Do you remember your grannie or mother cooking everything and anything in cast iron Kadai, iron pots, and other iron utensils? Well, of course. This was a common ritual in every Indian kitchen.
However, the passage of time and the need to cook effortlessly, hassle-free, and quickly led the majority to switch to the modern cooking approach i.e the usage of Teflon aka non-stick utensils.
Through this piece of writing let’s try and understand what is Teflon. And what is cast iron? Also, let’s explore which one is better and safer for daily usage.
What is Teflon?
Teflon or non-stick has gained a lot of importance and popularity in the dictionary of cooking utensils. Primarily, non-stick utensils are made up of copper, aluminum, stainless steel, or carbon steel glazed with Teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene).
This coating of Teflon gives a super smooth surface that allows cooking without actually getting the food stick to the surface. The use of non-stick utensils makes cooking a pleasant experience. This is particularly important for newbies diving into their cooking journey.
Although priced slightly higher, teflon-based utensils are easily available in the Indian market and can be used for cooking a range of dishes.
What is Cast Iron?
Iron pots, pans, and skillets are the most versatile utensils for cooking food. In general, cast iron is an alloy of iron and carbon with about 2% carbon content. Further, white cast iron can be made by adding silicon to the alloy.
Cast iron utensils are rough to look at. The surface is messy and requires decent seasoning to make it smooth. Despite this, cast iron has been traditionally used to cook food on a day-to-day basis.
Initially, it was assumed that because cast iron is made up of iron, it is healthy as the cooking process takes up some iron from the utensil it is being cooked in. This adds up to the overall iron content of the food. Surprisingly! This is true and is now backed by research.
Teflon v/s Cast Iron – Which one is Better?
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Heat Retention:
When it comes to teflon-based utensils, they are super quick to ‘get ready for cooking’. But you need to be sure that the cooking temperature does not exceed 260°C (500°F). This is because Teflon has some serious issues with high temperatures. The Teflon coating begins to break down, releasing toxic fumes (Perfluorooctanoic acid). This toxic substance enters the food and deteriorates its nutrient content. Plus, the fumes are not safe for birds flying above your kitchen!
Cast iron utensils are slow-gems! Unlike Teflon, they take a good amount of time to get ready to be able to cook food. But once cast iron pots are all set you can take the utensil to the extreme temperature you want, without actually worrying about the quality. Cast iron is gifted to withstand heat much better than any other cookware. Plus, it does not release toxic chemicals or fumes that can spoil your food.
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Durability:
A lot of times, you may have observed black flakes in your food, and they are actually not black pepper. Then, what is it? It is Teflon getting torn during rubbing or after multiple uses or due to heating at a high temperature. Teflon-based utensils generally do not require high maintenance but also won’t last for more than 5 years approximately.
On the contrary, cast iron is iron strong and rock strong. Not affected by breakage, heat, and vigorous rubbing. Though the surface of cast iron takes a little longer to clean, it is still the most durable, long-lasting variety of cooking pots. You can use cast iron utensils every day for cooking a large variety of meals and voila! The utensil you are using can still stay in your kitchen for at least 23-25 years.
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Non-Stick Quality:
Teflon-coated utensils are excellent when it comes to their non-stick quality, they require no to extremely low oil for cooking. On the other hand, cast iron easily gets food sticking to its surface. Getting this sticky food out of utensils is a pain at times. However, this can be absolutely avoided by preheating and generously seasoning the surface of a cast iron pan or Kadai.
Which One Should You Choose?
Cast iron has been in use for a really long time. It is durable, economical, heat stable, healthy, safe, and suitable for Indian cooking. Non-stick is the game changer. With more people trying to avoid oil intake, Teflon becomes their first and foremost choice. However, heating Teflon at a high temperature can be hazardous to one’s health.
To put it crisply, both non-stick and cast iron utensils are the need of the hour. You should have them both in your kitchen. Use each of these as and when required based on the food you want to cook. Just never overdo Teflon utensils, don’t overheat them, and do not try to cook everything in Teflon. Go traditional and use cast iron pretty often. It not only makes your food iron-rich but is also most convenient for cooking a variety of food dishes. When using cast iron, make sure to not miss seasoning and you can simply use your regular iron Kadai like a non-stick pan.
