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We all have our favorite pans. Especially the egg pan to cook that perfect omelets without sticking. The non-stick pan is one of the hardest items for my clients to give up. I always tell them, I never suggest doing away with something without replacing it with a healthy solution on the spot. Why not non-stick?  The non-stick coating is made from a combo of chemicals called PFC’s or Perfluorinated Chemicals which are formed as an unintended byproduct in the production of fluorotelomers that when applied to food contact papers (like microwave popcorn or candy bars) because they are lipophobic: they prevent oil from soaking into the paper from fatty foods. Find out why it’s time to switch to a healthier alternative.

Health issue: The problem with PFC’s is that they will NEVER break down.  They are linked to many health problems including cancer and liver damage.

Where can you find them: Pots, Pans, Rice Cookers, Wax paper, Teflon, scotch guard, water resistant furniture, stain resistant furniture, popcorn bags, candy bar wrappers, to go container linings, carpets, drapes, shower curtains

Remedies: Cast iron, Stainless steel, coated enamel, cloth napkins to wrap food, untreated furniture and play equipment, popcorn popped on the stove,.our own to go containers that are stainless steel, untreated carpets and drapes, hemp shower curtains.

How to cook the perfect egg

Cast iron skillet

1 pat of butter

1 egg

1 stainless steel spatula with a sharp edge

I start with a cast-iron skillet. You can find them anywhere; even the hardware stores carry them. They last FOREVER! You just need to cure them with olive oil so they don’t rust. Next I take butter and heat up the burner on med heat. Once the butter coats the pan (natural non-stick). And by the way some butter is good for you! – CRACK THE EGG (Organic of course). Then when the egg white is no longer transparent, flip. Turn off the burner and transfer to your plate and ENJOY!

Teflon pans are made using the chemical perfluorooctanic acid (PFOA), “a likely human carcinogen” according to an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advisory panel. PFOA was found in the umbilical cord blood of 99 percent of 300 babies born at Johns Hopkins Hospital in 2004. Researchers at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health are now determining if the chemical has harmed the infants by altering their hormone levels. The source of the PFOA’s widespread diffusion into the blood of infants, adults and the environment appears to be both industrial emissions and the use of now-discontinued Scotchgard stain-resistant products.

Recent research, however, indicates, that microwave popcorn may be another source of PFOA in our bodies, according to a study conducted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and published in the October 2005 Food Additives & Contaminants. Some paper food wrappers include fluorotelomer coatings to repel grease with the highest amounts of these coatings contained in microwave popcorn bags. The FDA found that significant amounts of fluorotelomers migrate from the bags to the oil in microwave popcorn. Unfortunately, once in the body these chemicals may be metabolized to form PFOA. Though the amounts from any single popcorn bag are small, because PFOA remains in the body for years, levels can build up over time.

Although a 2001 study published in Nature did not find PFOA in the fumes given off by heated Teflon, it did find greenhouse gas chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). The EWG notes that at 680 F, Teflon gives off six toxic gases including two carcinogens.

Bird-Safety
Because the fumes off-gassing from Teflon pans can be fatal to birds even at very low levels, bird owners are advised to replace their Teflon pans as soon as possible and not to cook with Teflon in a room where your pet bird lives. Bird owners should also be wary of Teflon-lined ovens, non-stick cookie sheets and burners lined with Teflon drip pans. Since birds are so sensitive to these fumes, owners should also make sure that space heaters or other items that operate in the house at high temperatures have no Teflon coated parts.

Alternatives

When you do replace your pans, choose cast iron, stainless steel or enameled iron.

1. KitchenAid Stainless Steel 10-piece cookware set, including 8″ and 10″ French skillets ($149; www.jcpenney.com)
2. Lodge unseasoned Original Finish 10.25″ skillet, ($13.95) and Cast Iron Cooking for Dummies set ($89.95; www.lodgemfg.com; 423-837-7181)
3. Cuisinart 10″ stainless steel skillet ($60) and 7-piece Chef’s Classic stainless steel set ($260; www.cuisinart.com)
4. All-Clad 10″ stainless-steel frypan with aluminum core ($84.95) or 5-piece set ($394; www.broadwaypanhandler.com; 866-COOKWARE)
5. Le Creuset enameled 9″ skillet ($49.95; www.broadwaypanhandler.com; 866-COOKWARE) 

Note:
Since Teflon is only one variety of the non-stick chemical polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) used on cookware, watch out for “non-stick” labeling and ask if the coating is PTFE, even if it’s not Teflon. Calphalon, Scanpan and All Clad’s non-stick pans all use PTFE coatings.For a list of products containing Teflon and related perfluorochemicals (PFCs), see the EWG’s page here: www.ewg.org/reports/pfcworld/products.php

Resource: green guide institute (2006)