When I got married oh-so-many years ago, my cookware set was shiny and new. I registered for (and received) the hard-anodized Calphalon cookware, and just looking at my Dutch oven made me happy. But after years of on-the-fly meals that are requisite with raising young kids, I’ve often cheated on my cookware by supplementing it with a nonstick skillet and a waffle pan. Lighter and easier to clean than their hard-anodized counterparts, I’ve abused them without thinking of the consequences. Dishwasher? No problem. High heat? But of course. And when my nonstick skillet began to look past its prime, I simply threw it in the trash and bought another. (Did I mention that they’re cheap, too?)
And then, the news of toxins in the nonstick coating began to filter through the news. The health risks made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end as I recited a litany of “what ifs” in my head. Before I knew it, I was banning anything nonstick.
Why Nonstick Gets a Bad Rap
When describing or categorizing cookware, the phrase “nonstick” refers to a solid coating made of a fluorocarbon called polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), commonly known as Teflon. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), also known as C8, is a chemical commonly used to make PTFE in nonstick cookware, usually when adhering the PTFE to a hard metal base like aluminum.
While PTFE is stable and non-toxic in its solid form, it begins to deteriorate after the temperature of the cookware reaches about 500° F. These degradation by-products may include PFOA, which the Environmental Protection Agency has identified as a likely carcinogen. It has been found to be lethal in birds and can cause flu-like symptoms in humans.
Keeping Nonstick Safe and Reliable
When used over a low to medium flame, nonstick cookware is considered safe because the high temperatures that would degrade the nonstick coating and thus release the harmful PTFE or PFOA are avoided.
To preserve the coating and thus avoid having bits of it flake off in your food, never put nonstick cookware in the dishwasher; always hand-wash it with a mild dish detergent. Also, avoid metal spatulas and spoons, instead using utensils made of wood or silicone.
