AN INSPIRING ARTICLE THAT I FOUND ON THE NET
Hidden dangers of cookware and beauty of Sarbloh...
I went to someone's house a while ago and they mentioned how they listened to a presentation about the hidden dangers of different types of cookware. The person speaking was not a Gursikh and I was pleasantly surprised that he was praising Sarbloh (cast iron). He said the Khalsa Rehat is Sarbloh and that the British introduced bronze dishes (which we call 'pittal' in Panjabi) to Panjab to weaken the Panjabis and Sikhs minds. He said that eating out of bronze over time leads to weakening of one's memory. The person claimed that the British during the Raaj wished to affect the minds of the people of Panjab and therefore introduced cookware and utensils that would slowly over time affect the mental health of the people.
I decided to do some research about the different types of cookware and found the following:
STAINLESS STEEL
There are many grades of stainless steel. Regular stainless steel cookware is made from different alloys including scrap metal.For cleanliness and safety reasons, you food should be cooked on only high -grade surgical stainless steel. "The kind of steel used in most stainless steel cookware is not the best metal in which to prepare foods. Most stainless steel cookware sold in stores is of such a nature as to allow chrome and nickel to bleed out into foods as water and food chemicals react with the walls of the vessels as they are heated. The chrome and nickel salts are retained when ingested. They cannot be eliminated. They build up and in time can create troublesome conditions". - Dr. Shelton's Hygienic Review Division of Science, Engineering and Technology, The Pennsylvania State University at Erie, The Behrend College, 16563 Erie, Pennsylvania, USA.
GLASS / ENAMEL COATED
Poor heat distribution. Foods stick and burn. Contains lead. Lead can cause reproductive harm and learning disabilities. Prop. 65 If gas is unleaded, shouldn't our cookware also be free of lead
NON-STICK COATED / TEFLON
Can scratch, chip and flake. "Exposure to Teflon resins at temperatures above 393ºF may produce a condition termed polymer fume fever characterized by flu-like symptoms such as chills, fever, body aches, nausea and occasional vomiting." Federal Aviation Agency Occupational Health & Safety Bulletin. A chemical, C-8, used to make non-stick coated pans has been linked to birth defects in humans to cancer in laboratory animals. The chemical is also present in the blood for up to 4 years and can show up in breast milk.
ALUMINIUM
Very soft metal. Extreme chemical reaction between food and pan. Aluminium is used in most Gurdwaras in the West for cooking Langar and distributing Degh, however this is not only not part of Maryada but also hazardous for one's health. "All Vegetables cooked in Aluminium produce hydroxide poison which neutralizes digestive juices, producing stomach and gastrointestinal trouble, such as stomach ulcers and colitis." Dr. A. McGuigan's Report on Findings for the Federal Trade Comm. In Docet Case No. 540 Washington, D.C. Note: The sale of aluminium cookware is prohibited in Germany, France, Belgium, Gr. Britain Switzerland, Hungary and Brazil.
CAST IRON (SARBLOH)
A good choice is that old standby, cast iron, which is known for its durability and even heat distribution. Cast iron cookware can also help ensure that eaters in your house get enough iron—which the body needs to produce red blood cells—as it seeps off the cookware into food in small amounts. Unlike the metals that can come off of some other types of pots and pans, iron is considered a healthy food additive by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Dhan Hai Guru! Dhan Hai Teree Sikhee!
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਬਚਨਕਮਾਵਣੇਸਚਾਏਹੁਵੀਚਾਰੁ॥
