The Latin term utensilĭa came to our language as a utensil. The concept refers to an element that is used manually to develop some type of activity. For example: “Can I have the utensil to cut the cake, please?” , “If you want to repair the garden, you will need several tools that allow you to work with plants”, “Doctors complain because they say they do not have the necessary tools to perform surgical interventions”.
Utensils are the most sought after because they are present in every home. Without these tools, it is impossible to cook and eat food.
The first kitchen utensils were made of stone. Over the years, wooden, metal, and plastic utensils began to be developed. Currently, in most kitchens there are utensils made with different materials, which are used according to the occasion. Among the materials used today in the manufacture of kitchen utensils, several types of metals stand out, and in some cases two or more are combined in the same product. This results in one of the most overlooked problems: food contamination in the home. It is very important to know the characteristics of the utensils we use for cooking, since some materials are especially harmful to health, although their effects can only be seen in the long term. Materials that are toxic include heavy metals and synthetics, and many people unknowingly contaminate their food using utensils made from them. This becomes especially absurd for consumers who buy organic products, since all the care during the cultivation or processing of food disappears when they are cooked in pans or pots made of aluminum or non-stick material, where they are mixed with substances and elements. Health . Our body does not have a system to eliminate heavy metals, which is why poisoning occurs: they inevitably accumulate and generate an insidious and slow toxicity. After a period of ingestion of heavy metals through food, the consequences can be serious; lead, for example, present in ceramic or clay pots and in enamels and varnishes, can cause anxiety, tiredness, sleep disorders, gastrointestinal problems and insomnia, among other disorders. In some cases, the main material of a utensil is not harmful unless it is used incorrectly; For example, non-stick coatings on pots and pans made from a compound called Teflon do not show a level of toxicity of concern, although they start to release harmful substances when subjected to temperatures above 270°C. In short, cooking is a very responsible task, especially when it is done to feed other people: it is necessary to acquire the right tools and use them with care.
Cutlery are those that, as the name suggests, are used on the table. They are the utensils that facilitate the ingestion of food: the fork, the knife, the spoon, etc. In a broader sense, any tool is called a utensil. A hammer, in this context, is a tool used to drive a nail into a surface. A pliers, on the other hand, is a tool that can be used to cut a wire or to put pressure on something. Finally, a container can be considered as a utensil used to contain a liquid or other substance: “The young man collected some water in a metal utensil that he found in the camp.”
