Is aluminum cookware harmful

The benefits and harms of aluminum cookware have been discussed for many years. Despite the large number of opponents, pans and pans continue to be used. The demand for aluminum products is growing. Modern utensils have acquired a beautiful look, the assortment has increased. Food grade aluminum has beneficial properties, but can be harmful if used improperly. How useful and harmful are dishes made of this light metal, we will now try to find out.

What is aluminum

To find out what harm and benefit aluminum can bring, let's get acquainted with this metal. There are four main qualities:

• easy;
• soft;
• does not rust;
• has good thermal conductivity.

The listed properties of the metal already confirm the benefits of the final product. Lightweight aluminum cookware is easy to use. The hostess does not have to pull heavy pots and pans. Due to its softness and plasticity, the material is easy to process, which significantly reduces the cost of a kitchen item. Aluminum does not rust, but is covered only with an oxide film that is safe for humans. This is a huge benefit to the cooked meal. High thermal conductivity is the most useful property of the material. Dishes cook faster, and less energy is used to heat the dishes.

Aluminum alloys used for tableware production

The properties of modern aluminum cookware differ depending on the composition of the raw materials. For the production of kitchen items are used:

• Primary metal grade A5... Pure food grade aluminum has excellent thermal conductivity, but it is very soft. To give products strength, additional elements are added to the metal. The resulting alloys (AK7, AK9, etc.) are safe for health, while retaining the beneficial properties of aluminum.
• Aluminum cast iron... The alloy inherited the best properties of two metals: heat capacity, corrosion resistance. Thick-walled kitchen items are made from raw materials: cauldrons, pans, ducklings.
  
  Important! The benefit of aluminum cast iron is that the kitchen item is lightweight. At the same time, the properties of cast iron are preserved - high heat capacity. Food cooked in aluminum pans burns less, and may even remain for a short time to preserve.
• Bimetallic alloy. The raw material is used for stamping kitchen items. Basically, the material is sheets of aluminum and steel. Pots, teapots, ladles retain an important property - thermal conductivity. However, due to steel, the walls of objects have become stronger and less porous.

If we talk about old aluminum cookware, the harm and benefits will be the same as from new modern kitchen appliances. Previously, pure food grade aluminum without additives was most often used for production, as evidenced by the rapid appearance of dents in pots when dropped or hit.

Production technology

The properties of the cookware may vary depending on the technology of its production:

• The technology of sheet production is called stamping. The product is “squeezed out” from the sheet. After shaping the object, it is finished. Stamping is done by stamping or forging. The cheapest dishes are made by the minting method. The object is squeezed out of the sheet with a rotating blank of the machine. Disadvantage - the positive properties of the metal are lost. Thermal conductivity and strength deteriorate. The minting method is used to make thin-walled dishes, in which the bottom is often reinforced with an anti-deformation disk. Forging is used in the production of expensive tableware. The technology improves the properties of aluminum: it increases thermal conductivity and strength.
  
• The most expensive technology is based on the casting method. The molten aluminum alloy is poured into molds. The technology allows you to fully preserve all the positive properties of aluminum. The walls of the dishes are thick, durable, and difficult to deform.

The bottom of a saucepan, ladle or other product can be multi-layered. The invention is very useful as it reduces the likelihood of burning food. The bottom is less deformed when overheated, less often it burns out. A thick aluminum plate is used as an additional layer. If the cookware is intended for an induction cooker, then an additional plate is installed from a copper alloy.

It has been proven that cooking acidic dishes in aluminum dishes is harmful, as the metal releases toxic substances during the reaction. This is where the non-stick coating comes in. A useful invention is not only invented to prevent sticking. The non-stick coating prevents aluminum from coming into contact with food. The dishes retain only useful properties, even when cooking compote or other sour dishes.

The non-stick coating is applied by rolling or spraying. The second layer has more useful properties. The rolled coating is applied to the sheet. After stamping, a lot of microcracks appear. Spraying is performed only on finished dishes. The more protective layers there are, the better the properties of the non-stick coating and the greater the benefits of it.

The protective layer is of three types:

1. Ceramics. The protective layer has a negative property - it reacts poorly to prolonged contact with liquid. The remaining compote or soup will have to be poured into another storage container.
2. Teflon. The cover is capricious. Do not use metal spoons or ladles to avoid scratches.
3. Mineral stone. The most practical coating, if there is no fake.

Any protective coating is useful, but such dishes become whimsical to care for and require more careful storage.

Modern aluminum cookware in everyday life has an attractive appearance. The decorative coating gives beauty. This could be:

• enamel;
• varnish;
• spray-applied porcelain slurry, fired;
• anodizing.

The benefit of a decorative coating is to maintain an attractive appearance. No harm to food, since there is no direct contact. A decorative coating is applied to the outside of the aluminum cookware.

Cheap products don't cover anything. They can only be sanded. The new saucepan will shine, but after a few uses, the walls will become dull.

Advantages and benefits of aluminum cookware

The main advantage of aluminum kitchen items is that they do not harm the prepared dishes. The resulting oxide film prevents the metal from reacting with food.Even acidic foods can be cooked with a non-stick coating.

The main advantages and benefits are confirmed by the following facts:

• good thermal conductivity;
• uniform heating;
• low cost;
• light weight.

It is convenient to place aluminum kitchen items on the shelves in large quantities, as they will not collapse due to their light weight.

Why aluminum cookware is harmful to health

There are many myths invented by people themselves about the dangers of aluminum cookware for the human body. The World Medical Organization has proved that the metal used in production is not a carcinogen. Aluminum does not cause cancer. The ingress of metal into the body is negligible, and then on condition that the dishes are used without a non-stick layer. You can talk about harm if you use kitchen items incorrectly. Sour foods should not be cooked without a non-stick coating. Ignoring this rule will result in food poisoning in the worst case.

The video tells about the benefits and harms of aluminum kitchen items:

Rules for the use of aluminum cookware

In order for the dishes to be more useful than harmful, you must be able to use them correctly. Do not clean with abrasive products and scouring pads made of metal shavings. In the absence of a protective layer, non-acidic food can be cooked but not stored. If the food is burnt, soak is performed. For washing, use a soft sponge, helium products.

Is it possible to cook jam in an aluminum dish

When cooking jam, aluminum dishes will do harm if there is no non-stick coating. First, there is a threat of burning the bottom. Secondly, fruits give off acid, and jam is often boiled in 3-4 passes. However, there are quick recipes - "five minutes". This jam can be cooked in any aluminum bowl.

Is it possible to salt in an aluminum dish

Aluminum pots are not suitable for pickles and marinades. Vegetables release acid. In addition, many recipes are based on vinegar. You can't even salt fish in aluminum dishes. It is optimal to perform salting in enamel containers or wooden barrels. Sometimes containers made of food grade plastic are used.

Sour dishes in aluminum dishes

Contact of the acid with aluminum ends with the release of metal into food. First courses with tomato, compote, jelly are best cooked in other dishes. The only exceptions are pans with a protective coating. An acidic dish can be prepared without harm to health, but it is better to place it in another container for storage.

What can be cooked in aluminum cookware

Aluminum pots will not harm if cooked in them with a minimum acid content. It can be boiled pasta, potatoes, meat, fish. You can fry eggs, meat and fish products in a frying pan. After cooking, food is immediately transferred to plates or placed in another container. Any food can be cooked with a protective layer.

Why products cannot be stored in aluminum dishes

Aluminum does not have any benefit on the human body. During long-term storage, the product continues to come into contact with metal. The concentration of oxidized particles in food increases. It is better to immediately pour the prepared dish into another container.

How to clean aluminum cookware at home

Immediately after purchase, an aluminum kitchen item should be boiled by adding 5 tsp per 1 liter of water. salt. If the walls darken after cooking, rinsing in water with added ammonia will help restore the shine. You can try rubbing the walls with a soft cloth and dry powder for cleaning your teeth.

If stains appear on aluminum dishes, they are washed with an apple cut in half. Remove dark plaque with a damp washcloth moistened with vinegar. Immediately after cleaning, wash the aluminum object with clean water. Washing with water with dissolved borax at the rate of 1 l / 1 tbsp will help to return the shine. l. Burnt food is removed only by soaking for a day.

The video tells about the cleaning rules:

Selection and storage of aluminum dishes

When choosing aluminum cookware, the following criteria are followed:

• Volume. The parameter depends entirely on the number of family members, prepared meals.
• Bottom size. The optimal diameter is from 20 to 24 cm. For an electric stove, it is advisable to select a bottom, approximately the same size as the burner.
• Wall thickness. For conventional cooking, use thin-walled pots. It is better to fry or simmer in a thick-walled container.
• Non-stick coating. An expensive kitchen appliance is chosen for preparing sour dishes. Boil pasta, boil water or milk in an ordinary saucepan.
• The presence of a cover. It must come with a saucepan. The frying pan may not have a lid. If desired, it can be selected separately by size. The lid is made of the same material as the kitchen appliance itself, but it can be made of glass. In the second case, it is desirable to have a steam outlet.
• Pens. The cheap cookware is equipped with aluminum handles. They are not afraid of heat, but potholders are required to remove the pan from the stove. Bakelite handles do not heat up. They can be taken up without potholders.

When buying any kitchen item, it is visually determined so that there are no dents, scratches. Keep the dishes clean on the shelves. Do not put a pot in a pot if it has a non-stick coating.

Conclusion

The benefits and harms of aluminum cookware will be discussed as long as they are used. Today, kitchen appliances are in demand and are mass-produced by manufacturers.

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