Overview
Cooking is an art and cooking food in an appropriate utensil or at the correct time can be considered science. The cooking process is a mandatory phenomenon as it affects the taste of the dish and also the amount of nutrients is going inside the body. Along with the cooking process, the major role of retaining nutrients as well as taste is done by vessels used. If the material of the vessel is good, then the food cooked will also be fine for eating but on the other hand, if the vessel material is not healthy or if it dissolves with the food, then the food nutrients can get spoiled and harm the health. In this article, we will study the harmful effects of one of the most used cooking utensil materials i.e. Aluminum, and what are the alternatives to be used for cooking food.
Aluminum Vessel
Being easy to afford, and good-looking metal, Aluminum vessels are widely used for cooking purposes. These vessels are completely made up of Aluminum metal. These vessels are continuously in use for several decades due to their easy handling and low maintenance cost. But as the researches are done on aluminum vessels, the results come out to show that cooking food in Aluminum vessels is quite harmful to the health and can lead to numerous chronic disorders. Let’s discuss some side effects of aluminum vessels.
Side-Effects of Aluminium Vessel
The Aluminum vessels are prepared from thyrotoxic metal which can give rise to numerous health issues. With time, this metal begins to dissolve in food material and enters our body. Less amount of aluminum in our blood doesn’t give a harmful effect but prolonged use of aluminum vessels for cooking purposes leads to the deposition of aluminum in our body which shows a negative impact on our health. A large quantity of aluminum can act as a slow poison for the body organs and deteriorates them with time. Here are some diseases that can occur by prolonged use of the aluminium vessel for cooking:
- Constipation
- Liver damage
- Paralysis
- Depression
- Eye disorders
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea, hyperacidity
- Osteoporosis
- Colitis (infection of the intestine)
- Indigestion
- Eczema
Aluminium is very toxic for brain cells and induces the risk of various brain health issues such as:
- Memory loss
- Dysfunctions of sensory and motor neurons
- Seizures
- Headache, Migraine
- Tinnitus
- Loss of nerves functionality
- Alzheimer’s disease
Best Vessels to Cook Food
So, the question arising in the mind is that if Aluminium vessels are not healthy for cooking purposes, then which vessels should be used for healthy cooking? Don’t worry, we will provide you a list of vessels that will not harm your health and can be used for cooking delicious food. Take a look at materials that are used in vessels and enhance your health. These vessel materials are:
1. Clay Pots
Clay pot vessels are made up of totally natural ingredients. Using these vessels along with the fire (heat source) is the most ideal and healthy method to cook food. The clay content of the vessel allows the heat and the moisture to recirculate from the food, as it helps in retaining all the nutrients present in the food material. Thus, whole nutrition is conserved in clay vessels.
2. Bronze
Bronze is also known as Kansa metal. The vessels made up of bronze are also very healthy for cooking purposes. In ancient times, these vessels are used by royal families to eat and cook. About 97% of nutrients get retained in bronze vessels. At the time of buying bronze vessels, keep in mind that these vessels don’t consist of any tin and nickel which are not healthy for our body.
3. Brass
The best way to gain all the nutrients is to cook food in a vessel made up of brass material. About 93 percent of nutrients retain in brass vessels while aluminum vessels retain only 13 percent nutrients. But keep in mind that cooking too much acidic food in these vessels must be avoided.
4. Glass
Utensils made up of glass are usually used for cooking in the microwave. The non-reactive nature of glass makes them suitable for cooking. Glass vessels don’t release any material into food or don’t absorb any nutrients from them while cooking. Thus, all the nutrients remain as they are in glass vessels.
5. Cast Iron
Cast iron is also a very good option for cooking veggies and food material. But these vessels need extra care as they can get rust and cooking in rusted cast iron vessels is very dangerous for health. The thickness of iron vessels will help you in retaining all the nutrients.
6. Stainless Steel
The steel-made vessels are very durable, easy to use, and need low maintenance cost. Nutrients can be retained up to 75% by cooking in these vessels. They are easy to afford and versatile in nature. All types of dishes can be cooked in these vessels. You can go with stainless steel vessels as they are very ideal for cooking and common to see in our kitchens.
Conclusion
After reading this article, you get a good understanding of the vessels that are healthy for cooking food. Also, you get a list of diseases that can be induced by using Aluminium vessels. So in order to live a healthy and disease-free life, use the above-mentioned vessels for cooking any kind of food material.