Serving Size: 4.82 MB Servings Per Container: 1 In Your Body On Your Body For Your Home For Your Family Seeking Medical Treatment How to Detoxify Your Body Guide to Symptoms A Healthy House Values, Vision & Mission Background & History Staff & Advisors News & Upcoming Events Join Our Mailing List Contact Us Recommended Resources Index of Terms Works Cited This product contains 100% natural ingredients. Easy Pay Pal Donations TNTP Grade A Brain-food More Special Features Home Decor  |  Home Furnishings  |  Household Cleaners  |  Kitchenware  |  Lawn & Garden  |  Plastic Page: 1 | 2 Next This category includes all of the items you use to cook, eat, serve, and store your food. For a list of suggested businesses to purchase more natural products from, visit our Recommended Resources page. Aluminum, Copper & Lead Cookware CHEMICALS CONTAINED: Copper cookware can leach copper (which is toxic) from the surface of the pot or pan that has contact with the food. Ceramic glazes on cookware can contain lead, which is also toxic. Aluminum can leach from pots and pans into foods during cooking, especially acidic foods. Although levels of leached aluminum observed are relatively low, they do contribute to our overall aluminum intake. HEALTH CONCERNS: Lead is a known neurotoxin. Some adverse health effects have been demonstrated from exposure to aluminum. The most controversial may be the much-debated potential connection between aluminum and Alzheimer’s disease. The National Institute of Health says that there isn’t enough evidence to implicate aluminum in Alzheimer’s, but studies have produced evidence for and against the connection. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry lists aluminum as a suspected neurological, blood, reproductive, and respiratory toxicant. TIPS & ALTERNATIVES: Avoid pots and pans made with aluminum or copper on the cooking surface. Use stainless steel, cast iron, glass, and ceramic (only with lead-free glazes!) pots and pans instead. Anodized aluminum pans, which have been treated with a process that “seals” the metal, seem to be safe -- we haven’t seen any studies yet that indicate that chemicals leach from them. Cooking Utensils CHEMICALS CONTAINED: The big concern here is plastic. Utensils made from plastic may leach chemicals in the food – particularly when used with high heat, acidic foods, and oily or fatty foods. May contain bisphenol A, phthalates, polyvinyl chloride monomer, nonylphenol, antioxidants, stabilizers and other plastic components and additives. HEALTH CONCERNS: Chemicals that leach from plastic into foods have been linked to or are documented as causing disruption of the reproductive and endocrine systems, respiratory, and developmental issues, and cancer. [see "Plastics" section] TIPS & ALTERNATIVES: Use uncoated metal utensils avoid ones made from aluminum. Wooden utensils are great too, and ideally you want to use unfinished ones that you can finish with a nontoxic sealer (such as beeswax or something plant-based). Food Storage Containers CHEMICALS CONTAINED: You guessed it. The big issue here is plastic. Plastic containers are definitely handy and durable, but many of them also leach chemicals into the food that they are storing. They may contain bisphenol A, phthalates, polyvinyl chloride monomer, nonylphenol, antioxidants, stabilizers and other plastic additives. HEALTH CONCERNS: Chemicals that leach from plastic into foods have been linked to or are documented as causing disruption of the reproductive and endocrine systems, respiratory, and developmental issues, and cancer. [see Plastics section] TIPS & ALTERNATIVES: Use glass, ceramic, or metal containers or jars to store food. It may seem strange at first, but that’s just because we are so used to plastic containers. Glass is sturdy, it’s easy to see inside, and they clean easily. But the best part of using glass is that the containers are cheap – you get a free one every time you empty a jar of food! If you do use plastic containers, avoid heating them or putting hot food in them. Toss them when they show signs of wear. Wash gently by hand and do not use harsh cleaning agents. Avoid storing fatty foods in plastic containers – instead use them for dried foods and grains. Page: 1 | 2 Next