Please stop microwaving your food

tajmel

Dear internet,

Please do the world a favor and start paying attention in HS chemistry.

Love,
Melba

(P.S. But really, stop microwaving plastic. Otherwise, go nuts.)

lusciousladie07

Total, complete and utter nonsense. Microwaves work on the principal of exciting the electrons in water molecules. They do not change the structure in any way, they simply cause the molecule to vibrate, generating friction, which, in turn, causes heat. The more water in a substance heated in a microwave oven, the more quickly it will heat. A microwave oven will not irradiate food or alter it's structure in any way. The originator of this thread and anyone who believes this nonsense is an idiot deficient in basic scientific literacy. If you don't believe me, consult www.snopes.com, or ask your local high school science teacher.

Ok..please answer this. what is causing the exciting of electrons is water? And whatever source you provide for this excitement..How does it know to only excite the electrons in water and not the electrons in the molecules that make up the food?
And please.. If am required to post peer reviewed sources for my position, then please do the same. Snopes is not peer reviewed.

cowgirlashlee

I'm a college student...if I didn't have a microwave, I'd probably starve to death (or eat only cold food all the time, which gets real old real fast).

thefreebiemom

Total, complete and utter nonsense. Microwaves work on the principal of exciting the electrons in water molecules. They do not change the structure in any way, they simply cause the molecule to vibrate, generating friction, which, in turn, causes heat. The more water in a substance heated in a microwave oven, the more quickly it will heat. A microwave oven will not irradiate food or alter it's structure in any way. The originator of this thread and anyone who believes this nonsense is an idiot deficient in basic scientific literacy. If you don't believe me, consult www.snopes.com, or ask your local high school science teacher.

Ok..please answer this. what is causing the exciting of electrons is water? And whatever source you provide for this excitement..How does it know to only excite the electrons in water and not the electrons in the molecules that make up the food?
And please.. If am required to post peer reviewed sources for my position, then please do the same. Snopes is not peer reviewed.

http://www.rps.psu.edu/probing/microwave.html

Here's another http://suite101.com/article/how-do-microwave-ovens-work-a35365

lusciousladie07

This is getting to be a bit too much. And I won't put up with being called an idiot. I was in no way trying to dictate anyone's food preparation choices and If my original post came across that way, then I apologize for that. Yes.. I based my viewpoint on basic science and scientific peer review facts which I have posted and I stick by my position. If you disagree, then there is absolutely no problem with that and have no problem with letting me know. But the name calling to me and others and disrespectful comments are truly uncalled for.

sunshine_gem

Wow.. truly.. I didn't mean for this to start a big argument or for people to be rude to others or myself. I completely fine if you disagree with me but there is no need to be disrespectful to me or anyone else.

If you don't agree and love using the microwave.. then by all means...

But why enter a thread to bash someone else? Why not just ignore and move on to something else that interests you?

(I believe bashing and to disagree are two different things)

I think if you had stated it as opinion then people may not have been 'bashing'. It's because you're trying to state it as fact that people have got annoyed. As one poster said you could find articles and studies that support both sides of the argument. Unless the evidence is overwhelming either way then there is no fact. Only opinion. You are of course entitled to have an opinion as is everybody. Just don't try and tell people that what they're doing is wrong based on something that hasn't been substantiated.

Killing_Perfection

Total, complete and utter nonsense. Microwaves work on the principal of exciting the electrons in water molecules. They do not change the structure in any way, they simply cause the molecule to vibrate, generating friction, which, in turn, causes heat. The more water in a substance heated in a microwave oven, the more quickly it will heat. A microwave oven will not irradiate food or alter it's structure in any way. The originator of this thread and anyone who believes this nonsense is an idiot deficient in basic scientific literacy. If you don't believe me, consult www.snopes.com, or ask your local high school science teacher.

Ok..please answer this. what is causing the exciting of electrons is water? And whatever source you provide for this excitement..How does it know to only excite the electrons in water and not the electrons in the molecules that make up the food?
And please.. If am required to post peer reviewed sources for my position, then please do the same. Snopes is not peer reviewed.

"Molecules can absorb and emit energy by altering the state of motion of their constituent atoms - they can be made to vibrate and rotate. Again, the energy associated with either motion is quantized, and molecules possess rotational and vibrational energy levels in addition to those due to their electrons. Only polar molecules will experence forces via the E-field of an incident electromagnetic wave that will cause them to rotate into alignment, and only they can absorb a photon and make a rotational transition to an excited state. Since massive electrons are not able to swing around easily, we can anticipate that they will have low-frequency rotational resonances (far IR, 0.1mm, to microwave, 1cm). For instance, water molecules are polar, and if exposed to an electromagnetic wave, they will swing around, trying to stay lined up with the alternating E-field. This will occure with particular vigor at any one of its rotational resonances. Consequently, water molecules efficiently and dissipatively absorb microwave radiation at or near such a frequency. The microwave oven is an obvious application."

Taken from Optics, Eugene Hecht. Now if you want to know why exactly the levels of resonance lie the way they are, you'll have to grab a book on atomism, because you can't explain that in just a few sentences.

GnochhiGnomes

The OP is trolling.

If she isn't then she should feel bad. Microwaving is the second best way of retaining nutrients bar steaming. Stop spreading lies.

I steam veg in my microwave?

Wut?

lusciousladie07

Total, complete and utter nonsense. Microwaves work on the principal of exciting the electrons in water molecules. They do not change the structure in any way, they simply cause the molecule to vibrate, generating friction, which, in turn, causes heat. The more water in a substance heated in a microwave oven, the more quickly it will heat. A microwave oven will not irradiate food or alter it's structure in any way. The originator of this thread and anyone who believes this nonsense is an idiot deficient in basic scientific literacy. If you don't believe me, consult www.snopes.com, or ask your local high school science teacher.

Ok..please answer this. what is causing the exciting of electrons is water? And whatever source you provide for this excitement..How does it know to only excite the electrons in water and not the electrons in the molecules that make up the food?
And please.. If am required to post peer reviewed sources for my position, then please do the same. Snopes is not peer reviewed.

http://www.rps.psu.edu/probing/microwave.html

Here's another http://suite101.com/article/how-do-microwave-ovens-work-a35365

http://www.livestrong.com/article/421142-health-concerns-with-the-use-of-infrared-heat-to-cook-food/

Please take note of the peer review journals sources throughout the article and at the bottom.

RuthSweetTooth

In which chapter in my A&P textbook will I find this information? Because I certainly did not find any information in my A&P Course 1 or my class on Basic Nutrition I just finished taking.

magerum

Rubish. Don't let the food nazi's scare you. Microwave it if you want and use lean cuisines if you like. I don't understand peoples desire to fear-monger and spread mis-information because they heard it once fro a source they find credible (their mom, random article by a journalist etc..)

Have fun living in fear and good luck!

To each their own!

lusciousladie07

In which chapter in my A&P textbook will I find this information? Because I certainly did not find any information in my A&P Course 1 or my class on Basic Nutrition I just finished taking.

In a basic A&p book.. You can look up the effects of varying degrees of temperature on the 4 protein structures on a cellular level. Try looking up dangerous fever situations.
In a chemistry book.. you can look up the amount of energy produced by microwaves versus radiant heat energy.

The reason I stated those possible sources than I guess peer reviewed sources because it is most available to get your hands on that is credible. (like I still have my a&P book and chemistry book from college)

Duckz1

i once knew someone that cooked a cat in a microwave.

Well that's just stupid. All the nutrients were zapped out. Shoulda put it in the toaster oven :grumble:

weevil66

You truly have to be an idiot if you nuke water to the point of explosion. truly. **And didn't read the directions!** I never said it couldn't happen.

I don't know... it can happen in less than a minute: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FcwRYfUBLM
Superheated water doesn't look like it's that hot, because it doesn't boil like normal.

Personally, I've never seen it happen first hand. But I don't think a person has to be an 'idiot' to have science happen accidentally in their microwave. :flowerforyou:

I exploded a chicken hot dog in the microwave once.

Flab2fitfi

Oh no!

I need my microwave to boil my eggs in. What am I going to do????????

ldrosophila

Bwahahahaha I love it! The other day it was aspartame making people fat, then soda, then carbohydrates, fat, and now the microwave. You people are ALL MISINFORMED picking your nose too much makes you fat. You see theres an accupressure point inside your nasal cavity and when pushed you will start eating like a hippo and want to eat a trough of food. Only cure eat extra beans and broccoli and try to fart it out. Trust me it works

missworld95

I don't mean to be rude but I just can't understand how some people didn't know microwaves were really bad... it's radiation people. What did you expect?

That being said, I'm sure if you have to use it on occasion, it can't be *that* bad for you.

Bentley2718

So if freezing kills nutrients, then why do they say frozen fruits are the best to eat to prevent cancer because they are picked off the vine and sent directly to the freezer? They say the fruits and vegs lose their potency when they are immobile and it's better to freeze because it holds the nutrients longer.

These two ideas are *not* contradictory. Just because freezing destroys fewer nutrients than storage and shipping does not mean that it does not destroy any nutrients. Ideally, we'd eat plants right after they were picked, but since this isn't an option for most of us, flash freezing is probably better in many respects than cold storage. For fruit and veggies, it may be useful to think of it this way:
right off the plant > flash frozen > shipped/stored > canned > none at all.

magj0y

I don't mean to be rude but I just can't understand how some people didn't know microwaves were really bad... it's radiation people. What did you expect?

That being said, I'm sure if you have to use it on occasion, it can't be *that* bad for you.

uh huh. The radiation produced by a microwave oven is non-ionizing. I does not have the cancer risks associated with ionizing radiation

ivikatasha

I don't mean to be rude but I just can't understand how some people didn't know microwaves were really bad... it's radiation people. What did you expect?

That being said, I'm sure if you have to use it on occasion, it can't be *that* bad for you.

uh huh. The radiation produced by a microwave oven is non-ionizing. I does not have the cancer risks associated with ionizing radiation

damn! you beat me to it

NiliP

http://www.rps.psu.edu/probing/microwave.html

Here's another http://suite101.com/article/how-do-microwave-ovens-work-a35365

http://www.livestrong.com/article/421142-health-concerns-with-the-use-of-infrared-heat-to-cook-food/

Please take note of the peer review journals sources throughout the article and at the bottom.

I just can't bring myself to read an article in which the first sentence is completely wrong. Infrared is a completely different part of the electromagnetic spectrum from microwaves.

Damiilla

I don't mean to be rude but I just can't understand how some people didn't know microwaves were really bad... it's radiation people. What did you expect?

That being said, I'm sure if you have to use it on occasion, it can't be *that* bad for you.

uh huh. The radiation produced by a microwave oven is non-ionizing. I does not have the cancer risks associated with ionizing radiation

Yeah it's on the same frequency as TVs and phones. Anything more would destroy your food.

SRH7

The reason there are people unhappy with you is because of the way you started this thread.

Mistake 1: Telling people what to do.
Mistake 2: Telling people what to do based on something that isn't true
Mistake 3: Changing your story.


You can eat raw. But telling someone else what to do based on inaccuracies is asking for trouble.

This is the issue. As others have said, stating something as an opinion is one thing; stating it as fact is an entirely different matter. Many people turn to these forums for advice and help and scaremongering does not benefit anyone.

I've studied science to university degree level and can't see the logic in the arguments given on here about microwaves. I've also been eating microwaved food since the early 80s with no ill effects (apart from getting tetchy and argumentative on forums - but the whole point of 'discussion' boards is to do just that, so I will forgive myself for that).

Those who are genuinely afraid of microwaves are fine to go ahead not using them. The rest of us will continue to use them to quickly cook our food with no ill effects and we will have far more time to spend out running or down the gym.

CarolynB38

I don't mean to be rude but I just can't understand how some people didn't know microwaves were really bad... it's radiation people. What did you expect?

That being said, I'm sure if you have to use it on occasion, it can't be *that* bad for you.

Hmmm. Light is radiation. Microwaves are a kind of radiowave. Radiowaves are radiation and they are everywhere. If your microwave oven is properly functioning an in good condition there should be very little, if any, radiation affecting you. Microwaves directed right at you wouldn't be too good on a regular basis, but they're not supposed to be able to escape from your microwave oven. I'd be more worried about the x-rays and CT scans I've been exposed to in my life and the background radiation. I grew up within a few miles of two nuclear power stations and I'm still healthy. If microwave ovens were that bad, we wouldn't have them any more. What about mobile phones? HT power cables? I think as long as you are sensible in life, there are worse things to worry about. If you have too much exposure to something then maybe it's time to worry

I think the problem with older microwave ovens is that it was very easy to overheat certain areas of the food, which isn't too good for the food, and not heat other areas quite so well. Newer ovens are much better at providing even heating. Yes, perhaps it is better to heat in other ways, or eat fresh, but I certainly don't think it's time to panic just yet!

KaleidoscopeEyes1056

Dear internet,

Please do the world a favor and start paying attention in HS chemistry.

Love,
Melba

(P.S. But really, stop microwaving plastic. Otherwise, go nuts.)

It seems that a lot of people totally forget any science education they had when they sign up for this site. Especially Biology.

weathergirl320

I haven't used a micro wave oven in 3 years. I moved to a new place, and didn't have one. And I put a tv in my kitchen so I can watch my stories when I am cooking. But the tv takes up the spot where the micro wave should go. So I just never got one. And I'm cheap so unless someone gives me a hand me down I'm not buying one because its just not necessary. That being said, I really don't miss the micro because I have a toaster oven. Generally the food comes out way better. Like leftovers and stuff. They don't taste like leftovers at all. The only time I sort of miss the microwave is when I want popcorn because its a pain to make on the stove. But not impossible and it tastes better too. Can't say i am afraid of using it or think its bad, but I have heard about the plastic potentially being a problem. But anyway, I am a freak without a microwave and don't miss it. It is possible to live without one. But for me to be afraid of the radiation or whatever is silly, I think the tv in my kitchen is more of a threat.

KaleidoscopeEyes1056

Oh no!

I need my microwave to boil my eggs in. What am I going to do????????

I use the microwave to boil spaghetti. But, I guess I shouldn't be eating that, though, because carbs make you fat. Ignore the fact that I've lost 23 lbs.

SRH7

Oh no!

I need my microwave to boil my eggs in. What am I going to do????????

I use the microwave to boil spaghetti. But, I guess I shouldn't be eating that, though, because carbs make you fat. Ignore the fact that I've lost 23 lbs.

:laugh:

tigersword

total b.s. come back with a real peer reviewed article supporting your argument. (peer reviewed means scientists substantiated such claims, not that it is agreeable hearsay by other MFP users)

I have access to peer reviewed journals. ( Access provided through my masters program.) Here is the information to find it yourself as my access requires a log in and If I link it.. you would need your own log in.

1.Retention of Lysine in Foods Processed with Microwave and Conventional Heating.
Source:
International Journal of Food Engineering; 2009, Vol. 5 Issue 3, preceding p1-11, 13p, 3 Charts
2.Biological quality and safety assessment of rice bran protein isolates.
Source:
International Journal of Food Science & Technology; Nov2011, Vol. 46 Issue 11, p2366-2372, 7p

Have you read these?
1.

Results indicated that in moist heat-treated samples lysine retention was between 69 – 83%. Dry heat treatment resulted in a greater loss of lysine, which was proportional to the degree of heating.

It compared wet vs dry cooking methods. Not microwave vs non-microwave.

2.

Nitrogen balance study parameters too were better in microwave and dry heat stabilised protein isolates, while the lowest values were observed for parboiled protein isolates

And as this quote shows, according to your second source, MICROWAVING IS BETTER THAN NOT MICROWAVING, the exact opposite of the point you are trying to defend. Even the first study said microwaving was better than raw.

thefreebiemom

Total, complete and utter nonsense. Microwaves work on the principal of exciting the electrons in water molecules. They do not change the structure in any way, they simply cause the molecule to vibrate, generating friction, which, in turn, causes heat. The more water in a substance heated in a microwave oven, the more quickly it will heat. A microwave oven will not irradiate food or alter it's structure in any way. The originator of this thread and anyone who believes this nonsense is an idiot deficient in basic scientific literacy. If you don't believe me, consult www.snopes.com, or ask your local high school science teacher.

Ok..please answer this. what is causing the exciting of electrons is water? And whatever source you provide for this excitement..How does it know to only excite the electrons in water and not the electrons in the molecules that make up the food?
And please.. If am required to post peer reviewed sources for my position, then please do the same. Snopes is not peer reviewed.

http://www.rps.psu.edu/probing/microwave.html

Here's another http://suite101.com/article/how-do-microwave-ovens-work-a35365

http://www.livestrong.com/article/421142-health-concerns-with-the-use-of-infrared-heat-to-cook-food/

Please take note of the peer review journals sources throughout the article and at the bottom.

This is the first paragraph of one of the "references" that you are talking about at the bottom of your article.
"The effects of five domestic cooking methods, including steaming, microwaving, boiling, stir-frying, and stir-frying followed by boiling (stir-frying/boiling), on the nutrients and health-promoting compounds of broccoli were investigated. The results show that all cooking treatments, except steaming, caused significant losses of chlorophyll and vitamin C and significant decreases of total soluble proteins and soluble sugars. Total aliphatic and indole glucosinolates were significantly modified by all cooking treatments but not by steaming. In general, the steaming led to the lowest loss of total glucosinolates, while stir-frying and stir-frying/boiling presented the highest loss. Stir-frying and stir-frying/boiling, the two most popular methods for most homemade dishes in China, cause great losses of chlorophyll, soluble protein, soluble sugar, vitamin C, and glucosinolates, but the steaming method appears the best in retention of the nutrients in cooking broccoli."

That says all heating of broccoli causes loss of various nutrients. It actually says stir frying is the worst loss whereas steaming has the least loss of nutrients.

The other article sites about heating of milk isn't referring to microwaves that we use in our homes it is talking about pasteurization of milk and how the heating processes used create cholesterol in milk. http://www.pjbs.org/pjnonline/fin265.pdf
Yes there is one or 2 little sentences in there about how people use microwaves in their kitchens but the experiment they are conduction is on the pasteurization process. Sorry to tell you but ALL milk in the US is pasteurized. It is required by law, even organic milk is pasteurized. The only way you would get milk that is not pasteurized is to know someone on a farm with a cow selling it under the table.

The only reason I posted the 2 articles I did is because I did not feel like scanning the pages from my physics book about how water molecules behave with electromagnetic waves and why, then uploading the scanned pages into photobucket, and then linking them here. Besides the 1 article does have a resource - Bloomfield, Louis A., How Things Work The Physics of Everyday Life, Wiley, 1997. Textbooks are peer reviewed, otherwise they would not be able to be adopted as textbooks.

The other article is a Penn state article. I didn't post them to prove that microwaves were bad or not. I posted them because you asked how microwaves excite water particles and not other particles in food. Those were both good explanations of that. Its the same things that both of the physics books I have say in regards to electromagnetic waves and their effects on dipoles or polar molecules. Modern Physics 4th Edition by Paul A Tipler and Ralph A Llewellyn and Fundamentals of Physics Sixth Edition by Halliday, Resnick, and Walker.