Cast iron pans can leach a sizeable amount of iron into your food, exceeding dietary intake in some cases. Acidic foods will contribute to much more leaching while an old, heavily-seasoned pan will leach much less iron than a newer one.
These are the most common symptoms in the first 6 hours after ingestion.
Instead, Amidor recommends “cooking with cast iron once or twice a week, especially if someone has iron-deficiency anemia and no issues with too much iron in their diet.” Preparing a more acidic dish, or something with a lot of moisture, is likely to absorb more iron from your pot or pan.
My cast-iron pan is sticky
If it's still sticky, the pan may be overseasoned. Just line the bottom of your oven, heat it to 450-500°F and let the excess oil drip off over the course of an hour. Turn the oven off and let the pan cool, and if it's still sticky, just repeat the process as needed.
For healthy people, no. The amount of iron transferred to food from cast iron is enough to be a meaningful dietary source but not enough to cause iron overload in people with normal iron metabolism.
Common symptoms include:
Stainless steel is generally considered safe for cooking, even for those sensitive to these metals. Cooking with cast iron can increase iron intake, potentially benefiting iron-deficiency anemia. However, frying in cast iron can lead to the formation of trans fats.
The more you use a rusted pan, the more iron you'll consume in your food. It's best to avoid cooking with a rusty cast iron pan. If it's reached the point of corrosion or deep rust, throw it away rather than risk your and your family's health.
Throughout the lifetime of your skillet, you may choose to reseason your cookware at home. We recommend choosing a neutral oil with a high smoke point. In the Lodge Test Kitchen, we often reach for vegetable or canola oil. Both are affordable and work great for at-home seasoning.
Symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia may include:
What Not to Cook in a Cast-Iron Skillet
Yes, you can use soap on cast iron. Modern dish soaps are safe for cast iron and won't damage seasoning. The old "no soap" rule comes from when soaps contained lye, which stripped seasoning. Today's soaps are gentle degreasers that help remove sticky residue without harming your pan.
Two key tests to screen for iron overload are:
Iron is a mineral essential to life, but taking too much iron can cause severe symptoms, liver damage, and even death. Symptoms develop in stages and begin with vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Liver failure can develop days later.
You can use olive oil to season cast iron, but you need to choose a high quality extra virgin olive oil, which should have a smoke point close to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Avoid ruining the seasoning or worse — destroying your favorite skillet — by following these rules
When you're re-seasoning, reach for an oil with a high smoke point. In the Lodge Test Kitchen, we like vegetable oil, melted shortening, or canola oil, like our Seasoning Spray.
Any food-safe cooking oil or shortening will work, but our Test Kitchen experts prefer vegetable oil or canola oil. WHAT'S THIS DARK RESIDUE I SEE WHEN I CLEAN MY CAST IRON? Occasionally, you may notice some dark residue on your paper towel or cloth while cleaning it.
Detergents aren't made with lye, so can't be soap. Either way you still shouldn't use soap with cast iron, but can use detergents, though there is no reason to do so. You can easily clean well maintained cast iron without it.
Wear and tear is normal in residential pipe systems. One frequently asked question is “How long do cast iron drain pipes last?” Cast iron waste pipes last anywhere between 50 and 100 years. However, it may be time to replace cast iron pipes long before their lifetime is up.
Most cast-iron skillets come pre-seasoned, but you may have to spend more time oiling and seasoning a less expensive skillet in comparison to one that costs upward of $150. Another factor to consider is the design of the skillet. Those cheaper skillets could be heavier or made with smaller pour spouts or handles.
If you are able to clean the skillet out by simply wiping it out, stop here. Having a small amount of oil after cleaning is not a problem. In fact, keeping a pan from drying out is an important part of long term maintenance. Over-cleaning your cast iron pan is unnecessary and will only stand to damage your seasoning.