Dr. Vivian Chen

Well, first of all, thank you so much for having me. I'm a big fan of yours. And this sounds so fun. So cookware is like something I use every single day, multiple times a day. And hopefully a lot of people are cooking at home. So, you know, that's really healthy to cook at home. But what you cook in can determine whether you're exposed to endocrine disruptors or and forever chemicals.

Well, first of all, thank you so much for having me. I'm a big fan of yours. And this sounds so fun. So cookware is like something I use every single day, multiple times a day. And hopefully a lot of people are cooking at home. So, you know, that's really healthy to cook at home. But what you cook in can determine whether you're exposed to endocrine disruptors or and forever chemicals.

Well, first of all, thank you so much for having me. I'm a big fan of yours. And this sounds so fun. So cookware is like something I use every single day, multiple times a day. And hopefully a lot of people are cooking at home. So, you know, that's really healthy to cook at home. But what you cook in can determine whether you're exposed to endocrine disruptors or and forever chemicals.

So Teflon was very popular, right? Because everybody loves to cook the eggs on it. It slides right off. It's easy to clean, but it leaches PFAS, these forever chemicals. And these chemicals have been shown in studies to affect our fertility, our immune health. It can cause pregnancy complications. It's been linked to certain cancers like testicular and kidneys.

So Teflon was very popular, right? Because everybody loves to cook the eggs on it. It slides right off. It's easy to clean, but it leaches PFAS, these forever chemicals. And these chemicals have been shown in studies to affect our fertility, our immune health. It can cause pregnancy complications. It's been linked to certain cancers like testicular and kidneys.

So Teflon was very popular, right? Because everybody loves to cook the eggs on it. It slides right off. It's easy to clean, but it leaches PFAS, these forever chemicals. And these chemicals have been shown in studies to affect our fertility, our immune health. It can cause pregnancy complications. It's been linked to certain cancers like testicular and kidneys.

And the biggest problem with it is that it sticks around in our bodies. It's called forever chemicals, right? So it's really difficult to get rid of in our environment and in our bodies. So PFAS is actually now found in 45% of U.S. tap water because it lingers around so much. So if we're rating cookware, then, you know, the Teflon, the black, shiny looking nonstick cookware is an F for sure.

And the biggest problem with it is that it sticks around in our bodies. It's called forever chemicals, right? So it's really difficult to get rid of in our environment and in our bodies. So PFAS is actually now found in 45% of U.S. tap water because it lingers around so much. So if we're rating cookware, then, you know, the Teflon, the black, shiny looking nonstick cookware is an F for sure.

And the biggest problem with it is that it sticks around in our bodies. It's called forever chemicals, right? So it's really difficult to get rid of in our environment and in our bodies. So PFAS is actually now found in 45% of U.S. tap water because it lingers around so much. So if we're rating cookware, then, you know, the Teflon, the black, shiny looking nonstick cookware is an F for sure.

Yeah. And if it's scratched, it will be a sub F, F minus, because when it's scratched, it actually releases more PFAS into your food.

Yeah. And if it's scratched, it will be a sub F, F minus, because when it's scratched, it actually releases more PFAS into your food.

Yeah. And if it's scratched, it will be a sub F, F minus, because when it's scratched, it actually releases more PFAS into your food.

Yeah. When I travel and I go into Airbnbs, that's when I see those cookware. So people are really attached to Teflon because nonstick. And, you know, when I tell them not to, they go into this huge panic. Like, what do I use instead? How do you cook eggs? That's the biggest question I get asked. And what do you say to that? cast iron.

Yeah. When I travel and I go into Airbnbs, that's when I see those cookware. So people are really attached to Teflon because nonstick. And, you know, when I tell them not to, they go into this huge panic. Like, what do I use instead? How do you cook eggs? That's the biggest question I get asked. And what do you say to that? cast iron.

Yeah. When I travel and I go into Airbnbs, that's when I see those cookware. So people are really attached to Teflon because nonstick. And, you know, when I tell them not to, they go into this huge panic. Like, what do I use instead? How do you cook eggs? That's the biggest question I get asked. And what do you say to that? cast iron.

So a well seasoned cast iron is naturally nonstick and you can easily cook eggs on that. And actually you can use stainless steel to cook eggs too. So stainless steel, there's kind of gaps between the metal, the surface. But when you heat it up, the gaps close, and then you get a smooth surface. Then you add your oil, then you should be able to cook your egg on that.

So a well seasoned cast iron is naturally nonstick and you can easily cook eggs on that. And actually you can use stainless steel to cook eggs too. So stainless steel, there's kind of gaps between the metal, the surface. But when you heat it up, the gaps close, and then you get a smooth surface. Then you add your oil, then you should be able to cook your egg on that.

So a well seasoned cast iron is naturally nonstick and you can easily cook eggs on that. And actually you can use stainless steel to cook eggs too. So stainless steel, there's kind of gaps between the metal, the surface. But when you heat it up, the gaps close, and then you get a smooth surface. Then you add your oil, then you should be able to cook your egg on that.

So you want to heat your stainless steel at a medium heat for like a couple minutes, and then you add your oil, and then you should be able to cook your egg.

So you want to heat your stainless steel at a medium heat for like a couple minutes, and then you add your oil, and then you should be able to cook your egg.