Health Benefits of Eating and Drinking from Stainless Steel


You may have noticed from the pictures on this blog that we use mainly stainless steel to eat and drink from. (I sometimes photograph food on ceramic / marble to avoid the glare from the metal in certain lighting conditions but then I will transfer it to stainless steel for eating.) Personally I like the look of  it a lot, and the fact that it doesn't break if you drop it, but there are other reasons why it is a good choice for tableware as well as cookware.
My husband remarked the other day that if you eat from stainless steel plates you get iron from them, so I decided to do some research. Here's a brief resume of what I found:
  • Stainless steel was invented to be durable and rustproof- the surface even renews itself.
  • Stainless steel contains iron, chromium and nickel. Small amounts of these metals may find their way into your food. (I didn't in my brief search, however, find the results of any scientific research to  prove how much gets into food.)  Iron is an essential nutrient, a little chromium is also needed (50-200 micrograms is the acceptable range; you get at most 45 micrograms in one meal cooked in stainless steel and way less than that from a plate), and the amount of nickel in stainless steel is not enough to make you ill. BUT if you have a nickel allergy do not cook, eat or drink from stainless steel.
  • There are different grades of stainless steel, and the harder and higher the quality it is, the less likely it is to give off off metals into your food.
  • Don't store acidic or very salty foods in stainless steel containers for too long or they may cause pitting of the surface.
  • Stainless steel is a safe choice if you have young children (or teens who help with washing dishes!) as it does not break. This also makes it ideal for travel; camping or taking a steel lunchbox (tiffin) somewhere.
  • Unlike plastic, which is not a green choice because of its lack of biodegradeability and the energy-wasteful way it is produced, stainless steel is recyclable, longlasting and greener to make.
  • Stainless steel has a hard, smooth surface which does not readily harbour germs, unlike wood or plastic. You can easily see if it has not been properly cleaned, therefore it is more hygienic to use.
  • Although stainless steel was not around when the Ayurveda was written, Ayurveda recommends the use of metal plates and cups (silver, gold or copper). Banana or banyan-leaf plates are also said to be preferable to pottery.















Comments

  1. Happy New Year dear..

    I have used stainless steel a lot while I was growing up... but gradually microwave safe options have replaced it. I never really knew that metals would actually get mixed with food.

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  2. Glad you guys found it useful. When I was researching, I was surprised that it was quite difficult to find relevant information. I grew up with ceramic plates, but I much prefer metal!

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  3. Nice article!We have been using stainless steel plates and cups for as long as I remember and I find them very convenient.And yes, with lil ones around these are more durable than the ceramic ones!

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  4. Nice article! Thanks for sharing! For stainless steel products, visit: www.tkl.com.ph.

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  5. I have too much iron in my blood, and I have been drinking from a stainless steel canteen. Your thoughts, please

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    1. Hi😊 I don' know if drinking from a stainless steel canteen could cause the excess iron, although it might be best to check with your doctor if you should be eating a diet with less iron. My advice would be to see a doctor if you haven't already done so, to get you iron levels under control before you incur any further health problems.

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  6. I like the idea that stainless steel utensils will give off less metals into my food. I also didn't realize that it is more eco-friendly to make and reuse than plastic. It seems like stainless steel is a great material to use. http://www.stainlesssteelworx.com.au

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  7. Thank you but there is no scientific evidence that can prove that metal plates or cookware is of any benefit to the human body. As a matter of fact the world is now dealing with a massive recall of many stainless steel metal devices used in various types of surgery. Why, our bodies were not created to contain this manufactured metal. These metals are of no value to the body and it can be quite toxic. Also producing stainless steel is not environmentally safe either. Much of the stainless steel is scrap or pig iron which is even more toxic. Durable yeas but using metal with food - not in our house. :)

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  8. Very useful info. Hope to see more posts soon!
    whole grain rice

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  9. This is a blog to watch for sure. I think you have a really awesome writing style by the way. Very easy to read. Your blog design is so clean too! Thank you all the hard work!
    Stainless Steel Plates

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