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What can not be cooked in an aluminum pan. Aluminum cookware - benefits and harms to the human body, product care and an overview of the best with prices. Technologies for the production of aluminum cookware

Not much time has passed since the time when aluminum was valued on a par with gold. Previously, this metal was the material from which jewelry was made. But after the secrets of its production from clay became known, it was no longer in dire need, and they began to produce dishes from it, which many housewives appreciated. Lightweight frying pans and pots are easy to clean, they last a long time, and they also take less time to cook dishes than, for example, in cast iron pans. But through scientific experiments, scientists have proven that aluminum cookware is not so safe for human health. Why aluminum is harmful to health - we will consider in this article.

aluminum cookware

The popularity of aluminum as a metal from which kitchen utensils are made began in the middle of the 20th century and has not lost its position to the present. Dishes made from it are light and durable, endowed with good heat-conducting and operational properties, have an aesthetic appearance and are inexpensive. Demand for kitchen utensils made of aluminum is not falling, and its production is only increasing.

Consider the properties of aluminum: it is a light, strong and ductile metal with high electrical and thermal conductivity, corrosion resistance, and durability.

Important! The main advantage of this metal is the formation of a thin, but strong oxide film on its surface, which counteracts the destruction of dishes and increases their service life.

Food cooked in such dishes retains its aroma and taste, thanks to the protective layer, does not come into contact with the metal itself during heat treatment. You can cook a variety of dishes in such dishes.

Advantages:

  • Excellent thermal conductivity. Provides uniform and fast heating of food. This is ideal for making cereals and boiling milk.
  • Light weight, making the dishes light, which is very important when placing them in the kitchen.
  • Low price. Makes such kitchen utensils more popular. So, for example, one cast-iron frying pan costs as much as a whole set of dishes made of this metal.

Flaws:

  • It is impossible to store ready-made food in such containers for a long time, because the reaction of the metal with organic acids begins, which leads to oxidation. As a result, aluminum can accumulate in already finished products and penetrate into the human body.
  • Food may burn.
  • Do not use for cooking sour and spicy dishes.
  • Prone to mechanical damage.
  • Susceptible to chemicals.

Important! In order for kitchen utensils made of this material to serve you for a long time and not cause much trouble, use our tips.

Damage to aluminum cookware

Scientists have proven that aluminum is harmful to health, and, accordingly, the dishes that are made from it, too.

Why is it harmful?

  • Upon contact with food, the soft metal at the molecular level breaks down without much difficulty and penetrates into the food. This happens during cooking with high acid content. As a result, the metal enters the human body with the use of food and can cause very severe food poisoning.
  • Metal salts can accumulate in body tissues and internal organs, which can cause cancer.

It seems that the harm of aluminum to human health is obvious. But do not rush to throw away dishes made from such metal. In a short period of time, the food will not absorb a dangerous dose of aluminum. The body can easily get rid of it naturally. A cooked dish in an aluminum pan, which will be eaten immediately, does not pose a danger to human health.

Important! The situation changes dramatically if the product is cooked or stored in such dishes for more than 8-12 hours. In this case, toxic compounds are formed. It takes a long time to reach the dangerous trait of aluminum in the human body.

Way out

A large number of manufacturers solve the problem in this way: they process this metal so that no chemical reactions occur when it comes into contact with food. All cutlery is coated with a special coating that prevents the products from oxidizing.

Terms of use:

  • A special coating is enough for a couple of years, and after that you just need to buy new dishes.
  • If scratches, chips or other damage are found on the surface of the cookware, do not use it again.
  • Immediately transfer food from such dishes to another, such as ceramic or glass.

Important! Surely, you have dishes made of different materials in your arsenal, which also need to be looked after accordingly. Our following tips will help you with this:

3.3. General conclusions on the research topic

After the theoretical and practical stages, I made general conclusions on the research topic:

A public opinion poll showed that many people do not know or do not attach much importance to the fact that aluminum utensils are not safe for use in the kitchen and still use them for cooking.

2. Empirically, the insecurity of aluminum cookware has been confirmed, because when cooking in it, aluminum ions pass into food.

3. The most intense transition is observed when cooking food that has an acidic or alkaline environment.

4. The most dangerous is the preparation of dairy dishes and dishes with the addition of milk, which have a slightly alkaline environment, as well as vegetable and fruit dishes, which have a slightly acidic environment, in aluminum cookware. This debunks the myth of most housewives that it is good to cook porridge in aluminum cookware.

5. When boiling pure water, the transition of ions into solution is practically not observed, since water has a neutral environment.

6. Aluminum utensils are unsuitable for storing food and water, as aluminum ions go into solution during long storage.

7. There is a need for more coverage of the harmful effects of domestic use of aluminum in order to prevent possible harm to human health.

4.1. Based on the research, I prepared recommendations for housewives:

Memo "Advice to housewives"

1. In aluminum cookware, only clean water can be boiled without harm to health.

2. It is impossible to use aluminum cookware all the time, since aluminum ions can accumulate in the human body, which contributes to the deterioration of human health.

3. Aluminum pans should only be used for cooking dishes that contain little acid and the usual amount of salt (potatoes, cereals, pasta).

4. You can not cook dairy dishes and dishes from vegetables and fruits in aluminum dishes.

5. It is impossible to cook various marinades with the addition of acetic and citric acids in aluminum dishes.

6. Do not store drinking water for a long time in aluminum containers.

7. You can not store various cereals in aluminum dishes.

8. In no case is it suitable for cooking dietary dishes and baby food.

9. Do not wash aluminum utensils with metal brushes and washcloths and abrasive cleaners, as they destroy the oxide film.

10. Before using a new aluminum cookware for the first time, you should definitely wash it. Naturally, it is not necessary to use substances with abrasives, iron washcloths - remember about the “magic” film. It is better to use ordinary detergent and a sponge.

11. If the pan is very dirty, then it can be washed with a soda solution (a spoon per liter of water), the dirt will go away along with the dissolved film, and a new and clean one will form in their place.

12. Polished Aluminum utensils will retain their shine if rubbed with crushed chalk or tooth powder from time to time. But it must be dry. Remove the rest of the chalk with a cloth.

13. Lime scale on aluminum cookware and aluminum oxide that forms on the walls can be removed by boiling some acidic food, such as rhubarb, in the cookware, and it will shine like new.

4.2 Page of folk wisdom

Puzzles

Kettle's girlfriend

Has two ears

Cooks porridge, soup for Yulia.

And her name is...

Saucepan

Shchi, compote and porridge are cooked in it

For the whole family Big our!

(POT)

We bake pancakes, fry potatoes,

We cook an omelet on it.

It is impossible and we do not soar

Infusion of herbs and bran.

(PAN)

Folk wisdom:

Clean dishes speak of the purity of a woman's consciousness. When a woman launders household dishes, she launders her heart from selfish desires. This is the surest way to achieve happiness in family life. In today's family, no one wants to do the dishes. This means that self-interest prevails. One can hardly count on happiness in such an atmosphere.

Dishes not washed at night are equivalent to the front door not closed at night. Happiness and wealth will leave this family. A good hostess will not tolerate

dirty dishes even during cooking. This is her way of taking care of the welfare of her family.

Dishes have a special attraction. Clean dishes attract good guests to the house, and dirty dishes attract bad ones. So you can easily determine whether it is worth staying in this house for a long time. If the dishes are not washed, it is better to leave this house before sunset.

A folk sign says: "Washing dishes in someone else's house washes away luck and piety from this house."

Careful dishes stand for two centuries

Before Christmas, you can not wash the dishes and clear the table.

People believe that on this night our dead ancestors come to visit, so leave some food for the night, they will be grateful.

What are the dishes filled with?

That will come out from there. (Kazakh proverb)

And do you know what…

Aluminum utensils dream of unexpected guests or a tourist trip with an overnight stay in tents

A woman who dreams of dull, lusterless aluminum kitchen utensils is in for a sudden but short-lived sadness. Maybe she will lose something very dear to her.

5. Research results.

By itself, aluminum cookware does not carry such harm. Once upon a time, our ancestors learned how to melt aluminum and make aluminum dishes from it, people ate and drank from it, and still have not died out.

You just need to know what you can cook and store in it, and what you can’t. In aluminum cookware you can: boil pasta, potatoes, lean meat, fish, cook porridge. By the way, pasta in aluminum cookware does not burn. It is impossible to use aluminum cookware: cook vegetable dishes, especially from sour or pickled vegetables, boil salted fish, cook fruit compotes, boil milk, as well as store vegetable dishes, cabbage soup, pickles, salted fish and other pickles, fruit compotes, fruit drinks. In order for aluminum cookware to serve for a long time and bring only benefits, you need to properly care for it. All aluminum cookware is covered with a protective oxide film that protects the metal from oxidation. Therefore, it must be handled with care. Do not wash aluminum utensils with coarse detergents, abrasive pastes, metal sponges, washcloths and ruffs. So calmly drink milk, water, coffee from aluminum dishes, but it is better to cook cabbage soup from sauerkraut in glass, enamel or stainless steel dishes.

Aluminum cookware is an indispensable item in the kitchen. Frying pans, ladles, pots, bowls and other kitchen utensils attract housewives with their lightness and low price. Despite such undeniable advantages, aluminum cookware can have a negative impact on human health. Surely most housewives will be interested in the problem of the benefits and harms of aluminum kitchen utensils before starting to cook a particular dish.

Ladle
Pot
Kettle

The composition of aluminum alloys used for the manufacture of kitchen utensils

In the food industry, pure aluminum or its alloys are used for the production of dishes. In this case, the percentage of materials must correspond to certain safe values:

  • lead - 0.15%;
  • arsenic - 0.015%;
  • zinc - 0.3%;
  • beryllium - 0.0005%.

In addition, magnesium, manganese, copper and other alloying additives can be used. They are able to change the physical properties of aluminum (heat resistance and ductility).

Production technology

For the manufacture of dishes, ready-made sheets of aluminum are used. In the future, certain items of kitchen utensils are stamped from them by mechanical processing. In this case, the method of embossing (the product is extruded from a single sheet) or forging (processing under pressure using special forging hammers or a press) is used. Of course, when buying aluminum cookware, few people pay attention to the issue of its production, but it is worth noting that products obtained as a result of forging have greater thermal conductivity and strength.

Cast aluminum cookware is not only very popular, but also relatively expensive. The thing is that for the manufacture of products in this way, the manufacturer uses high-quality material, which is poured into pre-prepared molds. This technology differs from stamping in that the metal is not deformed, retaining its physical properties.


Manufacture of cookware from prefabricated aluminum sheets

This is interesting: Recently, manufacturers often use aluminum thickening technology. Cookware made in this way is comparable in many respects to products made from cast aluminum, so an inexperienced consumer is unlikely to notice the difference.

Video about the production of kitchen utensils from this material

Key Benefits and Benefits

Surely, many housewives have already appreciated the lightness of this kitchen utensil. Its second advantage is practicality and ease of use. Cookware, which is made of aluminum alloys, has a high thermal conductivity. It heats up much faster than similar products made of stainless steel. It is also worth noting the corrosion resistance, which is a big advantage, given the purpose of the cookware. If you follow all the rules of use correctly, aluminum kitchen utensils will last a long time.

This is interesting: In terms of thermal conductivity and quality, aluminum is in second place. It can only be better than copper.

What is the potential harm

The main disadvantage of aluminum cookware is that this metal is able to react with some products. As a result, dangerous compounds are formed that harm the human body. It is undesirable to store food in such dishes. It is recommended to immediately transfer them to safer containers after preparation. Surely, many, due to their inexperience and lack of knowledge, tried to whip the cream in an aluminum bowl, as a result of which they observed how it acquired a gray tint and a metallic taste.

After prolonged use, the appearance of kitchen utensils made of such metal deteriorates. Dark spots, dents, scratches and other consequences of misuse and mechanical stress appear. Gradually, food can corrode the metal from the bottom and walls of the dish, as a result of which the dish burns, and the heating becomes uneven. Of course, such qualities do not adorn aluminum kitchen utensils, but the low cost for most housewives is too great a temptation to refuse such an acquisition.

This is interesting: A few decades ago, scientists conducted studies that showed that people who use only aluminum utensils are more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than others. True, modern experiments do not confirm this.

Correct use

If you follow all the requirements that apply to this type of metal, as well as take care when using it, aluminum cookware can last a very long time. Thus, it is worth figuring out what you can cook in it so as not to harm yourself and your loved ones.

What kind of food can be prepared?

In aluminum utensils, you can cook dishes that do not contain a large amount of acids. These products include:

  • fish;
  • broths;
  • meat;
  • pasta;
  • potatoes and more.

In an aluminum pan, you can fry meatballs or scrambled eggs. But it must be remembered that after preparing the dish, it should immediately be transferred to porcelain, faience or glassware. If this is not done, the food, as well as the mood of the hostess, will be spoiled. The dish will lose its color, taste and benefits, and relatives will not be able to appreciate it.


Potatoes in an aluminum pan are fried

Is it possible to cook sour dishes

In the process of cooking dishes from products that contain a large amount of acids and salts in such dishes, the metal is released into the food. It harms the human body. Therefore, sour dishes cannot be cooked in aluminum cookware. An example is:

  • pickle;
  • compote;
  • cabbage soup and others.

Is salting food harmful?

If you pickle cabbage or cucumbers in an aluminum pan, nothing good will come of it. The protective film that covers aluminum will be destroyed under the action of acids, the product will change its taste qualities not for the better and become harmful to humans. It is better to salt the cucumbers in another bowl.

Is it worth it to cook jam and marinades in it

It is not recommended to cook jam in aluminum cookware. And the reason for this, as in the previous case, is that berries and fruits contain acids. As a result, aluminum particles with jam will enter the human body. However, in berries and fruits, there is not such a large amount of acids as, for example, in cucumber or cabbage brine. Therefore, some experts are of the opinion that it is still possible to cook jam in such a dish, only after that it is necessary to immediately transfer it to a safer container.

Thus, aluminum cookware has its advantages and disadvantages. Do not immediately panic and throw away kitchen utensils made from this metal in the trash, for fear of harmful effects. If you use it correctly, nothing bad will happen. After all, aluminum cookware is convenient and practical, almost nothing burns in it, for which it is appreciated by housewives.

The benefits and harms of aluminum cookware have been discussed for many years. Despite the large number of opponents, pans and pots continue to be used. Demand for aluminum products is growing. Modern dishes have acquired a beautiful appearance, the assortment has increased. Food aluminum has useful properties, but can be harmful if the kitchen item is used improperly. How useful and harmful dishes made of this light metal, we will now try to find out.

What is aluminum

To find out what harm and benefit aluminum can bring, let's get acquainted with this metal. There are four main qualities:

  • easy;
  • soft;
  • does not rust;
  • has good thermal conductivity.

The listed properties of the metal already confirm the benefits of the final product. Lightweight aluminum cookware is easy to use. The hostess does not have to carry heavy pots and pans. Due to its softness and plasticity, the material is easy to process, which significantly reduces the cost of a kitchen item. Aluminum does not rust, but is covered only with an oxide film that is safe for humans. This is a huge benefit for the cooked dish. High thermal conductivity is the most useful property of the material. Meals are cooked faster, and it takes less energy to heat dishes.

Aluminum alloys used for the production of cookware

Modern aluminum cookware has different properties, depending on the composition of the raw material. For the production of kitchen items use:


If we talk about old aluminum utensils, the harm and benefits will be the same as from new modern kitchen appliances. Previously, pure food-grade aluminum without additives was most often used for production, as evidenced by the rapid appearance of dents in pans when dropped or hit.

Production technology

The properties of dishes may vary depending on the technology of its production:


Important! All kitchen items of complex shape are made by stamping. Cast cookware features a simple configuration.

The bottom of a pan, ladle or other product can be multi-layered. The invention is very useful, as the likelihood of burning food is reduced. When overheated, the bottom is less deformed, less likely to burn out. A thick aluminum plate is used as an additional layer. If the cookware is designed for an induction cooker, then an additional plate is installed from a copper alloy.

It has been proven that it is harmful to cook sour dishes in aluminum cookware, since the metal releases toxic substances during the reaction. This is where the non-stick coating comes in. A useful invention was invented not only to prevent burning. The non-stick coating prevents aluminum from coming into contact with food. The dishes retain only useful properties, even when cooking compote or other sour dishes.

The non-stick coating is applied by rolling or spraying. The second layer has more useful properties. The rolled coating is applied to the sheet. After stamping, many microcracks appear. Spraying is performed only on finished dishes. The more protective layers, the better the properties of the non-stick coating and the more useful it is.

The protective layer is of three types:

  1. Ceramics. The protective layer has a negative property - it reacts poorly to prolonged contact with liquid. The remaining compote or soup will have to be poured into another storage container.
  2. Teflon. The cover is rough. Do not use metal spoons or ladles to avoid scratches.
  3. Mineral stone. The most practical coating, if you do not get a fake.

Any protective coating is useful, but such dishes become whimsical in care and require more careful storage.

Important! Expensive cast aluminum cookware will not bring harm even when cooking sour food, as it is usually produced with a protective coating.

Modern aluminum cookware in everyday life has an attractive appearance. Beauty gives a decorative coating. It could be:

  • enamel;
  • sprayed porcelain slurry fired;
  • anodizing.

The benefit of a decorative coating is to maintain an attractive appearance. Harm to food is zero, as there is no direct contact. A decorative coating is applied to the outer part of the aluminum cookware.

Cheap products do not cover anything. They can only be polished. A new pot will be shiny, but after a few uses, the sides will become dull.

Advantages and benefits of aluminum cookware

The main advantage of aluminum kitchen items is that they do not harm cooked dishes. The resulting oxide film prevents the metal from reacting with food. If there is a non-stick coating, then even sour dishes can be cooked.

The main advantages and benefits are confirmed by the following facts:

  • good thermal conductivity;
  • uniform heating;
  • low cost;
  • light weight.

It is convenient to place aluminum kitchen items on the shelves in large quantities, as they will not collapse due to their light weight.

Why aluminum cookware is harmful to health

There are many myths about the dangers of aluminum cookware for the human body, invented by people themselves. The World Medical Organization has proven that the metal used in the production is not a carcinogen. Aluminum does not cause cancer. The ingestion of metal into the body is negligible, and then on condition that dishes without a non-stick layer are used. You can talk about harm if you use kitchen items incorrectly. In the absence of a non-stick coating, sour dishes cannot be cooked. Ignoring this rule in the worst case will end in food poisoning.

The video tells what benefits and harms are fraught with aluminum kitchen items:

Rules for the use of aluminum cookware

In order for the dishes to be more useful than harm, you must be able to use them correctly. It is forbidden to clean with abrasive products and washcloths made from metal shavings. In the absence of a protective layer, non-acidic food can be cooked, but not stored. If the food is burnt, soaking is performed. For washing use a soft sponge, helium products.

Is it possible to cook jam in aluminum cookware

When cooking jam, aluminum cookware will be harmful if there is no non-stick coating. Firstly, there is a threat of burning the bottom. Secondly, fruits release acid, and jam is often boiled in 3-4 batches. However, there are quick recipes - "five minutes". This jam can be cooked in any aluminum bowl.

Is it possible to salt in aluminum dishes

Aluminum pans are not suitable for salting and marinades. Vegetables release acid. In addition, many recipes are based on the use of vinegar. You can’t even salt fish in aluminum dishes. Pickles are best done in enameled containers or wooden barrels. Sometimes food-grade plastic containers are used.

Important! Some housewives manage to pickle vegetables in aluminum dishes by placing a plastic bag inside. The idea is correct. The marinade stays in the bag without contact with the metal. However, if the polyethylene is accidentally damaged, the entire product will be spoiled.

Sour dishes in aluminum dishes

Contact of acid with aluminum ends with the release of metal into food. First courses with tomato, compote, jelly are best cooked in a different bowl. The only exceptions are pans with a protective coating. A sour dish can be prepared without harm to health, but for storage it is better to place it in another container.

What can be cooked in aluminum cookware

Aluminum pans will not harm if you cook dishes with a minimum acid content in them. It can be boiled pasta, potatoes, meat, fish. You can fry eggs, meat and fish products in a pan. After cooking, the food is immediately transferred to plates or placed in another container. In the presence of a protective layer, you can cook any dishes.

Why can't food be stored in aluminum cookware?

Aluminum does not provide any benefit to the human body. During long-term storage, the product continues to come into contact with the metal. The concentration of oxidized particles in food increases. It is better to immediately pour the prepared dish into another container.

How to clean aluminum cookware at home

Immediately after purchase, the aluminum kitchen item should be boiled by adding 5 tsp to 1 liter of water. salt. If after cooking the walls have darkened, rinsing in water with the addition of ammonia will help restore the shine. You can try rubbing the walls with a soft cloth with dry powder for cleaning your teeth.

If spots appear on aluminum dishes, they are washed with an apple cut in half. Dark plaque is removed with a damp washcloth dipped in vinegar. Immediately after cleaning, the aluminum object is washed with clean water. Washing with water with dissolved borax at the rate of 1 l / 1 tbsp will help restore shine. l. Burnt food is removed only by soaking for a day.

The video tells about the rules of cleaning:

Selection and storage of aluminum cookware

When choosing aluminum cookware, they are guided by the following criteria:

  • Volume. The parameter completely depends on the number of family members, cooked dishes.
  • Bottom size. The optimal diameter is from 20 to 24 cm. For an electric stove, it is desirable to select a bottom that is approximately the same size as the burner.
  • Wall thickness. For conventional cooking, thin-walled pans are used. It is better to fry or stew in thick-walled dishes.
  • Non-stick coating. An expensive kitchen appliance is chosen for cooking sour dishes. It is better to boil pasta, boil water or milk in a regular saucepan.
  • Cover available. She must go with the pan. The pan may not come with a lid. If desired, it can be selected separately by size. The lid is made of the same material as the kitchen appliance itself, but sometimes it is made of glass. In the second case, it is desirable to have a hole for steam to escape.
  • Pens. Cheap cookware is equipped with aluminum handles. They are not afraid of heat, but potholders are required to remove the pan from the stove. Bakelite handles do not get hot. You can take them without tacks.

When buying any kitchen item, they visually determine that there are no dents or scratches. Store clean utensils on shelves. Do not put a pot in a pot if it has a non-stick coating.

Previously, the nobles ate from aluminum dishes and presented gifts to each other in the form of cutlery made of this light metal. Over time, this element of the periodic table was learned to be mined in sufficient quantities and its cost gradually decreased. Since aluminum kitchen utensils remained on store shelves, scientists wanted to find out whether aluminum utensils are harmful to the human body.

What is aluminum

Aluminum is a lightweight metal that lends itself well to casting and machining. It is malleable, conducts heat well and does not rust, as an oxide film forms on the surface of the aluminum product.

In the old days, aluminum was a very valuable metal. Only rich people could afford to wear jewelry made of this light silvery-white metal. Now it is used in the food industry for the production of dishes and foil for baking. It has long been popular in the aviation industry, construction, heat engineering, as it is light and does not lend itself to oxidation.

Harm of aluminum to humans

There has been a lot of conflicting information around aluminum lately. Some say that, accumulating in the body, it destroys the nervous system, others that it causes Alzheimer's disease. However, does this have anything to do with aluminum cookware?

Aluminum is indeed toxic to humans in large quantities. Ingestion of more than 50 mg of this metal per day is considered hazardous to health. What was wrong with the dishes? The media spread the information that this silver-white metal:

  • destroys nerve cells;
  • leads to Alzheimer's disease;
  • destroys the brain and impairs its activity;
  • promotes the growth of neoplasms;
  • leads to kidney dysfunction;
  • impairs the metabolism of vitamins and minerals;
  • inhibits the production of hemoglobin.

In the 70s of the last century, experiments were conducted in Canada aimed at discovering the cause of Alzheimer's disease. Researchers began to sound the alarm, as all patients with this disease revealed an increased content of aluminum in comparison with a healthy person.

However, scientists have not been able to establish a connection between this fact and the etiology of this serious disease. The nature of senile dementia of this type has not been identified to this day, but one thing is known for sure - aluminum utensils do not contribute to the manifestation of this disease.

This and much more is attributed to this natural metal. It cannot be said that these accusations are groundless - an excess of any substance in the body leads to malfunctions. But, let me tell you, the dishes have nothing to do with it.

Can aluminum cookware be used?

Our grandparents did not have the opportunity to eat from beautiful gold-plated stainless steel dishes. Even cupronickel cutlery was worth its weight in gold. Nevertheless, the older generation, which used aluminum cookware, is generally healthier and stronger than today's youth.

The fact is that even if you cook food in an aluminum pan, transfer it to an aluminum bowl, eat from it with an aluminum spoon, and then drink it all from an aluminum mug, more than 2 mg of aluminum will not enter the body. This is a completely normal indicator - such an amount of this substance will not affect human life and health in any way.

In addition, small doses of aluminum are needed by a person to restore bone tissue, regenerate the epithelium, and regulate the release of food enzymes. It is found in tap water, as it is cleaned with aluminum sulfate, in dry antiperspirants, and even in drugs such as Aspirin. In addition, having healthy kidneys, you can not be afraid of a high concentration of aluminum in the body - it is quickly excreted by the urinary system.

The truth about aluminum cookware

Now it would be worth mentioning the truthful information related to dishes made of light silvery-white metal. When using aluminum pots, pans and cutlery, remember:

  1. Aluminum cookware reacts with acids. For example, if you pour vinegar or lemon juice into a spoon, a small amount of metal will be released, which will subsequently enter the food. In fact, even with the most active reaction, it is impossible to corrode more than 3 g from the dishes, so this will not bring harm to health.
  2. Cooked food should not be stored in aluminum utensils. This is true, since the taste of food can change, and aluminum will periodically be released and react with cooked food. Again, there will be no harm from this, but the taste of food may change.
  3. No need to rub aluminum pots and pans hard with a metal sponge. Firstly, the surface will be scratched and the appearance of the kitchen utensil will deteriorate, and secondly, the protective layer will be erased, which prevents the appearance of rust.

Offers of modern manufacturers

If there are concerns about aluminum cookware reacting with food, then it is useful to know that modern manufacturers have solved the problem of oxidation and got out of the situation in two ways:

  • protection against oxidation through a special treatment, which results in anodized aluminum;
  • enclosing aluminum in stainless steel. Such multi-layer cookware is lighter and no less durable than those made from other expensive alloys.

Thus, you can buy beautiful and absolutely harmless dishes at a good price. The only point is that it is better to give preference to cast products. Stamped ones will last less.

Advantages and disadvantages of aluminum cookware

So, the fact that aluminum cookware cannot harm human health is a fact. Why is it so good, and what characteristics leave much to be desired?

  1. She is very light. This is a valuable feature, especially if you need to take cutlery and a mug with you on a trip or an aluminum bowler hat on a hike. It is so lightweight that it almost does not weigh down the burden.
  2. It heats up quickly. Due to the fact that aluminum cookware is very thin, water boils in it much faster than in newfangled pans with a thick seven-layer bottom.
  3. It doesn't get rusty. Having bought a set of such dishes, you do not need to guess whether it will oxidize or not. The fact is that during the first contact with oxygen, an oxide film is formed on the surface of this light metal, which protects it from rust. This is a big plus, because when buying cheap multilayer stainless steel cookware, you can run into a Chinese fake, which will rust over time. For this money it is better to purchase an aluminum set.

Now we need to mention the disadvantages of silver-white metal kitchen utensils. Among them:

  • such dishes are easily deformed;
  • with prolonged use, it wears out, especially the bottom of pots and stewpans. After that, the food begins to heat up unevenly and may burn;
  • it darkens and is very short-lived; over time, such utensils can be so worn out that they are erased to holes.

To use such dishes for a long time, it is enough to choose a set with a multi-layer coating - then wear is not terrible. Children love aluminum spoons as they are comfortable and light, which is what you need to learn how to eat without the help of adults.

Aluminum utensils oxidize, it is better not to leave cooked food in it and not wash it with hard sponges. It is safe for health, since the amount of aluminum that is released from it when reacting with acidic products is negligible. But it is comfortable and light, quickly heats up on the stove. Today, the choice of such dishes is very large, and the prices for it remain affordable.