Green cookware sets give you all the great advantages of nonstick cookware, but without the potential risks to your health and the environment. Learn about the health concerns related to traditional nonstick pans, and find out where to get safe nonstick cookware and eco friendly cookware alternatives. Now let's green your home, starting with your kitchen.

Cast Iron Pan

We all know that nonstick pans are so convenient because they're so easy to use and to clean. In minutes, you can whip up eggs, pancakes, fish, burgers and much more with no mess and very little effort. The pan practically wipes itself clean, so there's no soaking or scrubbing. Plus, nonstick pans also offer a health benefit in that you can cook using much less fat and oil than in traditional pots and pans. That sounds like heaven, right? But wait, there's a downside.

Cast Iron Pan

Traditionally, nonstick pans have been produced using harmful toxic chemicals that can get released in the air when heated. They also create chemical byproducts and pollutants during the manufacturing process. Pancakes with a side of "likely carcinogen" - that doesn't sound appealing, now does it? The 2 chemicals you should worry about in your nonstick cookware are PTFE (the chemical name for "Teflon"), which gets released in the air, and PFOA, the byproduct that ends up in our water and soil - and thus, our food chain.

Green cookware sets are the industry's response to consumers who have demanded safer nonstick alternatives. It turns out that nonstick cookware manufacturers (and the EPA) are listening. Several companies have begun to make PTFE free and PFOA free cookware, using alternative materials such as hard-anodized aluminum and ceramic titanium, and even using biodegradable or recycled materials in their packaging. There are lots of nontoxic, Teflon free, nonstick pans on the market using materials that can withstand higher cooking temperatures without breaking down, while still providing the convenience of a nonstick surface.

Informed consumers who care about their health and the environment are buying eco friendly nonstick pans and green cookware sets.

Read reviews and shop for the top-rated green nonstick cookware from specialized companies such as Safepan and Earthpan, and from widely known cookware manufacturers who are introducing lines of eco cookware, such as Cuisinart Green Gourmet. Upgrade your kitchen with green cookware and learn how to cook safely with your nonstick cookware. Take the first step toward going green in your kitchen.

The resources below will show you where to shop for green cookware sets, read green cookware reviews and get important nonstick cookware safety tips.