Beware Of Toxic Cookware

A healthy diet is essential for optimal wellness. But if you use the wrong cookware, you could be contaminating your own food with health-damaging toxins. Chances are, you consumed some of these poisons today.

Over the past decade, consumer reports have revealed the presence of harmful, carcinogenic chemicals and heavy metals in aluminum and nonstick cookware. Numerous peer-reviewed studies have highlighted the dangers of nonstick chemicals. As a result, some companies which manufacture nonstick cookware have been battling with the Environmental Protection Agency for several years.

A number of independent peer-reviewed studies have demonstrated that nonstick chemicals are carcinogenic and can cause birth defects and even flu-like symptoms. These concerning reports are motivating many to look twice at the cookware they are using on a daily basis.

The Dangers Of PFOAs

PFOA, or perfluorooctanoic acid, is the main chemical used in the manufacture of nonstick coating surfaces, as well as in materials that are fire-resistant and able to repel oil, stain, grease and water. While this feature might make appear to make PFOA ideal for use in nonstick cookware and food packaging, scientists have expressed grave concerns about how exposure to this known toxin, as well as the 15 other types of potential gasses that can be released when cooking with nonstick cookware, may affect your health. Contact with PFOA might primarily come from consumer products, but frequently also stem from environmental contamination. Several studies show that PFOA and related compounds have been found in tap water, food or air in a number of cities across the country, indicating a highly prevalent risk of exposure. Other studies link PFOAs in the bloodstream with chronic health problems such as obesity and immune suppression.

Aluminum Can Leach Into Food

Although “normal” intake of aluminum is about 3 to 5 milligrams per day, Americans may ingest up to 10 milligrams per day on average. Cooking and storing acidic foods in aluminum pots and pans can cause higher amounts of aluminum to leach into food. Research suggests that using nonstick, aluminum and other chemical cookware products can increase risks of cancer, respiratory problems and other serious health problems in adults and children, including a possible link to the risk for Alzheimer’s disease in the elderly.

The potential link between aluminum and Alzheimer’s disease was first presented in the 1960s. Since then, researchers have suggested a number of other possible links between the two. Aluminum has been shown to be potentially associated with plaques and tangles in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease, and further evidence points to the possibility that aluminum may be involved in the initiation of plaque formation. These and other problematic findings related to aluminum exposure are good reasons to look for alternative cookware.

Protect Your Health: Detoxify Your Kitchen And Your Body

What can you do to protect your body from these harmful and pervasive toxins? The first step is to choose alternatives to replace your aluminum or nonstick cookware. The Seattle-based Toxic-Free Legacy Coalition and other experts recommend cast-iron, glass and enameled cast-iron cookware as the best options. Many people ask about stainless steel, but some published studies have suggested that even stainless steel alloy cookware can leach nickel and other heavy metals into food.

Once you’ve upgraded your cookware, choose an effective method of clearing your body of toxic buildup. A top recommendation is to engage in a gentle and gradual heavy metal and environmental toxin cleanse, using a natural chelation formula made of Modified Citrus Pectin and seaweed-derived alginates. Not only is this combination clinically proven to remove heavy metals and toxins from the body, but it also achieves this goal without leaching essential minerals in the process. Additionally, it prevents the reabsorption of toxins through the digestive tract. When used over three to six months, this natural chelation formula offers clinically proven, gentle detoxification from health-robbing heavy metals and environmental toxins that may have been stored in our tissues and organs for years.