Teflon is technically the chemical polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which is defined as a synthetic resin with a high melting point. Teflon was accidentally invented in 1938 and trademarked in 1945. However, this substance wasn’t marketed as cookware until the 1960s. It was accidentally created to be a refrigerant to replace non-toxic substances. Go figure.
Here’s Exactly Why You Need to Throw Away Your Teflon Cookware
Teflon turns toxic at high temps—in fact, at 500 degrees the fumes can kill birds and cause people to develop flu-like symptoms!
PFOA is a chemical used to make Teflon and reportedly “burns off” in the process. However, traces of this chemical are linked to Teflon when using the cookware. This chemical is also a probable carcinogen
Recent research has found that even tiny amounts of PFOA are harmful, can pass through the placenta to children, and accumulate in the body. Even more shocking, researchers have found PFOA in public water systems in 27 states that provide drinking water to 6.5 million people.
In fact, DuPont, the original company that patented and used Teflon in their products (and continues to today), has been sued over their knowledge of this toxic chemical. These claims include a lawsuit from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), alleging that DuPont knew about the toxicity of the chemical and still let it leech into drinking water in towns neighboring the plant.
The lawsuit was settled in 2005 for $16.5 million. These also include 3,500 lawsuits from the people who drank and were affected by that contaminated water.
Health Problems PFOA and Teflon Cause
These people in Ohio and West Virginia surrounding the DuPont plant suffered all kinds of cancers as a result of their exposure to Teflon chemicals. PFOA—which was actually original created by the company 3M and sold to DuPont—has been linked to the following problems:
Cancer
Low birth weight
Early puberty
Infertility and reproductive disorders
Autoimmune disorders
Liver and kidney disease
Thyroid disease
High cholesterol
Respiratory disease
Alternatives to Teflon
Alternatives to Teflon that you can feel free to use include:
Glass: This works great for baking, think Pyrex dishes. They’re generally not meant for stovetop use.
Cast Iron: Works perfectly for oven or stovetop use. This is my personal favorite because it’s so versatile. Plus, you don’t have to wash it.
Ceramic: Corningware is a brand of glass-ceramic baking and stovetop dishes. They work great, either way, you choose to use them. You may also choose to buy ceramic frying pans, so much safer than Teflon!
Stainless Steel: I’m not a huge fan of stainless steel because I can’t seem to get it to stop sticking.
People use Teflon for a reason—it doesn’t stick and minimizes the oils you have to use when cooking.
Did you know your brain is 60% fat? Preliminary research on this subject has yielded tentative results.
So with that, let’s use a little more oil to keep our food from sticking. This is especially true with cast iron, which needs to be well-seasoned in order to prevent sticking food. Once you have a great cast iron, however, it’s like finding true love. It’ll work every time and never lets you down.
My favorite is coconut oil, but you can use a range of different oils. And if you’re a butter fan, you can put a little oil in there with the butter to keep it from burning while you cook your food. A neat trick my chef in college taught me!
It’s a good idea to not heat your pan too hot initially, as this can cause burning and sticking. Cast irons retain heat really well, so once they’re heated, they typically need to be turned on low.
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