Myths and Facts about Non-Stick Cookware

Nonstick Cookware

In today’s health-conscious world, a non-stick pan is an essential investment that you should have in your kitchen. You can cook a wide variety of dishes like omelette, pancakes, vegetables stir fry, dosa, etc. with very little oil.

Myths and Facts about Non-Stick Cookware

There are a lot of myths too about the non-stick cookware, unhealthy/dangerous etc. Let’s look at some myths and the actual facts about them.

facts about nonstick cookware

Myth #1

Non-stick pan coating is poisonous.

Fact

PFOA is perfluorochemicals and were used in coating earlier and were considered harmful. Companies of non-stick pans are now using a coating that is free of Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA). These are certified to be harmless. So non-stick coating is not poisonous if consumed.

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Myth #2

Non-stick cannot handle high temperatures.

Fact

Nonstick pans can handle temperatures as high as 500F or 260°C. This is more than the cooking temperature required for any food item. Non-stick pans get their coating through exposure to extremely high temperatures.

Myth #3

Nonstick pans are not durable.

Fact

Non-stick pans that were used in the beginning were using a soft compound. This had a tendency to peel off after a few usages. However, the non-stick pans currently in the market provide greater resistance to everyday wear and tear. They use high tech reinforcing agents that are able to provide higher adhesive strength. Most non-stick pans these days give a lifetime guarantee thus are very durable.

Myth #4

Using a scratched non-stick is a big no no.

Fact

Little scratches on the pan are highly likely with time. They definitely are not Instagram worthy in looks but should have no impact on the performance of the pan. The new age non-stick pans are safer, and the flakes from the scratched pans are proved to be harmless even if they get ingested with your food.

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Myth #5

Nonstick pans are high maintenance

Fact

Most people think it takes a lot to maintain non-stick pans as you can’t clean it with harsh scrubs and you also can’t use metal spoons. Though these are genuine concerns if you invest in better quality non-stick pans that have extremely durable coating. Good quality non-stick pans can be cleaned using a harsh scrub and you could cook with metallic spoons as well. They also are safe to be cleaned in a dishwasher.

Myth #6

Nonstick pans are always in black color

Fact

In the initial days this was true and non-stick pans used to be black in color. However, nowadays non-stick pans are in various colors and shades. Though darker shades are better at hiding stains or scratches.

Myth #7

All nonstick coatings are same

Fact

Nonstick coatings are often coated with Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). PTFE is safe to use. Teflon is a brand which uses PTFE. Nowadays, there are other nonstick coatings such as anodized aluminium, silica, enameled cast iron and seasoned cast iron cookware.

Myth #8

Nonstick pans have limited usage.

Fact

Non-stick pans are considered not useful for many cooking techniques like searing, browning, or deglazing. In reality, using non-stick pans will be easier to extract the best flavor as the glaze will not stick to the pan. The non-stick pan can also be used for searing and browning as they heat quickly and are able to retain the heat for a longer time.

Hopefully busting these myths clarified a lot of the confusion created around non-stick pans. Happy cooking using good quality non-stick pans!