Cookware Guide

Choosing the Cookware that’s right for you

Inert, non-reactive materials

Glass:
Glass is inert and affordable, but highly breakable and does not conduct heat evenly. Glass containers are great for storing food, however. Borosilicate glass and soda-lime-silica glass are common types found in cookware. Unglazed glass cookware should be lead-free. The only glass that contains lead is crystal and leaded glass, but it’s not the kind used to produce cookware.
There has been consumer complaints about the Pyrex brand which switched to using soda-lime glass instead of Borosilic, see snopes

Ceramic:
Ceramic is breakable, so you do need to exercise care when using it. The cooking surface cannot be scratched, even by metal utensils and steel wool, and they can endure high temperatures. In North America, glazed ceramics are regulated, and cookware made of these can’t be sold if it releases more than trace amounts of lead and cadmium. Beware of bringing back glazed cookware from other countries as it may not meet our cadmium and lead safety regulation. Ceramic is naturally porous, so ceramic cookware is usually glazed.

Enamel-coated cast iron:
With proper care, good ceramic or enamel-coated cookware will last a lifetime. It is entirely non-leaching. The main drawbacks with this type of cookware are that it is expensive, requires thorough hand washing and is breakable.

Silicone:
Silicone is a synthetic rubber that is now being made into bakeware, spatulas, molds and more. It is the only non-reactive, synthetic non-stick material. It is considered safe up to 428 degrees F. When heated above its safe range, silicone melts. It also conducts heat less efficiently, therefore, using silicone may require you to increase cooking time.

Moderately reactive materials

Stainless steel:
Stainless steel is the least reactive metal, and many people consider it the most versatile and affordable healthy cookware option. However, research has shown that once stainless steel has been scratched, as a result of normal scrubbing, small amounts of nickel and chromium may begin to leach.

Cast iron:
Cast iron is extremely durable and great to use for sautés, pancakes and quick breads. However, cooking liquids or acidic foods in cast iron can leach iron from the pot, which can be desirable or not depending on your daily iron needs.Cast iron is extremely durable and can now be purchased pre-seasoned, ready-to-use. A couple drawbacks of cast iron is that it requires special care (must be preseasoned, never use soap, scour while hot with salt and a little cooking oil using a natural-fiber scrub brush, dry thoroughly to avoid rust- see this guide), is heavy, and is prone to rusting if not cared for properly.

Highly reactive materials

Non-stick cookware
The coating used on synthetic non-stick cookware (even the newer types marketed as “greener” or “healthier”) contains plastic polymers, which when heated at high temperatures, emit noxious fumes that contain chemicals that have been shown to be dangerous for humans and other animals. The manufacturing process of these cookware are also hazardous to the environment. Read more here and see EWG’s PFC Dictionary for a guide to the terms. Also relevant, the film The Devil We Know.

Aluminum:
Leaching is most likely when the foods being cooked or stored are highly basic (like baking soda) or highly acidic (like tomato sauce, lemon juice, oranges, or vinegar). Anodized aluminum with its electro-chemical treatment, has become the standard for aluminum cookware. The caveat is that most are coated with PTFE or other non-stick synthetics (see above).

Copper:
Copper cookware has a coating that is supposed to prevent copper from coming into contact with food. However, this coating can wear away over time, allowing the copper itself to come into direct contact with food, which can lead to copper toxicity.