Healthy Cookware
Photo From: All-Clad Canada
To fully embrace a clean lifestyle, lets make our way into the kitchen and talk about cookware. Purchasing organic produce is expensive and I was curious about all the surfaces your food touches before you finally enjoy it.
When looking for cookware, that will not leach toxins into food, try to using material like stainless steel in grades 18/0, 18/8 or 18/10. These numbers express the amount of chromium and nickel in the metal. If you have a nickel allergy or if you want to avoid heavy metals from entering your food, please consider getting pans that openly disclose this information.
Some claims on packaging can be misleading so let me explain that not all 18/0, 18/8, or 18/10 cookware is built the same. Certain brands have added a non-stick coating on top of the healthy metals. Any cookware or bakeware that promotes non-stick and hides the materials used, should be avoided. Even if the cookware manufacturer claims to be “non-toxic” or a “greener alternative” they still use confusing jargon like: No PFOA, No PTFE, Cadmium-Free, Lead-Free, sand blasted, ionized, etc.
In addition to the information above, it is important to pay close attention to how the metals are reinforced or forged together. The cookware I am recommending uses a 18/10 stainless steel top layer, an aluminum core layer, and a 18/10 bottom layer.
Avoid:
Non- Stick Coating -No matter what type of coating, just say no! Some labels claim the product is healthier without providing any information to prove that.
Copper Pans -Copper pans have been advertised as non-stick and safe although they still leach metal into food. Yes, every piece of cooper cookware from As Seen On TV to handmade ones release copper into your food.
Copper Core- Another problem with using cooper pans is the uneven cooking temperatures.
Teflon Pans-Do not buy pans that are non-stick as they contain chemicals like: PTFE, PFOA, LEAD, ALUMINUM and more. These chemicals leach into your food regardless of whether you cook at low or high temperatures.
Y Type Handles- These handles still get hot when cooking and are poor quality as a long-term investment.
Helper Handle- Depending on the brand and size of the pan, try to find cookware that does not have helper handles. The helper handles tend to get hot and they often throw off the balance of the pan. Because of this, you end up working harder while handling the pan during or after cooking.
Avoid pans that look like this, which claims to use natural non-toxic coating technology to obtain a non-stick surface.
Pro Tips:
Material- Always contact the manufacturer for further questions if the marketing claims are unclear. This is an investment, make sure you know everything about your pans before investing.
Thickness/Layers- Any pan with more than 3 layers (also known as Tri-Ply), will take longer to heat up. For example, a pan with 5 layers (also known as a D5) can potentially cook your food at uneven temperatures.
Construction: Find a brand that layers all three metals and then compresses them into shape. If the bottom layer is attached after the pan is made and shaped, it loses its even heat temperatures.
Cleaning: Follow the cleaning guidelines from All-Clad. After months of use with our set of pans, we have not had any issues.
Cooking: I recommend using utensils made from: Bamboo or Wood
Warranty: Consider purchasing directly from the retailer for a better warranty.
This picture does not have the right handle however, it does have the right bottom construction for the even heat distribution.
· In Summary
I researched and purchased a brand called All Clad and found their D3 10 Piece Set to be the best. In comparison to the other All Clad Collection’s this set is the most affordable and the least toxic. This Collection met all the standards I was looking for while searching for non-toxic cookware. If the 10-piece set is not enough for your household, All- Clad also offers a 14-piece set. This is in addition to the option of purchasing pieces individually.
Locations in USA and Canada to purchase All Clad 10 and 14-piece sets.
William and Sonoma - You can purchase the All Clad brand with many options to choose from in the US and CA locations.
Bed Bath and Beyond- All Clad 10 Piece set or the All Clad 14 piece set at CA locations.
All-Clad- Use the where to buy feature to locate a store near you.
Hudson Bay- I could only locate the 5-peice set from The Bay Canada
Kitchen Essentials- I didn’t realize how much All-Clad Kitchen Essentials was going to have. The main link is for the All-Clad D3 10-piece set and here’s a link to the All Clad D3 14 piece set.