Types of Cookware and Review of Bergner Argent Triply Tasra (Tope)

Types of cookware and Review of Bergner Argent Triply Tasra (Tope)

The context provides information about why is healthy cookware important, what are the different types of cookware available in the Indian market and their features in brief, why did aluminum cookware get popularity, how can stainless steel cookware be a better alternative, what are the factors should be kept in mind while choosing stainless steel cookware and Review of Bergner Argent Triply Tasra. Please go through every detail.

Why is healthy cookware important:

Healthy cookware is as important as the healthy food we are going to prepare. Because every cookware we use leaches its substance to the food that is going to be cooked in it. Metal cookware adds some amount of metal and earthen/clay/stone cookware adds minerals to our food.

Only A few decades ago brass, bronze, and clay cookware were commonly used in Indian kitchens. I remember, merely two decades ago many times I used to had my meals on my lunch dinner plate, those were prepared in such cookware by my grandma and those dishes were truly tastiest. This is probably every Indian’s kitchen story. Most Indians will agree with me that such cookware were commonly used in Indian kitchens. Now even most Indians are probably having copper, bronze, brass, clay, and other healthy cookware in their kitchen. But they might not use them because of the complications faced to maintain them. Well, anyhow we have an option now, the convenient and healthier cookware, that is made up of stainless steel. But wait, only stainless steel !! No. Some important things that should be kept in mind while making a purchase, are mentioned below. Now have a quick look at what type of cookware available in the Indian market, their features as well in short.

The type of cookware available in the Indian Market:

First of all, no matter what cookware you use, the right way is always to cook the food at low to medium flame for long. It generally minimizes the metal leaching while using metal cookware and avoids breaking of earthen cookware. Cookware are categorized from worst to best. From below mentioned cookware types, one must avoid type 1 to type 5. Others, from type 6 to type 12, come in a healthy cookware category, can be used with some precautions to increase its life.

1) Aluminum Cookware: Aluminum cookware entered the Indian kitchen in boom just before a few decades ago due to its profuse availability, good heat conductivity, and cheaper price. It is the cheapest, most commonly available and used cookware now. Cookware made up of aluminum is highly corrosive in nature. It means the soft metal, aluminum from the aluminum cookware leaches into your food while you cook in it. This metal is highly reactive to acidic foods such as tomatoes, citrus, etc. Excess Aluminum accumulates in your body over time, undermines health, and causes severe health hazards. It destroys around 90% of the nutrients of the food. Low price at the cost of health, can never be a good idea. Right !! One must stay away from aluminum cookware and utensils.

2) Plastic Cookware: Generally such cookware and dishes are used in a microwave oven. Avoid any kind of plastic cookwares that are highly toxic. You can replace these with glass cookware.

3) Nonstick Cookware: The most used cookware type in urban regions. Most nonstick cookwares have PTFE – Polytetrafluoroethylene coating and PFOA – Perfluorooctanoate on its surface to make it non-sticky to food. PTFE is harmful. Though PFOA is banned, low category nonstick cookwares available at a cheaper price are being sold out widely in the Indian market having PFOA in their coating which is extremely toxic.

4) Granite Cookware: Granite cookware with a porcelain coating is safer but many having PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) coating/enamel is definitely not a safe option due to its chemical emission to food as discussed earlier.

5) Hard anodized Cookware: It is just an improved hardened version of aluminum that may minimize metal leaching. But yes there is no surety on "no aluminum leaching". There is not enough study proving no metal leaching to food while cooking in hard anodized cookware. Again it can not be the safest option.

6) Stainless steel Cookware: Stainless steel cookware is good for cooking as steel is a strong metal, doesn't leach into food easily, if you care a bit while using. Like all glitters are not gold, all shining steel doesn't come in healthy stainless steel category. The important thing is to consider while making a stainless steel cookware purchase is: it must have the chromium and nickel metal in the right proportion. Nickel content must be lesser than chromium. Many stainless steel cookwares available in the Indian market have no chromium-nickel ratio mentioned on it. Here the quality of the steel might be a concern. Many stainless steel cookwares and utensils have an excess amount of nickel to provide them an extra shine. If such, nickel leaches into your food in high heat and makes it highly toxic.

7) Cast iron cookware: Cast iron cookware is better for cooking. But it needs good maintenance. After cleaning, you must keep it with a coat of some high smoke oil (like coconut oil) to avoid rusting. If you use cast iron cookware having rust, then again it raises the chance of allowing toxins to the body.

8) Ceramic Cookware: Ceramic cookware is 100% safe if it is made up of 100% ceramic. But unfortunately, it is hard to find genuine ceramic cookware. These are highly expensive and fragile too. Many ceramic cookwares contain a nonstick layer/coating(PTFE). Or else many metal cookwares contain ceramic coating and being sold as ceramic cookware. These may leach lead into your food that is again toxic.

9) Copper (Tamba) and Brass (Pittal) Cookware: Brass is the alloy of copper and zinc. Though pure copper and good brass cookware have some health benefits, these are also reactive and not suitable for specific food like acidic foods and milk. Not easily available in the market present days.

10) Bronze (Kansa) Cookware: Bronze alloy is made up of copper and tin. Pure bronze cookware can be acceptable in all aspects. People had been using it in ancient India until some decades ago. It is harder than the native copper and brass. So more resistant to corrosion. It is hard enough to mix with food. It could be a healthier option but it is not easily available in the market.

11) Glass cookware: Glass cookware doesn't leach anything to food. It is non-reactive. Glass cookware is completely safe for microwave cooking. One should handle these with care as these are fragile. Glass cookware is only meant for microwave cooking.

12) Clay and Stone Cookware: Clay pots/Clay cookware are excellent, that retain 100% nutrients in food. Food prepared in clay and stone cookware are not only the tastiest but also the healthiest. Clay pots leach minerals into your food making it healthier. These are easily available in the market and inexpensive too.

->But some disadvantages of clay cookware include: 1) these are fragile in nature, you need to use clay pots with some precautions. 2) You must go through before use instruction, after use cleaning procedure. 3) You must have to discard it after some years of use checking its condition. This means it needs to be replaced after every certain years of use. 3) It takes almost double the time to cook food in comparison to metal cookware. 4) Using clay cookware on high flame brings cracks on it. 5) You can’t use soaps or any other kind of commonly used dishwashers to clean clay cookware. As clay cookware is porous, harmful chemicals get absorbed in it and will be added slowly to the food you cook or keep.  You have to rinse such dishes with tap water or warm water or lemon juice added to warm water.

How can stainless steel cookware be a better alternative:

Comparing all the cookware types above, I found steel cookware is the better option that provides us a one-time buy / lasts for decades and all the other good aspects of healthy cookware. Here, in Bergner Argent Triply Tasra, I found all the goodness of healthy stainless steel cookware. I have categorized those below.

Review of Bergner Argent Triply Tasra (Tope):

Use of both Bergner Argent Triply Stainless Steel Kadai and Tasra is the same. To know its use click here.

Pros:

• Heavy and high-quality stainless steel that minimizes metal leaching into your food.
• It is made up of triple-layered stainless steel.
• The inner body is 18/10 stainless steel indicates chromium and nickel proportion where nickel is present in a lesser amount. It can be considered as a healthier option to choose.
• The middle layer is of aluminum for even heat distribution.
• The third outermost layer is again 18/10 stainless steel.
• It is a stove and induction compatible. You can use it both on a gas cooktop and on an induction cooktop.
• It requires less oil to cook. So provides healthy cooking.

• It provides wide range of sizes : 20cm (1.5 ltr), 22cm (2.25 ltr), 24cm (2.5 ltr), 26cm (3.6 ltr), 28cm (3.9 ltr). One can easily choose as per requirement.
• It comes with a stainless steel lid that provides faster cooking, retains heat and moisture in the food.
• Easy to clean. 
• Easily available at a reasonable price in the Indian market.
• It comes with 3 years warranty, but I feel it lasts for decades.

Cons:

• As Bergner argent tri-ply tasra comes with no handles and having limited grip to hold, you may find it difficult to carry the tasra and lifting its lid while it is too hot after cooking.

Also Read: Bergner Argent Tri-ply Stainless Steel Kadai (Wok)

 

I found Bergner Argent Tri-ply Tasra a long-lasting, non-rusting, non-sticky, attractive, high-quality stainless steel cookware.

Thank you.☺