Welcome cast iron pans, goodbye Teflon.........

[Guest guest]

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All the more reason to cook with cast iron pans,

like our grandma's used......... Interesting!!!

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http://www.mercola.com/2004/aug/25/teflon_chemicals.htm "Teflon Chemicals are a Threat to Health"

Dupont recently defended its position about partiallycomplying with federal reporting guidelines on thehealth risks of a key ingredient found in Teflon. The chemical giant has been criticized on many sidesfor its decision not to release all the information itcompiled on perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA),

a soap-like ingredient used in making non-stick

surfaces and materials. As a result, EPA has sought

fines up to $300 million, arguing the company failed to

inform the government and public about PFOA.

 

The concerns: * DuPont concealed its own 1981 research showingtraces of the chemical in a pregnant worker's unbornchild * Ten years later, the company failed to reportevidence that the chemical had contaminated the watersupply of 12,000 people The son of a DuPont factory worker who was born withonly one nostril and other facial defects (he has had30 operations) is one of eight families suing thecompany over PFOA. Although the man recently married,he and his spouse have opted not to have children incase they inherit his condition. Two DuPont experts argued an internal document aboutelevated PFOA levels in childbearing workers and theirinfants wasn't a toxicology report and didn't meet therisk threshold that would've required contacting EPA.In fact, one attorney claimed PFOA and other chemicalswere expected to pass through the placenta. The company also believes EPA is unfair to applyDuPonts internal guidelines to reporting requirementsof higher PFOA levels in local drinking water when thegovernment found three years ago levels could beraised 150 times without posing a health risk.However, a senior scientist at the EnvironmentalWorking Group pointed out that PFOA, like otherfluorochemicals, is in people everywhere, never

breaks down in the environment and is

toxic at or near levels found in humans. Another health issue, 'Teflon flu' causes aches

and pains when non-stick pans are overheated,

although a DuPont spokesperson said the physical

problems are temporary and pass quickly. Yet birds,

particularly small ones like finches and

cockatiels, can die in short order from those

kitchen fumes. A British environmental minister has said his countrywill eventually ban one chemical associated with PFOA,perfluorooctane sulphonate, along with other Europeancountries and in line with the United States. Oneexpert on perfluorinated polymers noted the

PFOA in Teflon to be potentially as harmful

as perfluorooctane sulphonate, pointing out that

PFOA has been recognized as a rat carcinogen for decades. Washington Post August 13, 2004 Telegraph August 8, 2004 Dr. Mercola's Comment: I find it absolutely amazing that companies

can develop chemicals that essentially persist

forever in our environment and not be held

to a higher level of accountability to the

chemicals' effects on our health. One should certainly not heat Teflon to hightemperatures, and it seems wise to potentially avoidthis material all together. Similarly, I recommendavoiding aluminum cookware because of the potentialaluminum toxicity that has been linked to Alzheimersdisease. Although aluminum pots are probably lessproblematic than other sources of aluminum likedrinking water and antiperspirants, I personally

would not use aluminum cookware. After deciding on a safe material to cook in--thinkstainless steel, ceramic or porcelain--it's alsoimportant to use a stable oil like coconut oil(vegetable oils are easily damaged by the heat)

and not overcook your food. ===========

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