Ceramic Cookware-The Healthy Alternative

Let us ask ourselves- Are we exercising regularly? Are we eating healthy food? Are we leading a healthy lifestyle free from tobacco and alcohol? If the answers are an emphatic ‘yes’, we feel safe, don’t we? But, I am afraid, we are far from safety, because a lot depends on the pots and pans with which we cook. Unknowingly we may fall victims to several toxins that our cookware may contain/generate. A safe and sure way for a healthy alternative is ceramic cookware. Let us explore the pros and cons of this cookware and why we must switch over to them before it is too late.
              The ceramic cookware can come in two varieties. The first is kiln baked, made of clay and specially glazed. The second one is metallic like aluminum, stainless steel etc., coated with a ceramic layer. Both kiln baked ceramic cookware and metals coated with ceramic layer have their own merits and demerits.
Kiln baked ceramic cookware  
Pros:
  • Best suited for baking and serving food.
  • Eco-friendly.
  • If you prefer lightweight cookware then you can readily go for this type of cookware.
  • Visually very impressive and attractive.
  • Can withstand extremely hot and cold temperatures.
  • Great for storage purposes.
Cons:
  • Lead might be present in the glazing of the cookware which is extremely hazardous to our health. But going for American manufactured ceramic cookware,   which is made according to the FDA (United States Food and Drug Administration) specifications, we are safe.
  • Exposing the cookware to acidic food may reduce its durability and quality.
  • Since they are made of clay, they are prone to easy breakage.

Metal coated with Ceramic Layer
Pros:
  • These cookware are free from  harmful chemicals such as PTFE(Polytetrafluoroethylene) and PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic acid ), which are usually present in non-stick cookware
  • Uniform heating is possible.
  • Like nonstick cookware requires very less oil for cooking.
  • Relatively cheaper.
  • Requires very less effort for cleaning.
  • Comes in wide variety of colors.
  • Durable and highly dependable.

Cons:
  • Heavier cookware, so handling them by the senior citizens is a little tough.
  • Ceramic coating may get eroded on harsh handling of the cookware.


Comparison between non-stick cookware and ceramic cookware

When it comes to comparison, ceramic cookware are much more highly rated than the non-stick cookware. The main advantage of using ceramic cookware is that they are free from the chemical PFOA which is normally present in the coating of the non-stick cookware and extremely hazardous to our health. That apart, the lifespan of the former is greater than the latter.
Points to be noted while buying and using Ceramic cookware:
Low quality ceramic cookware should never be bought because they are cheaper; always go for cookware from reputed manufacturers. Before purchasing, it is safe to carefully check the label and have the assurance that the cookware bought is free from lead. Chipped ceramic utensils should never be used. Careful handling of this cookware is really necessary as they are prone to chipping and breakage.
       Though little expensive, ceramic cookware can put all your health concerns to rest.
So, why not switch over to this healthy alternative before it is too late!
                                          





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