Repeat after us: I don’t want polytetrafluoroethylene in my meals! I don’t want polytetraflu…in my meals! I don’t want poly…in my meals! I don’t want teflon in my meals!!
Polytetrafluoroethylene, popularly known as Teflon, is a substance that has been used for different purposes, of a very different nature, since its invention in 1938. And although its uses have been many, and some very positive, since then —we will not be who detracts from it- it is true that, in more recent studies, the possibility is contemplated that cooking with Teflon is not the most advisable for our health.
Can you imagine carefully choosing the ingredients for a healthy eating routine while, without eating or drinking it, you are incorporating certain toxins as seasoning into your recipes? How can we prevent this from happening to us? Keeping us informed and well-informed.
To help you in this task, at KUOKO we have prepared a small guide on everything you need to know about cooking with Teflon: what it is, what it is used for and, most importantly, why you should avoid it at all costs and what are its alternatives.
What is Teflon?
Teflon or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a plastic polymer with high resistance to heat and corrosion. In the last century, it has been widely used in the manufacture of coatings, and some of them you wouldn’t even imagine! Among its most surprising applications is the coating of airplanes and rockets.
Another curious fact is that Teflon is actually a trademark. The same thing happened with this product as with tissues and Kleenex, or super glue and Loctite Super Glue.
So what is Teflon in the kitchen?
Due to its flexibility and non-stick properties, Teflon has been frequently used in the kitchen as a coating for pans and pots. However, as we will see below, in recent decades the reliability of Teflon in the kitchen has been questioned, since studies point to possible risks to our health.
Is Teflon toxic? If you eat it, YES
We have already seen that Teflon itself has some characteristics that make it a very useful material in many different applications, some of them as a compound in paints and varnishes, cable or pipe coatings, etc.
But let’s get to the point, is Teflon toxic: yes or no? The truth is that the most recent studies confirm that Teflon, if we ingest it, could be toxic to our body —especially if it is continuously over the years.
At this point, some thoughts like… “Hey, I only cook with Teflon, I don’t eat it!” or maybe… “But, if it’s on the market, it’s because it’s suitable for cooking, right?”
Well, let’s start by clarifying that not everything that has passed the filters of the health regulations has to be completely innocuous. In fact, there are lots of kitchen utensils and products on the market made of plastics and other materials that, like Teflon, can be toxic to our body. Why? As we cook, without being aware of it at all, these materials may be leaching into our food and later becoming endocrine disruptors in our bodies.
By the way, endocrine disruptors are chemicals foreign to our biology that have the ability to mimic hormones, altering the proper functioning of the body and causing damage to our health.
For all this, when we are asked if Teflon is toxic, our answer is: yes, or at least, it is best to avoid it in our kitchens.
What are the alternatives? Choose cookware WITHOUT Teflon
If you want to carry out a conscious and healthy diet, at KUOKO we have some advice for you: if you take care of what you eat, take care of what you cook it with.
Searching for alternatives and Teflon-free kitchen utensils and products means finding out which are the most suitable materials for a toxic-free kitchen. This is where ceramics come into play. Our products and utensils without Teflon are suitable for cooking on the stove and in the oven and are totally made of ceramic, handcrafted in Italy with only high quality natural raw materials.
Why do we choose ceramic as an alternative to Teflon? Our ceramic is a toxic-free and artificial chemicals-free material (cadminium, nickel, polymers, lead, PFOA and PTFE). It is fired at 1,200º to prevent any possible leaching to our recipes.
Thanks to ceramic, we can offer our customers Teflon-free cookware and products that are non-stick, scratch resistant, easy to clean, and can last a lifetime.
Are you looking for Teflon-free cookware? At KUOKO we make it easy for you: we offer you a wide catalog of toxic-free kitchen products. Click here and discover our beautifully designed Toxic-free range.
