10 Health Hazards Of Non Stick Cookware

By Ajanta Sen

Thursday, February 26, 2015, 16:21 [IST]

Are you a new bride? Are you very excited in setting your new kitchen? Well, then you must acquaint yourself with the pros and cons of the stuff that you purchase for your kitchen. Non stick cookware is one of the most sought-after items when you shop for your kitchen. Non stick cookware is extremely useful as it uses very less oil to cook foods. Moreover, whenever you cook in a non-stick pan, your food never sticks to it even if you use less oil. Because of all these advantages non stick cooking utensils are used in a majority of households.

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Although cooking in non stick utensils is a modern option, there is a myriad of dangers of non stick cookware. Non stick cookware is composed of PFOA or Perflurooctanoic Acid which is a carcinogenic compound which emits poisonous fumes whenever you cook in your non stick utensils, especially when they are overheated. By inhaling these toxic fumes you are actually inviting many health hazards.

This article puts emphasis on some health dangers of non-stick cookware and by becoming aware of these you can make your choice to either continue using them or chuck them out of your kitchen. The choice will be yours eventually!

1. Thyroid:

PFOA (Perflurooctanoic Acid) is a fluoride compound and fluoride is basically a poison which can trigger hypothyroidism by depressing the thyroid. Thus, frequent use of non stick cookware can expose you to more of PFOA which can lead to hypothyroidism.

2. Cognitive Disorders:

One of the dangers of non stick cookware is cognitive disorders due to the fluoride present in the PFOA emitted from the non stick pots and pans.

3. Bone Disease :

Regular use of non stick cookware also leads to brittle bone disease which can make your bones fragile.

4. Cancers:

The PFOA can get accumulated in your teeth, bones and pineal gland and it can give rise to many types of cancers.

5. Heart Attack :

Studies also say that daily exposure to PFOA can raise the triglyceride levels in your body which is one of the most alarming dangers of non stick cookware. High triglyceride levels in your body can raise the risk of heart attack, stroke and heart disease.

6. Reproductive Problems :

Daily exposure to PFOA is also very harmful for pregnant women as it can cause reproductive problems and several birth defects like lower birth weight, changes in the fetal head size of your baby etc.

7. Immune System:

One of the most shocking dangers of non stick cookware is they can damage your immune system.

8. Liver:

The toxic fumes emitted by the non stick cookware can be dangerous to your liver and pancreas.

9. Kidneys:

Some researches conducted on animals also reveal that PFOA can damage your kidneys as well.

10. Cholesterol Level:

PFOA can also raise your cholesterol levels if you tend to use your non stick cookware more often.

Thus, by going through the above health dangers of non-stick cookware, you must have understood how dangerous they are for our health. Cast iron is an old but quite a better alternative because of its innate non stick property. You can switch to the traditional cast iron pans in order to lead a healthier lifestyle. If you are still not convinced and can't resist your love for non stick cookware, cook your foods on a low flame and avoid overheating you non stick pans over 500 degrees Fahrenheit to avoid the decomposition of toxic compounds.