How safe is Granite cookware?(Marketing Vs Reality)

During the last several years I see more and more cookware in stores marked as “Granite cookware”. It has become very popular because of its attractive color and name. Related to that I have heard one question many times:

How safe is granite cookware?

Granite cookware refers to different types of kitchen vessels.  Cookware marked as “Granite” is made from a metal base covered with PTFE,  vitreous enamel, or rarely some other type of coating. Because of this, there is no consensus about its safety. Vessels marked as PFOA, cadmium and lead-free, derived from reputable manufacturers usually hold lower health risks for consumers.

Additionally, if you are interested in safe non-stick alternatives, try up the cookware materials recommendation quiz or find some helpful directions for your research on the Safetouseit recommendations page.

The quiz algorithm will provide you with the personalized recommendation for safe cookware material that suits your cooking style. Finally, on the recommendation page, you will find the Safetouseit.com database of cookware brands that hold recognized safety certificates and safety testing proofs.

Upgrade Your Kitchen: As you dive into the safety of various cookware materials, considering the healthy cutlery you can couple with your cookware can be a good choice. Among the others, Amazon’s selection of wooden spatulas may provide some interesting options to look at.

1. What is granite cookware?

All “granite cookware” on the market has only one common characteristic, it shares a granite color pattern. Granite cookware doesn’t have anything to do with real granite stone except coloration, and this trade name is just a kind of marketing strategy. 

I would say that “Granite cookware” refers to a whole variety of different cooking vessels in sense of coatings and materials used for the vessel’s base.

So how we can talk about granite cookware heath sides if there is a whole variety of cookware products sold under this name?

I will first divide this group into several classes and mention the health concerns of each. 

Also, I will try to mention some things that you should consider when buying “granite” cookware . This will potentially help you to avoid safety issues.

The core of granite cookware is usually metal, and it differs from stainless steel to aluminum. The two main types of coating that I have found on the market are vitreous enamel and Teflon(PTFE). Because of this, I will divide granite cookware according to the mentioned two groups.

2. How safe is granite cookware?

2.1. Teflon(PTFE) graniteware

If you see some cookware set marked as “Granite”  first take a look at the certificate/etiquette to see if is there more info about the coating. Sometimes PTFE will be clearly marked, but in some cases, there won’t be clear evidence is the cookware PTFE free. 

Cookware without clear information about coating composition usually refers to PTFE. Manufacturers which don’t put PTFE in their products give their best to mark that!

Cookware ticked like “mineral coating” probably refers to PTFE also. If you find that the maximal heating point for that cookware is limited to around 260C that’s a good sign for the PTFE coating.

If you discover that your “granite cookware” is coated with  PTFE  you can consider the same health concern like for any other Teflon cookware. I will review scientific papers on PTFE safety deeply in one of the next posts. 

Here I will go into important details. Basically, there are three main problems when it comes to Teflon (trade name for PTFE polymer-coated cookware):

• The first one is related to toxic fumes that evaporate from PTFE on temperatures above 250C. Furthermore, these temperatures can be easily achieved by using food preparation methods like searing, sauntering, and stir fry.  Some studies show that PTFE pyrolysis can occur at lower temperatures, around 200C.
• The second potential issue with PTFE refers to ingesting small pieces of PTFE coating in from your food. PTFE coating gets chipped over time so you start to ingest a part of cookware coating.
• Third, but the most important problem is using different chemicals in the manufacturing process that helps PTFE to stick to the cookware surface. In the following text, I will explain all the segments separately.

-PTFE pyrolysis on high temperatures

PTFE degrades at high temperatures. Furthermore, it is proven that these phenomena cause health issues. (1, 2 ) The group of symptoms caused by PTFE toxic fumes even has their name, a Teflon flu(or polymer flu)

In the scientific world, many studies clearly show the strong toxic effect of byproducts made by PTFE degradation on high heat.

Here you can find comprehensive scientific data about these compounds and the information about their toxicity, carcinogenicity, and related effects. That is why manufacturers clearly purpose temperature limits when using PTFE-based cookware.

 So using the Teflon under these temperatures(250C ) should keep you safe? Some studies have indicated the presence of PTFE degradation on temperatures as low as 200C. 

One study from 2000 shown that PTFE coated light bulbs caused the mortality of the chickens, in the one of Missouri industry growing facilities. 

According to that study, mortality was the consequence of the PTFE pyrolysis. The temperature of PTFE-coated bulbs was found to be 202C. That was enough to cause the degradation of PTFE and cause mortality of animals, as it is concluded in the study (3). 

Here is the table where you find several studies that have shown Teflon degradation at certain temperatures. Also, data cover the health effects, caused by PTFE pyrolysis in those conditions.

Temperatures around 200-250C are easily achieved in everyday cooking practices. I find that fact like a huge concern for using PTFE.

Many common frying practices include preheating of the pan. Those should be widely avoided when it comes to Teflon.

Here is the table which shows the relationship between cooking preparation methods and cooking temperatures.

If you put your several millimeters thick granite cookware on heat without food in it, it will reach high temperatures incredibly fast. This is especially true for cooking on induction stoves because they directly heat up the cookware surface. 

In order to become aware of how fast your cookware heats up close to 200C you can use the phenomenon called the Laidenfrost effect.

You probably noticed earlier that when you release several drops of water on the top of the preheated cookware, they form balls that act like they don’t touch the surface. 

This phenomenon occurs because a thin layer of water vapor forms below the water drops. It happens at approximately 193 C which is called Laidenfrost point.

In one of my you tube tutorials, I show how to preheat the stainless steel pan at the right temperature in order to keep food from sticking. If you watch the video you will see how fast the Leidenfrost effect happens. Actually, it occurred after 2-3 minutes of preheating the pan on high heat.

Notice the stainless steel pan that I have used is very thick. Even though, it reaches almost 200C after 3 min of preheating. Now, imagine how fast can several millimeters thick non-stick pan reach temperatures over 200C  ( which leads to PTFE pyrolysis).

In conclusion, be very careful about which kind of heat you are using for cooking with non-stick pans. They can heat up very fast. If PTFE pyrolysis occurs it can be potentially harmful to you and your pan. 

If you want to get a sense of how fast cookware actually heats up, try the trick with the Leidenfrost effect explained above and see what you will get. (Do not try this with PTFE cookware or any type of cookware for which composition you are not sure! If you have bare metal vessels it will be safe to play with this)

*Also, I want to notice something here in order to hit the right point. Unlike non-stick pans, stainless steel and cast iron cookware withstand higher temperatures. They don’t possess non-stick properties unless they are treated in the right way( preheating at higher temperatures). This doesn’t mean non-stick pans will be more non-stick at higher temperatures. ! That will only damage them!

-Studies on the health sides of ingesting small pieces of PTFE

After using Teflon pans for a while, the non-stick surface will start to chip off. How soon is going to happen depends on the quality of the pans and the maintaining practices. The PTFE cookware and its coating can last from a few months up to several years.

Only a few studies were conducted on the topic of PTFE digestion toxicity. By considering many scientific reports I found that there is no significant evidence on the harmful effect of ingested PTFE. However, chipping of the coating will cause the leaking of metals into your food. 

The Teflon cookware base is usually made from aluminum or iron. Because of the non-stick surface damage, a small amount of these elements can be transferred from the cookware base to food.

Aluminum shows different negative health effects when it is ingested in certain amounts. In this post about aluminum foil safety, I have gathered data about aluminum toxicity studies and their conclusions.

As a breath summary aluminum exposure in humans has shown genotoxicity and cancerogenic effects while increasing Al levels in the body can trigger problems with the fetus development and different neurological disorders(4. ).

Unfortunately, in the industrialized world food is highly contaminated with aluminum from different aluminum-based additives, storage containers and ground sources (6,7 ) Because of this it is important to minimize the sources of exposure.

-But, is methal leaking from the cookware base significant in order to affect your health?

The amount of aluminum seeping from bare metal cookware was investigated in different research projects. I found that this data shows a big variance and incoherence. First, the amount of leaked aluminum depends on how acidic the food is and some other factors like temperature, salts, etc.(5. ).

 Second, it depends on the size and shape of the cookware so it is very hard to talk generally about its general role. However, here we are talking about bare aluminum cookware.

When it comes to chip and scratched non-stick vessels it is obvious that the surface where food and metal base are in contact is not huge. Following the logic and calculations, leaking of the metal won’t be so intensive as in the case of bare aluminum cookware.  

To conclude, leaking aluminum from scratched non-stick cookware is not significant in order to affect your health. You can find a more precise literature review about that topic in my post about Ceramic coated cookware safety.

But that is not the whole story. The metal alloys used for the production of non-stick cookware are not designed to be food-grade. Because of that, they don’t need to follow some more strict regulations. For instance, they can contain some unwanted additives like lead. 

Lead is sometimes added to aluminum alloys to enhance their mechanical properties. So, looking over all the advice is to replace all of the non-stick pans that contain scratches and damage that reveal the metal base. 

In the mentioned post about ceramic coated cookware safety, you will also be able to find more info about different cookware metal alloys and lead content in them. Nevertheless, as a breath summary, aluminum alloys contaminated with lead can be a significant problem, especially in developing countries where a lack of control and standards exists.

-Chemicals used in TEFLON manufacturing processes

Many people search for granite non-stick pans in order to avoid PTFE-based cookware. It will be great to know that “Granite” marked cookware can be the same thing with a different name.

The biggest concern about Teflon before 2013 was using of a chemical called PFOA in its production. After that year manufacturers exchange this chemical with its alternatives.

-What is the purpose of using PFOA and similar chemicals in the production of non-stick pans?

Generally speaking, PTFE( Teflon) coating is highly inert with other materials. As a consequence of that, some special methods must be used in order to make it sticks to the cookware surface. There are three main ways for that.

One of the processes includes sandblasting. That makes the cookware surface more porous, so the PTFE can mechanically stick to it. The other two methods are based on making PTFE molecule chains more reactive so they can stick to the pan surface.

 PFOA was used exactly for that process. This substance contributes to the chemical reaction necessary to make PTFE stickable to the surface. (8.)

After the Teflon adhesion process, PFOA is removed from the cooking vessels.  However, some quantities stay present even after that. (9.) 

Indisputably, studies have shown that PFOA is a strong endocrine disruptor and its effects are related to several types of cancer. The conclusion was that even PFOA resides can negatively contribute the health.

-Widely used PFOA alternatives

During 2006 the US Environment Protecting Agency(EPA) launched the PFOA Stewardship Program with the aim to affect the main PFOA manufacturing companies. The objective was to reduce the production of this chemical until 2015. From 2013 all the companies involved in the production of non-stick cookware have stopped using PFOA in their products.

So are we now protected? After reducing the use of PFOA companies started to utilize other chemical alternatives for PTFE manufacturing. There are many different chemicals from the group of poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), where PFOA also refers, which are still used today. The most famous ones are Gen X and PFBS.

Many companies keep these chemicals like ,, a company owned formula”, so there is no a lot of data available about them. However, even it is not precisely known which new chemicals are used in PTFE manufacturing, studies have shown that gene X and other PFAS can act in a similar toxic manner as PFOA. (10, 11.)

From the knowledge that I have those chemicals are the biggest issue when using Teflon pans in the modern world. As it is stated there are ways for producing Teflon based cookware without these chemicals, but manufacturers usually dont provide much information about it.

2.2. Vitreus Enamel graniteware

Vitreous enamel or porcelain enameled cookware is another frequent type “granite cookware” that can be found on the market. Some manufacturers like “Graniteware” clearly highlight that they use this kind of coating.

 If you find cookware with clear label “PFOA and PTFE free”,  it probably refers to vitreous enameled cookware. This kind of cookware usually have a shiny glass luster similar to enameled cast iron,

Brands like popular Graniteware highlight that their cookware items are covered with porcelain enamel. However, that is only another name for vitreous enamel. Basically, this is the type of glass used for covering pots and pans, and it doesn’t have anything to do with porcelain

Unlike the PTFE counterpart, this kind of “granite” pots and pans don’t release toxic fumes on high temperatures.  Chipping of enamel coating can happen if you use metal utensils. When these utensils are chipped metal leaking can occur, so it is worth considering from the health aspect.

 Generally, enameled cookware is much more resistant to damage than PTFE ones.
If you maintain your cookware in the right way, it should stay safe to use it for a long time. You can find more details about proper cleaning practices in the last subheading.

One other advantage of granite cookware covered with vitreous enamel is lower sensitivity to high temperatures than PTFE counterparts. Usually, manufacturers don’t set temperature limits for enameled pans.

On one hand vitreous enamel show advantages in comparison to PTFE, however this type of coating can contain lead. The vitreous enamel coating is a type of glass and some manufacturers use lead to get appropriate material properties of the coating layer (e.g. melting point). Be careful with this, and try to find the product that clearly stated that they are lead-free.

In one of my blog posts about pure ceramic cookware, I covered more in detail the topic of cookware glazes, their potential toxicity and different law regulations related to them. 

3. How to use my granite pans and cookware to keep them safe and prolong their lifespan?

3.1. Proper maintaining

Basically there are several basic rules that will keep your cookware safe and long-lasting:

•  don’t use the metal or ceramic utensils, use wood or silicone ones(I don’t like to use plastic utensils, but I don’t say that they are unsafe)
• When using PTFE cookware try to avoid preheating of the empty pan and use the lowest cooking temperature that is appropriate for the desired purpose.
• I will recommend you avoid using Teflon cookware in the oven. As I stated some of the studies show that even to temperatures low as 200C PTFE can degrade and create toxic byproducts. Since baking requires higher sometimes requires similar or higher temperatures try to avoid it, regardless of what the manufacturer states.
• Always use a little bit of oil when frying even with non-stick, it will make it last much longer.
• Some people use oil in the spray but I recommend you avoid this. Every spray contains an elicitor. That is the substance that makes the pressure in the spray can. Many of those elicitors can molecularly react with a hot surface so I will recommend you avoid them.
• I don’t recommend you use the dishwasher for your cookware. I found that hand washing prolongs the lifetime of my pans and pot up to several times.  Instead of using soaps and detergents for cleaning the cookware try the baking soda as an alternative.

*The process of using baking soda is easy. You can put a little hot water into your granite cookware and add a tablespoon of baking soda. Clean your pan with some smooth sponge. You can do this with soda-pasta also, just use less water and the pasta will be formed.

• do not expose cookware to water immediately after cooking- Put it cool for ten minutes on the side. Temperature shock can lead to pan wrapping and damaging of the surface in both vitreous enameled and PTFE

3.2. Proper cooking practices

-What can I cook in granite cookware?

Granite cookware, both PTFE and vitreous enamel, is appropriate for acidic food and sauces(like tomato o strawberry sauce). You shouldn’t worry about that like with bare metal pans and pots. Also, you can use salt as much as you want during cooking. Mentioned bare metal pans and pots (e.g. cast iron and stainless steel) are sensitive to salts, they rust during prolonged contact with it.

-Is granite cookware safe for glass cooktops?

There is a common misconception about glass stoves and granite cookware. One claim is that a glass cooktop can be easily broken in contact with granite cookware. It is true that some heavy pots with an indentation on the button can be tricky to manipulate on the glass stove.

In cookware with indentation, that design is applied to prevent wrapping. Furthermore, it supports heating performance. However, it is not ideal for glass stovetops. The indentation can trap the air, which under heat and pressure can damage the glass stovetop. You can find a similar explanation about this on the Graniteware FAQ page. Granite cookware with a flat bottom can be normally used on glass cooktops.

-Proper storage

One common mistake is storing other cookware on your granite cooking vessels. Hard surfaces from other items can damage the smooth coating of granite utensils, so try not to lean your cookware from one to another. If you don’t have a lot of space, you can put a cotton cloth or a few layers of kitchen paper between different cooking items. In that way, they can lay one on the other.

4. What are the signs of safe and good quality granite cookware? What should I avoid?

The first step is to try to figure out what kind of granite cookware you are buying. Is it  PTFE coated, vitreous enamel coated, or something else? Looking overall vitreous enamel granite cookware,, deal” with fewer health issues than PTFE ones, especially when it comes to high-quality ones from reputable manufacturers.

Better quality vitreous enameled pans contain a thicker layer of enamel on top. Generally, they are more resistant and durable in comparison with PTFE ones. On the other hand, vitreous enamel doesn’t possess great non-stick properties, especially when it is compared with PTFE ones.

By using vitreous enameled granite cookware you will avoid releasing toxic fumes even if you overheat them.

Try to find cookware with a steel base rather than aluminum ones because aluminum alloys can be toxic even in small quantities as we consider earlier in the text.

There is the chance that some other type of cookware on the market holds the label  *granite cookware”. In any case, it will be wise to find ones that are clearly stated PTFE, PFOA, cadmium, and lead-free. That doesn’t mean that they are totally safe but in any case, you eliminate the most common hazards present in the cookware market.

5. What are the biggest health concerns about granite cookware using? Conclusion

It depends on the type of granite cookware that you have. I will divide it into two main groups-PTFE( Teflon) base cookware, and cookware coated with vitreous enamel(also called porcelain enamel).

-PTFE granite cookware – It deserves the same concerns as any other Teflon cookware

1. It releases toxic fumes under ordinary cooking conditions(as low as 200 C). Under those circumstances, PTFE degradation can make a whole variety of different organic compounds that are provenly toxic and cancerogenic. One good example is octafluoroisobutylene which is highly toxic.

2. The coating is relatively sensible and it is not long-lasting(Some people maintain their Teflon pans for several years in good condition, however, they are less resistant than vitreous enamel ones).

3. Ingesting parts of PTFE are not proved but pans which,, suffer” from surface scratches. Nevertheless, chipping can lead to metal leaking from the cookware base.

-Vitreous enameled Granite cookware

If the surface of the pan is damaged it can leak metals from the base right to the food. This can be particularly dangerous in the case of metal alloys that contain lead.  Anyway, I found that vitreous enameled cookware shows more durability and resistance to scratches than PTFE ones. It is especially the truth when it comes to higher-quality pans with a thicker layer of vitreous enamel. The downside for vitreous enamel posses lower non-stick abilities. 

6. Are there effective alternatives to conventional nonstick cookware?

The non-stick performance of conventional nonstick cookware is one of its biggest strengths. In the end that is why the general public uses it so much. However, taking into account the durability, temperature limitations and potential health risks of such utensils the general trend of searching for safe and durable alternatives has started to arise.

You can frequently hear that other utensil materials don’t present non-stick properties as PTFE or ceramic coated cookware. However, this si true just in certain cooking conditions. (e.g. starting to cook food directly in a cold metal pan when frying).

Nevertheless, when you use pre-heated carbon steel or cast iron, the non-stick properties of such cookware are fully comparable with the conventional non-stick pans.

To find some good directions for finding conventional non-stick alternatives you can take a look at Safetouseit cookware recommendation page. There I present some steps that you can when doing your own research for safe cookware alternatives. Additionally, I provide you with some cookware examples that may help you find what best fits your needs.