There are many theories and speculations that direct contact or microwave heating can be harmful. Some people and even scientists also claim that microwave radiation can be carcinogenic. For this reason, we sometimes shy away from pressing the start button on the device that is so common and popular. Of course we want oursEat niceell finishedso the device is the preferred option for this in most cases. However, should we be so suspicious every time we use it? Is it actually proven that the microwave is harmful to our health? We will try to provide some answers to these questions in the following post.
While the device is a verypractical kitchen toolwhich allows you to cook quick meals and makes reheating food so much easier, its reputation has been tarnished by rumors of radiation and nutrient loss. Luckily, the dangers of microwaves are little more than old wives' tales.
There's really nothing to worry about when it comes to microwave cooking. This is according to Darrell Cockburn, who is a lecturer and assistant professor of food science at Pennsylvania State University. Do you need proof? We use science to break down the most common myths that the microwave heats things upEating harmfulis to unravel.
Do the radiation from the devices destroy nutrients?
The truth is that any cooking method, be it microwaving, grilling, or frying, can deplete certain nutrients in foods. Cooking time, temperature and amount of liquid have the greatest impact on nutrient loss. Since microwaves cook the food's molecules quickly and require little liquid, unlike conventional cooking, it is actually one of the better cooking methods for preserving nutrients.
In a 2009 study, researchers actually tested how different cooking methods affected the antioxidant content of 20 different vegetables. They found that microwaving, along with baking, resulted in the fewest antioxidant losses, while methods such as pressure cooking had a greater reducing effect.
The physical deviceswork with microwaves, which we call specific frequencies of electromagnetic radiation waves to cook food from the inside out. These microwaves mostly interact with water molecules in the food, heating themselves and in turn the substances around them.
Can microwaves cause cancer?
Of course, in our minds, the word radiation has some serious negative connotations. While there is some radiation inside, it also remains where the process takes place. Microwaves are designed to keep virtually all radiation inside. However, there are regulations that force manufacturers to ensure that only tiny amounts can escape the microwave.
And the small amounts that eventually escape can't go very far. If you stay just a few steps away, the very small amount of microwaves is reduced to almost nothing. For those who think about their food around radiation and don't have to worry, the chemical structure of the food doesn't change, so it won't make your broccoli radioactive.
However, things become questionable when it comes to ready-made dishes from the packaging. Storing or even reheating your food in plastic containers can leach harmful substances like BPA into the food. For this reason, it's best to stick to bowls and plates made of microwave-safe material such as glass or ceramic. You should break up with your plastic anyway. Our fears that the microwaveharmful to our healthmay have been free, but we'd like to think they helped us in other ways.
Bottom line: You may have to worry about losing culinary credibility among chefs and foodies if you start using the microwave hook. However, you don't have to worry about losing nutrients thinking that microwave can be harmful to it. So the key is to avoid overcooking. As with any type of cooking, the heat introduced can destroy valuable nutrients over time. Therefore, you should be careful not to cook your food at too high a heat.
Also read: “KEEPING FOOD WARM: WHAT CAN YOU HEAT UP & WHICH FOOD WILL BE HAZARDOUS TO HEALTH WHEN WARMING UP?”
