I’ve been using these non-stick pans for over 7 years now thinking they were carbon steel! How bad is the effects of non stick chemicals in your system and aluminium?

[-]

SiGni7@reddit

Veritassium just did a video about it. Really recommend it

[-]

DeskFrosty9972@reddit

I'm never eating microwave popcorn again

[-]

It's easy to cook popcorn in a pan, also cheaper, and you can flavour it how you like. I pay £1.50 for 500g of uncooked popcorn. Stick some in a pan with a lid, start on high until it starts popping, then turn down low until the popping stops.

[-]

The-Mayor-of-Italy@reddit

That's about the same price as just buying a multi-pack of readymade from Aldi, to be honest, which requires no prep and allows for better portion control. But then again, maybe I'm not a popcorn connoisseur.

[-]

Ok_Weird_500@reddit

Looking at Aldi's website you get 72g for £1.25. That's over 8 times the price by weight. You are paying for convenience, but also creating more waste, not that most people seem to care about that.

And you can cook in batch sizes of your choosing and portion it out if you want.

[-]

unprofessional_widow@reddit

It's much cheaper, the bag of 150g unpopped corn makes SO much more than a bag of ready popped.

[-]

Cold94DFA@reddit

The difference between ready cooked, cold chicken and raw chicken that you cook yourself however you want.

It's not really a comparison as they are different goals right?

[-]

Ok_Adhesiveness_8637@reddit

This was my first thought when I saw the pans haha

[-]

Ok-Toe-6969@reddit

Its a good channel but I wouldn't believe everything they say, I always try and do my own research, I've watched a video on that specific channel recently and they can be manipulative sometimes

https://youtu.be/CM0aohBfUTc

[-]

paul2261@reddit

gotta love a shady link

[-]

Ok-Toe-6969@reddit

It's literally a link to a YouTube channel

[-]

CreditBrunch@reddit

It’s alright, now your insides are non-stick. You’ll never suffer from constipation, that’s for sure.

[-]

bitch_whip_bill@reddit

Can confirm, poo slides out

[-]

SeaworthinessCool924@reddit

Instructions unclear..... frying pan stuck in ass

[-]

bitch_whip_bill@reddit

That's because the non stick came off

[-]

OutrageousRhubarb853@reddit

Comes out like a greased up dolphin exiting a water slide

[-]

V65Pilot@reddit

My last few have been like passing tree trunks. I've recently defiled more than a couple of toilet brushes beating them into flushable sizes. You are welcome to that visualization. But, at least I'm not one of those people that just leaves it and walks away.

[-]

Leicsbob@reddit

You need a poop knife.

[-]

V65Pilot@reddit

I'm in the UK, can't carry a knife....luckily most toilets have a brush.

[-]

Dramatic-Public-1237@reddit

Take it your not from South London then...

[-]

V65Pilot@reddit

Oddly, I live in S. London.

[-]

draughtpunck@reddit

Just pop down stairs and borrow one out of the drawer, I think the established etiquette is to leave it by the toilet brush for such emergencies. Pretty sure you also have to give the family an induction into the world of the poop knife and teach them it’s ways.

[-]

Character_Diamond471@reddit

My old school janitor carried a spade about for this duty.

[-]

FrazerRPGScott@reddit

You can carry a small knife, how big are your poos you need a machete?

[-]

V65Pilot@reddit

See my initial post.

[-]

Runaroundheadless@reddit

I think the police give exemption for poop knives. Usually they just run away screaming.

[-]

DarthScabies@reddit

Use a ruler.

[-]

V65Pilot@reddit

I'm sure HRH might object to that.

[-]

WolframBravo@reddit

Backside bam bam must be a breeze.

[-]

jaavaaguru@reddit

No lube required

[-]

scrotal-massage@reddit

This is why mom doesn't fucking love you.

[-]

ovine_aviation@reddit

Go and stand in a corner.

[-]

Plastic_Library649@reddit

Go and stand in a corner.

In a bucket

[-]

Frustib@reddit

Comes out like Andy Dufresne exiting the sewer pipe from Shawshank prison

[-]

imapersonme@reddit

Doing one as I read your comment/type this.

Can confirm.

[-]

DingoFlaky7602@reddit

https://youtu.be/SC2eSujzrUY seems like great timing (also assume OP watched it, hence the post)

[-]

lysergic101@reddit

Also, you'll never have clogged arteries.

[-]

remwreck@reddit

Would assume most of that has gone down the drain when you’ve scoured them cleaning.

[-]

Complex_Bother832@reddit (OP)

Hopefully, it was more during cooking than leaching into the food.

[-]

ACertainUser123@reddit

I watched a video on this yesterday. Those chemicals (Teflon) on non-stick pans are too large for our body to break down/absorb, so it goes straight through you so you're fine.

The main problem is the chemicals they use to make this stuff as it can bond with our blood and can't be broken down, so it goes all throughout our body and stays there.

For reference, here is the video: https://youtu.be/SC2eSujzrUY?si=y_CS2eAW1lNo4KSp

[-]

Dounce1@reddit

So it goes right through us because it’s too big… but it also enters our bloodstream and stays there forever?

[-]

hootersm@reddit

I had to read it twice as well. I think what is being said is that the end product lasses through you but the chemicals used to make it are very bad for you. However I could be way off the mark.

[-]

Jebusura@reddit

You are correct

[-]

bacon_cake@reddit

So eat the pans but drink from the bins at the pan factory?

[-]

hootersm@reddit

Something like that. All I know is most of my kitchen ware is now stainless steel.

[-]

Remote_Badger6005@reddit

No, in short Teflon is long and is non stick.

So how does it stick to the pan? Sciency stuff is done using shorter worser compounds. Its the shorter worser compounds that are the dangerous ones. Luckily they won't be on your pan. But they are being dumped into the environment so heavily that they are in every corner of the planet, being transported around in our rain cycles, swallowed in our drinking water, and ultimately have been found in the bodies of every human/animal tested at alarming quantities.

[-]

nobass4u@reddit

PFAS?

[-]

Remote_Badger6005@reddit

Yes

[-]

nobass4u@reddit

I'm not super up to date, but i was under the impression that they were bad due to persistence in the body/environment cause the C-F bond to strong for anything natural to break, rather than causing explicit health defects making it dangerous.

obviously I'd rather not have my water supply contaminated with it though

[-]

Remote_Badger6005@reddit

Its both. There's a range of chemicals under the name PFAS, some worse than others. But there are a number which are confirmed to cause various kinds of cancers at certain levels. The average human has a level of these chemicals in their body which could increase risk. Depending on where you live and what your lifestyle is like you could have levels which they recommended you get checked out by your doctor. Veritasium on youtube just done a really good deep dive into this topic that's worth a watch.

[-]

nobass4u@reddit

I'll check it out, thanks

[-]

labpadre-lurker@reddit

The bonds on Teflon are too big to pass into our bloodstream.

The chemicals used to make Teflon are the dodgy ones, with bonds small enough that it can enter our bloodstream.

The chemicals used to make Teflon are no longer those chemicals... because they turn into a different chemical called... Teflon...

[-]

chronicmelancholic@reddit

That's wrong, it's not because it is too big. The compounds are typically PFAs, which stands for Per-Fluoro-Alkaloids or something like that. These are essentially carbon chains with Fluorines instead of hydrogen atoms. These F-C bonds are extremely strong, hence these compounds are impossible for your body or pretty much anything else in nature to break down. I could be wrong but they shouldn't be particularly watersoluble (or they'd immediately come off your pan) so if you ingest any, not much of it would go into your bloodstream (I haven't looked into it much but my reasoning is that F-C bond should have a dipole, but perfluorination is very symmetrical across the molecule, so charge distribution should be very even across the molecule, so H-bonding with water would be extremely weak if possible at all, I assume similar to PF6). Also your kidneys or Liver should be able to filter it out if it does get into the blood steam. The size of the molecule would only really play a role in whether it is absorbed, capable of crossing cell membranes or through the blood brain barrier.

So, since these F-C bonds are so strong, the molecule is very stable and will not react with anything. Even if your body tries to react it using enzymes and stuff. So you wouldn't need to worry it could react with and damage your tissues this way. But this isn't to say it won't be able to interact with any receptors or cause damage in other ways as the jury is still out on that. Most likely it's relatively harmless, but probably still don't use metal utensils in non-stick coated pans.

[-]

Rainandblame@reddit

Teflon goes right though us, but the chemicals
used to make teflon (at the factory) are what stays in you forever.

[-]

callardo@reddit

It’s a good thing they haven’t been dumping them into the environment then …. Right ?? 😬

[-]

pigeon_in_a_suit@reddit

This is a masterpiece in horror writing - took me from relief to sheer panic in two paragraphs.

[-]

Satoshiman256@reddit

Ha, I watched that yesterday also and just posted the same link.

[-]

DownrightDrewski@reddit

Veritassium do some really good videos (I haven't hit the link, so I might look silly if another channel recently posted a video talking about this that is actually linked)

[-]

El_Spanberger@reddit

Don't worry - your food already had microplastics from the packaging anyhow.

[-]

Southern-Variety-777@reddit

Mmmmm Teflon….

[-]

Mrwonderful-hnt@reddit

Every restaurant uses similar pans. The real problem, however, is the type of oil we cook with, even more than the pans themselves. Many people are using vegetable oil and sunflower oil, which is worse type of cooking oil.

[-]

ihopeitsnice@reddit

So where did this whole seed oil stuff start?

[-]

pajamakitten@reddit

With the likes of the carnivore diet and any other 'real man' diet that tries to demonise plants, while saying it is OK to eat as much butter as you want.

[-]

manicmojo@reddit

Seed oils are bad for you, just not at all same level as PFAs

[-]

delicious_brains818@reddit

It's found in highly processed, highly palatable foods high in sodium, sugar, and salt. And evil business put seed oils (very shelf stable and cheap to buy) into their food, not for any reason other than they're EVIL argghhhhhh!

[-]

SnooRegrets8068@reddit

Anything where there's a diet to be sold it will exclude a number of things. Regardless of the veracity of the claims

[-]

mk6971@reddit

Didn't take long for the seed oil haters to start.

[-]

dinobug77@reddit

Didn’t even know that was a thing!

[-]

pajamakitten@reddit

It has spread from the US thanks to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

[-]

Y-Bob@reddit

Fucking seeds.

[-]

Atompunk78@reddit

What’s the problem with those oils sorry? I’m not aware of thjs

[-]

Outrageous-Map8302@reddit

Seed oils are fine. It's nonsense from Americans, funded by the dairy industry to increase sales of butter.

[-]

chiefpeaeater@reddit

Mmmmm butter

[-]

spiderham42@reddit

Not always. There is s a lot of evidence on the difference between the omega fatty acids you put in your body. Seed oils tend to be the omega 3 I think. It's not can't exactly remeber the effects buts how it deals will the the good cholesterol and potential inflammation. I'd have to go back and look it up. Not sure how it effects pans, I'll be honest. But the study shows other oils, not just dairy, are much better. May be it's big olive that ran the study.

[-]

unseemly_turbidity@reddit

Most of us need more omega 3 in our diets, not less.

[-]

spiderham42@reddit

I may have mixed up my omegas. I believe it is 3 that reduces inflammation. Thanks for correcting my mistake.

[-]

EnormousD@reddit

Yeah you're thinking of omega 6

[-]

thegerbilmaster@reddit

Just like the rumours that salt and fats are the cause of heart disease.....

[-]

kinellm8@reddit

Um, the salt thing is pretty straightforward; it increases your blood pressure as your body tries to lower the sodium content of blood by increasing water content, more volume of liquid in same system = higher pressure, and high blood pressure not good. Plus other stuff, but that’s the simple undeniable bit.

Fat maybe a little more nuanced.

source

[-]

ReliefZealousideal84@reddit

This is false.

[-]

f1boogie@reddit

Nothing, really.

The biggest health concern regarding seed and vegetable oils is they are high in omega 6 fatty acids. While these are essential for a healthy diet, too much can lead to health issues. They can be balanced out by consuming omega 3 fatty acids.

In the average Western diet, we consume way more omega 6s than we should compared to omega 3. This can lead to tissue inflammation.

In short, eat more fish, and it won't be an issue.

[-]

KanBalamII@reddit

In terms of the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 one of the best oils is rapeseed oil, despite it being demonized by the anti seed oil people. It has 10 times as much omega-3 as olive or avocado oil, for example. The anti seed oil people then go on to recommend cooking in tallow and coconut oil, both of which are basically pure saturated fat.

[-]

OrdinaryLavishness11@reddit

Didn’t know that about rapeseed. Thought olive was king.

[-]

KanBalamII@reddit

The king in terms of omega-3 is actually linseed oil, but nobody cooks with it because it has a low smoke point and goes rancid easily.

[-]

Rlysrh@reddit

Chia seeds are also a really good and cheaper source of omega 3 :)

[-]

OrdinaryLavishness11@reddit

And walnuts :)

[-]

Slanahesh@reddit

Not trying to jump on the seed oil hate or anything, sunflower oil is my main frying oil. But these types of oil are also quite possibly the most hyper processed thing we consume and are very susceptible to oxidisation.

[-]

f1boogie@reddit

This is true. Generally, I avoid anything with palm oil additives and prefer olive oil when I can. But I always have a generic vegetable or sunflower oil as well.

[-]

Demeter_Crusher@reddit

It's pretty easy to take most oils and fats over the point where they'll produce bitter flavours and toxic chemicals.

Be a proper millennial and cook with Avocado oil (for real, has a very high burn temp).

[-]

Atompunk78@reddit

Yeah but I simply don’t cook at that high heat, problem solved

[-]

Demeter_Crusher@reddit

Here's the table1

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Smoke_point_of_cooking_oils

It's pretty easy to inadvertently get a pan or some sections of a pan up to 200-250, especially if the oil is thin so it can't support convection currents. But, yeah, if you're actively mixing sesame then ought to be fine.

[-]

Atompunk78@reddit

Ahh thanks!

[-]

stewieatb@reddit

Nothing, the person you're replying to is just batshit mental.

[-]

p0tatochip@reddit

Sesame oil is more for flavouring than frying

[-]

Atompunk78@reddit

Seems to do a great job at both to me

[-]

p0tatochip@reddit

Don't let Uncle Roger know. Aiyah!

[-]

ambrosianeu@reddit

Asian food is not generally fried in sesame oil. It is mostly a finishing oil.

[-]

Atompunk78@reddit

I know, but I like the taste it imparts when frying Asian food in it

[-]

AarhusNative@reddit

I don't know any professional kitchens that use nonstick pans.

[-]

Eisenhorn_UK@reddit

I agree.

The claim that they do is total horseshit.

[-]

bzbzbzbbzbzbzbzbz@reddit

Nonstick is only really used for eggs in restaurants, if a place is slinging 1000 omelettes a day, they'll be using nonstick

[-]

UnpredictiveList@reddit

Obviously. We aren’t manicuring cast iron pans to make an egg at home though.

[-]

freckledotter@reddit

Pretty sure PFAS are far more harmful than seed oil.

[-]

ACertainUser123@reddit

Teflon isn't actually harmful, just the stuff that goes into making it that's bad

[-]

dont_kill_my_vibe09@reddit

Forever chemicals vs biodegradable oils lol.

[-]

thabossfight@reddit

This hasn't got enough down votes

[-]

tmbyfc@reddit

I only use Castrol GTX you fucking cucks

[-]

bedrockblonde@reddit

Chef with 10 years before the hob! We do not use similar pans & we also use seed oils as we have done for a very long time.

[-]

UnpredictiveList@reddit

Lol everything is bad for you. That’s it.

[-]

rickyhatesspam@reddit

So you keep telling yourself.

[-]

astromech_dj@reddit

What hasn’t hit the blood brain barrier, you mean?

[-]

Not-Reddit-Fan@reddit

I think most the world are in the same boat dude

[-]

Iamthe0c3an2@reddit

The actual non-stick chemicals are inert and pass through you.

It’s the byproducts (if you’re pans ever got past 350*C ) that could potentially be cancerous.

Veritasium literally made a video about this the other day.

[-]

MaxMouseOCX@reddit

It's bad.... https://youtu.be/SC2eSujzrUY

[-]

Few_Confusion7165@reddit

Well it's already done now so no point fretting about it.

Probably toss those pans and get some new ones though. Spend a little on them and get some nice thick pans, it will make your cooking experience much better

[-]

DividedContinuity@reddit

Whilst neither are ideal, and you should replace the pans (and treat the new ones better), you're basically fine.

Teflon will pass right through the body, and aluminium, while toxic, is in everything, its the most abundant metal. Unless you're getting exposed to large amounts of aluminium all the time (work in a factory with aluminium for example), the body does a pretty good job eliminating it.

I'll stress again though, you should replace those pans, and look up how to take care of teflon. I have 12 year old teflon pans the look new, use plastic utensils only and clean with a soft sponge, no scourers.

[-]

Guitar6ix@reddit

Almost every animal on the planet from here to Antarctica has C8 in their system, it is perhaps one of the most covered-up environmental pollutants ever.. and it's everywhere from food packaging linings, clothing, furniture, and so on. Consumption is completely unavoidable, and becomes more dangerous through cumulative exposure. Can affect the kidneys and liver, and is linked to cancer. Start small and avoid non stick pans, microwave popcorn, etc.

[-]

sazzlysarah@reddit

Damn, and i just bought my first box of microwave popcorn in 5 years! 😭

[-]

goingnowherespecial@reddit

Whack it in a non-stick pan and complete the trifecta.

[-]

cocoaforkingsleyamis@reddit

that would be a bifecta

[-]

UncleSnowstorm@reddit

The third element is shame.

[-]

talligan@reddit

Why microwave popcorn? Is it in the coating on the inside of the bag?

[-]

RaceCarTacoCatMadam@reddit

PFAS

[-]

talligan@reddit

Ah fuck

[-]

Guitar6ix@reddit

Love microwave popcorn, perhapa space it out, ...one bag a year won't hurt 😅

[-]

Breadmash@reddit

The chemicals we've studied and linked to diseases have been removed from Microwave popcorn bags for years - but surprise surprise, they've been replaced with new non-stick chemicals that we don't know much about.. So the risk is they're just as bad.

[-]

Character_Diamond471@reddit

You see this practice in industry as well where Asbestos bricks are often replaced by non-asbestos ceramic fibres. Call me paranoid but if those new ceramic fibres get into your lungs, they are probably going to have have a little success at leaving your lungs as asbestos but we can now sleep easy knowing its not actually asbestos....

[-]

mata_dan@reddit

A classic one is RoHS with for example leaded soulder. No more leaded solder, so instead we use thousands of other unregulated and understudied replacements that don't work as well.

[-]

Sway_RL@reddit

I went through a phase years ago where I was eating a bag every night, went on for about 2 months and I started getting sick. Haven't eaten one since and that was about 8 years ago.

[-]

kirkyrise@reddit

C8 flavour?

[-]

Nyx_Necrodragon101@reddit

C8 is a chemical that is used in non-stick pans. It's a known carcinogen and forever chemical.

[-]

Other-Perception12@reddit

WAIT! You can’t leave a bomb like microwave popcorn and not elaborate!

[-]

mynameisollie@reddit

C8 is from the production of Teflon though isn’t it? Eating the non stick off pans will probably just go through you as the chains are quite long and inert.

[-]

JoPOWz@reddit

Yeah the video the poster got his info from does specifically mention that the pans are only an issue if heated above 350 degrees F - it’s not just from consuming the Teflon, which is still specifically used because it’s inert and you’d just poop it all out. It’s from the production of Teflon - specifically the method through which it is suspended to allow for spraying and shaping more easily.

[-]

UKSTL@reddit

Do they still use c-8? Or even c-6? What are the pans we buy today got?

[-]

JoeyJoeC@reddit

I know you probably watched the video, sharing for others. Well worth a watch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SC2eSujzrUY

[-]

AnonymousTimewaster@reddit

Also watch the film Dark Waters with Mark Ruffalo

[-]

RoofbeamCarp@reddit

Maaaaybe don’t watch the film if you’re OP 😩😩😩 great movie but probs not a fun time if you’ve spent years snarfing Teflon.

[-]

banisheduser@reddit

This is a great film! Another recommendation to watch from my end.

[-]

moderatefairgood@reddit

Absolutely superb film. Glad to see this recommendation on here.

[-]

redevilgak@reddit

DARK WATERS is super scarey especially so as it true

[-]

Guitar6ix@reddit

This looks good, will watch, thanks for sharing 👍 Dark Waters is a good drama regarding Dupont.

[-]

JoeyJoeC@reddit

I assumed that's where you got your info from since it's a very recent video and you covered everything in the video. You know your stuff!

[-]

SureElderberry15@reddit

I just commented a link to the video too! 😂

[-]

Patient_File_2351@reddit

Veritasium ftw 🎯🎯🎯

[-]

Caledoniaa@reddit

I purchase a cast iron to avoid non stick pans but fuck me are they heavy and they also smoke like a chimney. Any toner solutions?

[-]

The_Jazz_Doll@reddit

What's wrong with microwave popcorn?

[-]

Guitar6ix@reddit

The paper bag is coated in nonstick plastic, which can leach into the food

[-]

Iamleeboy@reddit

Phew. I thought it was just microwaving popcorn that did it!

We usually make our own in a plastic bowl…which I am sure I will soon find out is even worse than using the bags!!

[-]

The_Jazz_Doll@reddit

TIL. I just thought it was paper/cardboard.

[-]

Proper_Cup_3832@reddit

Why microwave popcorn? Is it only dodgy US stuff? Euro stuff safe or no?

[-]

PullAndTwist@reddit

The pans aren't coated in C8 so irrelevant.

[-]

Complex_Bother832@reddit (OP)

I’ve bought stainless steel pans!

[-]

Loud-Butterscotch234@reddit

Remember to treat them with oil once in a while.

[-]

swallowshotguns@reddit

Unnecessary for stainless steel.

[-]

Loud-Butterscotch234@reddit

Oh, what am I thinking of?

[-]

20dogs@reddit

Cast iron

[-]

Loud-Butterscotch234@reddit

Take my upvote and thanks for correction.

[-]

Alarmed-Cheetah-1221@reddit

You might have been thinking of carbon steel. It's what is used in most commercial kitchens.

Needs treating similarly to cast iron.

[-]

winponlac@reddit

Carbon steel....... as opposed to what other kind of steel? Save very niche engineering steels, steel is essentially defined as iron having small amounts of carbon in it!

[-]

joesimpie69420@reddit

Yes but carbon steel is steel specifically where carbon is the main alloying element. As opposed to say, stainless steel, where the main alloying element is chromium.

[-]

thelittlepotcompany@reddit

I like you joe

[-]

joesimpie69420@reddit

I'm an engineer so I know things like these 😢

[-]

Alarmed-Cheetah-1221@reddit

It's very standard terminology for steel cookware.

I appreciate the pedantry though. You are of course technically correct.

[-]

The_Geralt_Of_Trivia@reddit

The pans shouldn't have c8 on them though, as it's only used in the manufacture of PTFE. The Teflon on the pans is inert and passes through the body safely.

The c8 ends up on the environment though industrial waste water mostly, and we consume it through eating/drinking contaminated food... Not from non-stick pans.

[-]

RatArsedGarbageDog@reddit

What's up with microwave popcorn now? 😭

[-]

Omg_Shut_the_fuck_up@reddit

ALL THE CANCER.

[-]

RatArsedGarbageDog@reddit

Hot buttery cancer. Shame.

[-]

agitpropagator@reddit

I see you also watched the latest Veritasium video too? Very interesting I reckon everyone check it out.

[-]

Flimsy-Restaurant902@reddit

Veritasium just put out a video on this and theres also a brilliant documentary called The Devil We Know. Its tragic what theyve done to our entire ecosystem and any cleanup or attempts to reduce to pollution will be of course government funded instead of being taken out of their coffers. It sickens me honestly.

[-]

The_Jyps@reddit

Important to note the C8 isn't in the teflon. It's dumped into the world's water supply as a by-product of making teflon. OP isn't in much real danger as the teflon itself is not absorbed by the body.

[-]

john92w@reddit

Have you watched the Veritasium video on this by any chance? I watched it the other night which is the only reason I know what you’re talking about.

[-]

imtriing@reddit

Everyone should watch 'The Devil We Know', it's a documentary about DuPont Chemical and their coverup of the damage they did when they developed 'devils piss', PFAS. They were dumping that shit in rivers. It's insane.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7689910/

[-]

themothwillburn@reddit

I've seen Dark Waters with the Hulk in it, I want to check this one out too, thanks

[-]

Pentax25@reddit

But what about the places more northern than where you are?

[-]

autumn-knight@reddit

Is this the chemical where scientists wanted to investigate its effects but couldn’t even find a control group without the chemical in their systems?

[-]

photoben@reddit

Correct

[-]

Capable_Bee6179@reddit

Microwave popcorn.... Whut

And I thought I was switched on to this stuff after binning all my non stick pans!

[-]

fucks_news_channel@reddit

I also watched that veritasium video

[-]

Banana_Milk7248@reddit

Ah PFAS how we love and hate you.

[-]

Mikenotthatmike@reddit

Aluminium - the scientific consensus, I think is that your body doesn't absorb it in the way people feared

"Non-stick chemicals" - Well, you might have given yourself a localised supply - but they are out there in the food chain.

[-]

devorocks1@reddit

I would definitely suggest getting some new pans get cast iron there the best ones for you

[-]

Patient_Host@reddit

Nowhere near as bad as breathing car fumes every day, or drinking microppastics and medications found in the water system, eating 90% of the food you probably consume etc.

Basically, don't worry about it, you're definitely going to die of something and, in the big scheme of things, soon. Don't waste the little life we do have worrying about it.

[-]

Useful_Address8230@reddit

It's no worse than obesity.

[-]

Lover_of_Sprouts@reddit

PTFE is non-stick because it's extremely unreactive. If you've eaten any that's come off those pans, it won't be digested and you'll excrete it.

[-]

SnooBooks1701@reddit

Being unreactive doesn't mean it's not dangerous. Lead isn't particularly reactive, but it does all kinds of funky things to you proteins. There's non-reactive interactions that can occur like hydrogen bonds, Van der Waals forces and enzyme antagonism. Most poisons don't kill you by reacting with your body like hydrogen does with water, most of them are enzyme antagonists. Lead kills you because it mimics the calcium cofactor for enzymes, but is so bulky that it prevents reactions from occuring in the enzyme, essentially competing with calcium to cause a reaction.

PTFE's health impact from consumption are unknown, but what is known is that when heated to above 250°C, the fumes are lethal to birds, and sicken humans, and that PFOA (formerly used to manufacture it) is a carcinogen (as is GenX, the chemical that replaced it, which seems to be even more toxic) and can be found in older PTFE cookware

[-]

Dazzling-Werewolf985@reddit

You know water forms hydrogen bonds right? Why’d you say that like it’s something to be wary of lol

[-]

SnooBooks1701@reddit

I didn't say it like it's something to be wary of, I gave it as an example of a non-reactive interaction

[-]

SaberReyna@reddit

Have worked with PTFE. I admit this particular PTFE was not behaving in this picture and also has nickel in, but, I can definitely say it's one of the chemicals I've worked with that I hated the most. It's slippery as fuck as you can imagine and it burns like a bitch. We ran our PTFE tanks at about 96°c so nowhere near 250 and yes the fumes were horrific at times but nothing deadly compared to some other things I've been around.

Did unfortunately also taste it occasionally and didn't die yet.

I don't think there's much to worry about for OP in their kitchen making their breakfast. But still get some new ones because they're diabolical and your breakfast deserves better.

[-]

AussieHxC@reddit

Despite this seeming like a somewhat intellectual response it's still a load of bollocks.

You can eat PTFE for breakfast and you would be completely fine. It will have no effect.

[-]

SnooBooks1701@reddit

It has not been confirmed to have any effect, that's not the same as it having no effect. If you believe it has an impact on human health, then it's hard to study the impact ethically. I'm stating that we don't know for sure, but that PSOF, which we know for sure are toxic can often be found mixed with PTFE on non-stick pans made when PTFE was still made made with PFOA (and that the replacement of PFOA is as toxic or more toxic)

[-]

IndividualMobile6510@reddit

PTFE has no effect. It's the monomer used to make it that's unsafe.

[-]

JK07@reddit

I don't believe PFOA etc. are monomers but anyway, what they were saying is, that it is often mixed in with the PTFE and has that has been shown to be dangerous.

[-]

AussieHxC@reddit

They have literally tested it for use as a food additive, it's safe as houses.

Stop being such a fucking fanny

[-]

detailsubset@reddit

PTFE is completely inert at normal temperatures, it's health effects are nonexistent because it can't react with anything. It can't even be absorbed by the intestine.

[-]

SnooBooks1701@reddit

The jury is still out on PTFE, but the PSOA that can be mixed with it is extremely carcinogenic

[-]

detailsubset@reddit

I can't find any scholarly debate suggesting PTFE is harmful at temperatures below 260c. It is however well documented that the long chain molecules of PTFE are too large to be absorbed through the intestine. There's nothing outside a lab that will react with it, below 260c teflon physically cannot harm us.

The only time that teflon is harmful to us during its production because it necessitates the use of PFOA's to make it a useful material. PFOA's shouldn't be present in the finished product. Until you use it that is, everything you put into the pan will contain more PFOA than the pan itself.

[-]

Lover_of_Sprouts@reddit

OP - did the temperature of your insides reach 250°C at any point after possibly ingesting PTFE? If they did, you may need to seek medical assistance.

[-]

ffekete@reddit

What about the aluminium beneath?

[-]

LentilRice@reddit

“Pics, or it didn’t happen “

—some internet idiot

[-]

Sad_Drawing6355@reddit

“Source?”

[-]

mrbill1234@reddit

That doesn't look Teflon/PTFE coated, it looks like anodised aluminium. Teflon tends to flake and peel off.

[-]

Choice-Put-9743@reddit

Throw.those.away.

[-]

ThatchersDirtyTaint@reddit

PFA's are not good for you. Get yourself some stainless steel pans and learn how to cook with them. Lots of videos on youtube. Once you know how to cook with them you'll realise you don't need that toxic coating on the pans.

[-]

joeyat@reddit

Pans aren't as much of a problem as just food packaging... far more likely to get cancer from microwave popcorn.

[-]

Top-Wait7674@reddit

Sure you are. What is the risk exactly, or is this some nonsense you "read up on" from a Facebook group for nut jobs?

[-]

Hyper5Focus@reddit

Doesn't really matter, the entire planets water and soil is already saturated with PFOS

[-]

Badger_1066@reddit

So? Adding to it doesn't exactly strike me as a good idea. We want to get rid of them, not make it worse.

[-]

spLint3r990@reddit

They are created in the manufacturing process... Little the consumer can do but not buy products that use them.

[-]

zph0eniz@reddit

Holy fuck with all this nothing can be done and if it isn't perfect don't even try mentality I keep reading here over and over.

Yeah fuck people for wanting to try to be healthier with doing what they can

Yeah I do agree it's mainly in the manufacturing process as you said and that's the main area we should fix. But it doesn't mean we shouldn't also buy smarter when we can as well.

You can both encourage the things we do now and raise awareness

[-]

Chev--Chelios@reddit

If consumers reject these products they'll stop making them, they're pretty ubiquitous though, so it probably won't make a difference... it was only a few years ago though that there were loads of body wash products on the shelves featuring 'exfoliating' microplastic beads and the public turned against them.

[-]

phatboi23@reddit

If consumers reject these products they'll stop making them, they're pretty ubiquitous though

thing is it's more than just pans that require such a chemical.

if there was an option otherwise they'd have switched.

[-]

Ok-Chest-7932@reddit

They didn't turn against them, the fad just ended. Nonstick surfaces have genuine use cases and will continue to be purchased until people invent non-stick food.

[-]

Chev--Chelios@reddit

I think the fad ended because the companies were shamed about the use of microplastics... but you're right, non stick pans are much more useful and use much more widely, so it would be a much harder shift.

[-]

spLint3r990@reddit

Hopefully the same will happen with videos like Veritasium posted!

Damage is done, fingers crossed it doesn't get worse.

[-]

Badger_1066@reddit

Little the consumer can do but not buy products that use them.

And this is what we were talking about...

[-]

Hyper5Focus@reddit

Even if we were to launch a multi trillion dollar campaign right now to clean up the earth, banned every chemical from ever being manufactured again, it will still cause millions of deaths and millions more who will have a severely reduced quality of life. It's just a fact of life. Just like global warming, it's too late to do anything about our current problems and need to brace for the fact that the next 50 years will be gruesome.

[-]

Badger_1066@reddit

But we can do something about both those issues... we can stop contributing to them.

[-]

Hyper5Focus@reddit

So you're going to give up clothing, cookware, electronics, cosmetics, packaged food? Cause all of these and more contain these chemicals

[-]

Badger_1066@reddit

That's an impossible ask for the consumer, but not for the producer.

[-]

Ok-Chest-7932@reddit

No, it is an impossible ask for the producer too. A ton of products just can't be made without harmful chemicals of some sort or other. This isn't a "let's all by electric cars" situation, it's a "there's no point buying a coat at all if it's not waterproof, so sell me a waterproof coat please and damn the brain damage" situation.

[-]

Badger_1066@reddit

Bans are already being attempted. These products were made without forever chemicals before.

[-]

Ok-Chest-7932@reddit

And I'm sure those will be wonderfully successful.

[-]

Hyper5Focus@reddit

Ok, and how are you going to achieve that? These chemicals have been used since the 40s and companies don't care

[-]

Badger_1066@reddit

Me personally? Obviously, I can't.

But governments? The EU is working on bans as we speak.

[-]

gundog48@reddit

But I don't think there's any PTFE left on that pan, and actual PTFE isn't really a concern as the whole thing is how unreactive it is, we even continue to directly put it inside our bodies in the form of implants. There's zero real risk from continuing to use these pans.

However it's one of the chemicals used in the production of these polymers that's dangerous and cumulative. The extent of the danger with relatively low concentrations isn't known too well, but you're right in that lower is always better!

Those precursors are to be avoided, but consuming some non-stick from a pan isn't a significant vector, the primary issue is that basically all drinking water is contaminated. If you're looking to avoid the risks associated with PFAS, the best thing you can do is buy a suitable water filter.

Besides, I'm pretty sure that pan is completely Teflon-free at this point!

[-]

SnooBooks1701@reddit

PFOS levels in people's blood have decreased 84% from 1999 to 2014 due to a decline in the us of PFOS to manufacture PTFE

[-]

WiseBelt8935@reddit

well that's good to hear

[-]

preaxhpeacj@reddit

I have stainless steel pans that are older than me (inherited off my parents) and I could never use anything else, they near enough look brand new and I never have issues with food sticking

[-]

ThatchersDirtyTaint@reddit

It's all about knowing how to use them. I got some a couple of months ago and love them. Also a lot easier to clean when things do go wrong.

[-]

wildOldcheesecake@reddit

If they were that bad, they wouldn’t be sold right? So you’re fine

[-]

Top-Wait7674@reddit

You are right. It's insane to believe everyone understands all the products they consume/use and what is dangerous. We 100% rely on government rules and regulations to keep us safe. If they're selling it with a government stamp, it's probably fine.

If what op did was dangerous in any meaningful way we would be seeing huge numbers of people dying/getting majorly ill from digesting small bits of non-stick pans.

[-]

SureElderberry15@reddit

Please watch this video: How One Company Secretly Poisoned The Planet

And yes Teflon is very bad. Probably the main reason why there's been sharp rise in cancer cases since it's creation.

[-]

gundog48@reddit

Teflon itself isn't, the video directly addresses non-stick pans and says the risk is basically nil. The issue is with C8/C6 used to make Teflon, where the main risk is contaminated water. Teflon itself is virtually non-reactive, but the chemicals used in manufacturing are very dangerous.

[-]

wildOldcheesecake@reddit

I will do, thank you. Building up list to go through when during the “I should really be sleeping” part of the evening

[-]

SrslyBadDad@reddit

Oh my sweet summer child. I thought innocence and trust like this had passed from the world decades ago.

[-]

wildOldcheesecake@reddit

No seriously, why are they sold then? Don’t get the downvoted for an innocent question

[-]

strawbebbymilkshake@reddit

“If it wasn’t safe to consume, they wouldn’t sell it.”

Correct! That’s why tobacco and alcohol aren’t sold anywhere in this country :)

[-]

wildOldcheesecake@reddit

Now come on, consuming alcohol isn’t unsafe in the manner that you allude. It all comes down to self control.

[-]

Badger_1066@reddit

I know it's a long video, but seriously, watch this.

[-]

wildOldcheesecake@reddit

Cheers, I will.

[-]

strawbebbymilkshake@reddit

Alcohol is literally poison, and it damages the body every time it has to filter it out. Again, if things could only be sold if they were safe for us, there would be a lot less “fun” things on the shelves :)

[-]

SrslyBadDad@reddit

Well, for starters I never downvoted your comment.

There’s extensive history of unsafe products being sold for decades before enough evidence to prove them unsafe comes to light to have them removed from the market.

[-]

wildOldcheesecake@reddit

No not not you per se, feel a bit silly now but clearly those people knew something I didn’t. Anyway, looks like a rabbit hole that should be explored in my part so cheers

[-]

islaisla@reddit

Look, there's a documentary about it came out late l last year. It's really amazing. As a biologist, I suggest you don't think about it for another second, don't watch the documentary and just trust me, do not do that again.

[-]

PrestigiousCompany64@reddit

"With just a £5 donation each month we can ensure pan cruelty like this becomes a thing of the past!"

[-]

DustyTurtle2@reddit

Brother… they are cancerous.

[-]

Blind_Warthog@reddit

Can see already what it’s doing to your poor feet. Teflon foot is real sheeple! Wake up.

[-]

Complex_Bother832@reddit (OP)

🤣🤣 I’ve had flat feet since I was a kid but that did give me a giggle

[-]

Blind_Warthog@reddit

I’ll be honest I can’t actually see anything wrong with them. They’re just there lol.

[-]

toe_hunter69@reddit

Nothing wrong with them at all.

[-]

toe_hunter69@reddit

I like what i see 👀 in the third photo.

[-]

toast_milker@reddit

Your cancer how has developed cancer of its own so I think you're in the clear

[-]

praqtice@reddit

Look up PFAS chemicals. Stop using them

[-]

CreepyTool@reddit

One day you will die. Just accept it.

[-]

gladrags66@reddit

Non stick has been banned in some of the more progressive and informed counties. Just sayin’

[-]

Full-Marionberry-619@reddit

You could eat the whole pan and be fine

[-]

Fantastic_Cup_3483@reddit

Forever chemicals. Don't worry, there's no link to cancer. At least that's what the companies that sell these products say

[-]

Kenny2090@reddit

It's toe curling to think about!

[-]

Nielips@reddit

It's far too late to worry about it. The population from motor vehicles/smoking/drinking are all far worse for you.

[-]

Draggedintosunliight@reddit

When I was younger I took a bad beat in a poker game. I folded to a bluff on the river, deep down I knew my hand should have been better but I was less knowledgeable about the game and thought playing safe I'd be able to claw it back, I didn't. That would have been the easiest win (10's of thousands) I'd ever see had I won that hand. I spent some time thinking about how my life would have changed immediately afterwards and left it at that, the next day I bought some stainless steel cookware.

[-]

OriginalNimkip@reddit

Am confused teflon pass though us but the chemical that makes up teflon doesn’t? So how does teflon break down between it being scratch off the pan and then ingested?

[-]

i_the_desitute@reddit

People saying it's harmless others saying it's dangerous.

Seriously, we just don't know.

Not enough conclusive research, the jury is still out.

All we do know that once the surface is compromised, it's leaking a lot of goo goo into your food.

Stainless steel, carbon steel, cast iron all safe to the best of our knowledge.

Why risk it?

[-]

MountainMuffin1980@reddit

Depends how old the pans are. A fair while ago you wouldn't be bale to pass this stuff from your body. My understanding is that these days the chemical bonds are different and you'll be fine. I also imagine the majority of this stuff went down the fdrain when you washed it.

I do wonder though why you didn't stop to wonder why your carbon steel pans were rubbing off?

[-]

Complex_Bother832@reddit (OP)

I do believe when I bought the pans, they were not PFOA free. Fuck sake, another chemical in my body next to the lead from my pipes.

[-]

Mr_Reaper__@reddit

If its any consolation, Britain has much better water quality laws than other places, so you're not as getting exposed to dangerous chemicals in water nearly as much as you would in a 3rd world country like the US.

[-]

randomrainbow99399@reddit

Over in Jersey we've got a massive issue with PFAS in our water. Very long story which I won't bore you with but our government have tried to ignore it since early 2000's. They're still downplaying it but some progress is finally being made to address health concerns of residents in the worst affected areas. However recent testing has found it's in the mains water supply, island wide - not just wells and boreholes in specific areas as originally thought.

Despite the contamination, our water provider releases a report each year stating that the water quality is 'excellent' because technically the levels of PFAS are below the provisional guideline set by the WHO.

[-]

winponlac@reddit

Except for shit, Ofwat seems to think shit is a good thing to have in our waters.

[-]

Mr_Reaper__@reddit

The idea of not having shit in the rivers is a very new concept to be fair, that's always been where sewage ends up. At least now they make sure to discharge sewer downstream of the "fresh" water intake...

[-]

MountainMuffin1980@reddit

We're all jammed up with "forever chemicals" I imagine mate. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

[-]

HonestBobcat7171@reddit

Imagine the confusion on the archeologist's face in 1000 years when they find traces of that stuff in our remains... they'll be like, wtf these crazy people were ingesting?

[-]

cagetheblackbird@reddit

Just some good ol PFAS in your blood stream. It was probably already there anyways.

[-]

True-Register-9403@reddit

Dudes using an angle grinder to mix his eggs 😂

[-]

feel-the-avocado@reddit

Are you using metal cooking utensils?
With non-stick cookware it should be nylon utensils only.

[-]

darlo999@reddit

I think every being is part Teflon

[-]

Hyrules_Saviour@reddit

Never wondered why you didn't have to season em? 🤣 Haven't seen a non stick pan with so little non stick on it haha

[-]

Wondering_Electron@reddit

non-stick is absolutely awful because they accumulate and never leave,

[-]

X-Jellybean-X@reddit

some non-stick coatings can release toxic fumes if overheated, especially those containing PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). The key is to follow manufacturer's instructions, avoid overheating, and replace pans when they show signs of wear or damage -Google 👍🏻

[-]

No_Equal_5027@reddit

Why your toes curling in the last slide dawg?

[-]

PeachyPopAKey@reddit

Oh wait, what are my mum's pans doing here?

[-]

IssacHunt89@reddit

Get some carbon steel pans and move on, don't sweat it.

[-]

Exciting_Memory192@reddit

Get yourself on a heavy metal cleanse. Google It.

[-]

Naive_Product_5916@reddit

do or don’t watch the film, Dark Water with Mark Ruffalo about Dupont and Teflon. Frightening.

[-]

DivePotato@reddit

Not good for human or animal consumption.

Watch Dark Waters, a film starring Mark Ruffalo and Anne Hathaway.

It’s all about DuPont and how they covered up the toxicity of Teflon.

The film will explain it better than I ever will be able to.

[-]

PullAndTwist@reddit

As others have posted, Teflon itself is not dangerous. The chemicals used to make it are the hazard.

[-]

DivePotato@reddit

Fair and thanks, didn’t think about the distinction between the manufacturing process and the owning of product.

[-]

Satoshiman256@reddit

I'll leave this here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SC2eSujzrUY

[-]

taskkill-IM@reddit

Apparently non-stick pans are safe as long as you avoid utensils that can scratch pans (I use wooden utensils), and avoid using abrasive brushes to clean.... they do say if you notice any scratches to avoid using them, but not everyone can shell out £400+ for new pots and pans when a tiny scratch appears.

I gave tanned the fuck out of my non-stick pans for the last year and have managed to keep them scratch-free... once they wear out I'll be moving onto stainless steel, but not Le Creuset... I paid a fortune for my last lot and they discoloured rapidly and food would just burn at the bottom, despite cooking on medium/low heat when left for a few minutes.

[-]

tekkenjin@reddit

can you recommend some pots/pans to get that aren’t overly expensive? I will be moving out soon and will be needing new stuff like that. I hadn’t realised that non stick pans are bad for us until this post.

[-]

taskkill-IM@reddit

Non-sticks aren't bad for us as such, just that they are potentially harmful if not used correctly

Overheating can release harmful toxins from their PFOAs, as well as using abrasive cleaning/cooking utensils.

A lot of chefs use non-stick, but commonly use stainless steel in professional settings as there are no heat restrictions when cooking with them, unlike most non-stick.

Newer non-stick pans have to be PFOA-free to comply with regulations, making them genuinely safer than before, but still pose a risk as they still contain PTFE, and when not properly looked after can cause harmful toxins to bleed into foods, this includes using scratched/damaged pans/pots and cooking at temps ≥300°C.

I was looking at the Hexclad pans often used by Gordon Ramsey, but even they use nonstick technology called terrabond which they claim is PTFE and PFOA-free (forever chemical) but reports suggest they may be using PTFE for nonstick.

I don't know many pans that are tried and tested, but I hear good things about Misen and Fissler... I imagine stainless steel is just stainless steel, you could pick up a cheap set from IKEA.... you generally move to premium sets for longevity and style... I just think Le Creuset have overstayed its welcome, and became the premium brand by name only.

[-]

Acrobatic-Shirt8540@reddit

Pretty bad. They don't call them forever chemicals for nothing.

[-]

pic_strum@reddit

Derek from Veritasium did a video on this very subject only this week. Well worth watching, as always.

[-]

paul2261@reddit

Insant death. Its all over, no hope.

[-]

GreatBigBagOfNope@reddit

Teflon coatings only used PFOA until 2013, and even then it didn't actually release PFOA at anything even approaching clinically noticeable levels. If all that had come off at once due to excessive heat, you'd be in a bad way up to permanent lung damage, but if you haven't noticed symptoms then you won't have been exposed at any level high enough to cause harm, as far as we know.

They do contain PFAS, but we don't have any evidence about its impacts, if there are any. We have a lot of speculation, but no evidence.

No negative effects from aluminium cookware.

[-]

Nooms88@reddit

Wouldn't worry, AI will be doing all our thinking soon anyway

[-]

hawkeneye1998bs@reddit

Veritasium just released a video on YT about the effects and spread of PFAS. Super interesting and terrifying

[-]

AdOutrageous1751@reddit

I think that you’re the most fit to answer that question for us

[-]

wandering_salad@reddit

Are you using metal kitchen implements? If not, how do you get them THIS damaged/worn out? I have never managed to do this not even with pans I had the same length of time.

[-]

V65Pilot@reddit

You'll live.

[-]

Southern-Variety-777@reddit

Mmmmm Teflon….

[-]

ExcitementSad3079@reddit

How did you think these were non stick?

[-]

ShutItYouSlice@reddit

When did you 1st realise that these are not non stick pans they may have started off life as that but 🙄

[-]

cozyHousecatWasTaken@reddit

The coating is, unfortunately, PFAS.

[-]

Scarboroughwarning@reddit

Pfas etc are nasty. Dupont did the dirty with them.

[-]

samcornwell@reddit

Watch Dark Waters

[-]

Interesting-Bed-7847@reddit

Funnily enough I was at the BVAA conference this week and one of the speakers was talking about the carcinogenic nature of Teflon. Not sure if this is new but I haven’t heard it before. You’ll be fine though…..mostly

[-]

icemonsoon@reddit

I'm getting Alzheimer's just looking at those

[-]

TraditionalLaw7763@reddit

This is why I’ve only ever used my grandma’s cast iron she gave me when I turned 16. I’m anemic so I could use the extra iron anyway.

[-]

thepioneeringlemming@reddit

Non-stick is how manufacturers turned a once in a lifetime product into a disposable item

[-]

woodsyman@reddit

You're basically a dead man walking. 😜

[-]

bllobblong@reddit

check out the nearest vertesium YouTube video about teflon and pfas chemicals

[-]

pakcross@reddit

Are you cleaning them with steel wool? Use a sponge or plastic brush!

[-]

APiousCultist@reddit

Teflon is non-reactive. If you heat it super high it becomes super bad for you, and the manufacturing is/was hyper toxic, but the end result isn't dangerous provided you don't heat it to the point it breaks down (basically to the point your food would burn and the oil would smoke and make your food carcinogenic and awful tasting anyway).

[-]

SirDon22@reddit

It's bad 😞

[-]

snigherfardimungus@reddit

Quit using metal on your non stick surfaces. You're scraping teflon into your food, and that's as much to worry about as the aluminum.

[-]

Sufficient-Network83@reddit

DoN't worre. I youse panz liKe themz 4 yrs it NOT madez hed compooter brake

[-]

Fast-Drummer5757@reddit

Massively carcinogenic, sorry.

[-]

newaroundhereltd@reddit

You'll be fine. Your descendants on the other hand...

[-]

ElBisonBonasus@reddit

At the same time it's not as bad as you think but also really bad..

https://youtu.be/SC2eSujzrUY?si=7BcHVHQnWG9dcGpT

Teflon is not the issue, what they make teflon from is the big issue.

[-]

autisticmonke@reddit

I hate to say this, but you will eventually die

[-]

Candid_Code7024@reddit

They will write about your antics on Boomersbeingfools

[-]

Lopsided_Soup_3533@reddit

My bird keeping friend in new Zealand tells me you can't cook in non stick pans or you shouldn't if you have birds as Teflon is so toxic to them.

I on the other hand smoke 20-30 a day feel like it would be pretty dumb for me to be concerned about Teflon and not cigarettes

[-]

dy1anb@reddit

Watch a film called dark waters or a documentary called better the devil you know. Real eye opener to the non stick world

[-]

daveysprockett@reddit

Have you watched the 2019 film "Dark Waters" ?

Well worth dipping your toe in.

[-]

tonybpx@reddit

You can now survive re-entry, at least your intestines will

[-]

Ldn_twn_lvn@reddit

...usually takes about 8 years for them to all lodge in the grey matter in yer noggin

If you feel like you need a big sneeze one day, might be better to try holding it in

Thats when your brain turns to mush and then you half sneeze it out and half shit it out at the same time

Your cleaner will be cursing you for a month of Sundays

[-]

Left_Set_5916@reddit

https://youtu.be/SC2eSujzrUY?si=qB4fePPthoWQFz8u

[-]

amore_pomfritte@reddit

At some point you will die.

[-]

TwiggysDanceClub@reddit

I just watched Veritasium tell me that Teflon itself is fine. But C8 and it's other bastard cousins are killing us all slowly.

[-]

Special-Duck3890@reddit

At this point, is the non-stick in the room with us?

[-]

iberianCJ@reddit

It's probably not as bad as the micro plastics and the PFAS present in pretty much everything else you consume.

[-]

Designer-Lobster-757@reddit

Don't think about it.... But for sure replace those pans!

[-]

The_Jyps@reddit

It's not that much of a problem. The polymer chains are so long there just pass straight out of you. The real problems are the PFAs that teflon is made in being dumped in the world water supply.

Veritasium just made a video about this exact topic. Super informative.

[-]

Tornik@reddit

Well the good news is that after 7 years, there's probably noore damage left to be done.

[-]

Harryw_007@reddit

Don't worry, PTFE is harmless when ingested, it goes right through your body, it's the stuff that is used to make PTFE that is dangerous

[-]

Lo_jak@reddit

"PFOA, which stands forperfluorooctanoic acid" these are the things that fuck you up

[-]

Matt0788@reddit

Didn’t you already post this?

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According-Berry-5885@reddit

Think the survival rate is about 8 years.

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kursneldmisk@reddit

Yikes

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patrickco123@reddit

Teflon polymer is not absorbed into the blood readily, it is too large a molecule. It is the chemicals used in Teflon production (PFAS etc al.) that are scary and have contaminated our environment

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apache_feather@reddit

Forever chemicals are forever.

Every person on the planet has them inside as they are similar to fatty acids molecular structure

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fizzysmoke@reddit

Read up on Dupont and Teflon.

It's everywhere now and in everything much like micro plastics. We still do not know the long term effects to the environment and human health. I wouldn't worry too much.

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LETSAVIT@reddit

Watch the film Dark Waters and then we’ll talk

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myanusisbleeding101@reddit

How bad this is for you unknown, but probably not great. Non-stick is made from a polymer of tetrafluroethylene, which, when damaged, breaks into smaller chains of various sizes.

The larger ones are so inert they will not do anything and will be excreted. The smaller ones however, are known to increase the risk of multiple cancers, these are known as PFOAs or PFAs, the "forever chemicals" and cannot leave the body as they resemble the phospholipids that make up your cell membranes and are so small the body cannot filter them out. They are also used in the production process of non-stick and the application to cookware to make it non-stick.

How bad this is for you really depends on how much you have ingested and absorbed, the safe blood level limit for these are 4 part per trillion, but honestly most people now are above this, I think the average is about 6-8 ppt.

As for Aluminium, not as bad for probably, and I know far less about it, but there are some studies suggesting increased blood levels may have a link to Alzheimer's, however this is still very much a matter of debate and their are no clear causes of the disease.

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homelaberator@reddit

Well, you're posting to Reddit, so probably they don't cause immediate death.

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reddit_user_4547@reddit

https://youtu.be/-pW2ATrDnA8?feature=shared

Watch this about non stick chemicals and pans

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mrhippo85@reddit

Bit late now to be worrying about that!

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Objective_Tiger2120@reddit

Only people who think the earth is flat think Teflon is a conspiracy. Your body just shits it out.

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ueommm@reddit

Just an advice, I live in Hong Kong and growing you see cooking pans being on sale and in promotion all the time, it's like a permanent thing, if you walk through any local mall you are almost bound to see a shop or a booth promoting one , I used to not understand why would anyone need to buy a new pan all the time?? you can use them for years. But then now I realize, cooking pans are a perishable goods, they deteriorate quite fast, you are supposed to throw them away as soon as you see a few scratches, especially non stick ones. As far as I am aware, an iron pan or wok is the only safe device to cook for a long time without health concern.

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Badger_1066@reddit

It's not good.

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spLint3r990@reddit

So you didn't actually watch it?

Pans aren't really an issue

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Badger_1066@reddit

Non-stick pans contribute to the issue... including a range of other products.

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cunty_expat_911@reddit

Ever seen the movie 'Dark Waters'?

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MarioGeeUK@reddit

According to AI:

The concern raised here is valid, especially given the visible damage to the non-stick coating in the pans. Here’s a breakdown of the key issues and what science says about them:

Non-stick Chemicals (e.g., PTFE, PFAS) • Many non-stick pans are coated with PTFE (Teflon). When intact and used below ~260°C (500°F), it’s considered safe. • However, when scratched or overheated, the coating can degrade or flake off. This may release PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), known as “forever chemicals.” • Long-term exposure to PFAS is linked to: • Hormonal disruption • Liver and kidney damage • Immune system effects • Potential carcinogenic risks (based on some human and animal studies)
Aluminum Exposure • Many non-stick pans have an aluminum core. If the coating is compromised (as in your image), food may come into direct contact with aluminum. • While occasional exposure is not harmful for most people, chronic ingestion of aluminum (especially if acidic foods are cooked in damaged pans) has been speculated—though not definitively proven—to contribute to neurological issues (like Alzheimer’s). However, health authorities like the EFSA and FDA maintain that dietary aluminum exposure is generally low-risk for healthy individuals.
Your Situation (7+ years of use) • Using damaged non-stick pans over such a long period increases the risk of ingesting coating fragments and possibly aluminum. • It’s highly recommended to replace them, especially once the non-stick surface shows visible wear (like in the photo). • Switch to carbon steel, stainless steel, or cast iron if you’re looking for safer, long-lasting alternatives.

Summary: • Yes, long-term use of scratched non-stick pans may pose health risks. • It’s unlikely you’ve caused severe harm, but it’s wise to stop using them. • Consider non-toxic, more durable options and avoid heating any non-stick pan above 260°C (500°F).

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SantosFurie89@reddit

Your ballsack is now just forever chemicals.

That is a lot of scraping. I'm hoping it was a scour brush more than metal utensils whilst cooking, but both bad I'm sure

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spectrumero@reddit

The good news - any fluorinated hydrocarbons are very unreactive (the fluorine hangs onto things so hard, that nothing else wants to react with it). This is why they are used for anything that needs chemical resistance.

The bad news - if they don't pass through you, your body can't destroy them for the same reasons. Inert chemicals can still interfere with biological processes even if they don't take part in any chemical reactions.

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Complex_Bother832@reddit (OP)

Update: I’ve changed to stainless steel pans! C8 gang rise up!!

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Ayyyyylmaos@reddit

Ah, you’re basically a walking corpse. Make sure you get your will up to date because you won’t be around for much longer!

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Gullflyinghigh@reddit

It'll be fine, though, just to check, do you have a will?

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SureElderberry15@reddit

Here's a lovely video Veritasium posted a few days ago.

How One Company Secretly Poisoned The Planet

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if not , you are fucked

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Either_Apartment_795@reddit

Standard restaurant pans.

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