Minimizing EMF radiation with Induction stoves
A client is in the final stages of renovating her kitchen. She reached out seeking guidance on what she should do about her new induction stove.
What began as a simple search to learn which “induction ready” pots and pans she should purchase, turned into a panic as she came across an article about induction stoves and EMF radiation, “Induction Cooktop EMF Radiation- What You Must Know”
By the time she got the email out to me, her state of confusion was layered with fear and frustration.
I hear this from clients all the time. There is so much to learn and take into consideration as we travel the path of health and healing.
Creating a healthy and healing lifestyle is not one dimensional. It’s truly the opposite. It’s like the every dimensional. Kinda like relationships. Sometimes they feel complicated and other times they feel so simple and clear.
I love helping people move from feeling overwhelmed to having a simple and clear path. Let’s start with a few facts to create a mindset ready for action:
1) My client had just spent a year planning, ordering and waiting for the appliances, cabinets, countertops, etc. to be ready for installation. This remodeled kitchen needs to be something she loves and uses to create a new relationship with food for herself and her family, not something she fears.
2) EMF radiation is all around us as we enter 2022. It’s only going to continue being a real health factor until more people learn about it, and even then I doubt it will go away. But I am hopeful more ways to protect ourselves from EMF radiation will become available.
3) There are strong steps people can take once they are aware of EMF, so let’s get this lineup going.
pots and pans for induction stoves
Many people love a good non-stick pan and while there are some eco-friendly options, non-stick is a hard sell for me.
This bit from Organic Authority has a lot of great references as to why we should avoid non-stick cookware.
"Since you’d rather spend your time enjoying the rewards of a well-cooked meal than elbow deep in a serious scrub session, nonstick probably seems like the way to go. But conventional nonstick cookware can release toxic fumes when overheated. Now that’s not appetizing. The processing used during the production of nonstick pots and pans pollutes our water supply and has been linked to testicular and kidney cancer, infertility, liver damage, and thyroid disease. No thanks. As with other “clean” or “green” products, claims can be misleading when it comes to cookware. It’s common to see "PTFE-free", "PFOA-free", and "made without PFOA” on product labels, but you can’t always trust these claims at face value. For instance, some brands rename their PTFE coatings with fancy brand names while using the “PFOA-free” label."
I've read numerous articles that say stainless steel, cast iron and ceramic cookware are not only induction ready, but low tox. The ceramic being the most non-stick, easy to clean, and 'pretty’ (coming in a variety of colors), however a lot of times these lower end ceramic pots and pans are made with PTFE.
It's tough because a lot of the lists of 'BEST INDUCTION READY COOKWARE' doesn't consider toxicity and half the lists are filled with conventional nonstick cookware options (which I personally wouldn't recommend).
Ceramic is not the worst of the nonstick coatings, however when more cheap forms of this nonstick coating wear out then you have to worry about heavy metals. (Quality matters here).
If you are considering ceramic, this ceramic set by Caraway is free of:
Free of PTFE (such as Teflon®)
Free of Heavy Metals
Free of PFOA
Free of other PFAs
I would avoid any 'aluminum' pots and pans for the heavy metal effects on our health.
I personally think stainless steel or cast iron are the two best options for induction stoves, and cooking in general.
Stainless steel does take a learning curve, as it's not completely nonstick. You have to heat the pan first, add oil, bring oil to heat and then add what you want to cook. No matter how many times and ways I've tried, I can not make crispy breakfast potatoes in my stainless steel pans. However once you get it down this option is nearly indestructible and typically chemical free.
My client had All-Clad cookware that was stainless steel, but it surprisingly seemed to be old and warped, not sitting flat on the stove (which is extremely important with reducing EMFs with induction stoves). A little online researched helped me narrow down to three top options for “induction ready” cookware:
Cuisinart Multiclad Pro comes as the 'best overall' cookware for induction stoves in 2021, it actually shows up on just about EVERY list for best 'induction ready' cookware. The biggest con is it appears it's 'made in china.'
Demeyere Industry 5-ply Cookware this cook set comes up A LOT, as well, on best stainless steel induction ready cookware. However it also comes with a high price tag, and is the set with the least amount of pieces, plus they're heavy compared to others.
Fissler Original Cookware comes up as the best stainless steel cookset on The Kitchn list. I haven't heard anything about this brand, but the bottoms seem as flat as can be and the article states that they have a thick base which extends to the sides of pots and pans.
Cast iron is also a great option, but using this as an 'everyday' pan might lead to blood iron levels being high. Iron is a great thing, our body needs it to carry out energy production, growth, development and synthesis of hormones (to name a few), but too much of it can burden our liver.
Brands like Cuisinart and Le Creuset make awesome cast iron pans, but they're also super expensive. Lodge is a more affordable brand and is still amazing. But if you already have a cast iron, then you could check that box and look to purchase a stainless steel set instead.
If you have an induction stove and you’ve purchased the right cookware for you then another thing to consider is ways to reduce the stray magnetic field emissions while cooking. The following practices will increase induction cooking safety.
Make sure the base of your pots and pans are flat.
Place your pan on the cooking zone FIRST before switch on the induction cooktop.
Ensure that your cookware covers the entire cooking zone and that your pan is centered.
Always try to use the rear cooking zones since magnetic field strength decreases as distance increases.
Avoid using metal utensils to stir while cooking.
These practices have been shown in research studies to limit induction cooking health hazards.
EMF Protection beyond the stove
Since my client’s stove is staying, thinking about other ways to minimize EMF is key. These are some best practices you may want to try, no matter what type of stove you have!
For your cell phone, there are special cases that work great at minimizing EMF and radiation exposure. Here are a few, plus a very detailed review article on EMF Academy...
You can also simply adjust how you use your cell phone to reduce EMF exposure, such as:
I never talk on the phone with the phone up to my head. I always either talk with it on speaker phone or have my old school wired headphones.
I never keep my phone in my bedroom at night. When not in use I put my phone on airplane mode and make sure I turn off our wifi for the whole house at night.
Beyond the cell phone, the best thing for a home office would probably be to purchase something like a Somavedic. They aren't cheap, but they do a ton more than just mitigate EMFs, and it can be moved around your house or brought along when you travel.
But if you were just looking for laptops, here is a list of great options.
DefenderShield is the top brand in all things EMF protection. According to their studies, the DefenderPad laptop computer radiation shield with Ultra Armor technology blocks up to 99% (US Tech, 10/2012) of the full spectrum of laptop EMF radiation from the bottom of your laptop, including 5th generation frequencies, while also greatly reducing heat exposure.
I hope this is helpful info and gives you a few next steps for minimizing your EMF exposure. From induction stove cookware to everyday technology, there are strong actions you can take to be healthier every day.
And I want to remind you to take a deep breath.
The fact you came across this article means YOU are learning about how to care for yourself. Hats off to you!!
Be thoughtful in your actions, but don’t get pulled down by stress when it comes to not having it all perfect.