Nonstick pans might make paper-thin crêpes and perfect omelets a breeze, but the PTFE used to make these pans slick and smooth is a contentious substance to invite into your home.
PTFE is a member of the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) family, also known as “forever chemicals.” PFAS are linked to a range of environmental and health risks, including increased risk of metabolic disease, a weakened immune system, and some cancers. It’s no surprise that many eco- and health-minded consumers have retired their Teflon pans in favor of non-toxic options.
While the health risks of certain PFAS are well established (like PFOS and PFOA), some experts claim that other PFAS options like PTFE and new-generation Gen X are less toxic. Fans of traditional nonstick also tend to believe that non-toxic options like ceramic nonstick offer subpar performance. Needless to say, traditional nonstick pans are still common in many American households.
One PFAS manufacturing facility released the same amount of carbon dioxide as 125,000 people driving their cars every day for a full year6.
With all this noise, it’s time to set the record straight once and for all. What is PTFE, really? Is ceramic-coated cookware safe? What are the differences between ceramic vs. nonstick? Are nonstick pans safe in general? Here’s everything you need to know if you’re making a decision between ceramic nonstick and traditional nonstick.
What’s Really in Your Cookware (And What Does It Mean for Your Health)?
When DuPont launched its first cookware with Teflon, the pans were treated with the company’s infamous nonstick coating made of PFOA and PTFE. But shortly after, concerns surfaced as researchers began to discover the links between these chemicals and all sorts of health risks.
These bioaccumulative “forever chemicals” build up in the blood, liver, and kidneys, taking up to three years to be excreted3. Experts believe that these chemicals are present in the blood of most Americans, including newborn babies4. This is especially concerning because research shows exposure can lead to increased risk of high cholesterol, chronic kidney disease, liver disease, hormone disruption, weakened immune system, slowed metabolism, and cancer.
PFAS and Our Planet
PFAS are just as pervasive in the environment as they are in our blood. When we say they’re everywhere, we mean it — they’ve even been found in rain drops5. PFAS production pollutes waterways, disrupts the ocean’s carbon cycle, and emits greenhouse gases. A 2019 investigative report from Toxic-Free Future revealed that one PFAS manufacturing facility released the same amount of carbon dioxide as 125,000 people driving their cars every day for a full year6.
Within the greater PFAS family tree, PFOS and PFOA are the most-studied substances, and the medical community no longer has any doubts about their health risks. Due to the proven hazards of these chemicals, from an increased risk of cancer to environmental factors like widespread water pollution, these specific PFAS have been banned for use in the U.S.
Unfortunately, the PFOS and PFOA bans paved the way for alternatives that are far from as safe as manufacturers would have us believe.
The Risks of PTFE and GenX
While PTFE is typically used alongside PFOA to produce Teflon, traditional nonstick enthusiasts insist that it’s more stable when used alone. That said, PTFE has not been studied to the same extent as PFOS and PFOA, and it isn’t even regulated by the EPA like other PFAS. Recent research indicates that small scratches or overheating can quickly transform this supposedly inert substance into a health risk. PTFE is just as persistent in the environment as other PFAS. And if that weren’t bad enough, it can contain known neurotoxins like PFAA1.
Some have also tried to brand next-generation fluoropolymers like GenX as safer swaps, but research from 2017 concluded that “these new alternatives are also suspected to have similar toxicity.”2
Despite these risks, these are the chemicals most nonstick pans rely on for their slick surfaces today. Luckily, there are non-toxic nonstick alternatives that are just as effective as PTFE. If you’re looking for all natural nonstick that makes it easy to flip pancakes and cook delicate fish, you need to try ceramic nonstick.
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What Is Ceramic Nonstick?
Ceramic cookware offers an effective nonstick option free of toxic chemicals. It can be constructed in one of two ways — and when it comes to Teflon vs. ceramic, either of these ways offers a healthier cookware option.
Pure ceramic cookware, like the pans made by Xtrema, applies thousands of years of ceramic technology to make cookware entirely from clay. These pans boast excellent heat retention, though they can take a bit of getting used to. Pure ceramic cookware needs to be preheated before use, but it’s worth the wait.
Other ceramic nonstick pans, like the lines from Caraway or GreenPan, rely on a ceramic-coated cookware design that’s a bit closer to traditional nonstick. A metal core pan is coated with a slick substance — made not with forever chemicals but silica, a natural substance derived from sand.
To make this natural nonstick coating, a sol-gel process suspends solid nanoparticles of silica in a gel that gets sprayed on your pan. Sol-gel technology is more environmentally sound than the hard anodization used in PFAS-based cookware, and the resulting nonstick layer is naturally non-toxic. Because of this design, cooking with ceramic-coated pans is a similar experience to traditional nonstick, without the risk of ingesting carcinogenic chemicals.
Ceramic vs. Nonstick Performance
Choosing non-toxic nonstick cookware is a no-brainer when it comes to health and environmental impact, but some consumers worry they’re sacrificing performance. Luckily, this doesn’t need to be the case. Here’s how traditional and ceramic nonstick stack up when the heat is on.
Heat Conductivity and Temperature Limits
PFAS-derived nonstick cookware, like products lined with Teflon, is meant to be used at slightly cooler temperatures than kitchen workhorses like cast iron. For nonstick cookware safety, nonstick pans should never be preheated empty and should not be used in ovens hotter than 500ºF. If these pans are heated over 660ºF, the nonstick coating can start to deteriorate.
Ceramic pans like those from Caraway are oven-safe to up to 550ºF, though the company still recommends using low to medium heat to maintain the ceramic coating. GreenPan’s ceramic-coated pans can be heated even higher and are oven-safe up to 600ºF. Options in both categories exist for use on gas, electric, and induction cooktops.
Wear and Tear
Wear and tear tends to be a common issue with nonstick, with coatings that ultimately flake off into your food. This isn’t just unpleasant: A 2022 study found that scratched Teflon released dangerous microplastics and nanoplastics7. Because of this, traditional nonstick manufacturers recommend avoiding metal tools and washing pans by hand to preserve the nonstick surface for as long as possible.
Ceramic nonstick pans can also experience some wear and tear, especially if manufacturer use and wash instructions are not respected. That said, innovative companies like GreenPan are leading the way with non-toxic nonstick pans that are metal utensil tolerant. It’s always best to use wood and silicone utensils for the longest lifespan for your pans — our editor-in-chief Laura Klein has happily been using her Caraway set for over five years, and her GreenPan set for over a decade!
Perhaps the real test is how well the pans stand up to the nonstick test — and Caraway and GreenPan both deliver. The modern technology means that your fried egg will cook just as well in your ceramic nonstick as in the PFAS-coated alternatives. (You might just want to use a bit of cooking fat to be extra certain your expensive free-range eggs slide out easily.)
Finally, it’s worth noting that even if you treat your nonstick cookware well, you will eventually need to replace it. Whether it’s traditional nonstick or non-toxic ceramic, any chips or deep scratches in the coating mean your pan is ready for retirement.
Practical Considerations and Making Your Choice
It’s worth thinking about cookware as an investment in your future. When it comes to ceramic nonstick, you’re definitely looking at a bigger investment: A 10-inch PTFE-coated frying pan from All-Clad costs $59.99, while the same sized pan is $95 from Caraway and $99 from GreenPan.
Over time, however, the long-term benefits of this investment become clear. You can keep your ceramic nonstick in good condition by using silicone tools, washing by hand, and storing them with dividers. With this type of care, you’ll be able to use these pans for the years to come.
Ultimately, the best pan for you depends on your needs. But at Organic Authority, we’ll always recommend natural options over PFAS — both for your own health and the planet. When it comes to PTFE vs. ceramic, we know where we stand. Natural nonstick options deliver effective performance without the chemicals, and we fully believe they’re worth the investment.
Sources:
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38615763/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28913736/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7657368/
- https://sph.emory.edu/news/news-release/2023/09/forever-chemicals-newborns.html
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35916421/
- https://www.saferstates.org/wp-content/uploads/Safer-States-2024-PFAS-Policy-Toolkit.pdf
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S004896972205392X
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