Is enamel cookware a safer choice?
On One Hand: All Cookware Poses Some RiskAll cookware poses at least a mild health risk, since materials used to make them can leach into food through the cooking process. Aluminum, copper, stainless steel and iron, common cookware materials, all leach trace amounts of minerals. Teflon-coated pans, the most controversial cooking option, may either leach toxic chemicals or leave flakes of the coating in food, if the pans are in poor condition.On the Other: Enamel Poses the Least ThreatThe only hazardous elements in enamel-coated cast iron (the most common form of enamel cookware) is in the glazing materials. The trace amounts of pigments, lead and cadmium used in glazes are strictly controlled in the United States and Canada and provide the least health risk of all cookware materials.Bottom LineAny cookware will leave traces of minerals in the food cooked in it, but enamel poses the least threat. Nonstick pans are not considered toxic until temperatures surpass 500 degrees, as long as t
