Is ceramic cookware safe for health?

Ceramic cookware entered Indian household. Beauty in appearance, plus cook & serve purpose makes it a hot favourite of housewives. During old grandma days too, ceramic wares were present, but a bit different. In those days they were made using clay, and not harmful to health. But ceramic utensils which we purchase now, are they safe?

Ceramic cookware we get now are made using aluminium, iron or steel with an enamel coat, with the main substances, silicon and oxide. Both these gases won’t easily go chemical changes when they come into contact with other substances. For the same reason ceramic cookware is generally safe. Ceramic cookware of good quality is expensive comparing other cookware, and it’s one reason why it still remains rich man’s choice.

Ceramic cookware has more advantages than non-stick

They are easy to clean. Even at high temperature, they never undergo chemical reaction. Enamel never mixes with food, and you can use it as serving bowl too. That’s why they are known as cook and serve. They won’t rust or get damaged easily, even after many years.

If we use aluminium or iron vessels for cooking, they get easily mixed with food and affect the structure of blood giving diseases like Alzheimer’s. Non-stick coating has chemicals like Teflon not advisable for health. But Teflon is not found in ceramic vessels. As per the declaration of Food and Drug Administration, ceramic cookware is not harmful to health. Yet printing designs using paint with poisonous substances such as lead and cadmium (present in enamel coating) in the cookware has been banned.  

Tips to retain the beauty of ceramic cookware

Certain points are to be noted for the cleaning and maintenance of ceramic cookware. Never use rough scrub to clean them. Instead use soft sponges. Charcoal and detergent powder used to remove oil content can harm the vessel. Instead use liquid dish washes. If so they are more durable.

Image source: Pixabay

Also read a few topics on safety in kitchen. Here is the page link. Click on the images in the gallery to read.