Cooking Gas - does it cause asthama?

Ritesh Bawri

03 May 2024 — 2 min read

The cooking gas stove was patented in 1826 in England. Marketing began in 1828 at Smith & Philips. Today, millions use cooking gas as the primary medium to cook food.

Marketing promoted cooking gas as a superior substitute for conventional cooking mediums like coal or wood. One of the slogans used was "The world of tomorrow."

But is there something wrong with this story?

Cooking in modern homes occurs in closed spaces. Unlike traditional cooking on a fire in the open, your kitchen is the room that feeds. Which is where the stove and gas find themselves.

Burning gas releases nitrogen dioxide, or NO2, carbon monoxide and formaldehyde.

Nitrogen dioxide causes a host of effects on your body. These include inflammation of the airways, coughing, and wheezing, which damage your respiratory tract.

It serves as a trigger for those who are susceptible to Asthama attacks. It increases the risk for those who are not. Among the people affected, children in particular are vulnerable. Children have lower immunity than adults, as their immunity is still in the process of being built.

So what can you do?

The first is to ventilate your kitchen as much as you can. Use a chimney to vent the gas, especially from the cooking area. If possible, open the windows, preferably on two sides, to allow cross-ventilation.

Next, reduce your exposure if you are an adult. To the extent possible, avoid exposure to children and pregnant women.

Use alternative sources of fuel, which include electricity. In contrast to burning gas, electric induction does not emit nitrogen dioxide.

You could argue that burning coal or other fuels produced electricity, in which case I couldn't support my thesis.

However, keep in mind that the coal was burned far away from your kitchen. In this case, the gas releases nitrogen dioxide directly into your lungs.

BTW, I was recently interviewed by Ben Greenfield, who is a legend in the wellness space. Please do take a moment to watch. [Link here]

Reach out to me on twitter @rbawri Instagram @riteshbawriofficial and YouTube at www.youtube.com/breatheagain

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