Teflon and Eco-Friendly Options

Teflon, that super smooth coating on most stovetop cookware, comes with a high price. When my son was 8 months old, my wife was making his homemade organic rice cereal on the stove in a Teflon pot. One day, as I feeding him, I noticed black spots in his food. Then it dawned on me: The Teflon in the pot was breaking off into my son’s organic cereal (clearly no longer organic). I did a little research, and was not happy with what I found.

According to Eco Mall, an online eco-friendly resource, “Teflon and other non-stick surfaces can exceed temperatures at which the coating breaks apart and emits toxic particles and gases linked to hundreds, perhaps thousands, of pet bird deaths and an unknown number of human illnesses each year, according to tests commissioned by Environmental Working Group.” Basically, Teflon is highly toxic, especially at the temperatures it’s used for cooking on a stovetop. So, what’s the alternative?

First, there’s the old fashioned cast iron pots and pans that weigh a ton but work really well. Or, you can do what we did: Buy stainless steel stovetop cookware and add a small amount of olive oil to the pan so your pancakes don’t stick. Now, you can even buy non-stick eco-stovetop cookware.

One brand of eco-friendly cookware that has a wide range of options is Starfrit. Starfrit cookware is made of 99% recycled aluminum and uses a ceramic powder coating that is completely free of chemicals to make the cookware stick-free. The cookware is also such a great heat conductor that it uses 20% less energy for cooking. It can be cleaned with soap and water and requires no special care.

With so many choices breaking into the mainstream market, there’s no reason not to make the switch to eco-friendly cookware. It’s better for your health (and your pet’s health) and the environment.