Some claim that using aluminum foil in cooking can cause aluminum to seep into your food and put your health at risk. This article explores the risks associated with using aluminum foil and determines whether or not it is acceptable for everyday use. Aluminum foil, or tin foil, is a paper-thin, shiny sheet of aluminum metal.
At home, people use aluminum foil for food storage, to cover baking surfaces and to wrap foods, such as meats , to prevent them from losing moisture while cooking. People may also use aluminum foil to wrap and protect more delicate foods, like vegetables, when grilling them.
Lastly, it can be used to line grill trays to keep things tidy and for scrubbing pans or grill grates to remove stubborn stains and residue. Aluminum foil is a thin, versatile metal commonly used around the home, particularly in cooking. Aluminum is one of the most abundant metals on earth 1. In its natural state, it is bound to other elements like phosphate and sulfate in soil, rocks and clay. Some foods, such as tea leaves, mushrooms, spinach and radishes, are also more likely to absorb and accumulate aluminum than other foods 2.
Additionally, some of the aluminum you eat comes from processed food additives, such as preservatives, coloring agents, anti-caking agents and thickeners. Note that commercially produced foods containing food additives may contain more aluminum than home-cooked foods 3 , 4. The actual amount of aluminum present in the food you eat depends largely on the following factors:.
The rest is passed in your feces. Furthermore, in healthy people, absorbed aluminum is later excreted in your urine 5 , 6. Generally, the small amount of aluminum you ingest daily is considered safe 2 , 7 , 8. Aluminum is ingested through food, water and medication. However, most of the aluminum you ingest is passed in feces and urine and is not considered harmful. However, studies show that aluminum foil, cooking utensils and containers can leach aluminum into your food 6 , 9.
This means that cooking with aluminum foil may increase the aluminum content of your diet. The amount of aluminum that passes into your food when cooking with aluminum foil is affected by a number of things, such as 6 , 9 :. These conditions may include high levels of aluminium in daily life. Aluminium poses other health risks, too. Studies have suggested that high aluminium intake may be harmful to some patients with bone diseases or renal impairment. It also reduces the growth rate of human brain cells.
Pots and other cookware tend to be oxidised , providing an inert layer that prevents the aluminium from leaching into food. The problem is that when you scrub your pots after cooking, that layer is worn away and the aluminium can seep into your food. This is easily avoided: when you get new aluminium pots, boil water in them several times until the base becomes matt.
This creates a natural oxidation that prevents leaching. But cooking your food in foil is a different story. Aluminium foil is disposable and you will not be able to create that inert layer prior to using it.
All you need to do is give a little attention to how this food is packed and carried. Be Safe! Comments For the latest food news , health tips and recipes , like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and YouTube. And Is It Safe? Story Progress Back to home. Have you ever wondered how aluminum foils keep the food warm and are they safe to store food for longer periods of time?
Read Time: 3 min. Highlights An aluminum foil keeps the food warm. For the latest food news , health tips and recipes , like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and YouTube. Food Food Safety Aluminium.
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