A potter is an artist and his worthy tools create a foundation for his brilliance, Earthenware is a notable tool. In olden times, people of rural India were habituated to use earthenware to cook food. It not only adds aroma and flavor to the food but also makes it healthier. Nowadays, households prefer steel and aluminum utensils over earthenware like Handi and Surah which do not add any nutrients to the food unlike earthenware. Mother Earth has blessed us in such a way that we are privileged t0 use these products to live a better and longer life.
Clay is a porous material which, when saturated with water and heated on the gas stove, provides slow evaporation of steam from the pores. This creates a moist enclosed environment that results in increased flavor and healthier foods. It seals all the nutrients inside the pot by locking steam in. Because of the lid, the steam cannot escape the pot and is directed back into the food which eliminates the loss of water-soluble nutrients like calcium, phosphorous, iron, magnesium and sulphur which is an advantage to our health. Thus, cooking in clay pots requires lesser amounts of liquids. Also, the food cooks with a minimum requirement of oils or ghee.
Clay pots is 100% free of toxins and no metal reactions occur, leaving you with the pure taste of your food alone. Foods that are naturally acidic will acquire some natural sweetness. Acids in foods like tomatoes, when cooked in earthen pots, give the food a wonderful taste. Cooking in Clay Pots is a natural way to detoxify. Our blood is alkaline in nature. Acidic food like junk and processed food produces fats and toxins in our bodies. A detox diet improves the pH balance of the body by making the blood alkaline. Since Earthen Cookware neutralizes pH balance. So, eating food cooked in earthenware serves as a natural detox.
A clay pot retains significantly more heat than other types of cookware, so food can be kept warm by keeping the lid on the pots without overcooking the food. Due to the intrinsic property of retaining heat and moisture, clay pots cook meats and chicken exceptionally well as the juices are retained. It stays hot longer than other utensils, as the clay pot cools down slower. So it helps you avoid re-heating the food which in turn helps in the preservation of the nutrients in your food.