HOT PURSUIT
While I don’t have to worry about detoxing myself from too much alcohol, the kitchen is, well, another story.
The new year has produced some big changes in my kitchen, which, admittedly, has needed an overhauling for quite a while.
Not cosmetic changes to the kitchen itself, though some are needed, but rather the cookware and utensils I regularly use to prepare and store food.
I’m in the process of detoxing my kitchen. And this all comes at the urging of my oldest daughter who has been doing extensive research on the subject.
She has me prioritizing stainless steel and glass cookware over plastic to minimize the potential for leaching of chemicals into food. It has been quite a switch from what I’ve been used to for many years.
It’s all part of an effort to get healthier, look better and live my best life. It seems like every week there is a new scientific study about microplastics in food, Pfas in pans and BPA in plastic containers or any other number of toxic chemicals that can stow away in our food.
Plastics have long been lurking around many of our kitchens. Plastic hangs out in the kitchen before, during and after every meal. Just a few examples to ponder: coffee makers to start the day, sandwiches wrapped in baggies at lunch, spatulas used to prepare dinner and containers holding what will satisfy the midnight munchies.
It’s estimated that all of these things can contain around 16,000 chemicals, and thousands of those are thought to be “highly hazardous.” Chemicals and microplastics can leach at higher rates when they are heated or come into contact with hot food and drink, making plastic even less ideal for kitchen use.
To say it’s frightening what goes on is putting it lightly. The average adult has 700 toxins in their body. They come from the food we eat, the air we breathe, kitchen utensils, plastics and much more. To improve your long-term health the goal is to reduce the ‘toxic burden’ and this means reducing all the toxins that accumulate in the body over time.
To kick things off my daughter bought me a set of stainless-steel pans for Christmas. Cast iron is also a great option. Prior to stainless steel, she got me a couple sets of glass storage containers. And she made sure when employees wondered what to get the boss that I got non-toxic (BPA free) heat resistance utensils to cook with.
I was caught by surprise when my daughter reprimanded me for using nonstick cookware. I always thought it was a good thing to make those eggs slip and slide without sticking. I have found there is a dark side to all of this.
Plastic and nonstick coatings can degrade over time, increasing the risk of contamination. It’s best to swap your utensils for metal, wood and glass alternatives. Scratched nonstick pans, especially pre-2013 ones, should be discarded due to potential perfluorooctanoic and exposure. The Food Standards Agency says nonstick pans are safe to use, as long as they are replaced if the coating starts to peel off.
What about cutting boards?
Plastic cutting boards are a big no-no as they can shed microplastics into food. It’s recommended that a single piece of wood that has not been glued is the best for a cutting board. I’ve already pitched a couple plastic boards, which no doubt shed a little plastic into my food over the years.
I’m off in hot pursuit of continuing to detox my kitchen. After all, keeping healthy is one of the best things we can do for ourselves.