Hi,
I was looking to buy a good dosa tawa. Then i came across this.
Keep in mind the harmful effects of cooking in aluminium & hindalium vessels !
Many people use cooking vessels made of aluminium or hindalium (Alloy of aluminium magnesium, manganese, chromium and silicon etc.) for cooking food. Cooking food in such vessels is harmful for health.
When such vessels are used for 5 years or more, the harmful effects start becoming visible. Important aspects in this regard are given ahead.
1. Reasons for these metals being harmful for health
A. Various diseases are caused due to minute particles (Ions) of these metals entering the body
Even if a steel spoon is brushed with force against aluminium vessels, minute particles of aluminium will appear as residue.
When food cooked in these vessels is consumed, these particles enter the body through the food. On an average, 5 milligrams of aluminium is consumed everyday through food.
B. Ions in the vessels dissolve faster in acidic materials
When aluminium vessels are used for cooking, ions in the vessel mix with the food, specially if the food contains acidic material such as lemon, tomato etc.
C. Aluminium accumulating in the body becomes slow poison
The human body has limited ability to expel such metals. If the metals accumulated in the body reach beyond this ability, these will start getting stored in the muscles, kidneys, liver, bones etc.
Aluminium also stops the growth of brain cells. Thus, aluminium accumulated in the body becomes slow poison.
D. Diseases caused due to food cooked in aluminium vessels
Depression, worry, anxiety, memory loss, osteoporosis, eye disorders, reduction in the ability of the kidneys, diarrhoea, hyperacidity, indigestion, stomachache, colitis, mouth ulcers, skin problems such as eczema etc.
2. Alternatives for aluminium and hindalium vessels
A. Earthen vessels
This is the best alternative. If these vessels are not available in the market, get these made from a local potter. By using earthen pots for cooking food, the body gets necessary minerals through the food.
B. Vessels made of copper and brass
When it is not possible to use earthen pots, vessels made of copper and brass, applied with a thin layer of tin, should be used except for sour food items.
C. Steel vessels
Vessels made of stainless steel can be used. According to a Sanskrut shloka – The first means for performing spiritual practice is a healthy body. Hence, these aspects should be kept in mind without fail.
https://www.sanatan.org/en/a/3031.html
As you see even copper vessel is harmful if copper metal is on inside of cooking vessel. The effects are slow and may not affect some people at all.
But commonsense, any heavy metal in human body is good or bad?
So i would suggest stainless steel or iron (not rusted) utensils. Or best go back to earthen pots.
Yes anodized aluminum can be used. They don't disintegrate so easily. But still Aluminum among all metal easily disintegrates and as i said it takes few years and some of us might not notice the effects. There are reports that say aluminum is INERT or gets oxidised and there is no proof to prove convincingly. But there are proofs that Alzheimer's patients mostly have high aluminum in their system. So as i said common sense, let us use metal which doesn't disintegrate easily coz any metal in body is bad after a point.
I would suggest cast iron dosa tawa. But dispose once it rusts.
For all cooking i would suggest stainless steel. But best option is if we can go for earthen cookware.
Aluminum i would suggest for serving or just keeping food items.
Anodized Aluminum means through electrolysis process the aluminium is made a bit hard or noncorrosive. Just a small oxide layer is formed on surface. Basically today all branded pressure cookers, the aluminum cookers that are shiny are all anodized.
But again i would avoid Aluminum in any form. For serving or storage i will use Aluminum.
But yes as i said these things are tough to prove, and in some cases today's generation might even joke about it or ignore it, coz not everyone will face the effects.
Becoz in India food is not just for eating right, if you know about the Rajasic, Tamasic and Sattvic categories of food.
As i said let us err on side of safety. Earthen or stainless steel for all cooking, heating is fine and to be 100% safe.
Actually, i wanted to buy dosa tawa like the one in video but then just came across this...
And to all who might not agree, all comments against my views are welcome. But before you post, kindly see from the perspective what we are saying.
If one still doesnt agree good but there is truth in what ancient Indians have to say about food and cooking, utensils.
The tiny tardigrade has been named the world’s most indestructible species after scientists discovered it is the only creature that will survive until the Sun dies.
Although cockroaches are traditionally seen as Earth’s most resilient species, the eight-legged microbeasts are actually far hardier and will continue to thrive for around 10 billion years, come hell or high water, Oxford University has found.
Tardigrades, which are also known as space bears or moss piglets, are able to survive for up to 30 years without food or water and endure temperature extremes of up to 150 degrees celsius, the deep sea and the frozen vacuum of space.
Researchers from Oxford and Harvard University, found that their astonishing abilities would protect them from calamities which would wipe out all life on Earth. In fact the only forces capable of harming tardigrades, such as a gigantic asteroid, an exploding star or a deadly gammar ray burst will not happen before our own Sun dies.
Not only does it suggest that tardigrades will survive long after humans have died out, but it gives hope that life could exist on even the most barren and hostile planets.
“Life on this planet can continue long after humans are gone,” said Dr Rafael Alves Batista, of the Department of Physics at Oxford University.
“Tardigrades are as close to indestructible as it gets on Earth, but it is possible that there are other resilient species examples elsewhere in the universe.
“In this context there is a real case for looking for life on Mars and in other areas of the solar system in general. If Tardigrades are earth's most resilient species, who knows what else is out there.”
The water-dwelling micro animals can live for up to 60 years, and grow to a maximum size of 0.5mm. The only real threat to their existence would be from an apocalyptic event which would cause Earth’s oceans to boil away. But the scientists discovered that there are only a dozen known asteroids and dwarf planets with enough mass to cause the oceans to boil if they struck the Earth and none are on a collision course with our planet, Smaller space rocks would not harm tardigrades.
Likewise in order of an exploding star to boil away the oceans it would been to be 0.14 light-years away but the nearest star to the Sun is four light years away, so even if it exploded in a supernova it would not harm tardigrades.
Destructive explosions of electromagnetic energy known as gamma-ray bursts which are thought to be caused by neutron stars colliding or the formation of black holes could also be a threat to the little creatures, but again non could occur close enough to wipe out the species.
Dr David Sloan, Co-author and Post-Doctoral Research Associate in the Department of Physics at Oxford University, said: “To our surprise we found that although nearby supernovae or large asteroid impacts would be catastrophic for people, tardigrades could be unaffected. Therefore it seems that life, once it gets going, is hard to wipe out entirely.
“Huge numbers of species, or even entire genera may become extinct, but life as a whole will go on.”
In highlighting the resilience of life in general, the research broadens the scope of life beyond Earth, within and outside of this solar system.
Professor Abraham Loeb, co-author and chair of the Astronomy department at Harvard University, said it proved that life could survive in even the harshest environments, such as beneath the surface of Mars, or on the moons of Europa and Enceladus.
“Organisms with similar tolerances to radiation and temperature as tardigrades could survive long-term below the surface in these conditions,” said Prof Loeb.
“The subsurface oceans that are believed to exist on Europa and Enceladus, would have conditions similar to the deep oceans of Earth where tardigrades are found, volcanic vents providing heat in an environment devoid of light.”
