How Pots and Pans Can Wreck Your Health
By Brandi Goodman
The pots and pans you use for cooking may still look usable. Chances are, however, that cookware in your kitchen should have been tossed a long time ago. Pots and pans can actually wreck your health if you continue to use them past their expiration. Five years is the typical limit for most items in the kitchen. Learn how to tell when a new set of dishes is needed.
The Potential for Tetanus
Tetanus -- a sometimes fatal infection -- can develop after you've been exposed to rust. Sure, the tiny bits of rust that flake off of pots and pans has a very minimal possibility of affecting you. That doesn't mean the danger isn't still there. There's no reason you should be taking the chance of having your nervous system damaged. Replace any cookware that's showing signs of rust or peeling.
A Possibility of Food Poisoning
A pan that is warped or damaged may sit unevenly on the stove top. Though your food may still cook through, it's more likely that not everything will get cooked as evenly as it's supposed to. Uneven cooking introduces the possibility for food poisoning. You have to be sure meat, in particular, is cooked all the way through and to the right temperature so it is safe to consume. Otherwise, you open up the potential of eating undercooked meat that could make you ill.
An Introduction of Bacteria
Many people clean their pans incorrectly. There is a right way and a wrong way for cleaning cookware, depending on which type you have. Failing to clean your dishes properly means there is residue and bacteria left behind. You'll then be introducing this bacteria into your system when you cook with these contaminated items. You can get sick, or worse, when this happens. Always be sure to follow the user manual for cleaning so you get your dishes done safely.
Notice a chipped spot on your pan? Food getting stuck when you cook? Is your pot warped and not sitting evenly? These are just a few of the signs that some new pots and pans are required. Continuing to use unsafe cookware can be detrimental to your health. For your own well-being, be sure to replace what you cook with every five years at the least -- sooner if you notice these changes.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Kingwood, Tex.
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