Your pots and pans are making you sick

Did you know that cookware, which includes pots and pans like Teflon and Tefal which are popular in the Middle East, are coated with something called forever chemicals? These chemicals essentially stay in your body and system forever, and they get into your food when you cook. These chemicals are hormone disrupters, which means they change or alter your hormones and can affect your children’s development, as well as male and female hormones.

It can increase the male's level of estrogen, which lowers testosterone levels and can lead to things like moodiness, weight gain, and abnormal testicular function. For women, it can also increase their estrogen levels which can lead to things like PMS and infertility. Can you imagine what this may do to children who are still developing and are more sensitive to hormone changes during their growth period?

So what can you do about it? Please be aware that cookware like Teflon and Tefal are actually not safe, and some countries have banned their use due to the coating that is full of the forever chemicals. This means- these chemicals enter your body and will never ever leave. They will stay with you forever.

The good news is, there are great cookware options that are safe and healthy to use. For example, caste iron pans are wonderful because not only are they safe, but they also provide iron content in your food when cooked with them- and this may help those who suffer from anemia. Stainless steel pans (not to be confused with aluminum pans) are another great option- they are safe to use and if coated and heated properly, your food will rarely stick.

Also- toxic-free ceramic coated pans are another good option, but please do make sure that if they scratch, you replace them immediately.

The iron caste and stainless steel pots and pans do not scratch easily- so they will last you a lifetime. The more we know, the better choices we can make to improve our health.

Dr. Zeina Alkhalaf, PhD, MPH graduated with a doctoral degree in Maternal and Child Health from the University of Maryland, USA. Her research varies across chemical exposures, nutrition, and population health. She currently serves as Adjunct Professor at the University of Maryland.

Twitter: @drzalkhalaf

By Dr. Zeina Alkhalaf