Cooking with aluminum

[saucyknave]

Where do we now stand on the issue of cooking in aluminum. Some years ago we abandoned it out of fear that it might cause Altzheimers, but I've heard that questioned since then. What is the current best thinking on that?

[Janet A. Zimmerman]

According to the Alzheimer's Association, "the exact role (if any) of aluminum in Alzheimer's disease is still bding researched and debated. However, most researchers believe that not enough evidence exists to consider aluminum a risk factor for Alzheimer's or a cause of dementia." The FDA and the Canadian federal department of health agree that aluminum is safe ("Generally regarded as safe" in FDA language). (That's from Robert Wolke's book "What Einstein Told his Cook"; Harold McGee reached the same conclusion in his book "The Curious Cook".)

In any case, Americans' biggest exposure to aluminum is not through cookware (aluminum is reactive, so aluminum cookware is generally coated with something non-reactive) but through anti-perspirant and antacids.

[saucyknave]

That's good news for those of us who used aluminum for many years before "retiring" it out of concern for possible health damage.

It's also good news because I saved my big heavy restaurant grade pans because their cooking properties are so superior to even the best stainless. I think I'll start using them again for some things.

[Dennison]

Hi saucyknave --

I also have at least one heavy duty restaurant surplus aluminum frying pan that is extremely responsive to heat, much more so than stainless steel (as you well know). 98% of the restaurants in the U.S. use aluminum cookware to prepare your meals. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Alzheimer's Association, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition and the National Institute on Aging all maintain that there are no ill effects from using aluminum cookware.

However, the sale of aluminum-lined cookware is apparently illegal in Germany, France, Belgium, Great Britain, Switzerland, Hungary and Brazil, among others. Don't think this applies to anodized aluminum though. The issue no longer seems to be Alzheimer's, but rather possible kidney damage and depletion of phosphorus and calcium. Popular alternative health personalities like Andrew Weil aren't fans of aluminum lined cookware as a result. Aluminum certainly reacts with acidic foods, resulting in possible leaching of aluminum salts into your body. Broccoli also doesn't seem to work well with aluminum, resulting in an off taste.

I certainly don't have any pretensions about being an expert on the subject, but these are the facts as I know them. I've got a wide selection of pots and pans to choose from, as I'm sure you do too saucyknave, so I use discretion when pulling out the aluminum for certain foods.

[saucyknave]

Thanks for the detail. Do you think there's enough acid in fat to matter?

I've actually pretty much given up cooking in the aluminum except for occasionally using a couple really big frying and saute pans. I really miss them when caramelizing a lot of onions, etc. I gave my son a really big Calphalon pan but it's not as good as my old aluminum pans were because it's not as thick.

[Dennison]

I'd be really surprised to learn that there would be an acid-type reaction with fat, so I wouldn't hesitate to use my restaurant alumininum for that reason. I'd just avoid tomato-based things generally. I've never been a fan of Calphalon myself, but I'm pretty sure that the anodized surface prevents any potential reactions from occurring.

I'm retiring my old trusty beat-up aluminum frypan soon since I just don't want to deal with potential ill effects and for lack of space. I'm luckily getting a Dehillerin ss-lined frying pan straight from Paris from my very generous sister and I expect it to be at least as responsive to heat.

[saucyknave]

Let us know how you like it. I'm considering getting a couple myself. I have a variety of pots from there from many years ago and a 9" copper evasee bought here at outlandish cost (though very useful), but I've been concerned with the weight of the larger saute and fry pans. It's wonderful that you have someone to bring them back for you. The website doesn't begin to cover what they have.

Also, if you're a pastry maker and your sister is still there, get her to explore the straight French rolling pins for you. If they still have them, the one in a very heavy exotic wood is a magnificent tool the likes of which I've never seen here.

As for my 12-14" aluminum pans, I only drag them out for special tasks or press into service as auxiliaries when I'm cooking for a crowd.