Do not use aluminium or hindalium vessels for cooking

Many people use cooking vessels made of aluminium or hindalium (Alloy of aluminium magnesium, manganese, chromium and silicon etc.) for cooking food. Cooking food in such vessels is harmful for health. When such vessels are used for 5 years or more, the harmful effects start becoming visible. Important aspects in this regard are given ahead.

1. Aluminium is dangerous for health

Formerly in Bharat(India), food would be prepared in earthen or brass/bronze vessels lined with tin foil. Late Mr. Rajeev Dikshit repeatedly emphasised on how the British used aluminium vessels for cooking in jail so that the prisoners died faster. Today these have reached every household. Aluminium or hindalium (an alloy of aluminium) are deleterious to health for the following reasons.

A. Diseases arise from the metal
entering the body along with food particles

Even scraping an aluminium vessel with a steel spoon dislodges particles of the metal. It enters the food cooked in this vessel and then into the body through food. Daily approximately 5 milligrams of aluminium enters the body.

B. Acidic substances helps
aluminium ions to dissolve in the food faster

Lime, tomato and such other acidic substances when cooked in such vessels help ions of the metal to dissolve in the food faster and such food is harmful to the body.

C. Aluminium accumulated
in the body becomes a slow poison

The capacity of the human body to excrete such metals is limited. When this limit is exceeded they gradually accumulate in cells of the muscles, kidneys, liver, bones etc. . Aluminium also has a deleterious effect on brain cells. The metal so accumulated in the body results in slow poisoning.

D. Diseases arising from
food cooked in aluminium vessels

Diseases which can be caused by it are depression, anxiety, dementia (forgetfulness), bone diseases (such as osteoporosis), diseases of eyes, decrease kidney function, diarrhoea, hyperacidity, indigestion, pain in abdomen, colitis (infection of intestine), repeated inflammation in the mouth and skin diseases such as eczema.

E. Aluminium has a harmful effect on brain cells.

2. Alternatives to using aluminium and hindalium

A. Earthen cookware is the best alternative. If not available in the local market then get these vessels made from the local potter. If these are used in cooking then the body gets the required minerals through food. The one who has tasted food cooked in earthen vessels will never use other vessels again.

B. If not possible to use earthen vessels then use copper or brass (alloy of copper and zinc) vessels with a coating of tin. However, they should not be used for cooking sour items.

C. The easiest alternative is using stainless steel cookware as till date ill effects of stainless steel are not known.

3. Do not neglect health

‘शरीरमाद्यं खलु धर्मसाधनम् ।’, a quote from the Scriptures says means the first tool to perform spiritual practice is a healthy body. It is just impossible to weigh this gift of a body from God with money. Those who cannot change all aluminium vessels may do so stepwise.

Is is not possible to buy earthen or substitute vessels for a healthy living instead of wasting money on unnecessary things such as changing to newer models of mobile phones, cosmetics, detergents, toothpastes harmful to the body, eating foods with no nutrition value like noodles and chips, the useless troublemaker the television set, dish antennae etc. ?

– Vaidya Meghraj Madhav Paradkar , Sanatan ashram, Goa (23.1.2015)