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Don’t Let “Toxic Guests” Hang Out In Your Kitchen

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You’ve decided to eat only organic foods and to eliminate red meat from your diet. In the interest of good health and nutrition, you get up early every Saturday morning and hit the organic market for the best and freshest foods available. Then you prepare them in your kitchen. Unfortunately, you may have some uninvited toxic guests in your kitchen who are trying to foil your efforts to stay healthy.

For example, check out your pots and pans. They may look innocent enough but many are made with substances that can be harmful. Aluminum pots and pans can react with certain foods to form aluminum salts that have been associated with Alzheimer’s, dementia and impaired vision. Non-stick finishes contain Teflon. Because they scratch easily, tiny bits of plastic can be released into food and cause serious health problems over time. The Environmental Protection Agency has asked for a voluntary ban of PFOA, the chemical used to make Teflon, due to its independent advisory panel’s findings that PFOA is a “likely” carcinogen.

Using an abrasive material to clean stainless steel cookware can release small amounts of toxic metals. Glass, cast iron, stainless steel that is not cleaned abrasively and terra cotta pots without a glaze are the best and safest choices. Acidic foods (fruits, tomatoes, foods that contain vinegar) will absorb the most metal, so minimize their contact when cooking. Use parchment paper instead of foil. The shiny side of foil contains a plastic which vaporizes when heated and may contaminate food.

Contrary to popular belief, your microwave oven is not your friend. A study conducted by Swiss food scientist Dr. Hans Hertel revealed significant negative changes in blood chemistry of subjects eating microwaved food. A study conducted in Russia by the Journal of Natural Sciences found that people who ate microwaved food had a higher incidence of stomach and intestinal cancers, digestive disorders, and lymphatic malfunctions causing degeneration of the immune system.

Cleaning products commonly used in kitchens can also create toxic conditions. Instead of reaching for chemicals to clean kitchen surfaces try the following safe alternatives:

• Use baking soda to remove built-up grease on your stovetop. Just sprinkle it on your stovetop, let it sit for five minutes and then scour the surface. Baking soda can also be used to deodorize drains and refrigerators. It can be used to clean and polish aluminum, chrome, jewelry, plastic, porcelain, stainless steel and tin.
• Lemon juice, which contains citric acid, can be used to clean glass and remove stains from aluminum and porcelain.
• Borax is a naturally occurring mineral that is water-soluble. Use it to boost the cleaning power of soap or detergents and also to remove stains.
• Cornstarch can be used to clean windows, polish furniture, shampoo carpets and starch clothes.
• Vinegar contains about five percent acetic acid, which makes it a mild acid. It can be used to dissolve mineral deposits and grease. It can also be used to polish some metals and it cleans out the metallic taste in coffee pots. Vinegar is normally used in a solution of water.

Because Americans spend approximately 90% of their time indoors, it is crucial to make the home environment as safe as possible. Indoor pollutants have proliferated for years, either because modern construction manufacturers use hazardous materials or because consumers do not know enough about the products they buy to make informed choices.

Fortunately, safe, nontoxic alternatives exist for nearly every real need around the home and searching for them may help consumers distinguish between what they really do need and what may be “luxuries” that could compromise their families’ health.