Is cast iron cookware safe to use on a daily basis?

What's actually in it

Cast iron cookware is made from iron with a small amount of carbon. When properly seasoned with polymerized cooking oil, it creates a naturally nonstick surface without any chemical coatings. Cast iron does leach some iron into food, which is generally a benefit rather than a concern: dietary iron deficiency is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies, and the iron from cast iron is in a bioavailable form.

There is no PFAS, no PTFE coating, no synthetic polymer, and no bisphenols in cast iron cookware. It's been used safely for centuries.

What the research says

Research on cast iron cookware confirms that iron leaching into food is real but generally positive for most people's health. Studies show that cooking acidic foods in cast iron can increase the iron content of food by several milligrams per serving. For people with iron deficiency (common in women, children, and elderly), this is a benefit.

People with hemochromatosis (iron overload disease) should be more cautious with cast iron and should use stainless steel instead. For everyone else, cast iron is a recommended alternative to nonstick cookware and does not present the PFAS exposure risk of coated pans.