How to Choose Healthy Pots and Pans
Despite the ease and convenience of non-stick pots and pans such as Teflon, many health conscious people are tossing their non-stick and replacing them with healthier options.
WHAT’S WRONG WITH TEFLON?
Non-stick pots and pans are metal pans (such as aluminum pans) coated with a synthetic polymer called polytetrafluoroetheylene (PTFE), also known as Teflon. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), toxic fumes from the Teflon chemical released from pots and pans at high temperatures may kill pet birds and cause people to develop flu-like symptoms.
TEFLON: THUMBS DOWN
SAFER ALTERNATIVES TO NON-STICK
Aluminum
Aluminum from pots and pans can leach into food when the foods being cooked or stored are highly basic (like baking soda) or highly acidic (like tomato sauce, lemon juice, oranges, or vinegar). Aluminum is on the list of top priority toxins in the United States (a list put out every year by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry), and aluminum has been clearly identified as a toxin for the human nervous system, immune system and genetic system. Aluminum has also been linked to Alzheimer’s.
ALUMINUM: THUMBS DOWN
Anodized Aluminum
Some health conscious cooks are turning to anodized aluminum cookware as a safer alternative. The aluminum is treated with a non-reactive hard coating of aluminum called aluminum oxidation, so that the aluminum can’t leach into food, and makes for what many cooks consider an ideal non-stick and scratch-resistant cooking surface. But questions about aluminum in general remain. If the pan is scratched it can leach -so get rid of it. Also, be prepared to spend some big bucks on these pans.
ANODIZED ALUMINUM: THUMBS SIDEWAYS
Cast Iron
Another good choice is going back to the cookware that your grandparents probably used, cast iron, which is known for its durability and even heat distribution. The downside of cast iron- most cast iron cookware needs to be seasoned after each use and this makes it not as worry-free as other alternatives.
CAST IRON: THUMBS UP WITH A LITTLE EXTRA EFFORT
Glass, Ceramic and Stoneware
Photo used under Creative Commons from Janek Mann
Glass, ceramic, and stoneware cookware are grouped together because they all have similar cooking and handling characteristics. This type of cookware is considered healthy as long as it has zero lead content-check any pans with glaze for possible lead. These pans are simple to clean since they can safely be washed in the dishwasher.
GLASS, CERAMIC AND STONEWARE: THUMBS UP
Silicone
When this first came out I was immediately skeptical. All of those fun, funky colors are attractive-but are they safe? The jury is still out. Some claim that silicone does off-gas, and raise concerns that additives may include petroleum or other harmful ingredients. Others claim that there are no known health hazards. I say err on the side of caution.
SILICONE: THUMBS DOWN
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is a mixture of several different metals, including nickel, chromium and molybdenum, all of which can trickle into foods. Leaching will happen only if your stainless steel cookware is dinged and the amount of leaching would be small. It is definitely NOT non-stick. Soaking after use and before scrubbing is a must. Stainless steel cookware is considered one of the best and safest choices in cookware.
STAINLESS STEEL: THUMBS UP
BOTTOM LINE:
Most nonstick coatings presently on the market contain the problem chemical PTFE. Gradually get rid of your non-stick and replace with healthier options. I love All Clad 
Any other cookware you would suggest?
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photo credit: Sharon Drummond via photopin cc
Great list, and thanks for posting it. What about enamelware? Enameled cast iron like LeCreuset? Also, an easy-ish way to clean stainless steel skillets is to heat the empty but dirty skillet until it’s really hot then add a glass of hot water to it–it’ll sizzle like mad, but if you scrape it while it sizzles, all the stuck-on stuff comes right up. Then you can put the skillet under hot running water and wash up with a soapy sponge. Takes no time at all and very little elbow grease
It can also be part of your cooking method, as deglazing a pan does pretty much the same thing.
I use cast iron skillets exclusively, glass for baking (sometimes using the cast iron skillets instead) and stainless steel for my pots, pans and spatulas. Spoons are wooden.
I grew up with parents who loved nonsitick and will never escape the images of that coating flaking off in the food. Totally yuck.
On a frugal note, why spend money on something you will have to replace routinely (nonstick pieces) when an excellent and safer alternative (cast iron, stainless steel) is available that will last past your lifetime?
Hi Annie. Do you have to season your cast iron? I don’t have any cast iron-but would be willing to give it a try. Most of our pots and pans are stainless steel. We use wooden spoons and stainless spatulas, spoons etc… I agree-make the investment in a few good, quality pieces of cookware that will be around forever. I too remember the nonstick and the flaking into the food-especially eggs! Thanks so much for your comment.
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Hi Meg. Thanks for the question-enamel-coated iron and steel both appear to be safe to cook with. Some older enamel cookware contained the potentially toxic substance cadmium,but manufactures have discontinued it’s use. Some countries do not have strict lead and cadmium guidelines so if you bring in glazed ceramic cookware from abroad, be aware that it may not meet permitted levels for lead and cadmium.
Thanks so much for the tip on cleaning stainless steel. I’ll have to try it. Right now it takes a lot of my elbow grease to clean them! Thanks so much for stopping by.
Hi Lori,
I too got rid of my non stick stuff a few years ago. I tried cast iron but find it very heavy and frustrating. It never really feels clean to me. I use stainless or glass exclusively. I do have non-stick Griddle pan that is branded ECOPAN ceramic nonstick cookware and claims to be PTFE free, PFOA free. It says the ceramic coating is non toxic and no toxic fumes were created in the production of the pan. Believe it or not I got it at HomeGoods last year. Love it! I believe its either French or German.
Hi Diane,
I love a good find at HomeGoods! The ECOPAN looks like a good choice-it appears to be aluminum with a ceramic coating. I have never tried cast iron-I like that it is naturally non-stick, but if it’s heavy I could see how that would be frustrating. Thanks for your comment.
I have replaced most of my pans – still a few to go. The tough one is my small 8″ skillet that my husband uses to cook eggs. I love cast iron – but not for eggs. I have started looking into Scanpan. Says it’s ceramic titanium, made in Denmark. Anyone know anything about this one?
Kristina-It is so hard to let go of that skillet! I am not familiar with Scanpan. Just did a quick check online-it looks like it is Teflon? Let me know what you find. Thanks so much for your comment. Happy snow day!
[...] How to Choose Healthy Pots and Pans [...]
Hi Lori, thanks so much for posting this. I have a non-stick wok right now, and am interested in investing in some good eco-friendly cookware. I’m taking your advice! I’m going to look into ceramic cookware. Have you heard anything about it?
Hi Lynn-
ceramic cookware is a great, eco-friendly choice. Some ceramic cookware isn’t cook top safe-it will crack. Some, such as Le Creuset (which is actually enameled cast iron), can be placed on an open flame without any risk. Emile Henry is a good line of ceramic cookware. I don’t have any so I can’t give a personal review. I have a stainless steel wok that I love. The downside: it is a bit heavy and has to soak after use. Let me know what you decide to invest in. Good luck!
Healthy Non Toxic Cookware Sets
With all of the bad publicity that Teflon and aluminum cookware has received, many of us are searching for healthy non toxic cookware. It doesn’t make any sense to purchase healthy whole foods and then cook them in toxic pots and pans.Although stainless steel cookware has been considered a safe alternative, it does have one drawback. Stainless steel cookware is made with a combination of stainless steel, chromium and nickel. None of these are harmful in small doses, but many people are allergic to nickel. If you are allergic to nickel, you should refrain from using stainless steel cookware.Another concern that many people are not aware of is that some glazes used on crock pots have small amount of lead. The recommendation is to use terra cotta crock pots without the lead glaze.The best cookware which is healthy and non toxic is anodized aluminum cookware. The process used in making the hard anodized aluminum seals the aluminum with an extremely hard surface coating which is non-reactive and prevents any aluminum from leaching into the food we are cooking.Unlimitedpotsandpans.com has excellent hard anodized aluminum cookware sets that are healthy and non toxic:These pots and pans are oven safe up to 400 degrees.
[...] still getting used to the new fry pans. Since we swore off Teflon, I’ve yet to get the right balance of butter and heat and pancake batter to avoid filling the [...]
Rachael Ray Store “Bubble and Brown” collection healthy to use. I know you mentioned Stoneware in general is safe to use. Any thoughts?
Hi Ami-Thanks for your question. I am not that familiar with the Rachel Ray Bubble and Brown collection. I took a quick look at the Rachel Ray site and saw “The glazed interior is nonporous so foods won’t interact.” I’m not really sure what that means?? What if the glazed interior cracks? What would the food be interacting with? That was a bit unclear to me. My guess is they are safe to use and there is no risk of lead contamination. If you want to be very thorough before purchasing I would shoot an email to the company to verify that the glaze is toxin free. Hope that helps!
Looking to get new pans myself, what do you think of the Green Pan or the Earth Pan? They both claim to be PTFE and PFOA free. Also what othe brand of pots and pans would you recommend?
Hi Heather-I haven’t personally used either pan. In doing a quick check it appears as though Green Pan has some sort of coating-Thermalon-not sure what it is. Earth Pan seems to have a sand coating? I’m going on intuition here-not a lot of data-but I would stick with stainless steel, ceramic or cast iron. They are known products that have been around for a long time. These “new” technologies are just that-new. Let them work out the kinks and do a few studies before you jump on the bandwagon. I love All Clad-on the expensive side, but lasts forever.
Great round up, Lori. I’m with you on the silicone — just a little too mysterious for me. Plus, baking with glass and metal is so easy, I don’t see why I’d bother with anything else. Stovetop cooking, on the other hand, now that’s more of a challenge.
[...] really been working hard to make my kitchen a “Teflon Free Zone”. The Teflon pots and pans are being swapped out on an as needed basis. The Teflon cooking utensils have slowly been replaced [...]
[...] http://groovygreenlivin.com/2011/01/how-to-choose-healthy-pots-and-pans/ http://healthychild.org/blog/comments/the_ultimate_guide_to_safe_affordable_cookware_bakeware/ [...]
[...] there are many green and non-toxic alternatives on the [...]
[...] much smaller than the spaces found on the grill. The pan is made from one of my favorite materials, stainless steel. It’s also easy to [...]
The thing that is to be described to the context is the quality of the cookware tops, and pans. They contain a huge collection of things, and yet they maintain their quality. At the same time, the le creuset cast iron cookware prices are so low that even the average person can watch, and buy to their hearts contents.
The Staub cocotte cooking pot is perfect for recipes, which demand slow cooking such as stews, casseroles, soups, and roasted meats. This piece of cookware you will wind up utilizing again and again.
Hello, I am convinced, been something I have wanted to sort for a while, however I have a few queries, what about baking trays, many are carbon steel, is this ok or are there alternatives?
[...] a large pot with water and bring water to a boil. I use a big stainless steel stock [...]
I did a search with Scanpans made in Denmark they are ceramic but they do contain PTFE. And the other ceramic pans all seem to have a “special Glaze” some I found were silicone and other metals. I have not found a ceramic pan that does not have this. IF anyone knows of any let me know. I think they have to have a glaze on to keep the ceramic in a pan from breaking. So it makes me concerned of choosing a ceramic pan for health to avoid toxins in other pans. I have read that for some their ceramic pan looses its non stick quality after time, ( not with the scanpan that has PTFE though) but with the others if that is true, it makes sense the Glaze MAY break down over time. So I am leaning toward stainless and enamel cast iron.
BUT I would love any advice on this, and on the ceramic pans.
Also on the hard anodized aluminum ? IS that different if it is Hard anodized, it appears to be. What is the safety with these. I bought a le cresuet Hard anodized small pan two years ago and Love it.
Just need to get a large saute pan and the cast iron is so heavy.
Hi there, Cast iron is extremely heavy, but I do love it. Most of my pans are stainless. In anodized aluminum pans the aluminum is treated with a non-reactive hard coating of aluminum called aluminum oxidation, so that the aluminum can’t leach into food. My concern is with the pans aging and cracking the aluminum can then leach. I don’t know of any pans off-hand that don’t have some form of glaze. Like you, I’m always concerned that the glaze will break down over time.
Hi Lori! Just came across your blog. I am new fan! I can’t begin to tell you how much this article made choosing cookware much easier.
I am a mom of two young children my husband and I were concerned about what we cook our food in. We are on a budget and leaning towards purchasing stainless steel cookware–there are so many to choose from. I saw an affordable one that has a copper bottom but it also had aluminum. Is this a safer choice? What else should I look for when purchasing a moderately priced s.s. cookware? Thanks in advance.
Hi Maria! Welcome. So glad you stopped by! Most of the stainless I’ve come across have aluminum and copper cores. The only concern would be the aluminum leaching through to your food. I don’t that that’s very likely in most stainless cookware since the stainless portion is pretty thick. The risk of scratching and cracking down to the aluminum core is pretty slim. Let me know what you find!
HI, What are your thoughts on Chantal cookware made in Germany I think it is Enamel on steel with now new ones I believe have a copper base. Also the Woll cookware pans. THANKS!!!
Hi Diane, I honestly have never tried Chantal cookware. I would probably look into what the enamel is made from and whether it has been known to scratch or crack. I’m also unfamiliar with Woll. Good luck!
[...] really been working hard to make my kitchen a “Teflon Free Zone”. My old Teflon pots and pans have been swapped out on an as needed basis and filled my kitchen with alternative, safe cookware. [...]
Hi,
and they have held up beautiful, no scratches at all. I like them for stock & sauce pots and such. For Doing eggs I do not have the best luck with the enamel, although I got spoiled by nonstick cookware 
, which I am replacing, along with my Non stick saute pan. Chantal does make a saute pan but I think its a medium size. Too small for what I need. The chantal pans are also very easy to clean up, even when eggs have stuck, I soak it for a bit.. or boil water and scrap it. Although it would be nice to have the ease of non stick or hard anodized which works so well for eggs.
I just wanted to share with you what I was told by Chantal company they said “Chantal cookware is enamel, not aluminum or nickel. Aluminum or nickel are not used in our bake ware either.There is no coating or glaze on the enamel. Our enamel has a slick, glass like surface.”
I have a set of their pans from 20 yrs ago
are “Bergner”/ “Chef Orpeza” ceramic coated aluminum pans ok?
Hi Andrea, I’m not familiar with Bergner/Chef Orpeza pans. Do you have a link I can look at?
Hi,
I’m really looking for safe cookware for my family.
Has anyone found a ceramic griddle?
Hi Jeff, Did you want a stove top griddle or electric?
Hi Lori,
I’m looking for a stove top griddle. My stove top is glass/ceramic.
Just want to make sure my family is healthy and not consuming toxins as much as possible.
Hi Jeff, I really like cast iron pots and pans. I like this Lodge Logic LPGI3 Pro 20-by-10-7/16-Inch Cast-Iron Grill/Griddle. Here’s the link-http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00008GKDQ/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00008GKDQ&linkCode=as2&tag=grogreliv-20
Thanks for taking such good care of your family.
Hello,
I’ve been checking out ZWILLING J A HENCKELS Spirit Thermolon cookware which claims to be PTFE and PFOA free. They are described as 3 ply stainless steel with a thick aluminium core and non toxic Thermolon non-stick ceramic coating. Have you heard of this brand and how would you check for lead before buying them especially. Thanks for any info you can provide.
Yes I’m looking for a 10″ square pancake griddle that’s PFOA & PFTE, cadmium free either ceramic n non-stick or stainless steel. Which brands & stores do you recommend? Would appreciate your solutions on this.
[...] to my three boys, the trick to making the perfect scrambled eggs is using a stainless steel or cast iron pan and not cooking them too long. Yellow with no brown is perfection. We use organic eggs when we [...]
[...] are slowly being replaced with safer alternatives and ceramic pots happen to be on the ‘healthy pots and pans‘ list. Most of my non-stick Teflon is gone- I may have a few cake pans hiding behind other [...]
Great post! It’s comprehensive but succinct. We are cast iron, glass, ceramic and stoneware people, who have never gone for non-stick cookware. Reading this article made me feel good about the healthy choices we have made.
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Glad to hear you’re making healthy choices when it comes to pots and pans. Non-stick cookware-especially Teflon-is something I’ve gradually removed from my kitchen.