NON-TOXIC KITCHEN ITEMS

👙Breast Cancer Awareness Month💕- pots and pans.

When my sister was fighting her breast cancer her oncologist gave a few suggestions to help her in the fight. One suggestion was to get rid of her Teflon pans.

This can get confusing so let me explain:

What to avoid:

1️⃣PTFE - polytetrafluoroethylene (known as Teflon). The problem is that it can break down with high heat and also release polymer fumes. “PTFE-coated cookware releases various gases and chemicals that present mild to severe toxicity.” (1)

2️⃣PFOA - Perfluorooactanoic acid. The Int. Agency for Research on Cancer lists PFOA as “possibly carcinogenic to humans”. Exposure to PFOA is also linked to hormone disruption among other diseases. In May 2019, 180+ countries joined together to ban the production and use of PFOA’s. 👏🏻 Teflon quit using PFOAs in 2013 to make their surfaces. (2).
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So it’s the older non-stick cookware that was more than likely made with those chemicals. If your nonstick has a scratch, it’s best not to use it.

3️⃣PFAS- (Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a large group of over 4,700 chemicals and that number is continually growing. Even though 2 common PFAS have been banned (PFOA and PFOS) they have been replaced by thousands of other PFAS, like one known as GenX. PFAS should be avoided due to the fact that it gradually accumulates and remains in the body over time. So look for PFAS free (3).

What to look for:

👉🏻Good: Pans with stone linings. Be sure to look for that “PFAS free” label.

👉🏻Better:
Ceramic coated non-stick are becoming more widely available and they work well. Be sure to get one like GreenPan that doesn’t have lead or cadmium, and is PFAS free. 

👉🏻Best:
Stainless steel -Adjusting to stainless steel can take time because food tends to stick until you get used to cooking with it. 

Cast iron - They’re typically budget friendly and can last a lifetime. It does leach some iron. Avoid cooking acidic foods like tomato sauce in cast iron because it changes the pH of the pan and the taste of the food.

👍🏻remember these chemicals can be in baking sheets, griddles, air fryers, etc too!

I keep getting questions from folks about cookware - specifically whether certain lines of "ceramic" non-stick cookware are "safe", so I thought I'd re-share this. ⁠
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Companies who manufacture cookware are under no obligation to tell you what raw materials/ingredients are used to make their products. However, they often WILL tell you what's NOT in them (PTFE, PFOA, etc - although this is not always true). The rest is a mystery!⁠⠀⁠
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Ceramic non-stick falls into this category, and for a few reasons, I do NOT recommend them. ⁠⠀⁠
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Cookware from brands like Our Place & GreenPan (there are many others) *appear* to be non-toxic as they are not using PFAS based coatings, but rather are using silicon-based coatings (they are not technically ceramic). Safety aside here is my main issue: ⁠⠀⁠⠀⁠
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The coatings on these types of pans do not last long... *maybe* 2-3 years if you don't use them daily, likely less if you use them multiple times a day. Every time I share this post, I get DOZENS of comments saying theirs lasted only 6-12 months. No non-stick properties defeat the entire purpose of the pan. ⁠⠀⁠⠀⁠
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What this means is that you then need to replace your cookware every 1-4 years! That is extremely wasteful, unnecessary, and totally unsustainable, not to mention expensive.⁠⠀⁠⠀⁠
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Your cookware should last a lifetime. I've been using the same set of AllClad stainless steel cookware for over 20 years now, and the same cast iron cookware for probably 15 (with the exception of some new cast iron pieces) - they will outlive me because they are well cared for. ⁠⠀⁠⠀⁠
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My favorite non-toxic cookware types are good for me and good for our planet!⠀⁠⠀⁠
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So what cookware DO I recommend?⁠⠀⁠⠀⁠
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My favorites are:⁠⠀⁠⠀⁠
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+ Cast Iron⁠⠀⁠⠀⁠
+ Enameled Cast Iron⁠⠀⁠⠀⁠
+ Carbon Steel⁠⠀⁠⠀⁠
+ Stainless Steel⁠⠀⁠⠀⁠
+ Stoneware⁠⠀⁠⠀⁠
+ Glass⁠⠀⁠⠀⁠
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Head to the link in my bio to see my recommended options or go to www.laraadler.com/cookware⁠⠀⁠⠀⁠
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Have you experienced this issue with ceramic non-stick coatings not lasting long?⁠

Water bottles are a daily use item for most of us.  They allow us to cut back on (single use) plastic, assure you are drinking filtered water (that you get from home) when on the go and make sure you stay hydrated.⁣
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So what makes for an ‘Aida Approved’ water bottle?⁣
❌WHAT TO AVOID⁣
➡️PlasTic⁣
While some plastics are a bit more stable than others… we know that plastic water bottles can leach upwards of 400 chemicals (more if placed in the heat setting of the dishwasher) into our water.  Additionally they can also leach micro plastics - so generally I recommend avoiding as much plastic as possible. ⁣
➡️Aluminum⁣
Often mistaken for stainless steel (which is considered a safe material), Aluminum is not a recommendable material to buy. Aluminum can easily break down, exposing your child to a heavy metal that is considered a neurotoxin-  especially when exposed to acidic compounds (like juice). Because of how easily aluminum breaks down, aluminum bottles have to be lined with an enamel or epoxy layer , usually made of Bisphenols. This Bisphenol is then easily released into the liquid you are drinking. Aluminum bottles are easy to identify because of the inner golden orange lining that stainless steel bottles don't have.⁣
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🌿SAFEST MATERIALS🌿⁣
* Stainless steel⁣
* Glass⁣
* Silicone⁣
* Plastic #5: If your sippy must have a plastic component polypropylene plastic is generally considered a safer and non-leaching plastic. Still, best to hand wash and not place in dishwasher⁣
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APPROVED WATER BOTTLE⁣
🤩Best options⁣
The ones that feature a design where there is no plastic or no plastic comes into contact with the water or with child’s mouth are my preferred options for kids… ⁣
👍🏻Second best ⁣
however I did include a couple with minimal polypropylene plastic…  use these only for an adult or if your child will not chew on the plastic.  Also- hand wash.⁣
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Are there other safe options? Yes! These are just some that I have either used or seen ! Hope this is helpful: full blog gas all the links - via link in profile or stories! ⁣

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to chat live with @daphneoz . It was so much fun and we got to talk all things low tox in the kitchen and covered so so much! 👩🏻‍🍳🧑🏼‍🍳👨🏿‍🍳⁣
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During the live I promised to put together a list of everything we spoke about- especially our product recommendations. While I have other blog posts describing what to avoid and why- this is just a straightforward list you can refer back to when its time to replace that old pan or container. Remember small switches and steps will add up and make a difference in your overall toxin load…. ⁣
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I am calling it my “Non-Toxic Kitchen Essential List” . To make referring back to this list easier for you - all specific product details and links can be found in:⁣
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1️⃣the full blog post ⁣
2️⃣my stories (will be saved under ‘kitchen’ in my story highlights too) ⁣
3️⃣and I will create a direct link to it in my Instagram Bio!⁣
⁣you can also save the post by clicking on the lower right corner under the post! 
If you would like, I can add to this list with time- let me know what other kitchen essentials you would like me to include!

When we got married we received a huge set of all ceramic coated cookware that I’ve used for the last 4.5 years but shortly after we got married I started learning more about the harmful chemicals in cookware (like non-stick coating/Teflon), I knew I wanted to switch out my pieces pretty quickly! Kind of a bummer since I learned all of this right after doing a whole wedding registry.

I first bought a pretty cheap stainless steel pan a few years ago to slowly switch. I wanted to get a feel for using SS & didn’t want to invest in a high quality piece at that time. Last year I decided I wanted to get some more pieces and I’m going to highlight them here. The issue with ceramic coated cookware is that they are just coatings on top of an aluminum core. Aluminum cores are common because they are great as far as the actual cooking goes. They conduct heat evenly but the issue is that the ceramic coatings wear over time and then you have the issue of aluminum being exposed directly to your food. I can attest to this as some of my pieces that are less than 5 years old are already scratched.

The first new piece I got was this Xtrema stock pot. I am loving this one! I use this one when I’m putting dinners together. I don’t cook meat in it but I combine soups, casseroles, pastas, etc… in it. This one is good especially for tomato based meals because the acidity doesn’t work well with SS so this is a better option. What makes this different is that it is 100% ceramic all the way through, not just coated. Xtrema pans do not contain PFOA, PTFE, glues, polymers, coatings or dyes. They are also tested for the presence of heavy metals. It is easy to clean which is also a bonus!

My other new piece (second picture) is my All Clad SS skillet. I use this thing every single week! I cook everything in it from eggs to meat. All Clad pans are more expensive but they are very well made & have multiple layers of 18/10 SS on top of the aluminum core. They are extremely heavy duty & durable. I’ve seen many people say they’ve had their All Clad pans for 20 years! They are an investment but they are worth it in my opinion!

As time goes on I will add more pieces one by one because I love both of these and I’m not ready to toss all of my existing cookware at once. I actually asked for both of these for Christmas so they were gifts- that’s a good way to get new items- save them for birthday/Christmas ideas when people ask!

Should you be worried about toxins in your cutting board?⁣
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While it is definitely not my 1st concern of toxin exposure in the kitchen, it can be a source of some toxin exposure ; after all you are cutting food on them which you later consume. So lets dive in, talk about what to avoid & what to look for, so that when its time to replace your cutting board you can replace it with a 'non-toxic ' one instead!⁣
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👉🏻what to avoid⁣
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❌plastic⁣
- degrades overtime due to use, which leaves grooves where germs & bacteria can settle ⁣
- degrades over time, allowing tiny pieces of plastic to migrate into your food⁣
- often contain antibacterial chemicals like Microban & Triclosan which are endocrine disruptors. overuse of these can lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria.⁣
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❗️bamboo: ⁣
- most are made of pieces of bamboo glued together⁣
- The adhesives used are often melamine-formaldehyde resins, a source of exposure to, among other chemicals, formaldehyde. ⁣
- bamboo is naturally hard & can dull knives ⁣
- almost always use mineral oil. Mineral oil is a by-product of petroleum - food grade mineral oil is “safe” but I prefer non petroleum based alt ⁣
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❗️Epicurean wood fiber cutting boards⁣
These are thin wood sheets glued together with... formaldehyde containing resins.⁣
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❗️composite wood (pieces of wood glued together)⁣
- adhesives often contain formaldehyde⁣
- often finished with mineral oil⁣
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𝗕𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗥⁣
glass & marble⁣
- they dont require antibacteria finishes nor adhesives.⁣
- the down side is that they will make knife blades dull⁣
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𝗕𝗘𝗦𝗧⁣
solid hard wood⁣
- with proper maintenance they can last many years⁣
- wood is naturally antibacterial ⁣
- best woods are maple & walnut. Maple is slightly harder than walnut. Both should be oiled every month or so for optimal performance & lifespan⁣
- note: always ask what is used to seal or treat the wood. Look for wooden cutting boards that use edible safe finishes like:⁣
Beeswax⁣
Carnauba Wax⁣
Coconut Oil⁣
MCT Oil⁣
Walnut Oil⁣
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Avoid :⁣
Lacquers⁣
Petroleum-Based Mineral Oil—even if food grade⁣
@palumba_camdenrose@mamma.mangia@schoolhouse sell some good ones- ( links in blog post) which do you like?⁣

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