Teflon, a waxy, white powder, has become a staple in household kitchens everywhere. But this nonstick "treasure" may do more harm than good.
Accidentally invented by a DuPont chemist more than 65 years ago, Teflon has been raising some health concerns. A chemical used to produce it, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), has been appearing in people and animals worldwide. One study showed that in 23 states, 96 percent of the 598 children tested, had traces of the chemical in their blood.
Scientists are conducting studies to answer one plaguing question: "Is PFOA a risk to human health?"
Many studies have been conducted using animals, such as rats, to discover the answer. The studies raised concerns regarding:
Scientists have also been collecting blood samples from people who live near DuPont plants located in West Virginia, North Carolina, Minnesota and Alabama. The team's goal is to analyze the samples and discover if there is a link between PFOA, hormone levels and liver function.
Where Does This Chemical Come From?
Some possible sources of origin include:
According to scientists, the biggest source of PFOA is not Teflon manufacture, but telomers, which is a related family of chemicals. Telomers are also made by DuPont and are used to produce grease- and stain-repellent coatings for take-out food boxes, carpets and clothing.
The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has accused DuPont of withholding health-related information about PFOA back in 1981, and could charge them with more than $300 million in fines. DuPont has already agreed to pay $108 million to settle a suit brought by residents near a company plant concerning the detection of PFOA in the drinking water. The company claims they have not broken any laws and have vastly reduced emissions of PFOA.
A suggested solution to preventing PFOA from showing up inside people is to simply stop making the chemical altogether. One toxicologist said, "We're already to the point where it is in people and getting near the point where there's significant risk."
Other well-known brand names containing PFOA include Stainmaster, Scotchgard and SilverStone.
Seattle Times October 1, 2004
Environmental Working Group October, 2004
Why is it that that companies can develop chemicals that essentially persists forever in our environment and never be held accountable to the chemicals' effects on our health?
Instead of worrying if you are heating Teflon products to a dangerously high temperature in fear of emitting chemicals into the air, I think it seems wise to potentially avoid this material all together. However, Teflon products do offer a certain convenience so it would seem reasonable to use them as long as you did not use high temperatures or promise to throw the pan away as soon as it has a scratch in the coating as nearly all Teflon pans are coatings over aluminum pans and the aluminum is something that you absolutely do not want in your food.
Further, I recommend avoiding stainless steel because of the potential aluminum toxicity that has been linked to Alzheimer's disease. Although aluminum pots are probably less problematic than other sources of aluminum like drinking water and antiperspirants, I personally would not use aluminum cookware.
Copper is an alternative that provides even heat distribution. However, I recommend that it never has direct contact with your food.
When you use copper as your cooking surface, it can leach out in excessive amounts. If enough leaching occurs, you could potentially experience digestive discomforts.
Therefore, most copper pans come lined with other metals, creating the same concerns noted above. And copper pans are also extremely costly.The best cookware would be ceramic cookware as the ceramic is inert and will not transfer any metal ions to the food you cook. It is also important to use a stable oil like coconut oil (vegetable oils are easily damaged by the heat) and not overcook your food.
If you decide to go against the warnings, and continue the use of harmful products, plan on discarding most all Teflon coated cookware after about one year of regular use. As soon as a scratch develops on the surface, this cookware will start to leach aluminum, as that is the typical metal used beneath most Teflon coated cookware.
To discover more on the topic of chemical exposure in cookware, I recommend reading Dr. Paul Connett's commentary on this study.
I also recommend Dr. Doris Rapp's highly important book, Our Toxic World: A Wake Up Call, which thoroughly addresses our exposure to numerous chemicals everyday through the air we breath, the water we drink and the products we use.
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Warning: Teflon Can Cause Birth Defects & Infertility Toxic Chemicals Found in Nearly ALL Foods Teflon Chemicals are a Threat to Health Flame Retardant in Furniture Causes Concern Aluminum in Water May Increase Alzheimer's Risk
Warning: Teflon Can Cause Birth Defects & Infertility
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