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Thanks to Sott.net for this post by Kerri-Ann Jennings, eatingwell.com

Cast-iron skillets may seem like an old-fashioned choice in the kitchen. But this dependable cookware is a must in the modern kitchen. Cast-iron skillets conduct heat beautifully, go from stove top to oven with no problem and last for decades. (In fact, my most highly prized piece of cookware is a canary-yellow, enamel-coated cast-iron paella pan from the 1960s that I scored at a stoop sale for $5.)  As a registered dietitian and associate nutrition editor of EatingWell Magazine, I also know that there are some great health reasons to cook with cast iron.

1. You can cook with less oil when you use a cast-iron pan.

That lovely sheen on cast-iron cookware is the sign of a well-seasoned pan, which renders it virtually nonstick. The health bonus, of course, is that you won’t need to use gads of oil to brown crispy potatoes or sear chicken when cooking in cast-iron. To season your cast-iron skillet, cover the bottom of the pan with a thick layer of kosher salt and a half inch of cooking oil, then heat until the oil starts to smoke.
Carefully pour the salt and oil into a bowl, then use a ball of paper towels to rub the inside of the pan until it is smooth. To clean cast iron, never use soap. Simply scrub your skillet with a stiff brush and hot water and dry it completely.

2. Cast iron is a chemical-free alternative to
nonstick pans.

Another benefit to using cast-iron pans in place of nonstick pans is that you avoid the harmful chemicals that are found in nonstick pans. The repellent coating that keeps food from sticking to nonstick pots and pans contains PFCs (perfluorocarbons), a chemical that’s linked to liver damage, cancer, developmental problems and, according to one 2011 study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, early menopause. PFCs get released – and inhaled – from nonstick pans in the form of fumes when pans are heated on high heat. Likewise, we can ingest them when the surface of the pan gets scratched. Both regular and ceramic-coated cast-iron pans are great alternatives to nonstick pans for this reason.

3. Cooking with cast iron fortifies your food with iron.

While cast iron doesn’t leach chemicals, it can leach some iron into your food…and that’s a good thing. Iron deficiency is fairly common worldwide, especially among women. In fact, 10% of American women are iron-deficient. Cooking food, especially something acidic like tomato sauce in a cast-iron skillet can increase iron content, by as much as 20 times.

About the author:

Kerri-Ann, a registered  dietitian, is the associate editor of nutrition for EatingWell magazine,  where she puts her master’s degree in nutrition from Columbia University to work writing and editing news about nutrition, health and food trends.

In addition, there are questions about the use of aluminium cooking utensils:

The first stamped and cast aluminum cookware  was manufactured in 1892 by the Pittsburgh Reduction Co., which later became  known as ALCOA (Aluminum Company of America).

At the 1901 Pan-American  Exposition in Buffalo, New York, the new aluminum cookware was introduced to  housewives, who viewed it with suspicion because of quality concerns. It would  take about 50 years before aluminum pots and pans gained acceptance.

But old concerns about aluminum have been replaced by new medical ones in the  past years.  The main worry is toxic levels of aluminum could be absorbed into  the body when cooking with the metal, possibly even causing Alzheimer’s  disease.

Aluminum is almost impossible to avoid in the environment.  It is the third  most abundant element in the Earth’s crust and can be found in our air and  water. It is also found in medicines and, of course, in aluminum cookware.

The average person intakes anywhere from 3 to 50 mg of aluminum each day.   People using aluminum cookware can expect to ingest 3 to 6 mg each time they  cook with the pots and  pans.

Although not a heavy metal such as lead, aluminum is still toxic in excessive  amounts. The intake of too much aluminum might impair the kidneys, which excrete  the metal. Toxic levels of aluminum have also been linked to anemia, decreased  liver function, poor coordination, calcium deficiency and memory loss among  other health issues.

Alzheimer’s: One of the biggest worries of consumers is that using aluminum pots and pans  might cause the brain disease Alzheimer’s. Researchers conducting autopsies on many, but not all, Alzheimer’s patients discovered higher levels of aluminum in  their brains. Contentious arguments abound on both sides of the debate whether  aluminum might or might not be a factor in developing Alzheimer’s. Studies are  cited by both camps, but a majority of scientists believe that aluminum is not a  contributor to the disease. Also, the FDA has stated that ordinary use of  aluminum is safe. (S0?, we know not to trust them).

Leaching: Lightweight, low-priced and a great heat conductor, aluminum is found in  about half of manufactured cookware. But aluminum is also highly reactive.  Cooking acidic foods such as tomatoes or tomato sauce can cause leaching. The  food actually absorbs the aluminum from the pot or pan, which means you will be  swallowing aluminum particles traced back to the cookware. In addition to  avoiding cooking acidic foods in aluminum cookware, it is also advisable not to  store them in aluminum products.

Alternatives: Cast iron, glass or stainless steel pots and pans are alternatives to using  aluminum cookware. Another option is using anodized aluminum cookware. This  process uses a chemical bath and electrical current to bind the aluminum to the  pot or pan, which then makes the utensil non-porous and non-reactive. This  non-stick and relatively scratch-resistant surface means that aluminum will not  leach into acidic or salty foods.

• Me Likes Cast Iron (letsgopaleo.wordpress.com)
• An Iron Clad Tip (brighthaven.wordpress.com)
• The Care of Cast Iron Skillets (redajohnson1950.wordpress.com)
• Re-Seasoning My Cast Iron Cookware (simpleisworking.com)
• http://www.naturalnews.com/031737_cast_iron_cookware.html