It is important to eat healthily, but do you know the cookware you use in preparing the food is also important? It is not OK to eat healthy foods without being concerned about what you use in cooking them. In our markets today, you can easily find different brands of cookware, but the difference between them is the materials they used to produce them.
There are some made with toxic materials, while others are made with non-toxic materials. The ones made with toxic materials are harmful to human health when used over time can result in health challenges.
This is why it is important only to make use of the best non-toxic cookware in your homes. Non-toxic cookware is one that cooks your food without posing risks to your health.
Without further ado, let’s consider the four types of non toxic cookware and what to look out for when purchasing one.

What to Look Out for When Choosing Your Cookware
When you are choosing your pots and pans, ensure that they are made from non-toxic materials like tempered glass, ceramic, porcelain enamel, carbon steel, or lava rock. It is important to know which cookware is harmless and toxic-free when choosing to get one. The materials used in manufacturing and coating determine if it is non-toxic or not.
You might be eating healthy food, but if your cookware is made with toxic materials, you are prone to health challenges. Most non-sticky pots and pans are made with toxic substances that are harmful to humans, and they flake off into your food while you cook. These materials are dangerous when they come in contact with heat, and they can cause thyroid hormone disruption, cancer, and even affect the immune system.
Types of Non-Toxic Cookware
Stainless Steel
This is one of the well known non-toxic metals used in making cookware. Most companies are now making cookware with stainless steel, which has no perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) in it. There are many grades of stainless steel in the market ensure you buy a high quality one or a food-grade Stainless Steel, this lasts longer and does not contain any nickel. If its bottom is clad with aluminum, it heats evenly and is non-sticky as well.
When buying your cookware, consider getting one made with stainless steel because it is one of the best options in the market and has the following advantages.
- Non-toxic, which makes it safe for cooking
- very easy to clean
- it easily retains heat when used in baking.
- Scratch-resistant and high heat retention
- Lightweight and non-stick design
- Durable and even heat distribution
- Does not flame off
However, it is important to be careful when washing your stainless steel cookware to avoid the leaching of metals into your meals. When handled in a harsh manner or with abrasive cleaning agents, this could result in leaching of metals because the lining will get damaged. It is advisable to fill the cookware with hot water and detergent for a while before washing — this aids in removing food particles.
Glass
Glass cookware is a hundred percent free of toxic materials, even when heated. It is a safe choice to consider when getting your cookware. It lasts longer and is free from highly fluorinated chemicals or poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
Glass cookware is eco-friendly. However, it sticks easily; it is also not versatile in nature, it cannot be used in cooking all kinds of dishes, but glass is a good option for savory dishes. Some of its advantages include :
- Green, which is environmentally friendly
- Durable option
- Non-toxic cookware
- Safe and healthier to store leftover meals than in a plastic container
- Retains heat well
- It can be used to serve meals as well.
Ceramic Cookware
Ceramic cookware is one of the safe choice cookware to use; it is made with natural materials, it does not flake off into your food, it is non-toxic. Ceramic cookware stands the taste of time and lasts longer than other cookware. Most companies have produced a hundred percent non-toxic and non-sticky ceramic cookware. This cookware is free from perfluorooctanoate.
Cast Iron
This is one of the oldest types of cookware, it can be traceable way back to the 1990s, it is old fashioned cookware made from cast iron, and it has its form of health benefit. These sets of cookware are durable and affordable. Cast iron is a good conductor of heat, it leaches iron into your food which is healthy for the body, and this makes it non-toxic in nature. It is the safest cookware available even in this modern age.
Some of its pros are :
- It can stand a high heat
- Impressive heat retention
- Does not include any toxic substances
- it helps to increase the iron in your food
Conclusion
Although some cookware may look harmless on the outside, it could become harmful when you start cooking with it because of its make up. Harmful chemicals like the highly fluorinated chemicals, PFAS, are used in manufacturing some cookware that is why it is essential to be selective when buying your kitchen cookware. These chemicals make them non-stick, resistant to stain, and waterproof, but they are harmful to health. So they cannot and should not be considered as an option.