Sunday, 29 October 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The sale of earthen cookware in Dehradun has been witnessing a steady rise for the past few years. Factors such as their being eco-friendly and chemical-free are being attributed to the people of the city increasingly opting for these clay utensils in their kitchens. Experts emphasize that the use of clay cookware (miti ke bartan) has a positive impact on both individual health and the environment. They recommend the people in unison to use clay cookware in their kitchens as a way of promoting health and conserving the environment.
Asked to ascribe the principal reasons behind the upswing being noticed in the sale of clay utensils for some time, an owner of a stall that sells such utensils, Pradeep Kumar said that the people growing increasingly health conscious are shunning the steel and aluminium utensils and choosing clay ones instead. “The sale volume of clay utensils is increasing with time partly due to their health benefits and environment friendliness and partly to their lower prices compared to steel and aluminium cookware. I expect that the number of buyers of earthen cookware will increase further in the coming days in the city,” he added.
A resident of Dehradun Rashmi Verma said that she had been using earthen cookware for the past two years. “I do not allow aluminium and steel utensils into my kitchen. My family supports me in this matter. There are reasons. Such cookware being chemical-free promotes good health. These utensils are porous and so these allow for slow and natural heat distribution, absorption and retention. This not just leads to a good taste of the food cooked but also stops food from burning,” she added.
Dehradun-based Public health consultant Dr Mahesh Bhatt said while talking to this correspondent that the surge in the sale of earthen cookware in the city bodes well for the good health of the people. “Clay cookware enhances health and is environment-friendly. This helps the nutrients remain in the food cooked while the use of steel and aluminium utensils for cooking food tends to deplete the nutrients,” he added.
Talking to The Pioneer on this matter, the secretary of the Society of Pollution and Environmental Conservation Scientists (SPECS) Brij Mohan Sharma said, “It is true that utensils made of aluminium deplete vital nutrients from the food that are necessary for the human body. Hence, I would strongly recommend the people to opt for earthen cookware. The people should know that cooking food with such utensils directly transfers calcium, phosphorus and other elements to the body. Additionally, cooking food in earthen utensils helps maintain a balanced pH level in the body.”
