Cast Iron pans may seem like a relic of the past, but they are still in use today in modern kitchens across the world because these pans have stood the test of time. So with more options than ever, why should you choose cast iron over alternatives like aluminum, stainless steel, or non-stick cookware? Here are just a few of the benefits to be had from cooking on cast iron.
Avoid The “Teflon Flu”
Non-stick cookware is coated with a synthetic polymer called polytetrafluorethylene, or PTFE. This coating can degrade in high temperatures (something kinda common in cooking) and release toxic gases. These gasses can kill pet birds that are in the kitchen while you are cooking, like the canary in the coal mine. They also cause flu-like symptoms sometimes referred to as the “Teflon flu”, long-term exposure can lead to further health problems. If the surfaces are scratched they can flake off particles of PTFE into your food that you will eat. It is said that these particles are inert and won’t harm you, but I’d error on the side of safety on this one.
Iron Intake
While aluminum isn’t as toxic as Teflon and stainless steel doesn’t release any harmful fumes, cooking with cast iron could actually improve your health. Cooking with cast iron can increase your iron intake. Healthy iron levels can boost your immune system and your energy level.
The Price is Right
Cast iron pans of similar size and quality to their stainless steel counterparts save you as much as 60% on initial costs and they wear well over time.
Versatility
Cast iron cookware can be used in the oven, and in an emergency can be used over any heat source including an open wood fire.
Cast iron cookware isn’t still in use today because of a lack of options, but because it is better than other options. If you haven’t cooked on cast iron yet then you don’t know what you are missing, and you might be making yourself sick while you’re at it.
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6 thoughts on “Benefits to Cooking with Cast Iron”
Being a TV talk show host, I interviewed a physician on one of my medical segments regarding the dangers of aluminum…He said that aluminum,, both in the usage of pots and pans, as well as aluminum foil usage, can definitely be a contributing factor to both Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. He also stated that deodorants do not have aluminum as an ingredient, but that antiperspirants do.
I got rid of all my aluminum pans when I first heard about them off gassing fluoride into my food and killing brain cells, I always figured I was a little short on brain cells to begin with – ha ha – at least none to spare. We began cooking on a wood cook stove in the early 70s, think oil embargo. Living in the Black Hills we have much dead wood for FREE, just go pick it up. I noticed at least most of our food tasted better and was more evenly cooked using a wood cook stove, no doubt because the heat is more even. With gas you get a hot spot which is over done the rest may be less satisfactory. With electric stoves, my mother-in-law bless her soul, had no sense of smell, she turned the electric up to infinity and left it. If she was cooking meat you could see the rings from the stove on the meat. What a cook, if it was meat, If it was not black it was not done. Food was MUCH better tasting on the wood cook stove – you did not get it white hot – it was an even temperature over the whole stove top, about 2 feet by 3 feet, you could put lots of pans on it or warm up lots of left overs – of course you did not use melmac plates or bowls. Want more or less heat move the pan, when we went to cast iron I felt better about it, like not getting nickle in my food from the stainless steel. I have seen cast iron skillets sell at auction for $100.00 each 30 years ago, at least double the cost of new. Some folks knew the value of used and well seasoned cast iron at that auction of used restaurant equipment. I supposed I would get some cheap cast iron there – didn’t happen. Cast iron being heavier, even the electric stove cooked better, the cast iron being thicker heated more even, not as good as our wood cook stove but better. We still cook on a wood cook stove I bought from an old lady back in the early 70s, as my youngest son put it, been a lot of trees go through it, and less ground trash to burn live trees in a forest fire. I am James Elmer 🙂 70 if I make it to Apr
How do you think Grandmother back generations ago cleaned her cast iron??? Lye soap and sand. The secret to good cast iron cleaning is once washed-MAKE SURE IT IS COATED WITH GREASE, OIL, OR EVEN A COATING OF NON-STICK SPRAY FOLLOWED BY A GOOD RUB DOWN WITH PAPER OR CLOTH TO MAKE SURE THE SURFACE IS COATED GOOD TO PREVENT RUSTING (OXIDATION) OF THE IRON. Like Timex- takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’! The more it is scrubbed the better the surface smoothes out and doesn’t stick .
My only issue is in the old days a cast iron pan was machined or ground smooth on the cooking surface and the bottom, now they are made in china and all surfaces have the rough sand casting feature. I can bet that is why the old skillets went for $100.00 or more.
How do you get rust off of cast iron
I’m not against cast iron here, actually the same food, same recipe cocked in cast iron tastes 3X better than in stainless steel ( which when cocking eliminates Nickel – an element on which deadly bacteria is thriving!) and 5X better than Aluminium ( which in combination with milk or cheese release a deadly poison called cyanide), but I still wondering HOW TO HELL FIT ONE IN THE BOB BAG?!!!… Because is big and heavy. Any ideas?…