Chemical Used in Teflon & Non-Stick Cookware Linked to Heart Disease

[John F Kennedy III]

Chemical Used in Teflon & Non-Stick Cookware Linked to Heart Disease


Elizabeth Renter
NaturalSociety
Sunday, September 16, 2012

Further presenting non-stick cookware dangers, a new study published in this month’s Archives of Internal Medicine reveals a relation between PFOA (the chemical in Teflon, used in nonstick pans among other things) and heart disease. While scientists are cautious, as they always are, to say they are definitively linked, some say steering clear of the chemical “just in case” wouldn’t be a bad idea.


According to the study published in the journal The Jama Network, researchers looked at PFOA presence and incidence of heart disease, heart attack, or stroke. About 98 percent of Americans have traces of PFOA in them, those with the highest levels of the chemical were found to have double the odds of heart disease when compared with those having the lowest levels.

Also, those with higher PFOA, had a 78 percent higher risk of peripheral heart disease—where arteries narrow and harden.

Researchers say there is no hard evidence that the PFOA causes heart diseases or otherwise increases someone’s risk, merely that the conditions “co-exist.”


“What we are finding is that high levels of PFOA and cardiovascular disease coexisted for some reason. That is all,” said lead author Dr. Anoop Shgankar with the West Virginia University School of Public Health. “It is possible that we are seeing something that is just a bystander and is there because of confounding associations.”

But this isn’t the first time perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) has been associated or found co-existing with other health problems. The Environmental Working Group has it classified as a “likely carcinogen,” meaning it could lead to cancer. Even the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it was likely to cause cancer.

So, if something causes mutations in cells, as in cancer, wouldn’t it make sense that it could lead to a whole host of other health concerns?

Along with the increasingly well-known knowledge that the toxic fumes emitted from non-stick cookware can make a bird drop dead if it’s in the same room, PFOA has also been shown to cause like to low birth weight and organ specific oxidative DNA damage. Other research published in the Environmental Health Perspectives journal says those with higher blood levels of PFOA also have a higher incidence of thyroid disease.

But PFOA is still found in some nonstick pans—it’s the coating that allows people to use less oil. And with 98 percent of Americans walking around with PFOA in their bodies, it’s definitely something to be concerned about.

What can you do? If you haven’t already, stop using nonstick pans. Cast iron is a far better choice, and will last a lifetime.

original article here:
http://naturalsociety.com/chemical-teflon-non-stick-linked-heart-disease/

 

[Origanalist]

The problem with non-stick cookware is that it doesn't stick. Eventually no matter how well you baby it the shit starts coming off. I never really used it much and haven't used it at all for decades.

 

[Carehn]

I could have told people something bad would come from that stuff years ago. Had no proof. Just some things people should not let there food touch.

Key is... Not having a brain is linked to death.

 

[OrigSEOH]

I have high levels of C8 in my blood... http://www.c8sciencepanel.org/ I don't know if I got it from the water I drank at school or from the peeling Teflon skillets I used for years. Nevertheless, I use iron or stainless now for cooking and preach to folks that Teflon is bad for cooking utensils.

 

[wrestlingwes_8]

Conspiracy I say! DuPont loves us all and would never endanger our health for the sake of profits...

 

[presence]

 

[puppetmaster]

You know it does kill birds and parrots in your home so it can't be good for you. I have used a non stick about ten times.in my life. Lucky for me.

 

[Carehn]

Looks just like my three. Only clean.

 

[presence]

The dog just gave it a once over.

 

[luctor-et-emergo]

I have always disliked non-stick pans. You cannot properly prepare food in them.
Seriously, a lot of cooking techniques are impossible in non-stick pans. But there's nothing that requires a non stick pan specifically.

I like good food and quality products that last a lifetime, therefore I buy these stainless 'le Creuset' pans, one at a time.

These pans are nice and heavy so they don't really move when you stir them, also the quality simply is amazing. The handles are attached using giant rivets, no screws that can fail. You really have to smash them into a wall or something to damage these pans. Cast iron is amazing too, but I only have a big cast iron grill pan and a small skillet, so I don't use cast iron too much.

Thanks for sharing this info, I knew it wasn't ok, but now I can argue with people, lol.

 

[smithtg]

probably a gov't funder "researcher" To everyone touting your cast iron, big deal. Ill die of something someday and im damn happy with my teflon - its my choice.

yes and when you read the article at CNN, those great people at the EPA want to ban this = I love the EPA so much they "save me" from my stupid choices; more like they take away my choices

 

[Zippyjuan]

The chemical is supposed to be at least 95% removed by now and 100% removed by 2015.
http://www.epa.gov/oppt/pfoa/

In 2006, EPA and the eight major companies in the industry launched the 2010/15 PFOA Stewardship Program, in which companies committed to reduce global facility emissions and product content of PFOA and related chemicals by 95 percent by 2010, and to work toward eliminating emissions and product content by 2015.

As the article points out, the higher coronary risk is for those exposed to high levels. Most people are NOT exposed to high levels.

According to the study published in the journal The Jama Network, researchers looked at PFOA presence and incidence of heart disease, heart attack, or stroke. About 98 percent of Americans have traces of PFOA in them, those with the highest levels of the chemical were found to have double the odds of heart disease when compared with those having the lowest levels.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

Researchers say there is no hard evidence that the PFOA causes heart diseases or otherwise increases someone’s risk, merely that the conditions “co-exist.”


“What we are finding is that high levels of PFOA and cardiovascular disease coexisted for some reason. That is all,” said lead author Dr. Anoop Shgankar with the West Virginia University School of Public Health. “It is possible that we are seeing something that is just a bystander and is there because of confounding associations.”

I'm not saying that the gases and chemicals from non-stick cookware don't cause any problems, but I would point out that the presence of these chemicals could also be an indicator of eating more fried foods than other people.

 

[specsaregood]

I'm not saying that the gases and chemicals from non-stick cookware don't cause any problems, but I would point out that the presence of these chemicals could also be an indicator of eating more fried foods than other people.

Do fast food places use such nonstick cookwear? I don't think so but not positive. In which case, probably not.

 

[donnay]

I have always disliked non-stick pans. You cannot properly prepare food in them.
Seriously, a lot of cooking techniques are impossible in non-stick pans. But there's nothing that requires a non stick pan specifically.

I like good food and quality products that last a lifetime, therefore I buy these stainless 'le Creuset' pans, one at a time.

These pans are nice and heavy so they don't really move when you stir them, also the quality simply is amazing. The handles are attached using giant rivets, no screws that can fail. You really have to smash them into a wall or something to damage these pans. Cast iron is amazing too, but I only have a big cast iron grill pan and a small skillet, so I don't use cast iron too much.

Thanks for sharing this info, I knew it wasn't ok, but now I can argue with people, lol.

The trick is to make sure your pan is hot enough before you use it. Once it is hot then you lower the heat and put butter, ghee or coconut oil in it to make whatever it is you are going to cook not stick.

 

[dannno]

I've been avoiding non-stick cookware for as long as I can remember, but I recently bought into the new "Orgreenic" ceramic based non-stick cookware. I kinda like it, at least as an alternative to stainless steel. I haven't heard that these are bad for you, and they don't seem to break down as easily.

It's lighter, easier and smaller to use than cast-iron in the kitchen that I'm in right now, but the biggest reason is because I have roommates. I would normally prefer cast-iron, but has anybody had a cast-iron pan or a good wok and lived with a bunch of roommates? It just doesn't work.. People don't know how to use them and they end up using them because unless you have giant kitchen, storage space is limited so everybody can't have their own set of pans. You try and tell people how to take care of it properly, they lose interest in the conversation about 20 seconds in or forget how to take care of it properly and next thing you know it's sitting in the sink soaking with rust everywhere.

 

[donnay]

I've been avoiding non-stick cookware for as long as I can remember, but I recently bought into the new "Orgreenic" ceramic based non-stick cookware. I kinda like it, at least as an alternative to stainless steel. I haven't heard that these are bad for you, and they don't seem to break down as easily.

It's lighter, easier and smaller to use than cast-iron in the kitchen that I'm in right now, but the biggest reason is because I have roommates. I would normally prefer cast-iron, but has anybody had a cast-iron pan or a good wok and lived with a bunch of roommates? It just doesn't work.. People don't know how to use them and they end up using them because unless you have giant kitchen, storage space is limited so everybody can't have their own set of pans. You try and tell people how to take care of it properly, they lose interest in the conversation about 20 seconds in or forget how to take care of it properly and next thing you know it's sitting in the sink soaking with rust everywhere.

I have a couple of Orgreenic frying pans and they work great. I make flour tortillas with them and they come out great!

 

[Zippyjuan]

I'm not saying that the gases and chemicals from non-stick cookware don't cause any problems, but I would point out that the presence of these chemicals could also be an indicator of eating more fried foods than other people.

Frying is using lots of oil. You use non-stick when you want to avoid or reduce your use of oil. You would not be frying in a non- stick pan.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

Frying is using lots of oil. You use non-stick when you want to avoid or reduce your use of oil. You would not be frying in a non- stick pan.

So nice of our local contrarian troll to stop by. So you know how everyone uses their cookware? Non-stick is used with oil. Many people only have non-stick cookware. As a matter of fact, I help out on a voluntary basis in a kitchen sometimes, and (large) non-stick cookware is used for deep frying. Fill it up with hydrogenated Crisco and fry away.

 

[Mahkato]

If you use quality non-stick cookware with a durable coating, it's not going to come off in your food in any substantial amount. That said, I use mostly cast iron, because it makes the food taste better and you can get a bit of dietary iron from it as well.