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Heavy Metals in Your Home: Your Evidence-Based Safety Guide to Brass, Nickel, Lead, Aluminum, Chrome, Titanium and More

Dr. Meg Christensen is the founder and owner of Interior Medicine. She provides evidence-based guidance on creating healthier homes through transparent material analysis and peer-reviewed research to help you make informed decisions about household products.

Published February 1, 2023     |     Updated December 21, 2025

kitchen scene with knife and teapot on stove

Why This Metal Guide Is Different

This guide offers you respect and nuance!

Most others on metal safety fall into extremes: alarmist wellness bloggers claiming all metals are toxic, or industry sources insisting everything is safe because “levels are so low they can’t harm you.” As a naturopathic physician with training in medical research, biochemistry, and epidemiology, I take your concerns seriously, evaluate metals based on how your body actually handles them, link to helpful research articles, and then organize the information into visual rating scales that can easily help you make the decisions without feeling brushed off or unnecessarily stressed out.

Metal Rating Scales

These scales are a summary of all the information below. They also keep me consistent and unbiased as I rate and rank products for their potential impact on your health in the Interior Medicine Shop. Your situation and risk tolerance may differ—these are guides, not absolute rules.

Here are the scales, one for metal kitchenware, and one for metal furniture and decor. Keep reading for the full breakdown on the reasoning behind these scales, lead avoidance, aluminum myths, cookware safety, and how to make smart decisions about metal in your home.

Metal Kitchenware

Metal Furniture and Decor

Understanding Metals in Your Home

What Are Heavy Metals?

The term "heavy metals" is actually a bit controversial and ambiguous— there is still no widely accepted definition of exactly which ones make the cut. In general, though, it refers to metallic elements on the periodic table that have high density, including lead, cadmium, and iron. It’s controversial because the term “heavy metal” often implies toxicity, but some of them are very safe (like iron or titanium for example.) Some heavy metals are essential nutrients your body needs (iron, chromium III), while others serve no biological purpose and only cause harm (lead, cadmium).

Chromium and nickel are transition metals— neither heavy nor light.

Aluminum and Zinc are both light metals, not heavy metals! They have low density, and are lightweight.

Where Are Heavy Metals Found in the Home?

  • Cadmium: ceramic glazes and coatings (including modern ones) on cookware or dishware, painted toys, dust

  • Iron: component of cast iron and carbon steel, decorative hardware, air

  • Lead: pre-1978 paint, some ceramic glazes, older electronics, imported cookware, solder in plumbing, some brass hardware, tap water, air near industry, dust, vintage glass

  • Titanium: cookware and containers

Where are Other Metals Found in the Home?

  • Aluminum: baking sheets, foil, cookware, window and door frames, some furniture, air

  • Chromium: component of stainless steel, chrome-plated appliances, air, water, vitamins

  • Copper: component of brass, wiring, shower water filters, electronics, pipes, middle layer of some cookware for even heat conduction, old baking molds

  • Nickel: component of stainless steel, small appliance heating units like toasters, kitchen utensils, as a “brushed nickel” finish on surfaces

  • Zinc: component of brass, shower water filters, small appliances like blenders and toasters, decorative hardware

How Metals Get Into Your Body

Metals can get into your body through the three main exposure routes:

  1. Ingestion (eating and drinking): this is the primary route for most metals. Metals are in food because soil naturally contains metals and they’re incorporated into growing vegetables, or metals can leach from cookware surfaces into food. Metals are also in tap water, and in house dust on your hands which enter your body through hand-to-mouth contact.

  2. Inhalation (breathing): This is mostly just an issue for dust created during renovations. Otherwise, there are trace metals suspended into the air because soil gets re-suspended into the atmosphere with wind, construction, and other disruption— mostly aluminum and iron — but levels are quite low. There are higher levels of toxic trace metals in the air near traffic and industry, like lead and cadmium.

  3. Dermal absorption (through skin): Very minimal for most metals. Even aluminum in deodorant that sits on your skin for 8+ hours daily has near-zero absorption, with studies showing 0.012%, 0.0094%, or 0.00052% is absorbed into the stratum corneum, the outermost skin layer, with even less reaching deeper skin layers or the bloodstream. Nickel can cause contact dermatitis in sensitive individuals but doesn't readily absorb into bloodstream.

How Metals Get Out of Your Body

Your body evolved mechanisms to not accumulate most metals, and excrete them instead.

When metals do get in to your body, your body takes what it needs (in the case of essential nutrients like iron, chromium, and probably nickel), then your liver and kidneys filter the rest out of your blood and excrete them through feces and urine.

Other, non-essential metals like aluminum are not even absorbed by your gut for the most part, and what does make it through your gut lining and into your bloodstream is filtered out by your kidneys quickly. Your blood-brain barrier is made of very tightly packed cells and is highly protective, only allowing helpful things to pass through, making it nearly impossible for metals to come in.

Lead is unique because it bypasses these defenses. Lead ions mimic iron, zinc, and other essential minerals like calcium. It tricks the body into absorbing it and it stays in bones and organs long term, and can pass through the blood-brain barrier.

If you have poor kidney function or liver function, you risk accumulation of metals that would otherwise be harmless, like aluminum. If you have a disrupted blood-brain barrier (like in Alzheimer’s disease or other neuroinflammatory conditions that weaken it) it is possible for aluminum to get through and accumulate in your brain.

Why Metals Often Seem Scarier Than They Are

I think metal fear comes from several things:

  1. Overgeneralization: Because lead and cadmium really are dangerous, our brains clump all metals into the "danger" category. It’s an easy mental shortcut, which I respect in a complicated world, but it’s not accurate, and causes unnecessary fear.

  2. Thinking that “a lot is bad, so a little bit is a little bit bad”: This relationship is only true for some things, like lead or PFAS. It’s not true for most metals. Most metals can be treated like the sun— yes, too much is bad, but a little bit is truly harmless or even necessary for life.

  3. "Unnatural" feeling: Metal feels industrial and cold compared to cotton or wood, even though metal comes from the earth and is, ironically, often processed with fewer harmful chemicals.

  4. Electromagnetism: Some metals are able to conduct electricity, and because electromagnetism is complicated, it freaks some people out.

  5. Misapplying new chemical rules: We're all learning to avoid new, synthetic chemicals (PFAS, BPA) in any quantity, even very tiny amounts, because they bioaccumulate and we’re still learning how they interact with our bodies over the long term. Our bodies didn’t evolve protective mechanisms for them, as they’ve only been around for the last 100 years or so. With metals, we’ve spent decades studying how they affect us, and we understand exactly how they’re used and eliminated by our body.

Metals are often the safest choice. Metal bed frames avoid formaldehyde-containing glues that off-gas. Plain aluminum baking sheets avoid PFAS coatings. Stainless steel cookware has no chemical non-stick coating to break down.

If you have a fear of metals, that's normal—but it's worth questioning. Read on to learn which ones are actually dangerous and how to avoid them, versus which ones are healthy choices for most people.

Aluminum

Is Aluminum Toxic? The Short Answer

No, aluminum is not toxic for most people at the levels you encounter in daily life. This is not a dismissive “levels are so low they won’t affect you” argument (which drives me crazy). This is based on decades of research and deep thought, and I think it’s really good news. Here’s a quick summary:

Your body is exceptionally good at not absorbing dietary aluminum (99.6-99.9% passes straight through your GI tract), and excreting the tiny amount that does enter your bloodstream (95% filtered by healthy kidneys). Our bodies are amazing and I think they deserve more credit than we give them when it comes to aluminum!

My background is in biochemistry and biophysics, epidemiology, and naturopathic medicine. I’m both open-minded and evidence-based. I spent years working in neurodegenerative disease research, and my first job out of college was as a research assistant in an Alzheimer’s lab. I've given aluminum every opportunity to concern me, and I even avoided aluminum-containing antiperspirants for years just to be safe, as research was still not definitive in the early 2000s. But, after 2014, when a big research analysis came out, aluminum became officially very low on my list of household toxins to avoid. Essentially, the paper looked at every piece of Aluminum-Alzheimer’s research, much of it conflicting, done over the last 60 years and found that overall, there is definitely no link.

I'm far more concerned about the 86,000 synthetic chemicals registered in the United States—most invented in last 100 years and untested for human health impacts. Chemicals we have studied—BPA, PFAS, formaldehyde—show consistent, reproducible evidence of harm. Aluminum does not. Read on for more details.

What Is Aluminum and Where Does It Come From?

Aluminum makes up 8% of Earth's crust—a super casual 20.9 septillion pounds total. It's the third most abundant element on the planet, naturally present in air, water, soil, plants, animals, and every human body. This isn't a "new" chemical invented by industry, and aluminum has been part of our environment for millions of years. What changed in the early 1900s was our extraction and use of aluminum in consumer products—from cookware to packaging to pharmaceuticals.

How Aluminum Enters Your Body (And Why Most Doesn't Stay)

Primary exposure—Food and Medicine(1-95 mg daily):

  • Natural foods contribute 1-10 milligrams of aluminum per day from plants and animals that absorb aluminum from soil.

  • Food additives in processed foods can contribute up to 95 milligrams daily from anti-caking agents, food dyes, stabilizers. This number from 1992 is likely higher now with increased ultra-processed food consumption.

  • Medications: antacids contain 100 milligrams of aluminum per dose; buffered aspirin also contains aluminum.

  • Infant formula: soy-based formulas contribute up to 120 mg over first two years (around 5 mg from breast milk.)

Secondary exposure—Cookware (1-2 mg per meal):

  • Anodized aluminum cookware transfers approximately 1-2 milligrams of aluminum per meal. This occurs because heat, salt, and acid cause leaching—aluminum migrates from pot surface into food.

  • Non-anodized aluminum (uncommon in US) and aluminum foil used for simmering can leach similar amounts, especially with acidic foods.

Minimal exposure routes (less than 1 milligram):

Why Aluminum Doesn't Accumulate in Your Body

Your body treats aluminum like an unwanted guest:

  • 99.6-99.9% of dietary aluminum passes straight through GI tract without absorption

  • Of the tiny 0.1-0.4% absorbed into bloodstream, 95% is filtered by healthy kidneys and excreted in urine

  • Most adults store only 30-50 mg aluminum in entire body at any given time—primarily in bones and lungs

  • You eat at least 10 mg daily, yet only accumulate trace amounts

This is amazing news! For perspective, our bodies do not effectively filter out PFAS—they bind to proteins and accumulate in significant levels in our tissues. Aluminum gets a lot of fear, but it isn’t nearly as big of a threat as we were concerned about at one time— keep reading for how we figured it out.

Does Aluminum Cause Alzheimer's Disease?

No. This is one of the most persistent health myths, and I understand why—the history is compelling and the fear is deeply rooted. I was sure in 2007 that aluminum was a cause, but the evidence has evolved significantly since then, especially since 2014, and the aluminum-Alzheimer's hypothesis is scientifically dead.

Brief history of why we are afraid of aluminum:

  • 1913: Ohio dentist blamed aluminum utensils for his gastritis (more likely caused by H. pylori bacteria, viral infection, or alcohol). He launched a nationwide anti-aluminum campaign.

  • 1965: Researchers found neurofibrillary tangles in rabbit brains after injecting aluminum salts. Since tangles also appear in Alzheimer's brains, they suspected a connection. But, advanced staining techniques very quickly revealed these were completely different types of tangles. The theory was debunked almost immediately—but public fear already ignited.

  • 1970s: Dialysis patients with kidney failure developed dementia after exposure to aluminum-contaminated dialysis fluid. Without functioning kidneys, aluminum accumulated into such high levels it was able to cross the blood-brain barrier. But researchers determined this condition—dialysis encephalopathy—caused different cognitive impairments than Alzheimer's Disease.

  • 1980s-2000s: Studies produced contradictory results. Some showed higher Alzheimer's risk with more aluminum in drinking water; others found exact opposite. This inconsistency wasn't poor methodology—it's because aluminum doesn't cause Alzheimer's, just like ice cream sales don’t cause shark attacks (even though they correlate perfectly—heat drives both behaviors). Likewise, something else is causing Alzheimer’s.

  • 2014: A landmark paper titled "Is the Aluminum Hypothesis Dead?" applied the Bradford-Hill criteria—epidemiological standards for establishing causation—to 60 years of aluminum-Alzheimer's research. Result: Zero of nine criteria were met.

    Side note: If the Bradford-Hill criteria sounds unconvincing or boring to you (haha), I get it— but I promise it’s really cool— I learned about it when I was an Epidemiology student, and it was so illuminating to understand how we can make decisions about whether something truly causes something else, or if it’s time to start looking in another direction.

Is Aluminum a Neurotoxin?

Yes, but only if it actually gets to your brain, which would require that it's both absorbed into bloodstream and successfully passes through your blood-brain barrier (BBB)—which is generally very good at keeping toxins out.

If you have severe chronic inflammation like Alzheimer's Disease, cancer, MS, or Parkinson's Disease, your BBB may be less able to filter toxins out. In these cases, consider being more strict about avoiding aluminum as well as other exposures.

Using phrase "aluminum is a known neurotoxin" as reason to avoid it completely is misleading. It doesn't give the body's design or wisdom enough credit.

Does Aluminum Cause Breast Cancer?

No. Early 2000s studies produced inconsistent results about aluminum-containing antiperspirants acting as endocrine disruptors. But a comprehensive 2014 systematic review—the highest level of evidence in medicine—showed zero connection between aluminum antiperspirants and breast cancer risk.

Systematic reviews combine all available research on a topic to reach definitive conclusions. Since 2014, research funding has shifted toward more plausible causes. All major cancer institutions agree aluminum exposure through antiperspirants or cookware is not a breast cancer risk factor.

When I google aluminum toxicity, there are still lots of articles showing that it’s a problem.

Yes! There are a small number of researchers that are still investigating whether or not aluminum is toxic. I think it’s good to have dissent, but I personally think it’s time to mostly move on— I'm far more concerned about the 86,000 synthetic chemicals registered in the United States—most invented in last 100 years and untested for human health impacts. Chemicals we have studied—BPA, PFAS, formaldehyde—show consistent, reproducible evidence of harm. Aluminum does not. That said, if you are unconvinced by my argument, I respect that! There are still many aluminum-free options for cooking and baking; stainless steel and glass ones I recommend are listed on my Bakeware and Pots and Pans pages.

What Aluminum Levels Are Actually Dangerous?

True toxicity typically occurs only in elderly patients with kidney failure who cannot excrete aluminum. Symptoms include anemia, pulmonary fibrosis (stiff lung tissue), decreased bone density, movement rigidity and stiffness. Treatment involves aluminum chelation—medications that accelerate detoxification.

Should I Avoid Aluminum If I Have Kidney Disease?

Yes, if you have compromised kidney function, be more cautious with aluminum exposure. Healthy kidneys filter 95% of absorbed aluminum from bloodstream. Without this filtration, aluminum accumulates in blood, bones, and eventually brain tissue.

If you have kidney disease: Avoid aluminum cookware, especially for simmering. Choose stainless steel, cast iron, or ceramic alternatives. Avoid aluminum-containing medications (discuss with your doctor first!). Don't store acidic foods in aluminum foil.

If you have chronic inflammatory conditions affecting blood-brain barrier integrity (MS, Parkinson's, advanced cancer), consider applying similar precautions.

Is Aluminum Cookware Safe to Use?

Yes, for most people. There are some important distinctions based on health status and usage:

  • Avoid aluminum cookware if you have kidney disease or a neurodegenerative condition that weakens your blood-brain barrier.

  • Aluminum cookware is fine for most people: 1-2 mg aluminum transfer is well below 68 mg daily safety threshold for 150-pound person.) Aluminum baking sheets, roasting pans, or foil covering food are even less of an issue (without prolonged contact, high heat, acidity, or salt, leaching is negligible). Touching aluminum (skin absorption is essentially zero— 0.012% at most)

Does Aluminum Cookware Contain Lead?

Most aluminum cookware does not contain lead—but there are important exceptions. High-quality aluminum manufactured in United States is not contaminated with lead due to strict regulations. However, researchers in Washington state discovered extremely high lead levels in some imported aluminum pots and pans.

Manufacturers in countries with looser regulations sometimes combine aluminum with scrap metal containing lead. These contaminated products have been found on Amazon and other online retailers.

How to avoid lead in aluminum: Buy from reputable brands with detailed manufacturing information. Choose USA-made aluminum where lead regulations are strictly enforced. Avoid extremely cheap aluminum from unknown manufacturers.

Can aluminum leach into food?

Yes, but the amount matters—and for most people, it's not a concern.

Aluminum leaching occurs with

  • Heat

  • Acid (tomatoes, vinegar, citrus) reacts with aluminum

  • Salt

  • Time (allows more migration)

Approximately 1-2 mg per meal with typical cooking will leach out from anodized aluminum cookware (standard in the US) and potentially more from non-anodized aluminum foil.

The established safe level is 68 mg daily for a 150-pound person based on decades of research confirming no adverse health effects happen with a small amount of aluminum. Even cooking every meal in aluminum wouldn't approach this threshold for someone with healthy kidneys. A single antacid tablet contains 100+ mg aluminum—far more than you'd get from a week of cooking in aluminum pots and pans.

Is Aluminum Foil Toxic?

No. Aluminum foil is not dangerous for majority of people (no kidney or neurodegenerative disease) with typical kitchen use, like loosely covering dishes to keep food warm, or protecting food in refrigerator. This would probably not even extract the typical 1-2 mg per meal that cooking in an aluminum-containing pot would.

If you wrap acidic or salty foods (lemon, vinegar-based marinades, heavily salted meats) or simmering or BBQ in direct contact with foil, you could potentially extract more.

The established safe level is 68 mg daily for a 150-pound person based on decades of research confirming no adverse health effects happen with a small amount of aluminum.

What Is Anodized Aluminum Cookware?

Anodization creates protective oxide layer that prevents aluminum from leaching into food. To anodize, aluminum cookware is submerged in cold electrolyte (salt) bath and subjected to electric current. This forms a durable, non-reactive oxide coating that's much harder than underlying aluminum.

This barrier dramatically reduces aluminum migration into food compared to bare aluminum. It’s far safer than non-stick chemical coatings (PFAS-based options), though anodization process itself can have environmental impacts, which is why some eco-conscious brands avoid it. Otherwise, almost all modern aluminum cookware in US is anodized.

Final Thoughts: We Have A Sun-Like Relationship With Aluminum

I think of aluminum exposure like sun exposure.

We need small amounts of the sun to survive (vitamin D synthesis). Our bodies evolved with protective mechanisms (melanin). But, too much causes skin cancer.

With aluminum, it’s similar: we need small amounts indirectly, as we’re inevitably exposed to it every day through air, water, and food. Our bodies evolved to not absorb it and excrete what enters. But! Too much (without kidney filtration) causes aluminum toxicity.

Treating aluminum like lead, where no amount is safe, just isn’t necessary. The logic doesn't apply to aluminum, which is naturally ubiquitous and handled effectively by healthy bodies.

Minimize unnecessary exposure from food additives and medications. Maintain kidney health and manage chronic inflammation. Use your cookware without stress and thank your kidneys!

Next up is cadmium, which you’ll see is a lot more straightforward than aluminum: it’s definitely toxic.

Cadmium

What is Cadmium?

Cadmium is a naturally occurring metal, a heavy metal, and a toxic heavy metal. There is no question that it is carcinogenic, linked with a higher risk of lung, prostate, endometrial, and breast cancer. It is also likely an endocrine disruptor, and is associated with reproductive dysfunction, diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, and bone demineralization, as well. Unlike aluminum, the research on cadmium is definitive and obvious. It is definitely bad for people.

Is Cadmium in Cookware?

Yes, it’s usually found in the enameled glazes on cast iron and ceramic cookware. Because cadmium is present in the soil, clay, and pigments of the Earth, it is often naturally a part of enamel glazes. Le Creuset lists cadmium pigment on many of its products (scroll down to CA AB1200 chemicals; Cd is short for cadmium.) While I appreciate that they disclose this (Prop 65 requires them to), and while the pigment is on the outside of the cookware not in contact with simmering food, and while it likely won’t leach out this way, it still understandably bothers people that it’s used at all. Read more about cadmium in coatings in my Coatings Guide. If you buy an enamel-coated dutch oven, baking pan, or other cookware, be sure it is third-party leach-tested for Cadmium, and that it meets Prop 65 requirements. These are the safe, tested, one-pot cookers, bakeware, and cookware made without cadmium or lead that I recommend.

Why is Cadmium Allowed in Cookware?

Like lead, there is no safe level of cadmium, yet manufacturers are using it in their products, and even experts still recommend eating vegetables if trace levels of cadmium are found in the soil they grow in. It’s hard to wrap your mind around it, and I get deeper into it in the Lead section below, but the short version is this: there is no way to completely avoid cadmium in your lifetime, since it is a part of this earth and the food we eat, and there are competing interests at play.

The competing interests can’t even be dismissed as pure evil— experts want to make absolutely sure that kids, even ones that live around cadmium-contaminated soil, still get vegetables in their diet. The benefits outweigh the risks. They want to be sure they have access to food and telling them not to eat these things with trace cadmium is in direct conflict with that. Imperfect reality.

Likewise, an artist that loves a certain pigment for their artwork might choose to use a cadmium-containing color for creative purposes. The US allows that, as long as it’s disclosed. Your inclination might be to shame Le Creuset and other brands that use cadmium pigments, and I respect that, but it is part of this same line of thinking— creative license. Essentially, as long as it’s disclosed, the decision is up to you.

Risk tolerance and competing priorities exist, and there is no perfect answer. I personally choose to avoid ceramic glazed items without third party testing showing they’re cadmium free, but I understand if you don’t because you are 100% devoted to Le Creuset, or your artwork, or whatever it may be.

Chrome and Chromium

What’s the difference between chromium and chrome?

  • Chromium: a metal on the periodic table that can be found in 3 different states depending on its electrical charge.

  • Chromium 0: no electrical charge, and is also called metallic chromium. This is the kind of chromium used in stainless steel cookware because it’s stable and resistant to chemical changes. It does leach out in tiny quantities during cooking, but there are no known health issues associated with this, unless you have an allergy to chromium— in that case, it can cause dermatitis (skin rash.) An estimated 1-3% of the population has an allergy to chromium.

  • Chromium III: also known as trivalent chromium, has a +3 electrical charge, and is the most common type found in the world. It is essential for life. It is in food, water, and most vitamins.

  • Chromium VI: also called hexavalent chromium, this is the synthetic version, rarely found in nature, and instead created by industry. It is toxic, and it is not used in pots and pans, so does not leach into food. Chromium IV is what the movie Erin Brockovitch was about — waste from manufacturing does get into the water supply. It is being phased out because of this; in California it will be banned for all uses by 2039.

  • Chrome: a thin, shiny coating that can be made of either Chromium 0, III, or VI! Chromium VI is being phased out because it is toxic for the industrial workers breathing it in during manufacturing, causing cancer and other health issues with the airway, skin and eyes, as well as with the organs that work to remove it from the body— the liver and kidneys. Now, Chromium III is being used more often to create the mirror-like finish on appliances and other home products. Chromium 0 can also be used for chrome plating, but it’s more for extreme uses that require major corrosion resistance.

Is Chrome Plating Toxic?

To the workers using hexavalent chromium, yes. To the workers using trivalent chromium, or metallic chromium, much less so, which is why industry is switching to this even though it’s not as shiny as chromium VI and is more expensive. This is because when chrome is inhaled during manufacturing, it is able to cause problems.

To you, no matter which type was used in manufacturing, it is not toxic. It’s chemically inert once it’s plated on a surface.

Copper

What is Copper? Is Copper Cookware Safe?

Copper is a shiny metal and an essential nutrient— we need it to survive! But, you should only have 10 milligrams daily. If you get more than that on a regular basis, too much can accumulate in your body and you may have side effects like nausea, vomiting, GI distress and kidney and liver damage. That’s the only reason why cooking on a copper surface isn’t safe; it can cause a copper overdose in your body as the metal is extracted with food contact.

However! Copper is an excellent conductor of heat, so having a layer of it hidden within cookware, or on the outside of a pot or pan, is ideal. It moves heat around evenly and is totally non-toxic to you when it’s not in direct contact with your food.

Lead

Why are home products with lead allowed to be sold and why do doctors still think eating chocolate and vegetables with lead is OK?

It can be an uncomfortable concept to grapple with— hearing over and over again from experts that there is no safe level of lead….but also hearing, from those same experts, that some lead is OK.

It’s true, all lead is bad for us. However, because lead is inextricably bound up in other, healthy things, we accept certain levels of it as an unfortunate but inescapable trade-off. Here’s what I mean:

You can't eliminate all lead— it exists naturally in soil and gets into food through agriculture. Everyone has some in their body.

Nutrition experts, researchers, and doctors want to make absolutely sure that kids, even ones that live around lead-contaminated soil, still get vegetables in their diet, and have access to food in general. In this case, the benefits of eating food and vegetables outweigh the risks, even if there is a trace amount of lead involved. And, not all lead that is eaten is absorbed through the gut lining into the blood, and eating vitamin C, iron, and calcium, also high in these same exact vegetables that contain lead, reduce how much lead can get into the blood stream. Everyone should have access to food, and telling people not to eat vegetables with trace lead is in direct conflict with that. It’s an imperfect reality.

Likewise, doctors generally say that eating chocolate, even with trace lead in it, is more beneficial than avoiding it. The levels of lead are so much smaller than the beneficial nutrients like magnesium, zinc, copper, and iron, that the risk assessment makes it worth it.

You can extend the argument slightly from food security and nutrition to things less essential— and this is where people start to get, understandably, more uncomfortable. For example, a ceramic artist that loves a certain type of clay for their pottery might choose to use a clay or glaze that contains a tiiiiiiny amount of lead in it for creative purposes. As long as they disclose the fact that it’s present (thanks to Prop 65), you can buy it from them and use it. Another example— I have an old vintage milk glass lamp in my house. There is probably lead in it. But, I still bought it because it’s beautiful and because I know that the lead will not come out of it— I’m not cooking with it, touching it, and lead won’t volatilize into the air from it.

Your inclination might be shock when people or brands choose to use or buy things with tiny amounts of lead. I respect that, but it is all part of this same line of thinking— where do we draw the line between strictly aiming for zero exposure, food security, creative license, and personal choice? It’s complicated. Risk tolerance and competing priorities exist, and there is no perfect answer.

Regardless of where you fall on the risk spectrum, I think the most important thing is transparency— knowing exactly what contains lead, how much is in it, and how likely the chances are you’ll be exposed to it. Lead is genuinely toxic, and here’s what I suggest for making informed decisions about it:

"No Safe Level" Doesn't Mean "Panic About Everything"

  1. Is there lead in the product, and if so, how much, and where? There are a few ways to know if there is lead in a product. First, a company might disclose it by sharing test results or having a Prop 65 warning. Second, you might personally test for it, like if you use an accurate, EPA-approved, lead test kit and get a positive result. Third, you may know of a popular blogger that uses XRF testing and reports about the presence of lead in various products. Finally, you might safely assume it’s present in the case of old, vintage cookware and glass. Just as important is knowing where the lead is in the product, so you can answer questions 2-4.

  2. Is it migrating out of the product? Lead will come out of products with friction, heat, or acidity. It will only get into the air through sanding something like a wall containing lead paint — it will not jump out spontaneously. Elemental lead doesn’t easily migrate out of products with small amounts of friction, so, for example, touching an electrical cord that has lead in it once a year represents a very low possibility for releasing it into your home. But, if the lead is in a cookware surface, it may be coaxed out with heat, acid, or abrasion. If the lead is in the handle of a cookware pot, the likelihood is somewhere in between.

  3. Is it getting into my body? If lead is able to migrate out of a product, it may or may not be able to get in to your body. Continuing with the electrical cord example above, if some lead did move out of the cord, I wouldn’t be very worried for myself because lead is so poorly absorbed through skin, and I wash my hands regularly, so it wouldn’t get in my mouth. But if I had a pet that was chewing on the cord, or a baby doing lots of hand-to-mouth contact near the cord, I would be concerned.

  4. Big picture considerations: you might ask yourself, does this lead-containing item affect the environment and other people long term? Do I want to support companies that have any lead at all in their products? What will happen to the lead when I’m done with this product? You might think about these Big Picture questions before you purchase anything with lead in it. On the one hand, when the lead in something is such a tiny concern for your personal exposure, as in the case of an electrical cord, it’s hard to worry about, especially if it’s a good deal and is otherwise healthy. On the other hand, we absolutely can change the market and “vote with our dollars” to encourage less lead being used in any product at all. While your answer will be highly personal and falls outside of the scope of Interior Medicine, I include it here because separating it out shows that it’s just one part of a 4-part decision.

I hope this helps reduce stress and confusion.

How Much Lead Is In Everyday Products?

I think this list is really useful for putting lead exposures into perspective. In case you’re not already familiar, PPM means parts per million, and is a way of describing the concentration of something. It’s just like how percent — or, per cent, means per hundred. But in situations like measuring lead, even 0.01% per cent, is way too big. So, ppm is used instead in most cases. Toward the bottom, ppb is used— parts per billion— where even less lead is allowed.

  • Soil: 50-400 ppm lead is in soil naturally, because lead is one of the elements naturally occurring on earth. Human activity can make this number higher. The EPA requires action if lead levels are over 400ppm in soil where kids play, and over 1,200 ppm in other soil.

  • Bicycles: 300 ppm is the limit for lead in the metal parts of bicycles. This is much higher than the limit for food because lead isn’t absorbed through skin easily.

  • Food packaging and children’s toys:100 ppm is the limit.

  • Paint and furniture: 90 ppm is the limit for lead— defined by the CPSC as objects used to support people or things or may be functional/decorative articles. Such products include beds, bookcases, chairs, chests, tables, dressers, desks, pianos, television consoles, and sofas. They do not regulate appliances like refrigerators and air conditioners, or cabinets, windows, or blinds.

  • Makeup: 10ppm is the limit for lead in eye makeup, and 5ppm is the limit for lead in lipsticks.

  • Cookware sold in Washington State starting 1/1/2026: 5ppm is the upcoming law for cookware, and cookware components like knobs on pots, if you live in the state of Washington. Starting on January 1st, 2026, all cookware sold in the state must have 5ppm lead or less in it. This is the first state to limit this.

  • Tableware: 0.226ppm is the limit for lead in flatware, and 0.1ppm is the limit for all other tableware according to Prop 65.

  • Food: 20 ppb — parts per billion— even tinier! is the limit for food. Anything above this requires action. This is set by the FDA. Vegetables have lead in them, especially root vegetables.

  • Bottled water: 5 ppb — parts per billion is the limit for bottled water. This is set by the FDA.

Lead in Cookware and Ceramics

Is there lead in cookware? Yes, potentially in two main types:

  • Contaminated aluminum cookware: Not typical of aluminum itself, but some imported aluminum pots and pans were found to contain extremely high lead levels—up to 6,320 ppm in some cases. This occurs when manufacturers use recycled scrap metal (computer parts, automobile components, electrical wires) contaminated with lead in regions with looser regulations.

    • To avoid lead-contaminated aluminum: Buy from reputable brands that provide manufacturing details. Choose USA-made aluminum where regulations are strict. Avoid extremely cheap aluminum cookware from unknown manufacturers. These researchers published a list of contaminated cookware found on Amazon, so avoid these brands.

  • Ceramic and enamel cookware: Lead is naturally present in clay and used in glazes for durability and color. Modern ceramics from US and European manufacturers typically have lead properly bound in glaze through correct firing. The FDA limits lead in ceramic cookware to maximum 1 microgram per milliliter in leachate solution.

Lead Limits for Cookware: What Regulations Say

Regulations are confusing because they measure lead three different ways: lead content in cookware vessel itself (ppm), lead content in leachate solution after testing (micrograms per milliliter or mg/L), or daily lead exposure a person has (micrograms per day).

FDA: Limits lead that leaches from ceramic cookware produced or sold in the United States is limited to a max of 1 ug/mL, which is the same as 1ppm. That is not the amount of lead in the vessel itself, but in the leachate solution, which is sampled after boiling acetic acid in the vessel and letting it rest, coaxing as much lead as possible out of cookware. This guidance hasn’t always been followed, especially for imports, and a big research paper showed that some inexpensive imported aluminum cookware contaminated with lead being sold on Amazon in the US had up to 6,320 ppm.

Washington State (starting 2026): Limits lead in cookware vessel itself to 5 ppm starting in 2026 in their upcoming law for cookware. That means it should leach significantly less than 5ppm into food. In general, cookware vessel’s lead level will be much higher than what can actually be coaxed out into the solution. The 5ppm rule will apply to the surface that the food comes into contact with, as well as all knobs, handles, and components of the cookware.

California Prop 65: Based on daily exposure limits, not concentration in product. Currently the strictest lead limits in the United States until Washington’s law kicks in. Their rules are based on how a product contributes to a person’s daily exposure to lead, not the concentration of lead in the product itself. Because of this, they don’t have a specific lead limit for cookware, but require cookware companies to prove that the amount of lead a person using the cookware would be exposed to, is 1,000 times below the maximum daily exposure limit for lead. California considers the max daily exposure limit to be 0.5 micrograms of lead per day, which is much lower than the 2.2 microgram goal set by the FDA for kids (see above.) This is called the Maximum Allowable Dose Level (MADL.) That means that if a cookware company shows that the lead in their product would cause lead exposure of 0.0005 micrograms or less, then no warning is required.

Does Lead Go Through Skin? Can You Get Lead Poisoning From Touching Lead?

No, solid, elemental lead doesn’t go through skin easily, and as long as you don’t work in a factory with lead every day, you wouldn’t get lead poisoning this way. The main way lead gets into your body is through ingestion (eating and drinking) or inhalation. Your skin is very good at keeping lead out, and it doesn’t enter your body through dermal contact easily. The exceptions would be if it is in a finely powdered form, suspended in oil instead of water, your skin barrier is not intact (as in severe eczema, cuts, burns, or other dermatological conditions), or if the contact time is very long or very frequent.

Showering in water containing lead is generally considered safe, as long as you don’t drink the water. People that work with lead with their hands for their job or hobby don’t need to stop; they just need to make sure no lead gets into the air in vapor or dust form, and to wash their hands afterward so no lead gets into their mouth through hand-to-mouth contact later. Wearing gloves during working is a good idea too, in case there is any lead dust on the product, which could more easily go through skin.

FYI, touching liquid organic lead is very dangerous, and is very easily absorbed through your skin. The word organic in this context means it is attached to hydrogen and carbon atoms— this was the type of lead that was in gasoline until it was phased out in the 1970s and completely banned in 1996. The carbon and hydrogen change how it reacts with your skin, making it readily absorbed. The vast majority of lead we encounter today is in not organic anymore, and is instead elemental, or inorganic.

Lead Testing Methods: XRF vs Leach Testing vs DIY Testing

What is XRF testing?

XRF stands for X-Ray Fluorescence, and it is one way to know if there is lead in a product. XRF testing can be done at home with a handheld device — it looks a little bit like a hot glue gun with a screen on it. You can point it at a product, and the type of x-rays that bounce back will tell you what metals are in it. The screen will display a list of how much of each metal it contains. These handheld machines cost up to $50,000 and you must be trained to use it — because it uses x-ray technology, radiation safety knowledge is needed, and since it is a highly technical instrument, understanding accuracy vs precision, calibration, and how to interpret results is important.

Is XRF testing accurate?

Yes, it can be, as long as the machine is calibrated, and the user is trained. XRF machines are also better at detecting heavier metals than lighter ones. Lead is a heavy metal, so XRF testing is very good at detecting lead accurately.

What is leach testing?

Leach testing is done to assess how much lead, or other metal, actually migrates out of a product. It’s a more useful method than XRF testing, to understand whether the lead in a product is bound up in it, and won’t cause harm, or if it’s leaching out, and at what level. For leach testing done on cookware, an acid bath method is used. Typically, 4% acetic acid solution (essentially, extra strong vinegar) is added to the pot, boiled for 2 hours, then cooled and held at room temperature for 24 hours. After that, samples of the liquid are analyzed for how much lead it contains using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (high tech lab equipment). Then, this result is used to back-calculate the equivalent lead content in ppm (or mg/kg) in the pot itself, that is capable of leaching.

Leach tests are designed to greatly overestimate the amount of lead you would possibly be exposed to, to leave lots of room for error and promote less lead exposure. It is very unlikely that you would ever cook food under conditions that are so acidic, or for so long. It gives you essentially a “worst case scenario” result.

Can I Test for Lead at Home?

Yes. EPA-approved home lead test swabs (like 3M LeadCheck) cost $15-30 and change color when they contact lead. You scratch the surface, activate the swab, and rub it on the area. If it turns pink or red, lead is present.

Limitations: These only tell you if lead is present—not how much or whether it will leach. False negatives are possible. They test a tiny area, and lead content can vary across a single item.

When home tests are useful: Screening old paint before renovations, checking vintage or imported ceramics, quick screening of secondhand items.

When to use professional testing instead: If you're pregnant or have young children, for cookware you'll use regularly (leach testing gives more useful information), or if a home test is positive and you need to know actual lead levels.

Better option for cookware: Contact the manufacturer and ask for leach testing results. Many reputable companies provide this documentation.

How to Prevent Lead Exposure

  • Avoid eating soil and dust—encourage frequent handwashing, especially for children

  • Dust your house with wet rag weekly to capture lead-containing dust

  • Take shoes off at door to avoid tracking in lead-contaminated soil

  • Don't disturb old paint until tested for lead. If renovations involve lead-based paint, get expert advice on safe procedures

  • Be cautious about pottery, ceramics, toys, and cosmetics with Prop 65 warning for lead—seek more information before use

  • Eat a healthy diet rich in vitamin C and iron, which can lessen lead absorption

  • Choose cookware carefully: avoid cheap imported aluminum, seek leach-tested ceramics, choose reputable manufacturers

  • Run cold water for 30 seconds before using if you have older plumbing, especially for drinking or cooking water

Nickel

Is Nickel Toxic?

No! This is a huge piece of misinformation that circulates on social media and in wellness communities. There are 2 exceptions where nickel is not good— if you have a nickel allergy, or are a worker breathing in nickel daily as a fine dust.

Nickel allergy: 11-16% of people have sensitivity to nickel. Nickel occurs naturally in many foods including flours, seeds, beans, and chocolate—eating it can cause allergic contact dermatitis (skin rash) that shows up anywhere on body. You can also ingest nickel by cooking with stainless steel that contains nickel—it does leach in very small amounts from cookware walls into food. Touching nickel jewelry can also cause rash in sensitive people. If you are sensitive, it may be worth using nickel-free cookware and coffee/teaware. These are the nickel free pots and pans I recommend.

Nickel workers exposed to nickel dust: Like wood dust, nickel dust is harmful to workers exposed to high amounts every day for years and can lead to lung and nasal cancer. This doesn’t mean: a lot of nickel is bad, so a little nickel is a little bad. Not every exposure follows that logic. Wood dust requires a Prop 65. Wood is very safe, but when you’re exposed to tiny particles of it, or anything, over and over again irritating your throat every day, it has consequences.

Nickel is not harmful, we may even require a tiny amount, and our bodies are very good at excreting what we don’t need daily. Like aluminum or sunshine, we also do not need to avoid normal amounts of nickel.

Does Nickel Leach Out of Pots?

Yes. When you simmer food, especially acidic food, for long periods in regular stainless steel, heat and acidity encourages leaching of nickel from pot into food. This is most pronounced during first 6 uses (there is a study on this!), and tapers off after that. If you're not sensitive to nickel, it isn't health concern.

Titanium

Is Titanium Safe for Cookware?

Yes, pure titanium is the safest cookware choice. Titanium is biocompatible, non-reactive, non-toxic, and does not leach into food even when exposed to high heat or acidic ingredients. It's so safe that it's the preferred metal for surgical instruments and medical implants, and allergy is extremely rare (just 0.6% of people, rather than the 3%-11% allergic to chromium or nickel present in stainless steel.)

However, nano-titanium coatings or bonded surfaces are potentially not as safe. Read more below.

The Nanotitanium Concern: Ceramic Coatings with Titanium Nanoparticles

Many pans marketed as "titanium cookware" are actually aluminum or stainless steel pans with a coating that contains titanium nanoparticles.

Nano versions of elements, like nanotitanium, or nanosilver, act completely differently than their normal-sized counterparts. They’re not the same substance at all! While research is still in its early days, as they’re relatively new materials, it's possible that nano-sized particles cross cell walls and cause DNA damage and inflammation, so I recommend applying the Precautionary Principle and avoiding nanoparticles until we can confirm they’re actually safe.

Undamaged coatings don't release nanoparticles until exposed to temperatures above 500°C—much higher than normal cooking. However, scratches or surface damage (which occurs with normal use) leads to significant nanoparticle release at typical cooking temperatures

Why titanium dioxide nanoparticles are concerning:

Stainless Steel, Cast Iron & Carbon Steel

What Is Stainless Steel Made Of?

All steel is mixture of two naturally occurring metals: iron and carbon. The difference between types is how much iron or carbon is present, and whether they're mixed with other metals or elements like silicon, chromium, or nickel.

Stainless steel is almost always a mixture of iron, carbon, chromium, and nickel. There are about 60 different types based on slightly different blends. Stainless steel is often categorized by chromium and nickel content:

  • 18/10 stainless steel: Contains 18% chromium and 10% nickel. Very commonly used in cookware. Safe for most people unless allergic to nickel or chromium.

  • 18/8 stainless steel (304): Contains 18% chromium and 8% nickel. Very commonly used in cookware. Safe for most people unless allergic to nickel or chromium.

  • 18/0 stainless steel: Contains 18% chromium and no nickel, but weak and corrosive, so would need titanium blended in for cookware use. Uncommon.

  • 316 stainless steel (surgical grade): Contains 16% chromium, 10% nickel, 2% molybdenum. Very resistant to corrosion due to molybdenum. Safe to cook with.

Why Is There Nickel and Chromium in Stainless Steel?

Nickel: Makes steel more formable when being shaped into pots, and adds strength and resistance to corrosion once formed

Chromium: Strengthens steel, makes it more resistant to corrosion, gives it a shiny finish that looks nice—why many people have stainless steel appliances throughout kitchen.

Is Stainless Steel Toxic? Does It Leach Heavy Metals?

No, stainless steel is not toxic, and the amount of nickel and chromium that comes out of them is generally much less than what is in a multivitamin or regular food. This is not a dismissive “levels are so low they won’t affect you” argument (which drives me crazy). A lot of people worry that nickel and chromium in stainless steel will cause them harm, but they won’t, and I think it’s really good news. Here’s a quick summary on why:

Nickel in Stainless Steel: Unless you have an allergy to it, nickel is not harmful, we may even require a tiny amount, and our bodies are very good at excreting any extra that we don’t need. Like sunshine, a small amount is necessary, and too much is bad. (Like if you are a nickel refinery worker and are exposed to nickel dust every day.) This is very different than the logic I see getting passed around social media a lot: “since a lot of nickel is bad, a little nickel must be a little bad.” No. While this is true for lead, it is not true for everything, including nickel, aluminum, and sun exposure. You can jump up to the Nickel section of this page to learn more, if you want.

Chromium in Stainless Steel: The type of chromium used to make stainless steel is Chromium III, the same type used in vitamins. This is very different than Chromium VI, hexavalent chromium, which is not used to make cookware. Unless you have an allergy to it, chromium is not harmful, we do require a small amount daily, and our bodies are very good at getting rid of any extra that we don’t need. You can jump up to the Chromium section of this page to learn more, if you want.

Stainless steel does leach small amounts of nickel and chromium into food, especially when cooking acidic foods (tomatoes, vinegar, citrus), simmering for extended periods, when using new cookware (leaching highest in first 6 uses, then stabilizes), or when cookware is scratched or damaged.

How much leaches? One study found that 88 micrograms of Nickel and 86 micrograms of Chromium leached from a new stainless steel pot into a half cup of tomato sauce after simmering for several hours. Most adults eat 100-400 micrograms of nickel daily. Most multivitamins contain up to 120 micrograms of chromium. After stainless steel cookware has been through 10 or more cooking cycles, normal use where you’re not simmering acidic foods for hours will result in far less leaching of either chromium or nickel, adding well under normal vitamin and food levels to your daily intake.

Is Cast Iron Safe to Cook With?

Yes, it's very safe material for majority of people. The exception would be if you have hemochromatosis, a genetic disorder where your body stores too much iron. Some iron can be transferred from pot into food and because of this, cooking with cast iron can actually be helpful way to get additional non-heme iron into diet if you are vegetarian or vegan, though it isn't generally enough to correct deficiency. Non-heme iron is not as bioavailable as heme iron and amount transferred is small, depending on what you're cooking. If concerned about hemochromatosis or anemia, check with your doctor about avoiding or using cast iron.

What Is Cast Iron Made Of?

Cast iron is type of steel that is mostly iron, but also contains more than 2% carbon, and usually around 1% silicon. Silicon is natural mineral, chemically inert, and non-toxic. Used to make cast iron pans moldable during production. FYI, silicon is not the same thing as silicone, which is synthetic polymer that uses silicon as ingredient.

What Is Carbon Steel Made Of?

Confusingly, carbon steel contains less carbon than cast iron. Contains about 1% carbon (while cast iron contains 2-4% carbon). Can also contain manganese, phosphorus, sulfur, and silicon.

Cast Iron vs Carbon Steel vs Stainless Steel: Which Is Safest?

For most people, all three are safe. Here's how they compare:

Stainless Steel: Minimal leaching (some nickel and chromium, safe for most people, read above). More durable long-term. More expensive. Better for long simmering. Best choice for kidney disease patients (no aluminum) or hemochromatosis (iron overload disease.)

Cast Iron: Leaches small amounts of iron (beneficial for most, problematic for hemochromatosis). Excellent heat retention. Requires seasoning and maintenance. Can react with acidic foods (not ideal for tomato sauce) without proper maintenance. Very durable and affordable, but heavy.

Carbon Steel: Similar to cast iron but lighter weight. Leaches small amounts of iron. Requires seasoning. More responsive to temperature changes than cast iron. Good middle ground between cast iron and stainless steel.

See the stainless steel, cast iron, and carbon steel pots and pans I recommend here.

Is There Lead in Stainless Steel or Cast Iron?

No. Luckily, lead is not part of steel alloy mixtures, but next up is brass, which does sometimes contain lead.

Brass

What Is Brass Made of?

Brass is an alloy (a blend) of zinc and copper. Zinc and copper are super safe for furniture and decor, and depending on how much of each is used, the color of the brass will change from more silvery to more reddish. Classic yellow brass is 70% copper and 30% zinc, giving it that signature golden look.

But, some brass has other metals mixed in, and sometimes that includes lead.

Does Brass Hardware Contain Lead?

Yes, some types of brass hardware contain about 2% lead because lead makes the metal easier to work with and shape into handles, cabinet pulls, and other drawer hardware.

Will Brass Hardware Expose Me and My Family to Lead?

Probably not, but the chances aren’t zero. Some brass hardware is lead free, so check to see if your brand is first! If it does contain lead, know that in general, elemental lead does not jump out of solid metals. It would require friction, heat or a chemical reaction to get it out of the brass hardware. Once out, it would also have to be able to make its way into your body, either through your skin, mouth, or lungs. Here’s how these scenarios might happen:

  • Touch (dermal absorption): quick everyday touches of brass hardware represent the most probable pathway that lead could potentially come out. Most modern brass hardware is coated in a lacquer to keep it from tarnishing. But, after repeated use, it may wear off, and then you’d be in contact with the brass itself. This would be true of vintage brass fixtures, too. Generally, dermal absorption of elemental lead is extremely low because our skin is great at keeping it out even with prolonged contact. Generally, it’s only a concern for people working with lead in manufacturing for 8 hours a day, and even then, dermal absorption is a lower concern than breathing in lead dust. But, the bigger concern would be touching old or scratched brass and then touching your mouth or not washing your hands before you make food and eating it— hand-to-mouth contact.

  • Lungs (inhalation): I can’t imagine a scenario where this would be a concern in a normal home. If you use a sander on your brass drawer handles, then it would generate lead dust, similar to how sanding walls painted with old lead paint generates lead dust. Then you could breathe it in. Don’t do this! I bet you won’t anyway!

  • Mouth (ingestion): potentially, a little kid could lick brass hardware, and that could be enough to extract a tiny bit of lead. Doing it once would be far less an exposure than simmering some acidic food in lead-containing cookware, where the acidity is higher, the temperature is hotter, and the contact time is longer. The more likely scenario would be hand-to-mouth contact after touching the lead with your fingers and forgetting to wash your hands, as described above.

If you’re feeling freaked out, I highly recommend jumping up to the Lead section on this page to read through it. It should provide some good context and nuance that can help you make a better decision for you and your family.

Should I Replace My Brass Hardware?

Maybe, but it will depend on your risk tolerance. If you already have brass hardware, or you really want to add it into your home, you will probably be safe. Wash your hands regularly and keep up with brass maintenance. This would probably expose you to less lead than what is naturally present in carrots, chocolate, and other vegetables. I would not freak out or worry about a costly replacement, and focus on other, more likely exposures first.

That said, there is no safe level of lead in the body, so depending on your risk tolerance and whether or not you have kids that are more likely to engage in hand-to-mouth contact, you may choose to forgo brass fixtures, as they’re not an essential part of your life like vegetables are. Again, jump up to the Lead section to understand why lead is allowed in objects and how to make the best decision for you and your family.

Best Practices for Safe Cookware Use

General principles:

  • Buy cookware from reputable manufacturers with transparent sourcing. Avoid extremely cheap imported cookware that may be contaminated.

  • Look for third-party testing showing no lead or cadmium leach from the cookware into food

  • Replace cookware that is heavily scratched, chipped, or corroded

  • Read the Coatings Guide for information about ceramic non-stick, PFAS, and enamel coatings common on cookware surfaces, and how they affect the health of your pots and pans

A summary of the specific metals used in cookware:

  • Aluminum: Safe unless you have kidney or neurodegenerative disease. If you still want to reduce aluminum transfer, choose anodized versions which reduces the amount of aluminum that leaches, and minimize extended simmering of highly acidic foods in cookware or aluminum foil. Read more by jumping up to the aluminum section on this page.

  • Stainless steel, cast iron, and carbon steel: Safe unless you have an allergy to chromium or nickel, or have hemochromatosis (iron overload disease.) If you still want to minimize transfer, buy nickel-free stainless steel, or consider "seasoning" new pots by boiling water several times and avoid prolonged simmering of acidic foods in scratched or damaged pots.

  • Copper: Very safe when used as an inner layer to improve even heating. Do not cook directly on a copper surface, because doing so can extract copper into food, and your body only needs a small amount of copper daily. Too much can cause an overdose.

  • Titanium: One of the safest metal choices for cookware because allergy is extremely rare and it is chemically inert.

What to prioritize: Focus your attention and concern on lead and PFAS-containing non-stick cookware. These are the exposures with consistent evidence of harm and no safe threshold. For the metals listed above, your body has effective protective mechanisms if you don't have specific medical conditions that impair them.

See all of the non-toxic cookware and bakeware I recommend here in my Look Inside section including nickel-free stainless steel, standard stainless, carbon steel, titanium, aluminum (and even glass and ceramic.)

Is metal furniture toxic? Do they amplify EMFs?

No, metal furniture is one of the safest and least toxic options available. It doesn't contain formaldehyde, VOCs, or chemical treatments that can off-gas into your air.

If you’re confused by this question, the fear that metal bed frames (or spring-containing mattresses) can act as EMF antennae stems from a single, poor-quality, study done in 2010 that was misinterpreted on Scientific American’s blog. It's still spreading like wildfire 14 years later, because it sounds scary, and electromagnetism is hard to understand, making it scarier. Snopes debunks it and does a great job breaking down all the details, and their thinking is very much in line with my thinking.

To be extra thorough, I tested this myself with an EMF reader in my home, measuring readings near my microwave, WiFi router, on a metal bed frame, and in the middle of the bed where your body would be. Readings remained at 0.0 everywhere on the bed and bed frame. Readings only spiked next to active electronics like the microwave and router when running.

The real concern: Exposure to formaldehyde from beds made with high-VOC glues and engineered wood is a much higher health risk than any theoretical EMF issue from metal frames.

If you're concerned about EMF exposure: Focus on standing away from the microwave when it's on, turning off your WiFi router at night, or hiring a professional to take readings in your home—not on avoiding metal bed frames.

See the non-toxic bed frames, including metal ones, that I recommend on my Bed Frames page.

More Healthy Design for You

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