The best Eco-friendly cookware of 2022?
The wellness and healthy-eating trends are becoming increasingly popular. People try to purchase clean, organic, and antibiotic-free products. Yet, there is no point in buying healthy foods and products if you are only going to use toxic pans and pots for cooking them. So, what type of cookware is the most environmentally friendly, non-toxic, and convenient to cook with?
Ceramic coated cookware, stainless steel kitchen equipment, cast iron pots and pans, carbon steel products, and pure ceramic cookware are types of kitchen equipment I consider to be eco-friendly and safe. The safety of your cookware is important to your health and your family as well.
In this article, I will discuss the safest materials for cookware out there. I will speak about the advantages and disadvantages of each material. You will also see the comparison of two leading cookware brands – Caraway and GreenPan.
Which Cookware is Best for Cooking?
Harmful chemicals and metals can penetrate our food from cookware, which harms our health. When frequently used, some pots and pans can leave traces of toxic substances and chemicals in the food that you thought to be healthy. Let me discuss several types of cookware to you can use to avoid any health problems.
Ceramic Coated Cookware
Ceramic-coated cookware is nonstick and doesn’t spread chemicals into your food at high temperatures. This type of cookware is a great alternative for traditional kitchenware coated in Teflon – a material that releases harmful chemicals when heated at high temperatures.
When treated well, ceramic-coated cookware is extremely durable. Besides that, the manufacturing process of this cookware is environmentally friendly as manufacturers do not use harmful chemicals in production.
Ceramic-coated cookware pieces might be a little bit expensive, but they are worth the price. There is an excellent selection of ceramic-coated cookware available on the market. I will share some of my favorite picks, such as Caraway and GreenPan. I will speak about those brands later in detail.
Stainless Steel Cookware
Stainless steel cookware is an amazing choice for both professional and home cooks because of its durability. If you take care of the kitchenware properly, stainless steel can last a lifetime. In good condition, this type of cookware is safe and toxic-free.
Take into consideration that any damaged stainless steel cookware should be discarded to decrease your heavy metal exposure. Damaged stainless steel pots and pans will release higher levels of heavy metals and you should try to avoid this at any cost.
When choosing stainless steel pans and pots, keep an eye on Demeyere cookware. Demeyere pans and pots are easy to clean and they retain silver-white shine for many years. Another good brand you should consider is Goldilocks stainless steel set. This set is nonreactive to acidic ingredients and is 100% oven safe.
Cast Iron Cookware
Cast iron cookware is an essential piece of equipment for any cook. It is versatile enough to cook anything from steaks to seafood. Cast iron is literally indestructible, so long as you know how to take care of it.
While using cast iron pots and pans is generally safe, those allergic to iron overload should consult with their doctor or healthcare provider and use cast iron cookware with caution.
Cast iron cookware comes in a variety of shapes and styles, so it can be tricky to decide which one is worth adding to your kitchen. I can share some of my favorite cast iron equipment with you.
Milo Ultimate Skillet guarantees quality heat distribution, even cooking, and durability without the complicated care rituals of raw cast iron. For me personally, it is the best value you can get on the market. There is another budget-friendly option to opt for – the Utopia Kitchen cats iron skillet set. But, if you have no tight budget restraints, I suggest an amazing, high-end Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Signature Iron Handle Skillet.
Carbon Steel Cookware
Carbon steel cookware has been used in France and professional kitchens for decades because of its versatility. In the US, it is becoming increasingly popular due to its durability and lightweight.
As with cast iron cookware, this material may release iron into your food when used to cook with acidic ingredients. Otherwise, carbon steel cookware is safe to use.
De Buyer Carbon Steel Frying Pan is an excellent choice for any home chef. It is durable and easy to clean. This pan offers excellent heat distribution for easy grilling, searing, and browning of foods. Another option I would wholeheartedly suggest is Matfer Bourgeat’s frying pan.
Pure Ceramic Cookware
This type of cookware might be the safest cookware available on the market. Pure ceramic cookware is made with just one material – ceramic. This material is perfect for low and slow cooking. Another bonus for using ceramic is its low carbon footprint.
The downsides of pure ceramic cookware include wearing of the surface, limited heat range in cooking, care in storing and washing, and limits in browning of the meat.
What is the Safest Cookware for your Health?
Whenever I try to analyze and discuss the safest pots and pans, I am surprised at how complicated it is to choose eco-friendly, non-toxic, and food-safe pans and pots that feel right for my kitchen.
There are several nontoxic materials out there. However, each of those products has its advantages and disadvantages. For instance, I find pure ceramic to be the best material in terms of safety. However, this type of cookware has its limitations in terms of temperature range and durability.
What feels most comfortable for me is cookware made from materials that are better understood after a long history of use: cast iron pots and pans, ceramic coated products, and cookware made from stainless steel.
Caraway cookware vs GreenPan – Is It Worth Money?
Before I compare Caraway and GreenPan cookware, I will tell a brief history of those brands so you can understand who they are and where they’re coming from.
GreenPan is a Belgian company and one of the pioneers in ceramic non-stick cookware production.
Caraway is a newly emerged start-up company offering ceramic non-stick cookware that’s colorful, fun, and uniquely designed.
Well, you can see that Caraway and GreenPan are two very distinguished companies with different histories, visions, and directions. Yet, I will compare them in terms of materials, price, and design.
Materials
Caraway Cookware is made with heavy-gauge aluminum with a proprietary mineral-based ceramic coating on the inside and exterior of the pan.
GreenPan has three choices of cookware construction. Their cookware can be made from Fully-clad stainless steel, Hard-anodized aluminum, and Standard aluminum.
As you can see, GreenPan and Caraway have differences in construction. But, both utilized safe, sand-derived ceramic non-stick coating.
Design
GreenPen is a traditional company that offers classic and simple designs. Caraway designs unique, eye-catching cookware.
Price
To be clear, these brands are not super affordable or budget-friendly. Yet, both of them offer an excellent product for the price.
Caraway portrays itself as a higher-end brand with higher prices overall. GreenPan offers a variety of cookware sets at different prices ranges. This wide selection allows you to choose the cookware set that best suits your budget.
It’s quite tricky to choose the better brand because both companies offer the convenience of non-stick cookware without harmful or toxic coatings, and each has its own core strengths.
