Cast iron cookware is centuries old, and for good reason. It’s extremely durable, and when taken proper care, it will stand the test of time. Masters of cast iron can even take the oldest, most oxidized pieces and refurbish them to become good to use again!
The benefits of cast iron don’t stop at durability, however. There are many health and cooking benefits as well. Well-seasoned cast iron essentially becomes nonstick, and requires less oil for cooking. Because of this natural nonstick attribute, there are no chemicals that are commonly used to make commercial nonstick pans. One chemical in nonstick pans is called perfluorooctanoic acid, a scary word in and of itself, and has been said to be “possibly carcinogenic to humans”, according to the World Health Organization.
Cooking in a cast iron pan may also give food a boost in, well, iron. This is extremely beneficial to women, children, and anyone on a plant based diet, as these groups of people tend to have less iron. Iron aids in transporting oxygen through the body as a part of hemoglobin in the blood and also as part of myoglobin in the muscles.However, there is much debate about how much of the iron is absorbed by the body, as everyone’s body functions differently. The amount of iron relseased into food also depends on the age of the pan. The newer the pan, the more iron is released into food.
Acidic food specifically is great at soaking up more iron. For example, in a study published by the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, spaghetti sauce cooked in cast iron jumped from .6 mg to 5.7 mg after being cooked in a cast iron pot.
Lodge Cast Iron is the leading cast iron company, and offers many beautiful, affordable products to start your journey today!
So, the October Challenge of the Month is to replace all non-stick cookware in your kitchen by healthier options, and cast iron is one of them.
Stephanie Davidian
