Hey {{first_name}}

Last week we talked about seed oils. Maybe you cleared out the canola. Maybe you grabbed some ghee.

And then you cooked it in your non-stick pan.

Using Pam.

Which is... seed oil in aerosol form. 😩

And the pan itself is almost certainly coated in PFAS the "forever chemicals" that five US states have now moved to ban from cookware. Because it turns out the thing touching your food every single day has two quiet problems running in the background. And nobody's really talking about it.

CURATED GOODIES 🥗

A 2024 study tested six types of coated aluminium cookware under real cooking conditions. Results showed that prolonged heating above 250°C (482°F) affected the internal structure of all the cookware PTFE-coated pans showed the most wear. Clean overview of what the current research actually says.

→ The temperature at which Teflon starts breaking down is lower than most home cooks realise. And medium-high heat on a gas burner gets there fast.

The Ecology Center tested a wide range of nonstick cooking pans and found that 79% were coated with PTFE a polymer form of PFAS. A growing body of evidence links PFAS to liver disease, increased cholesterol, impaired immune response, and thyroid disruption. Several undisclosed chemical coatings were also found — not listed on packaging.

→ The "PFOA-free" label on your pan doesn't mean PFAS-free. The replacement chemical is still a forever chemical.

A 2025 UNC study found that cookware is a meaningful contributor to daily PFAS exposure alongside food packaging and processing. At least 143 million Americans have detectable PFAS levels in their tap water. Meanwhile, Minnesota became the first US state to ban the sale of PFAS-coated nonstick cookware in 2025. Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Colorado are following.

→ When states start banning something that's been in most kitchens for 50 years, pay attention.

Health impacts of PFAS include kidney cancer, liver damage, thyroid disease, weakened immune response, and preeclampsia. In 2025 the cookware industry successfully lobbied California's Governor Newsom to veto a bill that would have banned PFAS in cookware. The lobbying worked. The chemicals stayed.

→ If the cookware industry is spending money to keep these chemicals on the shelves, that tells you something about their confidence in the safety data.

You cleaned up your diet. That took real effort.

Now let me ask you something annoying: what are you cooking it in?

Because if the answer is a non-stick pan you've potentially got two separate problems running in the background. And neither of them is about the food.

Non-stick pans are coated in PTFE better known by the brand name Teflon. PTFE belongs to a class of chemicals called PFAS: per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. You've probably heard the phrase "forever chemicals." That's what PFAS are they don't break down in the environment or in your body. They accumulate.

What PFAS are linked to, according to the Ecology Center and a growing body of research: liver disease. Thyroid disruption. Impaired immune response. Increased cholesterol. Kidney cancer. Reduced fertility.

Liver disease. Right there in the list.

And here's the detail most people miss: that PFOA-free label on your pan? It doesn't mean PFAS-free. The cookware industry removed PFOA (one specific PFAS that got regulators' attention) and replaced it with other PFAS compounds. The coating that replaced the problem coating is still a forever chemical. The label just quietly changed.

To make non-stick pans actually non-stick in practice, most people reach for a cooking spray.

Pam. "Avocado oil" spray. "Zero calorie" cooking spray.

Here's what's in those: canola oil. Soybean oil. Sunflower oil. In aerosolised, already-oxidised form, about to hit a hot surface that oxidises them further.

You removed seed oils from your diet. Then you spray them back onto your food at the exact point of cooking.

This is not a judgement it's what the product design led you to do. Non-stick pans need a fat to function. If you're using butter or ghee, many non-stick pan instructions actively warn against it because real fats degrade the coating faster. So you end up with the spray. And the spray is almost always a seed oil.

PTFE starts decomposing at around 500°F (260°C). A gas burner on medium-high reaches that in a few minutes. A preheated oven for roasting typically runs at or above that temperature. Above that point the coating releases perfluorinated compounds, some of which become airborne. Studies also show that PFAS migration from the surface into food increases with every use and every scratch in the coating. The older and more scratched your non-stick pan, the worse this gets.

Cast iron removes both problems in one move.

No coating. Nothing to decompose. No forever chemicals migrating into your food. And because cast iron works best with fat butter, ghee, or beef tallow it actively rewards the NTC approach to cooking. The fat seasons the pan over time. The pan gets better, more non-stick, with every use. And the fat you use is the stable, liver-friendly kind.

You do not need a $200 designer cast iron skillet. Lodge makes a 10.25-inch cast iron skillet for around $25-30. It will outlast you. Season it a couple of times, cook eggs in butter for a week, and it will perform as well as anything in your current kitchen. It's a one-time purchase.

Check your current non-stick pan for scratches. If it's scratched, retire it today scratched PFAS coating means accelerated migration into food. Replace it with one cast iron skillet. Use butter or ghee. Cook as normal. That's it.

One pan. One swap. Two problems solved.

Your liver is already dealing with enough.

You've probably seen Made In Cookware® by now. They're the cookware brand used in 4,000+ professional kitchens, including 100+ Michelin-starred restaurants, and adopted by millions of home cooks.

Well, they just dropped a full cast iron collection. And they did it differently.

Where most cast iron has a rough, pebbly cooking surface, Made In machined theirs smooth. That means better searing, easier food release, and cleanup that doesn't require a degree. Every piece is cast, machined, and seasoned in the USA, oven-safe to 900°F, and compatible with all heat sources, including open flames. This is heirloom cookware, built to be the last cast iron you ever buy.

Their Cast Iron Skillets are where most people start: perfect for frying eggs, searing steaks, or getting that smashburger crust.

Shop Cast Iron

SHAREABLE 1

You swapped the seed oils. Then cooked your clean food in a Teflon pan using Pam spray. Which is seed oil in aerosol form. The toxins really are sneaky little bastards. 😩 Cast iron + butter. That's the whole answer.

SHAREABLE 2

79% of non-stick cooking pans contain PFAS the 'forever chemicals' linked to liver disease, thyroid disruption, and reduced immunity. Five US states are now moving to ban them from cookware. Your grandmother's cast iron skillet is looking a lot smarter right now. 🌿

SHAREABLE 3

Your non-stick pan is giving your liver two problems simultaneously:

1. PFAS chemicals from the coating

2. Seed oil spray you have to use to make it work

One cast iron skillet fixes both. $25-30. Lasts forever. Cook with butter.

Real talk: the 'convenience' of non-stick is loading the organ doing all your detox work.

Alright go check your pans. If they're scratched, that's your sign.

If this landed, forward it to someone who meal preps clean food in a non-stick pan. They deserve to know this.

And hit reply with your poll answer I'm genuinely curious how many of you are already on cast iron. Those of you who are: send me your seasoning method. There's a follow-up issue in this topic somewhere.

Chat soon,

Wilson From Nature The Cure 🌿

P.S. The liver issue isn't just about what you eat. It's about what your body has to process that you didn't choose. The pan is one of those things. The cooking oil spray is another. Start there.