I recently made dinner for my parents at their house, and I noticed something disturbing: their nonstick cookware is practically as old as I am. It’s beat, it’s dented, it’s scratched, and most horrifically, it’s Teflon – meaning, it’s full of toxins like PFAS, PFOA, lead, and cadmium.

I couldn’t stand the thought of my parents ingesting “forever chemicals,” which leach into food and stay in the body forever. So I made an immediate executive decision and ordered them some safer cookware: the Valencia Pro 11-Piece Set, the same one I’ve got in my kitchen. 

I knew my mom would appreciate that these pans were featured in Good Housekeeping and America’s Test Kitchen. I also knew that my meddling was for the good of my parents’ health – and now that they’re cooking with GreenPan, I personally feel way more relaxed!

The Wrong Kind Of Forever (aka, the Scary Section)

If you’re already well versed in the dangers of “forever chemicals,” feel free to just go ahead and grab some GreenPan! Everyone else, continue reading if you dare…

Teflon is the brand name for PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene), and it’s been around since the late 1930’s. Its slippery texture, water resistance, and stain resistance have made it a hot commodity in a variety of industries. You can find it in industrial materials, as a lining for containers that carry corrosive materials, and even in your Gore-Tex rain jacket!

But you’re most likely to encounter Teflon in your nonstick cookware. Teflon coating first came onto the market in 1961, and it’s been popular ever since. Unfortunately, what we’ve since learned about cooking with Teflon is… unsettling. 

PTFE itself is stable at low temperatures, but when exposed to temperatures above 482°F, it begins to degrade and release chemicals into the air that are harmful to humans. Both PTFE and PFOA (a chemical used in the production of PTFE prior to 2014) fall under the greater category of chemicals called PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) – more commonly known as “forever chemicals,” because they stay in the environment and our bodies indefinitely.

So everytime my mom or dad was boiling water for spaghetti bolognese, charring a T-bone steak in the oven, or cooking anything at high heat, they were absorbing a tiny bit of PFAS that would stay in their systems forever. 

Thankfully, there’s GreenPan. Their Thermolon™ coating is ceramic-based, PFAS-free, and doesn’t contain PTFE, which means it’s safe to use up to 850°F and won’t emit toxic fumes when overheated!

Cooking In The 21st Century

If reading about Teflon and PFAS is giving you the heebie-jeebies, you’re not alone! My parents were absolutely aghast when I explained to them what they’d been cooking on for years. But the good news is that making a change is easy. And once you try GreenPan's ceramic nonstick, you’re never going to want to go back.

Here’s some of the Valencia Pro 11-piece set's top features: 

• 3 frypans, 2 saucepans, 1 sauté pan, 1 stockpot, 4 lids, and 3 pan protectors
• Diamond-infused ceramic nonstick coating 
• Magneto induction base, for even heat distribution
• Extra-strong and scratch-resistant armored bodies
• Pans that work on all stovetops, including induction
• Tempered glass lids that are oven-safe up to 425° F
• And of course, they’re free from PFAS, PFOAs, lead, cadmium, and toxins

In short, GreenPan has brought nonstick cookware out of the “9/10 doctors recommend Camel cigarettes” '60’s and into the “I’d rather not be full of forever chemicals, thank you” 21st century. And that feels like a win for everybody.

Better Pans For Peace of Mind

Since upgrading to GreenPan’s Valencia Pro, my parents have been cooking extra nutritious meals (“to make up for all the years of junk,” according to my mom), but to me, that’s a small part of the bigger picture. 

The pots and pans you cook with are just as important as the food you’re cooking on them; they’re the foundation for a healthy life. So whatever my mom and dad decide to cook – for themselves, their kids, or their grandkids – they can feel comfortable knowing that they’re not serving up a fresh plate of PFAS, PFOA, or other toxins. This peace of mind makes GreenPan an absolute must-have in the kitchen. 

If you’re ready to upgrade your or your loved ones’ cookware to healthy nonstick ceramic, don't miss this chance to take up to 75% off sitewide at GreenPan!