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Carnivore269
 
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Default More Cast Iron concerns

(Carnivore269) wrote in message . com>...
>
(Vince Poroke) wrote in message . com>...
> > kalanamak > wrote in message >...
> > > "A.T. Hagan" wrote:
> > >
> > > >
> > > > I personally don't cook acidic foods in my cast iron since it'll thin
> > > > the seasoning right out.
> > >
> > > My pans look great, and spaget sauce is what I *mostly* cook in them. I rinse them
> > > quickly, wiping out the crude, use not soap (maybe a little salt), wipe the surface
> > > with 2 drops of oil and put back on the burner it came off of, and let the warmth
> > > dry it completely.
> > >
> > > > There is one concern for cooking tomatoes or other acid foods in cast
> > > > iron and that is the amount of iron it picks up from the pan. For
> > > > many women who are chronically anemic that iron is a good thing. For
> > > > many men who may actually have too much iron in their blood already it
> > > > can lead to long term problems.
> > >
> > > Iron is (pardon the pun) bloody hard to absorb. Unless someone has hemochromatosis,
> > > do you have any references on iron being bad for men? Since most (pardon my pun)
> > > red-blooded American men eat meat, do you believe sauce cooked in cast iron is more
> > > likely to "iron overload" men? I am not flaming you, but sincerely interested.
> > > blacksalt
> > > female veggie (not chronically anemic) with veggie toddler, with a profession
> > > interest in iron and iron deficiency

> >
> >
> >
> > SO I can cook anything I want in these pans? Basically just treat
> > them like I would my others but keeping in mind the maintance care for
> > them. I am really looking forward to this. There is a resaurant in
> > my area that only uses cast iron for every thing. They are always
> > busy and tops the lists in our area. The EC is the one that got me on
> > this cast iron kick.

>

<snipped>
>
> I've only seen 2 cases of polycythemia in 10 years, and that's not
> necessarily related to iron overload.
>

<snipped>
>
> If you are really worried about it, donate blood regularly, every 3
> months. There is a critical blood shortage in the Austin/San Antonio
> area right now. They held an emergency blood drive at our hospital
> today. The workload was too high for me to be able to go, darnit! :-(
> Human resources was offering PPL hours equivalent to a day off for
> most people for donating. :-)
>
>

Answering my own post here... I screwed up. I was not fully awake yet
and I typed in the wrong blood condition. <cringe> I sleep late since
I work a late shift.

Please replace "Polycythemia" with "Hemochromatosis" and while it is
not related to iron overload, it can be aggravated by it. It's an
inherited condition.

It's called "engage brain before shifting keyboard into gear". I'm
sure that error made me look like a total loser to anyone with medical
knowlege. :-( Maybe this will make up for it.

Hemochromatosis:

Excessive amounts of iron that accumulate in the blood and tissues is
classified as Hemosiderosis if the iron accumulation in the
macrophages causes little parenchymal cell injury. In
Hemochromatosis, however, the iron accumlates in the parenchymal cells
and injures the tissues.

Hereditary Hemochromatosis is a rare disease and is inherited as an
autosomal recessive trait. It is found primarily in middle-aged men.
It is caused by a disorder of the absorption of iron. The iron
contained in food is absorbed into the system irrespective of the
body's requirement for iron.

This excess iron is stored in the tissues, to their detriment. These
patients generally show hepatomegally (enlarged liver) and a bronze
colored skin pigmentation. In about 50% of the cases, there will be
splenomegaly, rheumatoid athritis-type symptoms, and diabetes mellitus
(frequently insulin resistant).

Weakness and weight loss are commonly found as a result of the
diabetes. Cardiac abnormalities and loss of hair may also result.

Laboratory tests show an increased serum iron level, slightly
decreased transferrin, and an increase saturation of transferrin. The
patients hemoglobin, hematocrit, and blood smear and generally normal
as is the test for rheumatoid arthritis.

The macrophages in the bone marrow generally show many small,
stainable particles of iron. Liver biopsy will generally show the
parenchymal cells to be overloaded with iron.

Hemochromatosis is generally treated by the use of phlebotomy
procedures, removing one pint of blood at regular intervals until the
accumlated iron is removed.

Source: Barbara brown, "Hematology principles and procedure" Fourth
edition.

In conclusion, again, if you are worried about iron overload, just
donate blood regularly! That's my social message for the night. ;-)

C.