Tefal cookware has gained its popularity because it is non-stick, in addition to being easy to clean and providing good heat distribution. However, there are conflicting opinions about whether it is healthy or not. While many experts confirm that it has harmful and dangerous health effects, others deny this opinion.
What is Tefal?
Tefal was first known in 1956 when it was invented by the experts at the French company TEFAL. It is a black layer composed of Teflon and aluminum, which is placed on the inner surfaces of cooking utensils and pots. This layer provides a lot of comfort. It prevents food from sticking, making Tefal pans great for frying pancakes, preparing sausages, fried eggs, and much more.
Features of Tefal kitchen utensils
The modern woman is looking for kitchen tools that provide her with comfort and speed, and that suit her desire to prepare delicious food in a short time. Therefore, an invention like Tefal utensils has become a necessity. It is difficult to imagine our kitchens without them. Among the most important features of Tefal utensils we mention:
- Easy to clean, as the Tefal layer makes the struggle of cleaning utensils from stuck-on food residue a memory.
- Helping to brown the food in a homogeneous manner and giving it a wonderful appearance.
- Beautiful to look at.
- Distribute heat evenly during the cooking process.
- Possibility of cooking food without adding fat.
Harmful effects of cooking using Tefal utensils
The fact that Tefal utensils contain Teflon in their composition is the most important reason that makes them harmful to health. What are the harms of using Tefal utensils?
- Exposing Tefal utensils to high heat during cooking causes the emission of fumes contaminated with harmful Teflon, which, when inhaled, causes some flu-like symptoms.
- The accumulation of Teflon in the body, resulting from eating food cooked in Teflon utensils, can cause a number of health symptoms, including:
- Giving birth to babies of small weight and size.
- Lever Inflammation.
- cancer.
- Weak body immunity.
- High cholesterol level in the body.
In addition to its great harm to humans, Teflon has very large and unusual harm to animals and plants as well.
Tips for maintaining your Tefal utensils
By following the following tips, you can maintain and use your Tefal utensils without worrying about their potential dangers:
- Avoid cleaning it with strong detergents such as chlorine or using a rough cleaning tool.
- Apply a layer of oil and distribute it over the entire surface of the cookware when using it for the first time.
- Avoid moving food in it using metal spoons, as this may cause scratching.
- Avoid cutting food directly on the pot so as not to accidentally scratch it.
- Avoid placing a very hot pot directly under very cold water.
Tips to reduce the risks of cooking with Tefal cookware
Despite the spread of a number of studies that confirm the existence of various risks of using Tefal utensils, many women cannot abandon them, so we have collected for you these tips that can be followed by following them to reduce the potential dangers of cooking with Tefal utensils:
- Avoid heating Tefal utensils while they are empty, as this will cause their temperature to rise significantly, thus emitting harmful polymer fumes.
- Avoid cooking on high heat and try to use these utensils on medium or low heat.
- Ventilating the kitchen helps reduce inhalation of fumes rising from these utensils.
- Use wooden or silicone spoons when cooking in Tefal utensils; Because metal spoons may scratch them and reduce their lifespan.
- Wash Tefal utensils by hand and avoid using rough washing tools that may scratch them.
- Replace old utensils that have been scratched or damaged as soon as possible.
Healthy alternatives to Tefal utensils
There are several healthy options that you can use in your kitchen instead of Tefal cookware, which pose risks to health and the environment, including:
- Stainless steel utensils
Stainless steel utensils are suitable for frying and cooking food. They are durable and scratch-resistant, and food that sticks to them can be easily cleaned by soaking them in water before washing them.
- Heat resistant glass utensils
It is a healthy and safe option, because these utensils never contain any harmful substances, but their only drawback is that they are susceptible to breakage, so they must be handled with extreme caution and not exposed to cold water while they are hot.
- Cast iron
Cast iron has long been known as a material for making kitchen utensils, and it is one of the healthy options available to you, but you should not cook acidic foods in it because it reacts with it.
- Ceramic
Ceramic pots are characterized by their beautiful appearance. Ceramic does not pose any health risks, but it is easily scratched.
Tefal cookware is found in most kitchens around the world, and you can use it safely in your kitchen as long as it is not exposed to very high heat, or is not scratched.