Best Toaster Ovens Consumer Reports

Hidden Hazards and Toxins in the Kitchen

 

The Institute for Vibrant Living natural health research dept. has prepared this special report on everyday hazards found in the kitchen…

 

So, you’ve decided to eat only organic foods and to eliminate red meat from your diet…

 

…and in the interest of good health and nutrition, you get up early every Saturday morning and hit the organic market for the best and freshest foods available. Then you prepare them in your kitchen…

 

…Well, good for you!

 

Unfortunately, you may have some uninvited toxic guests in your kitchen who are trying to foil your efforts to keep yourself and your family healthy.

 

Really?

 

Yes, really…for example, take a good look at your pots and pans. They may look innocent enough but many are made with substances that can be harmful.

 

Aluminum pots and pans can react with certain foods to form aluminum salts that have been associated with Alzheimer’s, dementia and impaired vision.

 

Non-stick finishes contain Teflon. Because they scratch easily, tiny bits of plastic can be released into food and cause serious health problems over time.

 

(The Environmental Protection Agency has asked for a voluntary ban of PFOA, the chemical used to make Teflon, due to its independent advisory panel’s findings that PFOA is a “likely” carcinogen.)

 

Did you know using an abrasive material to clean stainless steel cookware can release small amounts of toxic metals?

 

Glass, cast iron, stainless steel that are not cleaned abrasively and terra cotta pots without a glaze are the best and safest choices for cooking.

 

Some more handy tips for safer food preparation :

 

Acidic foods (fruits, tomatoes, foods that contain vinegar) will absorb the most metal, so minimize their contact when cooking.

 

Use parchment paper instead of foil. Bet you didn’t know the “shiny” side of foil contains a plastic which vaporizes when heated and may contaminate food! (I always wondered what the difference was between the dull and shiny side of aluminum foil.)

 

And contrary to popular belief, your microwave oven is not your friend.

 

A study conducted by Swiss food scientist Dr. Hans Hertel revealed significant negative changes in blood chemistry of subjects eating microwaved food.

 

Also, a study conducted in Russia by the Journal of Natural Sciences found that people who ate microwaved food had a higher incidence of stomach and intestinal cancers, digestive disorders, and lymphatic malfunctions causing degeneration of the immune system.

 

A good alternative is a good toaster oven. Although it takes longer, it is certainly safer. And breads and baked goods will especially benefit in flavor and texture anyway.

 

Cleaning products commonly used in kitchens can also create toxic conditions. Instead of reaching for chemicals to clean kitchen surfaces try the following safe alternatives:

 

• Use baking soda to remove built-up grease on your stovetop. Just sprinkle it on your stovetop, let it sit for five minutes and then scour the surface. Baking soda can also be used to deodorize drains and refrigerators. It can be used to clean and polish aluminum, chrome, jewelry, plastic, porcelain, stainless steel and tin.

 

• Use lemon juice to clean glass and remove stains from aluminum and porcelain it works well since it contains citric acid and is all-natural.

 

• Use Borax to boost the cleaning power of soap or detergents and also to remove stains. Borax is a naturally occurring mineral that is water-soluble and is safe.

 

• Use cornstarch to clean windows, polish furniture, shampoo carpets and to starch clothes – again, the all-natural way.  

 

• Use vinegar to polish metals and to clean out the metallic taste in coffee pots. Vinegar contains about five percent acetic acid, which makes it a mild acid. It can also be handy dissolving stubborn mineral deposits and thick grease.

 

Because Americans spend approximately 90% of their time indoors (way too much), it is crucial to make the home environment as safe as possible.

 

Indoor pollutants have proliferated for years, either because modern construction manufacturers used hazardous materials or because consumers did not know enough about the products they bought to make informed choices.

 

Today, safe and nontoxic alternatives exist for nearly every real need around the home.

 

And consumers are definitely searching for them.

 

We hope this article may help consumers distinguish between what they really need for the kitchen and what may be the “lazy luxuries” that could compromise their families’ health in a negative way!   

 

About the Author

David Flores is a natural health researcher for Institute for Vibrant Living, a top retailer specializing in all-natural supplements, vitamins, and minerals for many health and nutrition challenges.  To learn more about the products offered by the Institute for Vibrant Living visit http://www.ivlproducts.com

 

If you found this helpful you might like to visit http://www.theivl.org where you’ll find more free healthy living articles to help improve your health today.