Question from Laurie

Help! I want not just great tasting food using my beautiful pots and pans–but one that I can trust for our continued well-being.I have some wonderful pots and pots. By wonderful I mean, they are truly chef-quality. My question is are they safe?

What specific questions should I ask the manufacturer to get this question answered?

Most of my collection is 18/10 stainless steel, some with the heavy bottom, some light weight with added copper.

Though beyond the above, I have a greater concern for the ones in these fine name-brands–but are also non-stick with what I believe a life-time or 75 year guarantee.The coating doesn’t seem to budge. They are from tv like Cooks Essentials, Ultrex, Wolfgang, Emmerilware..and some that are cast iron with a finish that doesn’t stick. The performance is great. How is the safety?

Debra’s Answer

First, about the stainless, it’s not a matter of asking the manufacturer…you can test it yourself with magnets (see Q&A: Magnetically-attractive stainless steel cookware). But even if it passes the magnet test, if you have been using metal utensils or scouring your pans with steel wool, you’ve ruptured the steel and opened the way for the metals to leach into the food.

About the nonstick finish. It’s not a matter of the finish peeling or chipping, but what may be offgassing from it. Most nonstick finishes are made from the same group of chemicals, unless it is a completely different technology, like Thermolon. If I were researching this, I would contact each manufacturer, and ask them the name of the nonstick finish used and find out anything you can about it. Then you can look up those finishes on the internet and find out about the chemicals used to make them. But from my experience looking at the nonstick finishes, most are more or less the same.

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Question from Ralph Jones

I am currently involved in a non toxic construction project and was wondering if you could give me some information on galvanised metal. Ive heard metal is a good material to use for the chemicaly sensitive in general especially stainless steel. But are galvanised metals still safe? I cant seem to find any information on the process and was wondering whether by making the metal weather proof it was made toxic in some way? Is galvised steel toxic? Or potentially harmful to the chemicaly sensitive?

Thank you so much for your time.

Debra’s Answer

Galvanizing is the process of coating iron or steel with a thin layer of zinc to prevent the metal from rusting. There are two methods: “hot-dipped”, which consists of passing the continuous length of metal through a molten bath, followed by an air stream “wipe” that controls the thickness of the zinc finish; and “electro-galvanizing”, which fuses the zinc to the metal electrolytically.

I don’t see anything toxic about this.

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Question from Calicokitty

Thank you so much for this site! It is a wonderful resource.

My question is: have you looked at Yacon syrup as a sweetener? I’ve seen it touted as a “pro-biotic”, but most of the information I’ve found is from sites that sell it, so I’m looking for an unbiased source of information.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Debra’s Answer

I really don’t know any more than you do about it, except I have a bottle.

It is a syrup from the root of the yacon, a plant native to Peru. It’s sugar is an ogliosaccharide, so it doesn’t spike blood sugar. The one I have is both organic and raw.

I’ve had this bottle on my shelf for over a year, and it hasn’t inspired me to use it. It has a consistancy like honey or agave, but it is less sweet and has more of a strong flavor. So any dish containing it would necessarily have to have the flavor to get enough sweetness.

Agave is great because it doesn’t add any flavor of it’s own. You could only use yacon with foods that had compatible flavors.

It’s not an unpleasant flavor…it’s similar to dates. But for me, ogliofructose from chicory root (Sweet Perfection) is much more versatile as an all-purpose sweetener.

I have no reason to believe that yacon is harmful to health in any way, so I have no objections to using it. It’s just, for me, it’s use is limited and I am not so in love with the flavor that I would use it in a recipe for taste.

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Question from Kavita Shourie

Hi Debra,

I use this anti-allergen detergent regularly and I wanted to find out if it you thought it is safe to use on my clothes. I have 2 cats and an allergy and asthma to mold, dust mites and many pollens it is advertised as being safe and low sudsing. This website has a pdf of the ingredients. Allersearch website

I am pregnant now and use as many green products as possible and wanted to make sure this is a product you would okay for use.

Thanks for you help.

Sincerely,

Kavita Shourie

Debra’s Answer

This website has the MSDS, but does not list the ingredients. Instead it says that it contains no hazardous ingredients that are required to be listed.

I’d say it’s fine, based on this information.

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Question from Deborah Barnett

What kind of boxes beside plastic that would be safe for storage items such as clothes etc? I would like to have the kind that atleast has a lid on it to protect from bugs etc if I store in basement.

What would you suggest Debra?

Thanks Debra.

-Deborah Barnett,

Mount Carmel, TN.

Debra’s Answer

Last year I was faced with this very question as I started packing things to move across the country (haven’t moved yet, and these boxes are still in a storage locker).

My concern was how do I pack my things to keep them safe, clean, and dry, but also protect them from any exposures to toxic chemicals they may be exposed to along the way.

I used two types of containers.

One is plastic “big bags”. These are like the little ziplock sandwich bags, but the size of a garbage bag, and have handles. I have used plastic garbage bags in the past, but they are not very durable. They are difficult to keep closed and often rip. These “big bags” are made of a much thicker plastic and designed to be reused and reused, and last for storage. They have no more odor than a sandwich bag as they are made out of the same polyethylene plastic (one of the safer plastics). Two brands I have found are Ziploc Big Bags and Hefty OneZip Big Bags. They come in several sizes. Both were on the shelf at my local Target store. I’ve tried both and infinitely prefer the Hefties. They are a little larger and have a zipper lock instead of the type you have to squeeze together to close, so closing is quick and fast. They are also about 20% larger and cost about 10% less than the Ziplocs. I used these for soft items, like clothing and bedding. Some have been in these bags for six months now, and are completely in the same condition as when I put them in the bags.

For things that need to be stored in boxes, like all my books, we got moving boxes, taped them up, and wrapped each box in plastic food wrap. We got a big roll of food wrap 24″ wide at a local food service store. I also am using some storage-type boxes with lids to pock up project materials that need to stay organized and be accessable at the other end. When I wrap these with the plastic, it keeps lid and box together and keeps the box in good shape for future storage. The first box we wrapped didn’t work well at all. The wrap wouldn’t stay on the box. Then my friend Joyce suggested that we get a roll of Scotch Stretch Wrap (which we easily found at our local Target store). It’s about 6″ wide and on a roll in a hand dispenser. She wrapped it once around the box, then the food wrap had something to stick to. And then once around the box at the end. This produced and nice tight wrap. And for large awkward items that needed protection but didn’t need a box, like my wooden tabletop dictionary stand, she put it in a clear plastic trash bag, then wrapped the stretch wrap around it.

Yes, this is a lot of plastic, but that’s what keeps things dry. We have a lot of humidity here and organic materials like fabrics and paper mold. Moving and storage can expose things to a wide variety of unknowns. Nature designs materials to break down and biodegrade, so when we want to preserve something, these manmade materials are the only way…

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Question from Girliegirl

Hi Debra,

First i just have to tell you that I LOVE this website, it is so helpful and interesting. I refer to it almost everyday. So thank you so much for creating it!

Ok back to business, I was wondering if you’ve ever tried Steviva Brand stevia blend made with stevia extract and erythritol as a bulk sweetener. I’ve heard good things about it from friends who have used it as a cup for cup substitute for sugar. Any thoughts on this product? Do you think its safe to use?

Thanks so much!

Debra’s Answer

The ingredients are OK, but I don’t think you can substitute it cup for cup for sugar. Check the label. Usually stevia products have an equivalency, like one teaspoon for a cup of sugar.

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Question from Lindsey

Hi Debra,

I have a few related plastic questions/frustrations! But first I want to say your blog is a blessing and I cannot thank you enough! All the pyrex and glass containers I am able to find have plastic lids. From what I have learned on your site, this would be bad because I would continually be rewashing those lids. Any suggestions? I know there are canning jars, but the pyex square long shape works better for a lot of products.

Lastly, in an effort to get rid of plastic, I am at a lost for what to freeze things in. I use to use freezer bags beucase it saved so much space. Since pyrex isn’t good to freeze in is corningware the next best thing? I know corningware has a glaze type finish which you also warn against. Plus the lids I have for corningware are plastic as well.

What confuses me is that I read that not all tuperware containers are the plastics to avoid. Does that mean if it is not #3 or 7, Tupperware is safe to use as long as its not old? I am scared to eat of plastic utensils, drink out of water bottles, but I am just not sure if that is plastic is fine for one time use and I only have to fear it when used multiple times. Sorry for the long list of questions- life would be much simpler if our gov’t had more stringent standards!

Debra’s Answer

First, remember there are many types of plastics, and not all have the same toxicity. See Q&A: The Toxicity of Plastic for a refresher on which are less toxic and OK to use. But in the long run, it’s best to phase out plastics made from petrochemicals because they are made from nonrenewable ingredients that do not biodegrade.

As for the lids on pyrex containers, I don’t know what plastic they are made from. I’m guessing it is polyethylene or one of the safer plastics. You could call them and find out. The rewashing of polyethylene is fine. It is the washing of polycarbonate that releases more Bisphenol-A.

Also, I think it makes environmental sense to use a product once it’s made, rather than discard it to a landfill without getting some kind of benefit from all the resources that went into its manufacture. So if it’s not toxic, I’d say use it.

Freezer bags is another similar thing. Since the plastic of freezer bags is not toxic, putting more food into a freezer that’s already running makes more efficient use of the energy that’s already being used to run the freezer.

Corningware does not, to my knowledge have the type of glaze that I warn against (which contains lead and is usually a bright color imported from another country). I personally use Corningware all the time.

If the Tupperware or any other plastic product is a 1,2,4 or 5 plastic, it is OK.

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Question from Marti

LOVE THE WEBSITE!! I am so excited to start trying your recipes. But I am curious – why is molasses missing from your lists of sweeteners? I was surprised to see that it wasn’t on your list of “okay” sweeteners since it often is recommended, but even more surprised to see that you don’t list it as one to avoid, either.

Thanks!

Debra’s Answer

Well, here’s the thing about molasses.

Molasses is the stuff that’s leftover after they refine cane sugar. If you look at evaporated cane juice, it’s brown and full of nutrients. When it’s refined and granulated you end up with a pile of “pure” white sugar and molasses, which is everything else.

Molasses is actually considered by some to be a dietary supplements because of the nutrients it contains (nutrients in blackstrap molasses).

Since all the sucrose has been crystallized out, it’s not very sweet and it also has a strong flavor. So, though it is sold with the sugar in the supermarket, I don’t really consider it to be a sweetener. You couldn’t, for example, use it as the sole sweeteners in cookies or cake. To me, it’s more a flavoring for baked beans or gingerbread.

That’s why it’s not on the list.

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Question from S.S.H

My husband chews a pack of gum every day that contains aspartame. I was wondering if there is any type of safe gum or breathe freshner that dosent contain such scary ingredients?

Debra’s Answer

Check at your local natural food store. They have many brands of gum with safer sweeteners.

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Question from sissy

As an african American female it is very hard to find natural products that suit our hair type. Do you have any recommendations of hair products?

I am trying to stay away from hair relaxers and want to grow my hair natural. What is an alternative for relaxers?

Debra’s Answer

I found a website called nappturality.com that says it is a “resource for the style and beauty of Natural Black Hair…the place to find photographs, Black natural hair journals, websites, forums, information and links about the care, maintenance and politics of natural hair. Natural napptural hair.” You have to sign up as a member (free) to get into the site, so I didn’t check it out, but you may find what you are looking for there.

You also might take a look at Carol’s Daughter. Their tag line is “beauty by nature” and the product descriptions give a lot of natural and even organic ingredients that the product contains, but there is no full ingredient list, so I can’t tell you if the products contain any unnatural ingredients. Therer’s also African Wonders, which is similarly uninformative about their ingredients on their website.

There are also a number of books on the subject at amazon.com. Textured Tresses is one of them, other will come up under “Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought”.

I have no personal experience with this, so this is the best I can do. Could you respond and let us know if any of these give you what you need?

Readers, any suggestions?

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