Question from Diana Darling

Hi! Just wanted to share a website with you and perhaps you might post an opinion on this cookware. It is surgical stainless steel with titanium and 7-ply – also known as “waterless” cookware. Apparently you can also stack the pans and cook your entire meal on one burner – which is interesting.

www.vaposeal.com

I have enjoyed reading on your site about various pots and pans – we have the copper bottom Revere Ware from years ago when we were first married and are looking to replace the pieces. We use cast iron a lot; have some enameled pans, plus glass (Visions) but the Revere Ware gets the brunt of daily duties. It is hard to find stainless steel in any line that has welded not riveted handles. We understand that the rivet buttons are aluminum and can leach into the food considerably, depending upon the food item (plus it is hard to keep them really clean). I purchased a Classicor stainless steel pan and it is ok, although the handles aren’t the best. I’ve heard the newer Revere Ware isn’t worth your time or money at all.

I am wondering if a big part of the good things about this cookware is the fact that you cook on low heat? We do a lot of “slow cooking” so that is a bonus.

The 7 layers are:

• T304 stainless steel
• carbon steel
• 304 surgical steel
• A/L Alloy/Heat Transfer
• Aluminum/Fast even heat
• A/L Alloy/Heat
• T304 surgical steel

T304 Surgical Stainless Steel
The higher content of chromium and nickel in the T304 surgical stainless steel has many advantages including corrosion resistance, temperature resistance, ability to clean, and flavor protection. And, most importantly, it is the most sanitary surface you could ever eat from. You can be sure you are eating only food and not metal or surface residues.

Precision Ground Covers form a moisture seal to the pan to lock in heat, steam, flavor, color, and nutrients. Now you can cook with low heat and minimal use of water or oil.

The $695 is probably a good price – I have a coupon for $395 plus free S&H so it looks even better! 🙂

Would sure appreciate your opinion. I also noticed that they had a bakeware set – I’ve tried stainless steel cookie sheets but they are so thin and just don’t last. We do the parchment paper and sil-pats but I’ve always been keeping an eye out for really good stainless steel.

Thanks for your time!

Debra’s Answer

The clue for me is in the statement “The higher content of chromium and nickel in the T304 surgical stainless steel…” These are the metals that are toxic and can leach if the stainless steel is scratched from using metal utensils or scouring. While it says that you are not eating metal residues, I’m not sure that their advertising copywriter or even the company itself is aware of what happens when the stainless steel is scratched.

Sounds like this cookware has more than the average amount of chromium and nickel. I’d choose a different cookware.

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Question from MSharp

I am looking for a new washer/dryer. I am going with a front loader. I was very interested in the Samsung Sivercare Steam washer. They say you can sanitize in cold water using their Silver ion/nano technology. I started to research this washer and found the EPA ruled it needed to be listed as a pesticide because of the antibactrial aspects of nano particles of silver in the waste water. Does this mean it also remains in the clothes and is it harmful? Sounds great, no bleach, less soap, clean clothes but are they just exchanging it for potentially harmful silver?

Debra’s Answer

I don’t have a definitive answer on this, but here are my thoughts.

Silver in and of itself is not particularly toxic. Most of us have worn silver jewelry with no ill effects. And some water filters use silver to control the growth of bacteria in activated carbon.

On the other hand, however, silver dragees (those tiny sugar balls coated with real silver) have now been banned in the state of California, and websites that sell them warn that the FDA has recommended that dragees are for decorative use only, and technically are not a food item).

The fact that the silver particles in the wastewater are nano-sized concerns me. Certainly if there is silver in the waste water it could get into clothing, and perhaps be absorbed by the skin. Note I said perhaps. I don’t know how small a nano particle needs to be to be absorbed through the skin.

Readers, any data on this?

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Question from Lisa

Dear Debra,

Can you tell me if tarnished jewelry is safe to wear? Specifically, I’m wondering about sterling silver earrings that are tarnished and have glints of the copper alloy coming through when once it was a pure silver look.

I know that silver polishing can be quite toxic, so I do not want to use any chemical polish.

I’m just wondering if the tarnished earrings are safe to wear as is.

Also, is there any other reason that sterling silver would not be safe to wear as jewelry?

Thank you.

Debra’s Answer

The tarnish is silver sulfate, which is slightly toxic. Wearing tarnished jewelry can cause skin irritation.

But it is easy to remove tarnish without toxic chemicals. Just take any aluminum (such as an aluminum pan or aluminum foil) and any salt (such as table salt or baking soda) and put it in water and soak the silver in it. It will just magnitize away. I demonstrated this on television once many years ago.

Question from meemsies

I am trying my best to use my dryer as little as possible. I hear lots of other folks talking about it as well. What about washing machines? What are the environmental consequences of using them? Does anyone know? Should we be aiming for a different method? I do my best to keep clothes clean as long as possible after the first wearing (difficult with three boys and a husband who works construction!) I don’t tell people for thier reactions, but I dont’ wash clothes unless they’re obviously dirty or stinky. I don’t mind hanging a shirt back up after a couple of wears. If it looks wrinkled, I just put it in the dryer on air or, in the summer, on the clothesline.

I also just want to thank you for this site. It is not only informative, but (and I just discovered it today!) beautiful and very easily navigated. We are very fortunate to live in this day and age, aren’t we?

Debra’s Answer

The main environmental concerns with washing machines are water use and energy use.

We can reduce water and energy by choosing a resource efficient washing machine and by washing our clothes less frequently. Living in San Francisco temporarily and having to pay per load instead of having my “free” washer at home, I think twice before washing clothes and find myself washing less frequently that I would at home. And my clothes are clean enough. Less frequent washings makes clothes last longer too.

Energy Star: Clothes Washers

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Question from Ethel

Hello Debra!

I was in BJ’S and noticed that they carry organic sheets. They were labeled True Organic and mentioned they were 100% certified. They did not mention by who or what standards they were certified. I did call BJ’S customer service who said they would within the week have some answers for me including a way to contact the company.

I was wondering if you know anything about this True Organic Company and if you could help me out with what questions I should ask the manufacturer when I contact them.

Thanks For All You Hard Work!

I Love The Fact That You Encourage All Your Participants To Ask Questions Freely!

Debra’s Answer

If the label says “certified organic” it should state the name of the certifying organization.

I couldn’t find a True Organic Company that makes bedlinens. It may be a house brand for BJs.

I wouldn’t buy these sheets. Choose a brand that is more forthcoming about their information.

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Question from Laura

Is it okay to dry herbs (red clover) on a clean window screen? Will the metal of the screening adversely interact with the plant material? Would placing them on paper towels help?

Debra’s Answer

Readers?

I dry herbs in small bundles, which I hang upside down in a dry area. Don’t know about drying them on a screen.

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Question from LW

There appears to be teflon coating on dental floss. Do you know if that is a health hazard? If so, are there any that are not coated with teflon?

Debra’s Answer

Well, I don’t have any definitive studies on the health effects of Teflon on dental floss, but I would use one without.

Readers, any recommendations on this? Personally I don’t use dental floss, but very skinny pointed toothpicks that seem to work better for me (my dental hygenist is happy with the results).

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Question from Lisa

Dear Debra,

I was recently reading to avoid brass fixtures in water hoses due to lead leaching from them. The advice said to instead look for nickel plated hardware.

This got me thinking about how most of the door knobs in my home are brass…would there be any concern for trace amounts of lead getting on your hands from using brass door knobs?

Thanks so much.

Debra’s Answer

I’m going to make an educated guess here and say no, I don’t think there is any lead in your doorknobs. BUT, I suggest you call a brass doorknob manufacturer and ask them what type of brass they use.

“Brass” is any alloy of copper and zinc. The proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties and other metals can be added as well (for more on how brass is made, see How Products Are Made: Brass).

There are many types of brass and only one contains lead. Here is a list of types of brass so you can see the wide variation:

Typical uses for leaded brass include:

(not doorknobs)

Apparently you can get quite an exposure to lead from using brass car and house keys.

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Question from RS

I have read that cooking food at high heat produces carcinogenic compounds called heterocyclic amines (HAs) that are said to form with high heat cooking.

Is this true with grilling and roasting vegetables?

Also, I always like to toast my bread. Is this safe? I am not sure if toasting falls into the same category.

Lastly, I typically don’t grill meat as much as broil. I actually prefer chicken not to be moist. So I will cook it for an hour with 20-30 minutes of the toaster oven set at 450 (or broil). Is this ok since it is not bbq? The meat is typically fish or chicken breasts.

Debra’s Answer

First, for those of you who are not familiar with this issue, read this excellent summary from the National Cancer Institute: Heterocyclic Amines in Cooked Meats

Now, to answer your questions…

Only meats produce heterocyclic amines. It’s fine to grill and roast vegetables. Likewise toasting bread.

I’ve been following this issue for years. In my book Home Safe Home I wrote:

Note too that grilling meat is fast and hot, real barbeque is low and slow. So actual barbeque at low temperatures may be one of the best ways to cook meat after all (the article linked above says “barbeque is high temperature”–I think they meant grilling).

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Question from R.M.

I know that raw honey loses many of its beneficial properties when it is heated above 94 degrees (fahrenheit). Then I got to wondering whether putting raw honey in hot tea would be counter-productive due to the heating of the honey.

Any thoughts?

Debra’s Answer

Yes, it would be counterproductive if you want the benefits of raw honey.

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