12/01/2022
Once again, Mark Hyman speaks to what is always on my mind. There are so many sources of potential contamination throughout our day, and not just in the kitchen. The more we are aware of these things, the more we can do to reduce these exposures.
There’s one really important aspect of healthy home cooking that I find many people are missing: creating a clean, nontoxic kitchen.
Even if you’re dedicated to making a healthy meal—something like grass-fed beef, tons of colorful veggies, nourishing fats like olives and avocado oil— it could be ruined by the chemicals hiding in the pots, pans, utensils, and storage containers you’re using.
Nonstick cookware (think Teflon) is one of the biggest offenders because it often contains poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances, also called PFAS, which releases a harmful carcinogenic compound called perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) when exposed to heat. PFOA poses many threats to our health, from increased risk of cancer to thyroid dysfunction, immune disorders, hormonal imbalances, and more.
To make matters worse, pots and pans with nonstick or ceramic coatings can also leach dangerous heavy metals like cadmium or lead, especially if they are old, which can lead to an increased toxic burden, inflammation, and chronic diseases.
Then there is the issue of plastics. They’re everywhere, from the packaging our food comes in, to the containers we store leftovers in and the many types of cutting boards, spatulas, and serving utensils we stock the kitchen with. This is a big problem since they leach harmful chemicals into our food and beverages. Endocrine disruption, birth defects, developmental issues, and cancer are just some of the many problems that can occur from exposure to compounds like BPA and DEHP found in plastics.
Now, I know this might all seem scary, but there are so many ways you can be proactive to clean up your kitchen and prepare the healthiest meals possible at home.
I get so many questions about creating a safer kitchen that I included an entire section about it in my cookbook, Food: What the Heck Should I Cook? This book was a way for me to share all my favorite recipes, ingredients, and kitchen hacks with you, including everything you need to know about nontoxic meal prep.
