A rice cooker is a must-have appliance if you want to enjoy perfectly cooked side dishes like rice and quinoa. Most rice cookers are outfitted with a non-stick design that guarantees excellent results every time. But what is this non-stick feature made of? Does the convenience of a rice cooker come at the expense of your health?
Do rice cookers have Teflon? Yes. Most rice cookers have an inner pot that’s made of aluminum and coated with non-stick Teflon. This non-stick coating is used to prevent the rice from sticking to the pot. However, there have been concerns about the effects of Teflon on human health.
In this article, you will get a closer look at rice cookers with non-stick Teflon coatings and what they mean for your health. You will also be introduced to some safer alternatives to Teflon-coated rice cookers on the market to help you make the right choice when shopping for the best rice cooker.
Do Rice Cookers Have Teflon? Is it Dangerous?
Most rice cookers on the market have a non-stick Teflon coating. This coating is added to prevent the rice from sticking to the pot and is the reason why you can rely on rice cookers to give you great results every time.
However, most people avoid rice cookers because of their Teflon coating. Studies have shown that Teflon releases harmful chemicals into food, which may have adverse health effects. However, this doesn’t automatically happen each time you use a Teflon-coated cooking appliance.
Teflon starts releasing harmful chemicals when it’s scratched or heated to temperatures exceeding 500° F. With rice cookers, you don’t have to worry about overheating because they cook rice at the boiling point of water (212 °F).
What you should be concerned about when using Teflon-coated rice cookers is scratching the Teflon surface. It’s very easy for the Teflon to be scratched by metallic utensils. When this happens, the aluminum gets deposited into the pot and the food.
When the aluminum deposits reach the body, they accumulate in the liver, kidneys, brain, lungs, and thyroid. Alzheimer’s News Today has reported high levels of aluminum in the brains of people who have Alzheimer’s disease.
But aluminum isn’t the only harmful chemical that Teflon releases. The Teflon non-stick coating also contains a chemical known as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).
In the past, PTFE was made using perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), but, because of its connection to thyroid disorders, testicular cancer, and liver disease, it was replaced with GenX. However, this hasn’t solved the problem because it is believed GenX is just as harmful.
(Source: Center for Environment and Water, Research Institute)
Based on these findings, it can be concluded that Teflon is toxic and should be avoided.
Safe Alternatives to Non-Stick Teflon-Coated Rice Cookers
Although research shows that Teflon is only harmful to your health when it’s scratched or overheated, it’s always best to take precautions to be as safe as possible.
After all, the prevention of sickness and disease is easier than finding a cure. So, what are the alternatives to non-stick Teflon-coated rice cookers?
If you want to avoid Teflon completely, you have the option of using stainless steel or clay cooking pots. Some would argue that stainless steel is also a reactive material and shouldn’t be used, either. This is partially true. Stainless steel has been known to release iron, chromium, and nickel into food.
However, this only happens when you cook acidic foods like tomato sauce in the pot or cook something for a long duration. Rice isn’t acidic, and it doesn’t require hours to cook, so it’s safe to use a stainless steel pot to prepare rice.
A clay pot is also an excellent alternative to Teflon-coated rice cookers. One of the things that make it a better option is the fact that you can use it to prepare all types of food, and it retains the taste and the nutritional value of foods. However, not all clay pots are safe for food preparation. Some contain high levels of lead, which is harmful to your health.
Healthy Cookware suggests only purchasing clay cookware from reliable manufacturers and always checking for the “safe for food use” label. In addition to this, they recommend opting for products that are labeled “lead-free.”
Below are some examples of safe alternatives to Teflon-coated rice cookers.
Aroma Housewares ARC-757SG Simply Stainless
The primary feature of the Aroma ARC-757SG Simply Stainless is its stainless steel inner pot, which means there’s no Teflon. The pot is removable and easy to clean. You can either soak it in warm water before manually cleaning it or clean it in a dishwasher.
This rice cooker is also an excellent choice for someone with a big family. It can cook up to 7 cups of uncooked rice, which means you’ll get 14 cups of cooked rice. Not to mention, it’s quite easy to use. It features one switch that controls both cooking and warming the rice, and the automatic warm feature keeps the rice warm when it’s done cooking.
The only downside of this rice cooker is that it doesn’t include a steaming tray; however, you can buy one separately.
VitaClay 2-in-1 Rice Cooker
Another excellent option is the VitaClay 2-in-1 Rice Cooker. This rice cooker features an unglazed clay cooking bowl, so you can rest assured that there is no Teflon. The rice cooker is made completely of Zisha clay.
The VitaClay rice cooker features a control panel with buttons for cooking brown rice, white rice, stew, or soup. It also has a warm/off button and a timer that can delay cooking time for 30 minutes to 12 hours.
However, this rice cooker is not the most durable. Because it’s entirely made of clay, dropping the cooking pot can easily break it, and the pot may also break due to extreme temperature changes.
But with proper storage and usage, you should have no problem with this rice cooker.
Tatung – TAC-11KN(UL) Stainless Steel Rice Cooker
Another viable and safe option is the Tatung – TAC-11KN(UL) Stainless Steel Rice Cooker. This rice cooker doesn’t have Teflon or other harmful non-stick coatings. The cooker features an automatic warm function and comes with a steam plate, rice spatula, measuring cup, and inner pot lid.
In addition to this, the rice cooker features four cooking modes: steam, braise, stew, and rice. This easy to use rice cooker can cook up to 11 cups of uncooked rice, which results in 22 cups of rice. Not to mention, it has a unique and classy design that will, without a doubt, make it stand out in your kitchen.
Don’t Compromise Your Health!
The fact of the matter is that most rice cookers have Teflon coating, and Teflon can be dangerous to your health.
Manufacturers will tell you not to be scared of using their Teflon-coated rice cookers because it’s only harmful when the Teflon gets scratched, but don’t fall into this marketing trap.
Even with careful use and cleaning, Teflon can still scratch and release harmful chemicals into your food as the appliance as it ages. It’s better to choose a safe alternative that you don’t have to worry about every single time you’re preparing your food.
Even if your food results aren’t as perfect with alternative products, it’s a small price to pay to ensure that you don’t expose yourself and your loved ones to toxic chemicals.
Consider our product suggestions and make the right choice. Be sure to compare all the available options so that you can choose the best product for you and your cooking needs.