are added in different proportions to obtain different characteristics.
The well-known 18/10 steel in cookware or cutlery means that it contains 18 parts chromium and 10 parts nickel in its composition. Stainless steel is quite stable in contact with food, but it releases small amounts of these heavy metals into the food, so it should not be used, for example, by people with allergies to any of these metals.
The most advisable is surgical steel (316) as it is more resistant, although it is always necessary to be careful with scratches and deterioration of the surface.
Japanese steel, used for example in Japanese knives, is an alloy of extraordinary quality, lighter and harder and also does not contain chromium or nickel.
For more information on stainless steel, its uses in the kitchen and its toxicity, see the post "Stainless steel in
Copper utensils" are ideal for decoration, but never for cooking in them. For this use we can find copper utensils coated with stainless steel. Copper is the best heat-conducting metal, followed by aluminum, and they are usually part of the diffuser bottoms of pots and pans, but they should not be in contact with the food.
In the case of using iron, aluminum or copper utensils, at least take into account that they should not come into contact with acid substances (vinegar, lemon, fruits, tomatoes...), since the chemical reaction that takes place increases considerably the levels of intoxication by these metals.