Nonstick cookware - Ceramic nonstick

[Mika123]

I have been using Calphalon and Anolon hard anodized for awhile.
I always knew that nonstick was not healthy especially if scratched out that is why my husband and I are very careful and we use only plastic spoons to serve from that pot and if we see a scratch we throw away the pan right away.

I recently heard about the Ceramic nonstick pan and pots, I mentioned it to my husband but he claims ceramic would still stick. Do you know if they use a special treatment on the ceramic too? Is it really healthier than the hard anodized ones? Have you been using ceramic coated cookware?

Any ideas?
Thanks

 

[GB]

You actually might want to relearn what you think you know about non-stick coatings. They are not unhealthy if used correctly. Scratching them does not have any effect on how healthy or unhealthy it is either.

The danger with non-stick (Teflon) is when it is heated too high. When this is done the gasses coming off the coating can be dangerous, especially to small birds, but to humans as well. This would only happen if you heated a non-stick pan empty on high heat for a while. If you use the pan correctly, meaning don't leave it on a burner empty for more than 30 seconds or so, then there is no danger.

If you ingest the non-stick coating, it just passes harmlessly right through your body.

 

[Andy M.]

I don't know anything about ceramic non-stick but want to emphasize what GB said.

Non-stick coatings are not nearly as dangerous as some people seem to think.

If you overheat a non-stick pan, the gases released can give you flu symptoms. It won't kill you. It is life-threatening to small birds. But, once again, only if heated to a temperature well over what you would use for cooking.

You're going to waste a lot of money on pans if you keep throwing them away. Little bits of teflon you may swallow are inert, they slide right through.

If you find info on non-stick ceramic, post a link so we can learn about it.

 

[Mika123]

Here is an article I found yesterday looking for ceramic coated cookware.

Chances are you've probably heard a lot about the potential safety issues with modern non-stick pots and pans and thought about whether or not ceramic cookware is a safe, effective alternative. While non-stick cooking surfaces are ubiquitous these days due to the obvious convenience of being able to prepare food without worrying about it sticking, there are potential perils from POFA chemicals in non-stick Teflon products. Teflon is found almost everywhere, and if the cookware's surface is labeled "non-stick", chances are it contains Teflon to one degree or another. Another concern you may have is a possible connection between aluminum and alzheimers. To be clear, these cookware products are regulated and qualified as safe for use, but chemicals and metals do leach into your food, especially as the cooking surface erodes after accumulating scratches, dings, and dents.

Even if you're not too concerned about the long term health effects of cooking with standard non-stick Teflon and Aluminum cookware, you may just want the fundamental peace of mind to know that the food you're preparing for yourself, your family, and your friends is free of nasty chemicals from your cookware. This is one of the many reasons why more and more people are turning to ceramic cookware and enamel cookware as viable alternatives to the pots and pans everyone uses nowadays.

Ceramic cookware is either clay-based or consists of a metal body covered in an enamel, usually a porcelain enamel that is the end product of melted glass powder. Clay based ceramic cookware is an excellent choice for many chefs and amateur cooks alike because it is extremely lightweight, especially when compared to cast iron. Cheap ceramics and older ceramic pots and pans often broke or cracked after heavy use, particularly after being heated for prolonged periods at high temperatures. New ceramic processes make this a non-issue, and there are many modern clay ceramic cookware lines that are very resistant to cracking and breaking, such as Emile Henry cookware and Xtrema Ceramcor.

 

[Mika123]

You're going to waste a lot of money on pans if you keep throwing them away. Little bits of teflon you may swallow are inert, they slide right through.

.

I don't throw away my pans, I am just very careful and do not scratch them - have been using the ones I have for 5 + years now and they have no scratches.

 

[GB]

I am going to take a guess that the article you posted came from a site that has a vested interest in people buying ceramic over other materials.

The part about aluminum and Alzheimer is fear mongering as far as I am concerned (and this is coming from someone who has had Alzheimer deaths in the family). It has been shown there is zero connection between aluminum cookware and Alzheimers.

 

[Andy M.]

I don't throw away my pans, I am just very careful and do not scratch them - have been using the ones I have for 5 + years now and they have no scratches.

I was referring to your statement in the original post:

"...if we see a scratch we throw away the pan right away."

The internet is huge. Millions of people use it and make statements that are not vetted for accuracy or truth. You can find an "expert opinion" that says anything you want and if you can't you can make up one of your own.

People who read crap on the internet are inclined to believe it because "they couldn't say that if it wasn't true!"

You owe it to yourself to rely only on trusted sites that have not vested interest in a product when seeking information on competing brands or products.

 

[jennyema]

That "article" sounds like it was ghostwritten by The American Ceramic Cookware Council or something.

 

[thymeless]

There are reasons to be concerned about teflon if you intend any high heat cooking with such pans. Otherwise, I enjoy having some teflon in my inventory.

The ceramic based pans have been around a while and are generally very expensive and generally sold in "shows" like home remodeling shows, in home demo like Tupperware used to be or at places like Costco.

Performance hasn't been much better than teflon. Yes it lasts longer but for the price, you can just replace the teflon pan a few times and still come out ahead.

Technology is improving both in materials and application to a cooking substrate so do keep an eye on the market for future improvements.

But don't put make all your cookware nonstick. Sticky pans produce yummy fond and sear that nonstick doesn't and likely won't.

 

[kennith]

Hi,
I'm making a dish that calls for a cover and the only thing I have with a cover is my nonstick pot with a metal lid. Can I use that in the oven at 375 degrees for 1 hour?

 

[GB]

Most non-stick can be used in an oven at 375, but your best bet is to go to the manufacturers website and look there to know for sure.

 

[Bigjim68]

Put a couple of pieces of foil on top of whatever pan you want to use, mold it slightly to the inside of the pot to catch condensation, and you have a lid.

 

[Joshatdot]

Cast Iron .. nuff said

cheep as chips, bullet proof, slick as snot when seasoned right over time.