Question:
I have used iron skillets for
years. Some belonged to my Mother. A friend asked me if it was
safe to use because of the iron in the skillet. I told her I
have been eating from them and using them for years & never
heard anything about the iron in the skillet not being safe.
Please let me know. Thank-you for your informative care of the
skillets. - Brenda Weldon (12/16/05)
Answer:
Yes, cooking in a cast iron skillet can add significant amounts
of iron to your food and into your body... if you eat it. This
was proven by researchers who tested 20 foods, the results of
which were published in the July 1986 issue of the
Journal of the American
Dietetic Association. They measured the iron and
moisture content of these items when raw, and after cooking in
an iron skillet and a non-iron (Corning ware) dish, separately.
A new, seasoned iron skillet was used, in the event prior use
might have affected iron absorption. The researchers also
compared iron absorption when using a new iron skillet versus an
older one.
Researchers found that cooking in an iron skillet greatly
increases the iron content of many foods. Acidic foods that have
a higher moisture content, such as applesauce and spaghetti
sauce, absorbed the most iron. As a matter of fact, the big
winners in the foods tested were these two items. For 100 grams
of each (about 3 oz.), the applesauce increased in iron content
from 0.35 mg. to 7.3 mg., and the spaghetti sauce jumped from
0.6 mg. to 5.7 mg. of iron.
Food cooked for longer periods of time absorbed more iron than
food that was heated more quickly. They also found foods
prepared with a newer iron skillet absorbed more iron than those
cooked in an older one. Foods that were cooked and stirred more
frequently absorbed a greater amount of iron as well, probably
because they came into contact with the iron more often.
Hamburger, corn tortillas, cornbread, and liver with onions
didn't absorb as much iron. This was probably due to the shorter
cooking times, and the fact that they were either turned once or
not at all, resulting in less contact with the iron.
Here are the changes the researchers found. Foods cooked at home
may vary in iron absorption based on the age of the skillet used
and the amount of time the foods are heated. This list can give
you a general idea of the difference in dietary iron content
cooking in an iron skillet can provide.
|
Foods tested (100 g./3 oz.) |
Iron content when raw |
Iron content after cooking in iron skillet |
|
Applesauce, unsweetened |
0.35 mg. |
7.38 mg. |
|
Spaghetti sauce |
0.61 |
5.77 |
|
Chili with meat and beans |
0.96 |
6.27 |
|
Medium white sauce |
0.22 |
3.30 |
|
Scrambled egg |
1.49 |
4.76 |
|
Spaghetti sauce with meat |
0.71 |
3.58 |
|
Beef vegetable stew |
0.66 |
3.4 |
|
Fried egg |
1.92 |
3.48 |
|
Spanish rice |
0.87 |
2.25 |
|
Rice, white |
0.67 |
1.97 |
|
Pan broiled bacon |
0.77 |
1.92 |
|
Poached egg |
1.87 |
2.32 |
|
Fried chicken |
0.88 |
1.89 |
|
Pancakes |
0.63 |
1.31 |
|
Pan fried green beans |
0.64 |
1.18 |
|
Pan broiled hamburger |
1.49 |
2.29 |
|
Fried potatoes |
0.42 |
0.8 |
|
Fried corn tortillas |
0.86 |
1.23 |
|
Pan-fried beef liver with onions |
3.1 |
3.87 |
|
Baked cornbread |
0.67 |
0.86 |
So, if you're looking to increase your dietary iron, use a
new cast iron skillet. After all, the iron in cookware is no
different from the iron in our bodies — except we have much
smaller amounts!
Cooking in
cast iron pots can significantly increase the iron content of
food, particularly foods with a high moisture content, high
acidity and those cooked for a long time. For example, a serving
of spaghetti sauce normally contains less than one milligram of
iron, but when cooked in an iron pot, that can climb to nearly
six milligrams. Whether or not this added iron is a benefit
depends on your age and your health status. For most individuals
the occasional use of a cast iron skillet will cause no health
concerns.
I have
read that everything
grilled or barbecued is full of carcinogens
due to the fact that the food
is cooked over burning coals, wood and/or gas. The carcinogens
intrinsically produced in grilling are mainly free radicals that
are produced whenever you heat a hydrocarbon (i.e. butter, fat,
burnt-sugar, etc.) to high temperatures. This is why French
fries are so unhealthy - not only are they high in fat but they
are also loaded with free radicals.
I’ve also heard that
Teflon pans contain carcinogens. A University of Toronto chemist
has shown that Teflon coated pans release perfluorooctanoic acid
(PFOA), a "likely carcinogen" and other chemicals when heated to
360 celsius.
Did you know that
even black pepper contains 32 known carcinogens?
Feedback:
Wow! Pepper has 32 carcinogens!? That's nothing to sneeze at!
Question:
I am on a nutrition web program
and one of our members brought up the question of how much iron
is given off a cast iron skillet into the food you are cooking.
Are you aware of any
research on this subject? It would be one more benefit to using
cast iron skillets. - Cathryn (10/15/05)
Cooking
high-acid foods like tomato products or apple sauce in cast-iron
cook-ware is actually recommended to help increase the amount of
iron in your diet.
In fact, in a
classic study published in 1986 in the Journal of the American
Dietetic Association, researchers tested 20 foods cooked in new
cast-iron skillets. They found most foods increased in iron content
by being cooked in the iron cookware, some significantly so.
