Microwave oven when used correctly, there’s nothing to worry about in terms of a microwave’s radiation, according to the World Health Organization. But other concerns are less clear – including whether microwaving food causes nutrients loss, or whether heating food in plastic can trigger hormone disruption.
Cooking with a microwave oven is highly convenient, as it’s simple and incredibly fast. However, many people believe that microwaves produce harmful radiation and damage healthy nutrients. Therefore, you may wonder whether it’s safe to use these appliances.
This article explains whether microwave ovens affect your food quality and health.
How Microwave Oven works
Microwave ovens are kitchen appliances that turn electricity into electromagnetic waves called microwaves These waves can stimulate molecules in food, making them vibrate, spin around, and clash with each other — which turns the energy into heat.
This is like how your hands heat up when you rub them together. Microwaves primarily affect water molecules but can also heat up fats and sugars — just to a lesser extent than water. Microwave ovens produce electromagnetic radiation.
You may find this concerning due to radiation’s negative connotations. However, this is not the type of radiation associated with atomic bombs and nuclear disasters. Microwave ovens produce non-ionizing radiation, Keep in mind that light is also electromagnetic radiation, so clearly not all radiation is bad.
Microwave oven have metal shields and metal screens over the window that prevent the radiation from leaving the oven, so there shouldn’t be any risk of harm.
Effects of Microwaves oven on nutrient content
Every form of cooking reduces the nutrient value of food. The main contributing factors are temperature, cooking time, and method. During boiling, water-soluble nutrients may leak out of the food. As far as microwaves go, cooking times are generally short, and the temperature is low. Plus, the food is usually not boiled.
For this reason, you would expect microwave ovens to retain more nutrients than methods like frying and boiling.
NOTE;
- 1 minute of microwaving destroyed some of the cancer-fighting compounds in garlic
- Mild microwaving actually increased the levels of the anticarcinogenic compound sulforaphane in broccoli
- Microwaving breast milk has been found to be effective in preventing cytomegalovirus infections
- Reduces formation of harmful compounds like nitrosamines in bacon food.
TAKE AWAYS
Avoid Plastic container; Many plastics contain hormone-disrupting compounds that can cause harm. For this reason, do not microwave your food in a plastic container unless it is labeled microwave safe.
Heat your food properly; If you microwave your food, make sure it’s evenly heated to reduce your risk of food poisoning.
