Several years ago it was brought to my attention that dangers may be present in our own kitchens. The very place and the very tools I use to prepare nourishing meals for my family may also be poisoning them. I also learned that we must be objective and diligent in our research to find truths about manufactured products. For instance in regards to cookware, food storage and dinnerware, when an item is labeled "food safe" this does not mean that it is lead free. This only indicates that the item's toxicity levels are within the approved limits. Well, this leaves me with many more questions.
1. Who decides these limits, why do limits change frequently, and if something is within limit today, will it
be next week, month, or year?
2. Everyone is not the same. We all react differently and have different levels of sensitivity toward
foreign substances. In addition, babies and children have much smaller systems than adults and can
be at risk for higher toxicity accumulations at a quicker rate. Is this taken into account when
quantifying the "approved limits"?
3. When they state "lead free glaze" they are speaking of the glaze, this disclosure does not say anything
about the rest of the item.
Slow Cookers aka. Crock Pots and Rice Cookers
In some homes this small appliance is the center of the kitchen. Wholesome meals are created and are often times welcoming us home. Why then, have the safety of these pots been overlooked for so long? Lead paint in toys has been banned for quite some time as children can put the toys into their mouths. But for some reason it is okay to feed them food that has been cooked in ceramic glazes containing lead. Some manufactures have now addressed this danger and have opted to sell products that are now labeled "food safe". While we can rest assured that toxic substances such as lead, cadmium will be within "approved limits" this does not mean that it is free of these substances and actually is safe. In addition, products made in other countries where they often do not have lead and cadmium limits may not meet permitted levels for lead and other toxic substances. As a general rule, terra cotta cookware without lead glaze seems to be the best option at the moment. The Vita Clay Slow Cooker uses an unglazed terra cotta pot and also doubles as a rice cooker. This was a real bonus for me since I could combine two appliances in one and the model I use is fully programmable. I use it for making bone broth stock for soups, pork roasts, and even set it to have porrage (oatmeal) waiting for us in the morning. While it is not a perfect machine (the heating element is aluminum although no aluminum comes into contact with the food) I feel it is the best option out there for what it offers. Below is a handful of units that I have found to be wiser options. The clay pots are made of a nutritionally mineral dense clay and are unglazed. For those wanting a more durable, dishwasher safe option there is an "all" stainless steel Rice Cooker. While stainless steel is not as safe as unglazed clay, it is far safer than BPA and other toxin leaching plastics as well as lead contained ceramics. I wonder if a local potter could make a custom pot for a slow cooker? Hmmmmmm.....
1. Who decides these limits, why do limits change frequently, and if something is within limit today, will it
be next week, month, or year?
2. Everyone is not the same. We all react differently and have different levels of sensitivity toward
foreign substances. In addition, babies and children have much smaller systems than adults and can
be at risk for higher toxicity accumulations at a quicker rate. Is this taken into account when
quantifying the "approved limits"?
3. When they state "lead free glaze" they are speaking of the glaze, this disclosure does not say anything
about the rest of the item.
Slow Cookers aka. Crock Pots and Rice Cookers
In some homes this small appliance is the center of the kitchen. Wholesome meals are created and are often times welcoming us home. Why then, have the safety of these pots been overlooked for so long? Lead paint in toys has been banned for quite some time as children can put the toys into their mouths. But for some reason it is okay to feed them food that has been cooked in ceramic glazes containing lead. Some manufactures have now addressed this danger and have opted to sell products that are now labeled "food safe". While we can rest assured that toxic substances such as lead, cadmium will be within "approved limits" this does not mean that it is free of these substances and actually is safe. In addition, products made in other countries where they often do not have lead and cadmium limits may not meet permitted levels for lead and other toxic substances. As a general rule, terra cotta cookware without lead glaze seems to be the best option at the moment. The Vita Clay Slow Cooker uses an unglazed terra cotta pot and also doubles as a rice cooker. This was a real bonus for me since I could combine two appliances in one and the model I use is fully programmable. I use it for making bone broth stock for soups, pork roasts, and even set it to have porrage (oatmeal) waiting for us in the morning. While it is not a perfect machine (the heating element is aluminum although no aluminum comes into contact with the food) I feel it is the best option out there for what it offers. Below is a handful of units that I have found to be wiser options. The clay pots are made of a nutritionally mineral dense clay and are unglazed. For those wanting a more durable, dishwasher safe option there is an "all" stainless steel Rice Cooker. While stainless steel is not as safe as unglazed clay, it is far safer than BPA and other toxin leaching plastics as well as lead contained ceramics. I wonder if a local potter could make a custom pot for a slow cooker? Hmmmmmm.....