That’s rough news but good that you know going forward. Don’t ask how it happened, but we lost a cast iron Dutch oven in a move. I replaced it with a used enameled cast iron by lodge. While I miss my cast iron, the enameled piece is really nice. Gives the benefits of cast iron and a bit simpler to keep clean. Wonder if that’s an option for you?
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Unfortunate at best.
One word...
TitaniumComment
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Only the best wishes sent.Comment
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Sorry to hear/read about this diagnosis, but I am glad you have a solid plan. I agree with you that from a seasoned CI or CS surface, little iron should be leaching out, especially if you avoid cooking acidic foods and do those in stainless. Praying you get it under control.Comment
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Adapting to SS cookware is not too hard. All-Clad has several varieties of SS. They have wonderful heat retention and cook very evenly. I use them and love them. Not cheap, but they are lifetime pans and pots. I don't miss CI and especially my hands and wrists don't miss lifting it.
I have some well-seasoned CI but it mostly stays in the drawer. I do make cornbread in my CI skillet. Looks homey and cooks evenly.
I do have some CI Dutch ovens that I like but they are enamel finished. I lift them with two hands!Comment
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Spent my life as a Chartered Scientist in a Path Lab which amongst other things is involved in the genetics and diagnosis of haemochromatosis (hemochromatosis!), I have also worked with Clinical Haematologists who manage such patients.
There are good resources out there to help such as:
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Wow! That sure seemed to be an in depth, unbiased helpful report that can be had. Thanks Manxman .Comment
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Have you asked your physician for a definitive answer on whether the use of CI or carbon steel cookware is deleterious to your health? S/he can point you to experts in the field, I'm sure.
When something like this arises, I usually get the best answers by reading refereed articles from medical journals or from trusted medical websites like The Mayo Clinic or The Cleveland Clinic, to name a couple.
I like your initial approach to be skeptical until a well-researched answer is obtained--which may still turn out to be that there is no research-supported definitive answer. Some questions are like that.
I also like the fact that you're taking the "all things in moderation" approach to using those pans until you find your answer.
I hope you continue to do well as your treatments progress. Thank you for telling us about this diagnosis. It may have helped more people here than you might imagine.
Best wishes,
KathrynComment
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There are NO actual studies examining the use of cast iron (or carbon steel) in hemochromatosis patients. The 'recommendation' commonly tossed around is based on presumptive reasoning and the assumption of iron leaching into food when cooking - mostly acidic and long-simmered foods. But there is debate as to whether that iron is really even bioavailable, meaning in a form your body will readily absorb.
All the studies related to this are primarily focused on patients with iron-deficiency anemia, and the results were at best inconclusive. People who are iron deficient actually upregulate their body's ability to absorb iron in an attempt to absorb more - hemochromatosis patients don't do this intrinsically, so would have less likelihood of absorbing an inordinate amount of iron than those who are iron-deficient.
Therapeutic phlebotomy (donating blood regularly) does a wonderful job of helping manage this condition, and in fact is much more highly recommended than ANY real dietary restrictions.
The Journal of the American Medical Association, the New England Journal of Medicine and the American Academy of Family Physicians all recommend either no significant dietary modifications, or note that dietary restrictions have a minimal effect on the need for therapeutic phlebotomy.
So, bottom line... don't sweat it. Cook and eat how you like. I mean, I don't know that I would eat long-simmered acidic foods from cast iron every single day as a mainstay of my diet, but in general it's not a big deal and has always been a 'presumptive' recommendation rather than evidence-based. While there are NO randomized, controlled studies examining this situation in hemochromatosis patients, the work that HAS been done on patients who NEED to increase their iron stores or absorption does not conclusively demonstrate any significant or notable increase in iron in the body from cookware.
Take with a grain of salt, but that is what I have found - from examining the evidence. Just keep up with your leeching and you should be good.
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Thank you for sharing. That’s exactly where I am at. I am under the impression that all the other stuff is maybe 10% of the levers, and phlebotomy is the 90% lever. I could easily be wrong, so I’m not saying that definitively. That’s just my impression. My extremely hard rule is no raw oysters. I almost died from eating a raw oyster a few years ago. Now I understand why. -
+100. Right now they want to reduce the iron level in your blood. Once it is lowered, you keep it in line with maintenance blood draws. I did not give up my CI, nor did I stop eating red meat. Now I did at the beginning to lower my iron, but once the blood iron was managed I basically eat what I want. And I've had Hemochromatosis for 30 years. -
Certainly wouldn't get too hung up on choice of cookware and dietary iron intake, for the majority 90-95% of the body's iron comes from the recycling of red cells which live for around 120 days.This is the rational behind venesection in haemochromatosis patients.
It is more about getting the information and making informed choices like so many things in life such as choosing new BBQ / grilling equipment! 😉😂
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