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What is the healthiest type of cookware? This question is always a matter of debate and you’ll surely encounter different opinions if you start researching this topic.
However, we all do want our cookware to be healthy, especially when it comes to the frying pan we use every day.
The answer is actually relatively simple, but there are two routes you can go in your search for the healthiest frying pan.
First of all, non-stick pans allow you to cook without any oil, which makes your food healthier. However, there have been reports of harmful chemicals leaching into your food from non-stick coatings, and these coatings are not usually made to be used at high temperatures.
Luckily, modern cookware manufacturers have overcome this issue and there are non-stick pans available with non-toxic coatings. On the other hand, many experienced chefs prefer to stick with the old-school materials – stainless steel and cast iron.
These materials have been proven to be safe and they have been used in cooking materials for a long time. The only downside – you’ll need to use at least small amounts of oil with these pans.
To satisfy everyone’s taste, we’ve included both options in our list of top 4 frying pans for health – each one is different, but all of them are safe and healthy.
Invalid table id.All-Clad 41126 Stainless Steel Fry Pan with Lid
All-Clad is definitely among the biggest names in the world of cookware. Their origins can be traced back to 1967, the prime time of the U.S. steel age, and today they still make some of the best stainless steel cookware available. Stainless steel is a great choice if you are looking for a healthy pan.
This material is simply as safe as it can be – it doesn’t react with food in any way even at extremely high temperatures, and it’s almost impossible to damage its surface.
With that being said, the All-Clad 41126 Stainless Steel Fry Pan with Lid is a perfect example of what a stainless steel frying pan should look like.
The exterior is made completely of stainless steel, including the lid, the ergonomically designed handle, and the rivets that hold the handle securely attached to the pan. The inside of the pan actually features a layer of aluminum sandwiched between the stainless steel external layers.
The aluminum layer gives this frying pan the ability to conduct heat evenly across the cooking surface, resulting in perfect performance, every time.
Lodge L8SK3 10.25 inch Cast Iron Skillet
Cast iron is another healthy option when it comes to frying pans. Yes, cast iron pans can actually leach trace amount of iron into your food, but iron is not poisonous, and in most cases, it’s actually good for you.
Moreover, when a cast iron skillet is seasoned properly, this effect is largely reduced. As an added benefit – a seasoned cast iron skillet is as close as you can get to a non-stick surface without actually using non-stick coatings.
Lodge is a company with 120 years of experience in making cast iron cookware which is why the Lodge L8SK3 10.25 inch Cast Iron Skillet seems like a good competitor for the best healthy frying pan available. This is a classic cast iron skillet – simple, but still amazing, and amazingly affordable.
It has two pouring spouts on the sides to prevent any spilling, a long handle on one side (not too long though, which allows the pan to easily fit in the oven), and a helper handle on the other side.
This frying pan also comes pre-seasoned so you can use it right out of the box. The cookware is made out of heavy duty aluminum which is a metal that is found in the crust of the earth. Aluminum is a common addition in ceramic cookware because of its ability to distribute heat evenly and prevent the problem of hot and cold spots.
The cooking vessel is then coated with a non-stick non-toxic ceramic coating to ensure that cooking and cleaning is both easy and safe. They are also incredibly versatile as they work with gas, electric, ceramic, and halogen cooktops.
GreenLife Soft Grip 8″ Ceramic Non-Stick Open Frypan
GreenLife is one of the most well-known cookware manufacturers that focus on healthy non-stick solutions. The coating they use is a ceramic non-stick coating called Thermolon.
This innovative coating is made without PFAS, PFOA, lead or cadmium, so you can rest assured that your frying pan is not poisoning you. Moreover, this non-stick coating works really well, so you don’t need to use any oil for most foods.
This pan is even oven-safe up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and you’ll be happy to learn that it’s dishwasher-safe too which is not always the case with non-stick cookware.
GreenLife cookware also makes a wonderful gift since you can choose between three delightful colors – turquoise, burgundy, and classic black.
Stone Earth 12-inch Frying Pan by Ozeri
The Stone Earth 12-inch Frying Pan by Ozeri is one of the most popular frying pans among those looking for a non-stick pan that can be trusted.
This frying pan features a special stone-derived coating called Stonehenge. The coating was developed in Germany, with the goal of making an eco-friendly non-stick coating that’s free from any kind of harmful synthetic chemicals.
The company guarantees that their pan is free of PFOA, but also lesser-known chemicals used in some non-stick coating called APEO and EPA which are harmful to the environment and possibly humans.
The pan itself is made of heavy-gauge aluminum. It comes in three different sizes – 8 inches, 10 inches, and 12 inches in diameter, so you can choose the one that is just right for your needs.
Final Thoughts
As we have already explained, deciding which is the healthiest pan is not an easy task. However, the truth is, most of the best pans out there are also completely safe to use, and this is certainly true for all four pans on our list.
When it comes to non-stick pans, we simply love the Stone Earth Frying Pan by Ozeri, but if you’d like to stick with tried-and-true options, the All-Clad 41126 Stainless Steel Fry Pan and the Lodge L8SK3 10.25 inch Cast Iron Skillet are both amazing options.
