The Instant Pot is an electric pressure cooker that has become quite popular due to its multi-functional use. This small counter-top kitchen appliance can do the job of a slow cooker, a rice cooker, a steamer, a yogurt maker, and more. There are several different models available that have various programmable options that help you save both time and money on cooking.
Now, while it sounds very convenient, safe, and dependable, those who are new to the appliance, may have some questions about whether it uses any toxic chemicals as Teflon pans do.
So, are Instant Pots toxic? No, Instant Pots are not toxic and are perfectly safe to use for cooking purposes. The Instant Pot’s inner pot, steam rack, and lid are all made out of food-grade stainless steel which has no chemical coatings on them.
Unlike other pressure cookers, rice cookers, and slow cookers on the market, which contain lead and cadmium in their non-stick coverings.
Do Instant Pots Contain Any Lead?
Yes, but not anywhere near where your food cooks. Unlike other pressure cookers on the market that have non-stick coatings made out of lead and cadmium right in the inner pot, the Instant Pot does not contain any lead in or around the food sections of the design.
There are two places that contain lead within the Instant Pot, and they are
- The Heating Unit Disk: the heating unit disk does contain both lead and cadmium. The lead sits at 1,400 (PPM Lead) +/- 90 while the cadmium sits at 46 PPM +/- 11.
- The Safety Button in the Base: the safety button in the base of the unit also contains lead. The lead sits at 303 PPM =/- 36. It does not contain any cadmium or mercury.
The other parts of the Instant Pot are stainless steel inner cooking pot, stainless steel lid, inner portion of the steam release valve, anti-block shield, power cable, float valve, steam release, steaming rack, plastic tools, and the exterior pot.
All of these test as “non-detect” for lead, cadmium, and mercury. This means that the majority of the Instant Pot is free of heavy metals and is, therefore, non-toxic and safe to use.
Blogger Carissa at Creative Green Living and lead safety advocate Tamara Rubin tested the Instant Pot for metal contaminants and the results showed the following:
- Stainless steel inner cooking pot: Non-Detect for Lead, Cadmium and Mercury
- Stainless steel lid (outside of lid): Non-Detect for Lead, Cadmium and Mercury
- Inner portion of steam release valve: Non-Detect for Lead, Cadmium and Mercury
- Anti-Block shield: Non-Detect for Lead, Cadmium and Mercury
- Power Cable: Non-Detect for Lead, Cadmium and Mercury
- Float Valve: Non-Detect for Lead, Cadmium and Mercury
- Steam Release: Non-Detect for Lead, Cadmium and Mercury
- Steaming rack: Non-Detect for Lead, Cadmium and Mercury
- Plastic tools: Non-Detect for Lead, Cadmium and Mercury
- Exterior pot: Non-Detect for Lead, Cadmium and Mercury
- Heating unit disk: 1,400 PPM lead +/- 90 and 46 PPM cadmium +/- 11
- Safety button in base of unit: 303 PPM for Lead +/- 36, Non detect for Cadmium and Mercury
What About the Lead That is Present?
Even though there is lead present in the heating unit disk and the safety button in the base, the amount while still significant is as much as you would find in any coffee cup you would get from a coffee shop like McDonald’s, Tim Hortons, or Starbucks.
Do Instant Pots Have Teflon?
Regardless of which model or version of the Instant Pot you buy, all of the parts that are meant to come into contact with food are made out of stainless steel.
This means that the inner pot does not have any harmful coatings on it and does not use Teflon. While other portions of the Instant Pot may be made out of materials like plastic, there is no non-stick surface present on any of the Instant Pots.
Why Should Teflon Be Avoided?
Non-stick cookware became popular in the 1930s because it provided a frictionless surface that was easy to clean, required little oil or butter, and was non-reactive. The ingredient used in non-stick cookware is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or Teflon and is also used to coat cables, make wire, and waterproof fabrics like raincoats.
When Teflon was created, a chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was used in conjunction with it and has been linked to a number of health conditions.
- Thyroid Disorders,
- Testicular Cancer,
- Liver Disease,
- Kidney Disease,
- Infertility,
- Low Birth Weight.
While PFOA was used to manufacture Teflon, it has since been discontinued. Despite this, a lot of individuals like to avoid using Teflon-based pots and pans as temperatures above 570 degrees Fahrenheit can cause the material to breakdown and release its toxic chemicals.
If you cook at high temperatures using Teflon and it breaks down, you may contract polymer fume fever. The symptoms of this include fever, body aches, headaches, and chills.
What Alternatives Are Being Used Today?
- Stoneware; is scratch-resistant and has been used for years. It heats evenly.
- Silicone Cookware; is a synthetic rubber used with kitchen utensils and bakeware.
- Ceramic Cookware; while the coating can be easily scratched, it is one of the best for non-stick properties.
- Cast-iron Cookware; naturally non-stick and lasts a long time because it can stand up to extreme temperatures.
- Stainless Steel; is scratch-resistant, durable, dishwasher safe, and excellent for browning food.
Are Instant Pots Safe For Your Health?
Yes, the Instant Pot is indeed safe for your health and perfectly fine to cook with. The stainless steel, non-coated inner pot does not leach out any chemicals into your food.
The only thing that you have to keep in mind when cooking with a stainless-steel pressure cooker like the Instant Pot, is that acidic food can cause the stainless-steel material to leach out.
This can cause chromium, nickel, and iron to seep into your food. Now, since the body needs chromium and iron, this isn’t of much concern, but some individuals do have allergic reactions to nickel. So, keep this in mind when you go to cook acidic foods in your pressure cooker.
The Instant Pot Comes With Safety Features to Protect Your Physical Well-being
The Instant Pot was created with multiple safety mechanisms in place to help prevent explosions, overflowing, burning, and scorching.
- The Instant Pot comes with a control panel that monitors the time duration, heat intensity, internal pressure, and temperature.
- Every pre-set button is designed to use the correct pressure, heat intensity, temperature, and time duration to ensure your food is cooked correctly and safely.
- If the Instant Pot gets too hot, the electrical and temperature fuse will cut out.
- Each Instant Pot comes with an automatic regulator that adjusts the pressure on the fly. The pressure release valve will release excess pressure, preventing too much build up.
- If the lid is not locked on properly, it will alert you.
- The anti-block shield helps prevent your vent holes from getting clogged.
- If the lid has a leakage, the Instant Pot will measure the pre-heating time and switch to the “keep warm” setting if it notices that pre-heating as taken too long.
- The lid will stay locked to prevent accidental opening if the cooker is still pressurized.
Do Instant Pots Destroy Nutrients?
When food is cooked, there’s always a nutrient loss to some extent, it doesn’t matter how you cook it. Of course, some methods of preparing food are capable of retaining nutrients more effectively than others.
High heat methods such as grilling and broiling have a greater negative impact on the nutritional value of food than pressure cookers do. Now, you may think that the pressure cooker is a high-heat method because of how quick it is.
Well, the pressure cooker doesn’t cook faster because it operates at high temperatures, it actually operates at lower temperatures than most other methods of cooking do. It’s the increased pressure that makes it possible for the pressure cooker to be more effective.
The pressure cooker retains nutrients effectively because it
- Doesn’t cook food for a long time, which equals less time for nutrient depletion.
- Doesn’t operate at very high temperatures.
- Keeps the nutrients that are forced out of the foods in the liquids inside the cooker. Using the liquids to make soup or broth will ensure that some of the nutrients that have been depleted are still absorbed.
As shown in this 20-year-old study, pressure cookers could, even back then, retain as much as 90-95% of the nutrients. Preserving such a large portion of nutrients is rare for most methods of cooking.
What Instant Pot Model Should You Buy?
I’ve been using the Instant Pot Duo 60 on a regular basis for a long period of time with no issues. The very affordable price on Amazon is just a big bonus. It’s been awarded the Amazon’s choice badge and has received praise both on and offline.
The Instant Pot is automated and can regulate temperature and pressure levels when needed.
While I always stay close to the appliance while it runs a cooking cycle, I tend to take the opportunity to either relax or take care of other chores. The Instant Pot shuts off if it senses unsafe conditions, which is awesome.
I’m using the 6 Quart model but you can go as big as 8 Quart or Plus 8 if you need a larger pot.
How Do Instant Pots & Pressure Cookers Work?
Instant Pots contain two main parts, the lid, and the main unit. Then there are other parts, such as the float valve, the sealing ring, the release hole, and the stainless steel insert.
The lid and the main unit are sealed shut once the ingredients have been added to the Instant Pot. Then, when the Instant Pot starts heating up, the liquid (there has to be liquid in an Instant Pot in order to be able to cook) starts to heat up. When it comes to a boil it starts to produce steam.
Because the container is sealed shut, the steam has nowhere to escape – this increase the pressure inside the vessel. The increased pressure increases the temperature at which water boils, this means that the water boiling inside the pressure cooker is boiling above 212 degrees Fahrenheit. If it wasn’t for the increased pressure, the water would evaporate right away.
The increased pressure also forces the heat to penetrate the foods. This, in turn, causes anything inside the Instant Pot to cook much faster than it would otherwise.
Pressure cooking is very useful for those who live at high altitudes. You can read more about the benefits of high-altitude pressure cooking here.
Are Aluminum Pressure Cookers Healthier Than Stainless Steel Cookers?
As you plan the purchase of your pressure cooker you will most likely come up with questions such as
- Do I want an electric pressure cooker or a stovetop model?
- How big should it be?
- What material should it be made of?
I get these questions on a regular basis. Today, in this post, I’ll answer the last one.
There’s a wide selection of different pressure cookers on the market and knowing which one to get isn’t always easy, unless you’re extremely specific about your needs.
Both electric and stovetop pressure cookers are usually made of one of the following
- Stainless steel
- Aluminum
When it comes to stovetop pressure cookers, the material is used to create the entire vessel.
The same is not true for electric pressure cookers. Here, when we talk about the pressure cooker being made of stainless steel or aluminum, we’re actually talking about the insert, which is located on the inside of the pressure cooker and used to place food in during a cooking cycle.
The primary difference between these materials is the durability, second to that comes price and weight differences. They both have their advantages and disadvantages. When it comes to health, they are both perfectly safe to use as long as you use them as the instruction manual suggests.
Aluminum is cheaper to produce and more lightweight. In addition, aluminum is also a great heat conductor, which contributes to even shorter cooking times. The downside is that aluminum isn’t as durable as stainless steel.
Stainless steel is more durable and can, if handled with care, look as good as new even after years of use. The downside is that stainless steel is, traditionally, more expensive than aluminum.
And as I mentioned earlier in this article, the Instant Pot is made of stainless steel (not every part of it, but the ones that come in contact with the food).
Conclusion: Are Instant Pots Safe or Are They Toxic?
It is safe to say that the Instant Pot pressure cooker is a convenient option for those who are looking for a healthier method of cooking food in a short amount of time.
Other than saving you time in the kitchen, the Instant Pot has no non-stick coatings, does not leach out lead, cadmium, or mercury, and is almost entirely made out of stainless steel.
The only downside is that there are so many models, you’ll need to take extra time to decide on which one is right for you!