What is Kansa Bronze? And why you should use it for cookware

Kansa is a specific type of bronze with a higher than average tin content. It is essentially the same alloy as bronze, composed of copper and tin, but with a ratio of 78:22; whereas the average copper tin bronze ratio is 85:15.

A metallurgy discovery during the bronze age, it has since held a unique place in the production of utensils and cookware. It is over three thousand years old, in use since the Golden Age of Ayurveda.

To make Kansa, copper and tin are heated together for 400 -700 degree Celsius to form bronze. The metal, now molten, is then made into ingots. The ingots are then melted down again and poured into moulds to form designs.

Pure Kansa can be easily identified as it gives a sharp sound, similar to temple bells. That is why Kansa is often used in the making of percussion instruments as well a apart of utensils, cookware and cutlery. Pure Kansa is easy to maintain since it does not tarnish and it is corrosion-resistant. Kansa’s metal combination produces a tough, long-wearing material that is resistant to oxidation and subject only to an initial surface weathering.

KANSA AND COOKWARE

Kansa is highly suitable for cookware as tin is naturally non-stick and non-toxic whilst copper is ultra conductive. And unlike other pans that are non-stick coated the tin here is part of the alloy so it does not need to be relined and will last forever.

KANSA AND OUR HEALTH

Metals like copper and brass react with sour and salty food to form chemical compounds harmful to our body. However, Kansa does not react, which is why it is safe to cook and eat in.

Ayurveda Prakasha is one of the important ancient texts on ancient Indian Alchemy circa 16th-17th century AD, which provides comprehensive statements about the health benefits of Kansa. It refers to the belief that eating and cooking in Kansa utensils, made with the correct copper and tin ratio, balance the body’s pH level.

Water stored in Kansa pots does not go stale. According to Ayurveda, water stored in Kansa for eight hours can correct and balance all three “doshas” present in our body.

Drinking and eating from copper vessels fulfils the requirement of important copper trace metals for the optimal functioning of thyroid glands. Copper also reduces inflammation and improves haemoglobin since it has vital medicinal and healing properties, which the food or water kept in it acquires. Copper is the key component in the production of melanin, helping to restore healthy skin and reduce skin wrinkling. It also helps break down and eliminate fat, aiding in weight loss. Copper, and therefore Kansa, also helps in cardiovascular health and reduces anaemia by regulating blood pressure.