The kitchen is the place you create nourishing foods and beverages for the family. It is even the place, you gather during mealtimes to help your family and friends bond while sharing some good laughs. The kitchen is also the place where several toxins live creating an unsafe environment for you and your love ones. Some of them are hiding right under your nose as you are preparing delicious dishes and beverages.
Below is a guide to help you discover what those toxins are and where they are hiding.
Hidden Toxins in the Kitchen
- BPA: This chemical is a carbon-based synthetic compound you may know as Bisphenol A. It is highly toxic because it acts as a form of synthetic estrogen, which wrecks havoc on the body. In fact, the compound has been known to cause infertility in women, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, mental disorders, birth defects and several types of cancers. It has even been linked to causing sexual dysfunction in men since it has the ability to cause hormonal imbalances. The only way to avoid this toxin is to stay clear from plastics that are made with the synthetic compound.
- Formaldehyde: The colorless, yet pungent-smelling gas is a chemical used widely by industry manufacturers for creating building materials, but it is also used to create melamine dishes. When the chemical melamine and formaldehyde combined, they create a carcinogen, which is another chemical that leads to dangerous health conditions such as respiratory problems and cancer.
Formaldehyde Free Kitchen Cabinets
- Lead Glazes: You may think your beautiful pottery and ceramics are safe to eat from, but if they contain a lead glaze, they are not. Lead can seep into your food as the lead glazed dish is heated up. If you love eating and drinking from beautiful pieces of pottery and ceramic it is best to choose pieces that are made with lead-free glazes. Otherwise, you risk the chances of getting lead poisoning.
- Teflon: This chemical is a carcinogen when it becomes heated. You find Teflon being used on cookware such as pots and pans. The known chemical has been linked to causing autoimmune diseases in people.
- Aluminum: This soft metal is a highly reactive metal that can leak into foods and cause a wide range of brain disorders. Staying away from cooking and baking ware made from aluminum is a safer option.
- Cleaners: Washing your dishes and kitchen surfaces down with toxic chemical cleaners can cause allergy sensitivities, autoimmune diseases, behavioral disorders and skin problems. Using earth friendly products that do not leave a residue behind is a much safer option.
- Water: Pure water itself is not toxic, but water that contains heavy metals, chlorine and other contaminants is toxic. Using a filtration system to filter your water is an excellent way to keep these toxins from the water you use for cooking and creating beverages. Contaminated water is known to cause digestive issues, respiratory ailments and mental disorders. Sometimes bacterial infections can occur.
End Notes
Keeping the kitchen a toxins free environment may sound like a daunting job, but it can be done.
- Safe cookware to use is ones made from glass and cast iron.
- Keeping a pitcher of filtered water in your refrigerator can ensure you always have fresh water to drink and cook with as often as you like.
- Keeping earth friendly cleaning products on hand can ensure you are able to clean your home without adding toxins to your environment.
Avoiding the toxins above is important for keeping you and your love ones happy and healthy while enjoying your time together in the kitchen bonding over food or cooking together.
Also read: Simple Steps to Keep GMOs Out Of Your Diet and 11 Worst Processed Foods You Should Never Buy
