Thursday, March 8, 2012

So..What's The Rave About CAST IRON



Greetings, Everyone. I pray all is well..

So, I was so excited when I received my cast iron Japanese tea set. Now, when I tell you we are a family who love to sip tea..We LOVE to sip tea. So, in that, on a visit to Teavana, I was trying to convince my husband of the reasons we should buy a cast iron tea set..Now, at the time, I really just loved the look, but the price tag was $$$..sooo, being the man that he is, loving the look was not enough to convince him that we 'needed' a cast iron tea set, lol..Sooo, I began my research and began looking up the more than just the aesthetics of cast iron tea set, but to see if there were benefits..to my pleasant surprise there were...AND, I found a very similar cast iron tea set at an online site for more than half the price that I saw it at Teavana. Sooo, once again, I approached the hubby and this time, his brows went up and he was on board..whew (Blowing the smoke away from the fired fake pistol..the battle was won). So, before I get into where I purchased this lovely set, let's get into the RAVE about Cast Iron.


CAST IRON..COOKING BENEFITS
  • When cooking with cast iron pots, you use less oil, which is overall great for health. 
  • They are more beneficial to non stick or Teflon cookware due to the possibility of non stick cookware peeling over time. 
  • Chemical free
  • Cooks and distributes heat evenly
  • Easy to clean
  • Mimics the way that grilled cooking is flavored 
  • Extremely long lasting many times lasting for generations
  • Cast Iron Cookware is extremely versatile, they can be used on top of the stove, in the oven and on top of an open fire

CAST IRON..INTERNAL BENEFITS
  • Because cast iron is molten iron poured into a mold,  it is known to greatly increase the dietary source of iron. This is especially true when using cast iron cookware and preparing high acidic foods such as tomato sauces.
  • Why is Iron so important? Well, the body needs iron because it is used in the blood. It's the iron that carries oxygen from the lungs via the bloodstream to the rest of the body. Statistics show that only 65-75% of Americans get enough iron. Low iron means that the blood does not efficiently circulate oxygen causing feelings of tiredness and sometimes headaches. Extreme low iron can cause anemia. Women are more prone to lower iron due to blood loss during menstruation.

CAST IRON...CARE INSTRUCTIONS
  • Pre-seasoned cast iron cookware offer the best results. If you can't find a pre-seasoned cast iron pot, you can season it yourself. To do this, just coat the cookware with vegetable oil and popping a preheated oven at 350 degrees for an hour.
  • After using your cast iron pot, wipe using hot water and a stiff brush (if needed).
  • Do not use soap unless the pan is very greasy. 
  • NEVER place in the dishwasher, as over time this can decrease the integrity of the cookware. 
  • Dry thoroughly and place a few drops of oil so it is ready for the next use.
  • Unlike cast iron cookware, do not to expose your cast iron tea sets to salt or oil. And after each cleaning, be sure to wipe completely dry to avoid rusting. Do not keep tea in the tea pot overnight.

CAST IRON...ADDITIONAL BENEFITS
  • Cast Iron cookware is basically inexpensive, usually costing around $20-$30 per piece
  • Cast Iron is 100% recyclable. 
  • Using Cast Iron tea sets you are able to enjoy heated tea for at least an hour to two hours without having to reheat and due to the iron content can experience the benefits of the iron

Where to purchase: Usually you can find cast iron pots at Walmart, Kmart, Target and other select retailers, if you can't find locally, here's a great place to shop for all of your cast iron needs: Buy Cast Iron Here

Now, I purchased my wonderful cast iron here: Enjoying Tea


Happy Health!!!