by Melissa Manning

Created on: February 09, 2009   Last Updated: February 10, 2009

Stainless steel is one of the most beautiful and durable of materials used in making cookware. But beyond beauty, there is one reason stainless cookware is always preferable to nonstick. Nonstick cookware taints the food cooked in it while stainless steel does not.

In this day and age, eating and drinking are fraught with dangers. Water has become so contaminated with man-made chemicals that experts recommend home distillation as the safest solution. Almost everything in the grocery store is packaged in plastic, almost all of which is known to be harmful in some way. Farms have become factories, and the fact is that food grown in great quantities and in unnatural settings is less nutritious than many assume it to be. The public takes it for granted that meat is good, body-building protein, that colorful vegetables are wholesome, and that five fruits a day are healthy.

Well, it ain't necessarily so.

That said, the last thing to be desired is that cooking will add to the unhealthy nature of food otherwise carefully chosen and prepared. Unfortunately, nonstick cookware adds to the chemical contamination of food. The plastics in the pan coating leach into the food even when the coating is in pristine condition. Once the pan is scratched, the leaching is accelerated.

Stainless steel, in contrast, is much healthier. Stainless is said to leach nothing, which is a comfort in these days when food and water are already suspect. The use of stainless steel utensils is also recommended for those wanting their food as pure as possible.

A good, heavy stainless steel pan has only one superior and that is cast iron. A cast iron pan will leach iron into the food but in trace amounts that contribute to health. A properly seasoned cast iron pan is a true kitchen treasure.

Stainless steel pans with a heavy bottom provide an even heat that, if properly regulated, will not contribute to sticking. If the optimum fats for cooking are used - butter, ghee, coconut oil - and the appropriate heat is provided, food will cook evenly and without sticking and burning. Water can also be used to keep food from sticking without adding extra calories. Stirring may be needed to keep food from too-long contact with the bottom of the pan, but that is already desirable as it enhances the flavor of the food.

There is also the durability of stainless steel to recommend it. Stainless pans are virtually indestructible with proper use. The pans used today can be tomorrow's heirlooms. Cleaning is easy, since stainless can stand scrubbing, and an occasional cleaning with steel wool will keep both inside and out bright as new.

All cooks want to produce a healthful and well-cooked meal. Stainless steel cookware can help to achieve both aims.

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