Teflon Chemical May Harm Thyroid
Wednesday May 14, 2008
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is focusing attention on a new study that has found that PFOA, a chemical used to make Teflon, food wrappers and other products, may be dangerous to health. The study, which looked at 69,000 people in West Virginia and Ohio who live near a DuPont manufacturing plant where the chemical is used, found that the chemical may harm the immune system, liver and thyroid and cause raise cholesterol levels in children.In addition to various health concerns, the study found that "thyroid function was clearly affected in PFOA-exposed people, with the effect strongest at moderate levels of exposure, rather than the highest exposures."
Photo: clipart.com
Comments
A nutritionist once told me that all non-fat products (noon-fat yogurt, milk, etc) have a substance that is like teflon. She said that the body doesn’t know what to do with it so it just sits there and causes harm (although I don’t remember exactly what kind of harm - but it sounded bad and I’ve been off processed non-fat foods since then.)
I still use teflon (low heat) but I am trying to find pans that are non-stick. In reading about a enamel pan I almost bought one which was enamel on the outside but a similar substance as teflon inside. The copper fusion on enamel on both inside and outside sounds good but expensive but reviews on Amazon don’t sound too good.
Thanks for the heads up!
I use stainless steel pans and add a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking. I would rather scrub a pan than have another chemical in my system.
If you concentrate on teflon-pan use, you’re missing the big picture! According to the preliminary finding, exposure to PFOA from teflon pans is minimal, if at all! There are no conclusive studies on that point. However, exposure from drinking water, spray-on and wash-in stain repellants (Scotchguard), dental floss, food containers…I’d be more concerned about those sources, and the fact that once the perfluorocarbons are dumped into the environment, they never go away!
I read the article and it does not suggest that teflon is toxic. (I have read at that at high temperatures it produces a gas that is so don’t leave a teflon pan just sitting on a hot burner. Its especially toxic to birds.) The substance in the article is one that is used to make teflon and the people at risk are those who work or live near the manufacturing plants. Its still not good, but the danger is not in your kitchen.
We used to have pet birds, we were told by the vet not to use teflon pans because if the pans heated over 150° the fumes would kill the birds. If the fumes from them is enough to kill what would cooking your food on them do?
Kat (anybody else?!), where can I find the info about teflon in dental floss, or chemicals in any other dental products (mouth wash, tooth paste, tooth brush etc.)? What do you use?
Thank you kindly
Galina
Teflon IS HIGHLY toxic, read this article!
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/462168/why_you_should_throw_away_your_nonstick.html
I really believe that since the mid 20th century when we became a “modern” society with all of the new plastics and the easy, new life that we opened Pandora’s box. Little did we know the diseases and cancers down the line.
I have auto immune disease along with hypothyroidism and a bad liver.
Over the past few years I have become chemically sensitive and in my late 50s developed allergies.
Due to the liver disease, about 10 years ago I started drinking distilled water - Drs. orders.
Now I am told that this was a good thing. Two main destroyers of thyroid function are chlorine and flouride - and it is in water and toothpaste. Only distilled water is safe.
I am wondering - where will it all stop. I don’t know if we can turn back the hands of time. But I am trying. I have enamel over cast iron instead of teflon. If you can’t afford that, then get a cast iron skillet.
But - I agree, teflon is not the only worry - it isn’t even in the top 10!
I have never used teflon or any such thing - its really not needed. Just get decent quality cast iron pots and pans - season them according to the labels, and wash promptly,never using steelwool & you have the best even heating non stick pan around. And no chemicals - I’m amazed at how we want to use all these chemicals & think there is no rebound effect. If its not safe for my pets - I sure don’t want it near me!
I’m glad we have this information but I think one must think carefully as to has instrumented the use of such chemicals…”we” did not discover them, place them in products that would poison us, advertise them and be blessed by the governments to do so. The same situation is evident in the case of flouride and a million plus other chemicals. After you have figured out who has approved these chemicals for use you must think why this is the case. I would not stop at the thought of money influencing these decisions per se but would go even beyond that as to WHY the government would wish us to ingest lethal chemicals. It is not a “mistake” on their parts…so it must be…fill in the blanks yourselves please.
When I had a Thyroidectomy 6 years ago there was vocal cord paralisis on one side (due to the surgery). So that I may have a normal voice again the vocal cord was injected with Teflon - where does that leave me?
I use cast iron pans, the majority of the time, and more now I have read this article. If the pans are well seasoned, and kept that way there is very easy clean up after cooking most foods.
thank you for the information. I will pass it along.
Swanson Vitamins has a fairly detailed article about this topic on their website, and they are offering high-quality enamel-coated pans for sale as an alternative.
Shelly,
Don’t fry on high heat with olive oil. The act of frying most vegetable oils, including olive oil, is that the healthy fats in them become converted into free radicals - causing inflammation, mutations in DNA, premature aging, and other problems. Not all oils do this. But, olive oil and canola oil are both guilty. Coconut oil is one of the best for not transforming into free radicals. Google this subject - you don’t want to cause yourself more problems when you’re thinking you’re doing something good for yourself in avoiding Teflon.
If it’s not one, it’s the other, huh???
I have started using cast iron pans and reading up on them, I found that teflon releases a toxin that can kill your pet parakeet if he’s in the same room. So, if it can kill your bird, what is is doing to you?
My cast iron pans are great by the way!
The question here is not, “What are the chances of being exposed to teflon?” The question is, “What are the risks if chronic exposure occurs” I worked at a furniture store and we used teflon, now I have an overactive thyroid, do the mat wizards…
Your absolutely right Antonia about the oils. What makes olive oil so good for us makes it a sensitive oil to heat and light. Coconut oil is a saturated fat and very stable for heating. Cast iron is good for me, just be sure to buy Logde brand because its made in Tennesee and the best quality. They also make an enamal line of cookware.