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Is Aluminum Foil Safe? Top 5 Dangers of Cooking with Aluminum Foil


As a versatile option of aluminum foil, people use it for baking, grilling, or roasting the food items. You have seen your mama doing it many times and not only at home even when you ask for packing your food from the outside you find one.

Recent researchers have announced that the packaging of aluminum foil can provoke cardiac diseases and Alzheimer’s and many other health-related issues.     

Is Aluminum Foil Safe for Cooking?

If you are using aluminum foil for a long time, then please take a closer look at this information that will indicate why should you avoid using aluminum foil, what are the dangers of cooking with aluminum foil, and the substitutes, so let’s see the following points first-

1. Neurological Impairment

Aluminum foil -Neurological Impairment

Is aluminum foil safe for cooking? The long-term usage of aluminum foil for wrapping the food can directly harm the brain process. The studies disclosed that children who were eating regular wrapped food in aluminum foil were found with changed behaviour.

It can also lead to autism and Alzheimer’s and interrupts the brain functioning that can affect the concentration level and disturb neurological impairment.  

It can also stop the development of new brain cells, and too much aluminum in the body can affect the whole brain system.

2. Affects the Respiratory System

Aluminum foil Affects the Respiratory System

Too much usage of aluminum foil can seriously harm the respiratory tract and dangerous for the lungs.

The regular wrapping and eating the same food lead you to excess chest congestion and coughing and short breathing.

The toxic components available in the foil stick with the lungs and create a thick layer that affects the whole process.

3. Cardiovascular Problems

Aluminum foil-Cardiovascular Problems

Excess exposure to aluminum foil can directly affect the heart and cause blocking and clotting. It can lead to heart diseases and cardiac arrest or sudden heart failure.

The higher amount of aluminum and toxic factors decrease the red blood cells and make you anaemic. It also affects the liver and even male fertility and weakens the immune system.    

4. Kidneys are Damaged

Aluminum foil-Kidneys are Damaged

Kidneys are also the essential organ of our body that is responsible for the filtration process, and you have no idea that your regular habit can be dangerous for the kidneys.

Is aluminum foil toxic for kidneys? Yes, the studies also revealed that excess usage of aluminum foil could damage the kidneys and cause kidney failure. The foil has harmful components that release with the heat, and when you eat that food, it affects the filtration process of kidneys.   

5. Weakens Bones

Aluminum foils-Weakens Bones

Is aluminum foil safe for baking? When you wrap the food in aluminum foil, and this component combines with other components in the body like phosphors, iron, the balance gets disturbed due to your body don’t need too much aluminum that’s why it reduces the calcium level.

Aluminium foils are harmful to bones. Calcium is the primary source for healthy bones, and aluminum foil can make your bones weak and give you bone diseases, pain, and inflammation in the body.

Why Aluminum Foil Dangerous for Cooking?

Aluminium foil has made from aluminum and transformed into huge sheets. With that, while manufacturing of aluminum foil they spray various oils and chemicals so the foil can become non-sticky to your food.

When you wrap hot-piping food in the foil, it releases the oil that gets mixed with your food with ammonium metal.    

If the wrapped food is too spicy or acidic, the risk factors can also be increased.

The Human body needs a few amounts of aluminum, and there are other ways for fulfilling it and too much aluminum can be dangerous for our health and affects our bones, kidneys, mind, heart, and generate other troubles.

Dos and Don’ts


  • First of all, try to avoid using aluminum foil, especially for wrapping hot food. You can wrap cold items like a sandwich.
  • You can use other options like nowadays many natural wrapping sheets available in the market that are chemical-free and harmless.
  • Avoid using aluminum utensils; we know they are relatively cheaper and easy to carry if you love camping or outing, but there are other options available like you can use steel, ceramic, or glass for cooking and keeping your food and beverages.
  • If you are wrapping the food for the later use in the fridge, try to stop this. You can use glass containers for storage or choose other ceramic items that are made for packaging and keep your food fresh and safe.
  • There are various types of aluminum foils available; you can buy the branded one that is less harmful.
  • The parchment paper is a better substitute for aluminum foil and entirely secure for health aspects.


  • Do not wrap acidic food like tomatoes or fruits as well and avoid covering the spicy food.
  • Do not bake or grill your food items like meat, potatoes in the aluminum foil. You can directly grill them all or accept the old swirling method for cooking the food.

In Closing

Sometimes we purchase the problems with our own hands without knowing their results and effects. Now you know well the danger of using aluminum foil, and we hope that next time when you shop for it, you will consider all the negative points.

You can check out Youtube videos of making aluminium foil just for fun, and you’ll know why it is not a health-friendly option.  

Keep in mind that the oil sprayed on the aluminum foil is very risky for your whole family. In the old times, when the aluminum foil wasn’t available people used to wrap their food in specially made clothes or wooden-made baskets and trust me, they are much healthier than us.

We aren’t saying use wooden items, but yes, you must avoid aluminum foil for sure. We hope this information would be helpful for you.

If you have any suggestions or any questions in the mind you can ask anytime. Please share your reviews and experience with us and stay connected for more information like that.  


  1. Safety of aluminum from dietary intake-EFSA[1]
  2. Assessment of daily aluminum intake by food consumption[2]
  3. Dietary and other sources of aluminium intake[3]
  4. Estimation of daily aluminum intake in Japan based on food consumption inspection results[4]
  5. Aluminium content of some foods and food products in the USA, with aluminium food additives[5]
  6. Aluminum and the human diet revisited[6]
  7. Excretion and retention of low or moderate levels of aluminium by human subjects[7]

Dr Maria


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