Magnalite cookware has now become a kitchen essential in many households because of its excellent heat conduction and resistance. Despite various advantages, many people still hesitate to use it since Magnalite is mainly made from aluminum which could potentially harm your health. Thus, this article will reveal the truth of whether this type of cookware is safe to use or not.
What is Magnalite cookware?
Firstly launched to the market in 1934, Magnalite is a type of aluminum cookware produced by casting. In the production process, the aluminum will be liquefied by heat and then poured into molds. As a result, the cookware will feature more thickness and maximize its heat conductivity.
Therefore, with Magnalite cookware, you can save time and also save energy while cooking. Moreover, there is an abundance of Magnalite products on the market that cover all cooking methods such as frying pan, saucepan, oval roaster, stockpot, casserole, and Dutch oven (a heavy-duty pot with a tight-fitting lid).
What are Magnalite cookware’s advantages?
The manufacturers claim that their Magnalite products feature various properties and are also more efficient than other regular ones. Here are some advantages of Magnalite cookware that might surprise you :
- Oven-safe with heat resistance feature. For example, Magnalite skillets and saucepans can resist heat as high as 350 degrees while roasters can be used in ovens up to 500 degrees.
- Efficient heat conductivity and quick response to temperature, thanks to the thinness in the sides of the cookware.
- High ability in heat retention because the pan bottoms are well-designed to be thicker than others.
- 50-year limited warranty.
What are the dangers of aluminum exposure?
Aluminum can be found everywhere like in food, water, soil, as well as in some utensils that we use every day. Therefore, If we aren’t aware of the “excess” amount of aluminum consumption, in the long run, this might lead to many serious health problems as follows:
Kidneys
The kidney plays an important role in eliminating all toxins from our body. If you regularly ingest abnormal aluminum quantities, this organ will overwork and its functions might be damaged which could lead to kidney failure in the worst-case scenario.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Due to its corrosive effect, an excess of aluminum can cause intestinal damages and inflammation, called inflammatory bowel disease. Some common syndromes of IBD are fatigue, abdominal pain, and chronic diarrhea.
Alzheimer’s syndromes.
The journal Subcellular Biochemistry in 2012 said that Alzheimer’s might be related to the level of aluminum in brain cells which might damage the brain functions such as motor abilities, cognitive ability, and memory loss, which eventually develops gradually into Alzheimer’s disease.
Is it safe to cook with Magnalite cookware?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the human body naturally has a mechanism to eliminate dangerous substances from the body and tolerate some amount of aluminum intake. The average weekly intake tolerated by the human body is around 1 mg per kg of your full body weight. Thus, it is true that aluminum in your body can be harmful to your health, but it shouldn’t be something you are scared of, especially if you limit your aluminum exposure.
Furthermore, there is no evidence of sudden health problems related directly to aluminum cookware. Therefore, you can cook with your Magnalite pots and pans if you know how to properly use them and how to prevent toxins from dissolving into your food.
Tips: How to safely cook with your Magnalite cookware
As we mentioned above, it is okay to use Magnalite cookware, as long as you know how to use this type of material properly. That said, if you can avoid aluminum cookware, it is always better to minimize your dietary toxin exposure as much as possible. In all cases, below are some advice on how to safely use your Magnalite pans and pots:
- Buy hard-anodized aluminum cookware instead of uncoated ones.
Make sure that your Magnalite cookware is made of anodized aluminum. This is because the anodizing process will contribute an oxide coat that allows the product to last longer and prevent aluminum from contaminating our food. - Be careful while cleaning your Magnalite cookware
Remember that you should wash your Magnalite products by hand. Also, you should let them cool down first. Otherwise, your pots and pans can be deformed and the oxidized layer (the protective coat) might be damaged due to the sudden temperature changes. - Limit the use of Magnalite utensils.
Instead of relying on Magnalite only, you should also use other non-aluminum utensils like cookware made of other materials such as porcelain or cast iron which are generally safer. - Avoid cooking with high heat.
With Magnalite, you should cook on low or medium heat since aluminum is more likely to leach into food if exposed to very high temperatures. - Do not cook vinegary and salty food with Magnalite products
Avoid cooking with acidic food like cabbages and tomatoes, as well as certain ingredients like salt, while using any aluminum cookware products. Otherwise, these ingredients probably could increase the aluminum absorption process from other ingredients. - Use less aluminum foil
Last but not least, avoid wrapping your food with aluminum foil because the latter contain even more dangerous toxins than Magnalite cookware.
To conclude, it is true that Magnalite cookware really helps simplify the cooking process. Although it is widely believed that these utensils can be hazardous to some extent, no report utterly confirms this theory. So, we agree that you should still be wary of your aluminum intake, but not too much! Just follow our suggestions in this article and keep cooking on the safe side.
