Cooking in vessels of ancient metals has been a long tradition. It has been a significant part of life in any Indian household.
The utensils used for cooking can impact the health of a person. Each type of utensil has their own merits and demerits. Many different types of utensils are available in the market today like aluminum, steel, copper and bronze. This article will help you in understanding the benefits and effects of using them. People prefer other country utensils because of their aesthetic look and other reasons. The article will focus more on the older traditions, ayurvedic practices and health benefits of using old vessels for cooking. Also, you will understand the old style cooking benefits once you finish reading this.
First let’s think of what are the kind of pans, pots that are living in your kitchen cupboards? One general point is that any cooking utensil should be solid or tough enough. It should be made of inert substances which do not chip, peel, dissolve, crack, vaporize or promote the growth of bacteria. Also, it should be able to sustain different climate and temperatures to some extent. One should be able to clean thoroughly the utensil without much difficulty. It’s good if the utensil is aesthetically attractive as well. There is no one substance which seems to fit an ideal criteria. Ancient science has given immense importance to metals like copper, silver and bronze. It can be used in our daily life in the form of cookware and for eating or drinking purposes.
Copper Vessels Benefits
The latest research suggests that using copper vessels can a better choice for cooking utensil than a stainless steel. As per the reports from a group of researchers, using copper pots is found to lower the risk of any spread of infection from potentially harmful bacterias. And there is a slim possibility of leaching metals. This is the best-known metal for cooking rice in terms of preserving the freshness.
Why should Copper be preferred over Stainless steel vessels? Steel cookware is used throughout the world mainly because of its perceived hygienic properties. A closer look at the metal reveals that the scratches and marks on the surface are like valleys. And pathogens find it easy to get into these crevices. Rubbing with a cloth or brushing the areas may not be sufficient enough to get these bacteria out.
Experiments have reported that some bacteria were able to survive for 34 days on stainless steel and just four hours on copper vessels. One other Copper Vessel benefits are that it is found to be both a toxic heavy metal and also a mineral that is beneficial to good health. Nutritionists have agreed that most diets have enough copper to prevent any deficiency and also not more to cause toxicity. A healthy human liver has a capacity to excrete a considerable amount of copper and very rare cases of chronic copper poisoning has been reported. But, make sure to line the cooking surfaces with stainless steel or tin.
Silverware Utensils Benefits
For more than thousands of years, silverware utensils have been used not only for cooking but also as a healing agent. Silverware is the most preferred cookware of civilizations all over the world. It has preservative, medical and restorative powers. Proof of this can be traced back as far as the ancient Roman and Greek Empires. This tradition has been followed even before the development of the modern medicine. Silverware utensils benefits can be seen in the form of germicides.
The Greeks have always used silver vessels to keep any liquids and water stay fresh for longer periods of time. History shows that the Roman Empire used to store wine in silver urns to prevent any spoilage or bacterial growth. Also, silverware have protected the people from the full growth of the plague. Disease-causing pathogens will not be able to survive in the presence of silver. Thus, silver utensils are mainly used in dishware, eating utensils and drinking vessels. It can be noted that the wealthy people ate and stored their food in silver vessels to prevent bacterial growth.
In Ayurvedic medicine and treatment, silver was used in very small amounts as a tonic. This acts as an elixir and a rejuvenating agent for people affected by age or any disease. It can also be seen that if silver or copper coins are placed in casks of drinking water, it helps in keeping the water safe from algae, bacteria, etc. Silverware is good for people who have excessive thirst and dizziness. The utensils made of silver calm down body inflammation and also increases sperm count. There are several Ayurvedic treatments in Bangalore which use these traditional vessels and metals for curing any diseases.
Check out the video – Dr. Mini Nair talks about best metals for utensils, used for cooking food?
Benefits of Bronze Vessels
Cooking in the right type of vessels can actually make you happier and healthier. This is one of the ancient metals used for cooking. But, it is rarely followed these days. It offers a lot of benefits. Cooking in bronze vessels helps in pacifying Vata and pitta. Some symptoms of this include dry skin, irritability, and nervous temperament. Bronze utensils cooked food helps in reducing obesity, maintain a good skin condition and also improve eyesight. Research has proven bronze to be the best utensil to cook and eat. One demerit is that you cannot use ghee in any bronze vessel. It’s shown that bronze cookware can enhance memory. Hence it is recommended for those who have Alzheimer’s disease.
Bronze vessels are preferred for their excellent heat conductivity as well. Modern living has turned us towards the more convenient glass, steel, and non-stick cookware. But, the old-school utensils like bronze hold therapeutic benefits. The steel and glass utensils are fairly neutral. Non-stick pans and glassware are always coated with some chemicals which could be detrimental to skin and body health. Bronze cooking utensils are good conductors of heat. Thus, it lets the food to get cooked uniformly.
You can try to incorporate some pure metal cookware in your kitchen replacing a few of the unhealthy ones. This will surely help in boosting longevity and health. Health benefits of old vessels especially Bronze utensils include that they are not hazardous to any average person. But, some of the metal vessels have leaching effects which affect the human immune system. At Ayurhealing, Ayurveda hospital in Bangalore we not only provide you with health tips but also various treatments. They encourage people to follow this tradition of using bronze vessels for cooking. For any Ayurveda treatment visit our Ayurveda hospital Ayurhealing at Koramangala and also to know in more detail about the proper usage of these age-old metals for cooking.
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