These days, the nonstick pans are used in the majority of the homes to cook food as these need a little amount of oil to cook food.
One just needs one or two teaspoon oil to sauté the vegetables or the meat, and it is much less than the oil needed to cook in the stainless steel pans.
Apart from being so useful in healthy cooking, the nonstick pans are also very useful in cooking delicate food items like eggs. Often these easily break apart while cooking in any stickier pan.
The potential dangers of using the nonstick pans:
But only a few people know that the nonstickness of these nonstick pans comes from the perfluorocarbons or (PFCs). These chemicals are linked directly to developmental problems and liver damage. Besides, the potential troubles with this cookware come from Teflon-another chemical, which is used in making these.
Teflon is associated with the chemical perfluorooctanoic acid that is mainly linked to cancer in the laboratory animal, reduced fertility level, thyroid disease, and elevated cholesterol among people.
While these nonstick pans are heated up high, the coating vaporizes and breaks down and it releases the toxic components into the air. So, from the next time before you toss out the nonstick pans, count on these following things to make the cooking safer.
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Don’t cook under the high temperatures:
It is advisable that while you cook something with the nonstick pans, never cook the recipes and foods that need high temperatures over 500°F.
The reason behind it is that, after reaching this temperature, most of the nonstick pans start to decompose while emitting the PFOA fumes.
So, in case you are thinking of preparing steaks, then consider using the enameled cast iron pans.
Don’t chip the surface:
Never chip the surface while using the nonstick pans. It is one of the important tips of healthy cooking with the nonstick pans.
Using some metal utensils like metal spatulas can chip or scratch the coating, enhancing the scope of exposing the chemically encrusted surface.
So, it is advisable to use a plastic or wooden spatula for safe usage. Besides, clean the pans carefully.
Never use any metal scrubbers or steel wools to clean these. Rather use a sponge and any detergent as the smooth surface of these pans makes the cleanup really easy.
Don’t preheat the pan:
Preheating the pan is more or less similar to cooking at the high temperatures.
Overheating the pans shortens the lifespan of these pans. So, if you only cook in the nonstick pans, then consider buying the heavier weight pans.
These will not only hold up for several years but also will withstand the heat in a better way. So, this way you will be able to save the cost of replacing the pans frequently.
Be choosy with the recipes that you cook on this cookware:
Though people often think that nonstick pans are safe to cook, still important to be choosy and you should use them only when you need the most. Choose alternate options like cast iron or steel.
Follow these steps mentioned above and you will be able to cook healthy in the nonstick pans keeping all the health hazards away.
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