Why You Should Avoid Teflon

I do not use pans coated with any Teflon or non-stick surface. Teflon pans contain a chemical abbreviated PTFE that is toxic. Dupont, the makers of Teflon, say that Teflon is safe as long as it’s not heated above 550 degrees. At this temperature it begins to decompose and release tiny particles of PFOA that lodge in the lungs. PTFE and PFOA (one of the chemicals used to make PTFA) has been linked to cancer. 20/20 did a demonstration that showed while frying a piece of bacon it did not take long for the pan to reach 550 degrees.

There is also something called the “Teflon flu” where after inhaling these particles the person gets flu like symptoms such as headache, chills, backache and a temperature between 100 and 104 degrees. It is temporary. Anyone with birds know that you cannot keep birds anywhere near the kitchen if you cook with non-stick because if they inhale these particles it is fatal to them. In light of all this, I have made a choice to not cook with non-stick pots and pans.

There are several good pans that do not have this coating. The one’s that I use now are called Green Pans from Thermolon and you can order them off of  www.hsn.com  I like them because they are a certified “green” product from the way they are manufactured to cooking with them. You can also buy Green Pan from Thermolon at Target. I have the set that first came out and I have had a few problems like after a while things started sticking. They say to not use non-stick spray and I think this happened (I have several persons in/at my household besides myself who use the pans). Also, they cook much faster and you do not need to use high heat and I think that this also happened.

I found another set of green cookware at  www.mercola.com  and I just ordered it. It is a ceramic material (much like the coating on the Green Pans) that is not supposed to leach anything into food. They have frying pans, pots and bakeware. You have to be a little bit more careful with it because even though it won’t crack or break from high temperatures it can break if dropped.

Apparently even stainless steel can have problems with things like nickel leaching into food. Even if you do not have concerns about Teflon, if you are going to buy pans then buy pans that are safer for our environment. By the way, Dupont plans to phase out Teflon by 2015 since the chemicals used to manufacture it are highly toxic to the employees of their plants and to the environment. The workers in the plant in Virginia have had major health problems and children with deformities. It is funny how they keep telling us it is safe but yet plans to discontinue making Teflon.