Anyone try the Xtrema/Mercola cookware?

[Kali]

I'm looking into getting a set of Xtrema cookware also sold by Mercola under their name.

The leaching tests look pretty good. I wonder how well they cook food and how hard it is to clean them...especially after eggs.

Anyone try these yet?

http://www.ceramcor.com

http://cookware.mercola.com/cookware.aspx

[striped_bear]

Mercola's cookware is I'm sure good, but it's just very overpriced ceramic cookware.

Ceramic cookware is indeed much safer than teflon non-stick cookware, and more convenient than cookware without a non-stick coating.

But ceramic cookware is very common now, I even saw some on sale at my local supermarket a while back.

If you do some searching online you can find ceramic cookware elsewhere for much less. Try starting with ebay.

[Olmstein]

Just get some cast iron. Very cheap and lasts forever.

[striped_bear]

Yes cast iron is a great option as well. I have a cast iron skillet that works great. You just need to learn how to "season" the pan properly.

It's also worth pointing out that almost every health advisory article Dr. Mercola puts out is actually just a hard sell advertisement for some product he is promoting as an affiliate. He makes a TON of money doing this. More power to him, but just be aware that he has a vested interest in selling you something.

[mick silver]

Is Your Ceramic Cookware Slowly Killing You? ... http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...y_killing.html

[Gaillo]

Nothing beats cast iron... nothing.

[cedarchopper]

Cast iron cookware is very good for women during the menstruating years, but not good for men.

http://vitamins-minerals.suite101.co...on_in_the_diet

The Effects of too Much Iron in the Diet
Health Problems Related to an Overload of an Essential Mineral


Aug 16, 2009 Deanna Lynn Sletten
Iron is an essential mineral the body needs for proper cell growth but if the body receives too much iron, dangerous health problems can occur.

Iron is an important mineral in the diet for cell growth, oxygen transport, DNA synthesis and for overall good health. When iron levels are low the result can be anemia that causes fatigue, shortness of breath, irritability, weight loss, dizziness and headaches. But too much iron in the system can become toxic and cause a myriad of health problems.
What is Iron Overload?

Iron in the body is stored mainly in hemoglobin in red blood cells. Iron is also stored in myoglobin, the protein that supplies oxygen to muscles, and also in enzymes in the body. Some iron is stored in proteins to be used for future needs. Around the age of 18, excess iron begins to accumulate at about 1 milligram per day. Excess iron in the bloodstream is called unbound iron, or free iron. This free iron can build up in the body for years and can become the instigator of health problems as people age. Premature aging, cancer, osteoporosis, arthritis, diabetes, liver damage, heart disease and brain disorders are just some of the diseases that can be accelerated by iron overload in the body.

When inflammation occurs in the body, free iron accumulates there and causes uncontrolled oxidation which accelerates the inflammation. Even though the body has natural defenses against the free iron there are many instances where the defenses do not control the iron properly. As in the case of heart disease, researchers have found that increased iron stimulates free radicals in the body which are associated with chronic diseases. Iron also contributes to affecting LDL (bad) cholesterol and changing it to be more damaging to coronary arteries. Researchers are now finding more and more incidences where too much iron accelerates many diseases.
People at Risk of Iron Overload

For growing children and women in their childbearing years, a build-up of iron in the body isn’t usually a problem. Children need iron for cell growth, and menstruating women lose iron monthly. Those who are at a greater risk are older males and women who are postmenopausal. Unless excess iron is released from the body it continues to accumulate and eventually causes problems.

In the past it was thought that only a select few people had to be concerned with iron overload in their body. These people had a genetic disease called hemochromatosis. People with hemochromatosis absorb iron more efficiently than other people and are at risk of organ damage such as heart failure or cirrhosis of the liver. People who have hemochromatosis must eat a diet low in iron and in severe cases have blood removed from their body weekly or monthly depending upon the severity. However, it has been found that people who do not have hemochromatosis are just as likely to experience iron overload as they age. Men over age 40 and women around age 70 have just as great a risk of suffering from diseases due to iron overload in their system.

more at link

[striped_bear]

Any iron which may find its way into your food from cast iron cookware is unusable by the body (either male of female), as it is in an "inorganic" state.

Minerals must first be processed by a plant to be usable by the human body (they become "organic" minerals).

So don't count on getting any of your daily iron intake from cooking with cast iron.

[jaybone]

I use Cuisinart Green Gourmet, available at bed bath and beyond. Pretty inexpensive if you use the 20% off coup.
After awhile things do start to stick, but I found a solution:
You just use oven cleaner on the pans once every few months.
It gets the baked on grease off and so far has not harmed the non-stick at all.

Cast iron is great too, unless you have a sore wrist and have to clean it.
A properly seasoned carbon steel wok is as good non-stick as anything too.

[Nomen luni]

You got me interested, Kali, and I went ahead and ordered a Ceramcor skillet. If you can wait a while, I will report back with my findings when I get it.