BPA and other chemicals in this steaming device

[ThroughTheThorns]

Would this Tefal steamer still leach BPA or other chemicals into the food even though the colanders are stainless steel? I have had the plastic ones in the past and you could taste the plastic. I switched to induction hob, got rid of that due to magnetic radiation, Now I use a hot plate with no temperature gauge.. just a dial and a stainless steel pot. I live in a small place with no conventional cooker. My kitchen sucks. Its important for me as I eat cooked vegetables twice a day so I was thinking of going back to a plug in steamer and seeing if its more efficient, in Winter it can get annoying waiting for a hot plate to heat up. This one has steel colanders but im not sure about the base as its still plastic -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01 ... UTF8&psc=1

I know the colanders are all steel but the base unit itself is still plastic.... im just wondering if the steam built up from the boiling water in the plastic unit could still harbor anything toxic such as BPA into the food via the steam as opposed to in direct contact like if the colanders were plastic.

[pathfighter]

You're asking the right questions, but I certainly don't have the answer. I have a bunch of nonsick and plastic stuff in my kitchen, and it bothers me.

I've resolved that anything new I buy for my kitchen that will directly contact food will be made from insert substances. Since you are looking to buy new, I would not buy plastic or nonstick treated metal.

I'm not sure of the reason for your concerns regarding magnetic radiation. I don't recall seeing any evidence at all that it's harmful, especially not at the level of a consumer appliance. Does your paranoia extend to microwave ovens, because they would seem to be particularly well suited to your needs.

[ThroughTheThorns]

You're asking the right questions, but I certainly don't have the answer. I have a bunch of non - stick and plastic stuff in my kitchen, and it bothers me.

I've resolved that anything new I buy for my kitchen that will directly contact food will be made from insert substances. Since you are looking to buy new, I would not buy plastic or nonstick treated metal.

I'm not sure of the reason for your concerns regarding magnetic radiation. I don't recall seeing any evidence at all that it's harmful, especially not at the level of a consumer appliance. Does your paranoia extend to microwave ovens, because they would seem to be particularly well suited to your needs.

Everything written about microwave ovens seems negative, and probably exaggerated. For similar reasons to induction cooking but worse. I do believe in stainless steel cookware over non stick or ceramic coating, as the tefal stuff does get scratched and I can see how that ends up in the food eventually. I personally never found a use for non stick. When doing your eggs in stainless just scrape the pan directly after cooking and serving food using the spatula so there is less to clean off once its cooled down.. always worked for me. I do really like stainless for steaming as well.

I am gonna just keep the Tefal electric steamer as a back up for if and when my plug in stove packs up. What I am more concerned about now is whether I am getting less nutrients than what I was with the induction stove due to longer cooking periods. I.e. - 5 minutes for rolled oats over 2 minutes or so on the induction stove..... facepalm*

[pathfighter]

you'll drive yourself crazy by worrying about cooking times.

cooking releases some nutrients and destroys others, and this continues on a spectrum throughout the cooking process. scientists don't really have a huge amount of detail about it. in my opinion, there's a lot more to worry about getting right without worrying about cooking times, so long as you don't burn the food.

[Jesse]

I've been permanently damaged in my life by being the son of an engineer. His relentless skepticism and demanding scientific principles have made it really hard for me to enjoy a good conspiracy theory or paranoid rant. Please do not ask me about my mother-in-law. I love the lady, but really sometimes....

Microwaving has essentially exactly the same effects on food that boiling, searing, frying, etc... has on food. Some things are broken down. It's all application of heat. Your only real differences in the actual effects on food are due to the excesses of temperature with some things (searing) and the effects of using various oils and other substances while cooking. Microwaves actually also cook from the outside in...just like other types of cooking. They just tend to be a little better at heating things when the things are more water filled and they tend to have hot spots inside (just like the center of a burner only scattered and annoying based on the age of the microwave).

It's hilarious to read some of the vicious exposés of what happens while microwaving food and to realize it's exactly what happens inside a pot as well. I would stay away from certain plastics or non-stick stuff simply because there are studies that have found bits of that "stuff" now inside the food.

[SinisterAlex]

I would advice getting an iron-pan, heavier but it will last forever if you coat with fat every now and then :)