Wanted to get some opinions on microwave usage

DJ2120
DJ2120 Posts: 407 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I use my microwave to prepare a lot of my foods purely out of convenience because I don't always have a lot of time, plus if I am bringing food with me to work I have to be able to warm it up. One of my friends gave me a huge lecture yesterday about how bad that is & that microwaves cause cancer, ruin the food & all the nutrients in it. I did some research on the subject & found lots of different articles some agreeing with what she said & others saying that cooking veggies & other foods in general brings down the nutrients in general & it doesn't matter if it's in an oven or microwave. So I wanted to get some more opinions on the subject. Do a lot of you use microwaves to prepare food or boycott them?
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Replies

  • cathooo
    cathooo Posts: 19 Member
    Microwave ovens cook by sending microwaves through the food, making water molecules vibrate and heat up. The "wave" used is similar to radio waves that are around us all the time, so if it's going to be harmful, I figure I'm toast already because they're going through my body right now!

    Food tastes different when it's cooked in the microwave, as it cooks on the inside at the same time as the outside, and because it doesn't get the radiant heat of other cooking methods, it doesn't get the nice crusty outsides you expect. Alton Brown's "I'm Just Here For The Food" has a great explanation of the differences between the types of cooking (roasting, microwaving, etc)

    I always steam veggies in the microwave. Toss the veggies in the microwave with a couple tablespoons of water in a glass bowl, and cook for a couple minutes.
  • cgarand
    cgarand Posts: 541 Member
    Personally, I don't have a microwave. I like my food cooked the old fashioned way and I hate the clutter of a microwave taking up my counter top. I would love a convection oven though!
  • amez1974
    amez1974 Posts: 213 Member
    At the end of the at, you just have to look at the research and decide for yourself. Honestly, both sides give good arguments.

    That said, we no longer have a microwave in our house. It took me a few weeks to get used to not having one, but I don't even think about it any more.
  • impyimpyaj
    impyimpyaj Posts: 1,073 Member
    Meh, there have been some "experiments" that seem to point to the danger of microwaves. Like the person who had two plants, and watered one with regular water and the other one with microwaved water, and the one with microwaved water died. But... that's not exactly a scientific study.

    I personally don't own a microwave because it's just one more appliance taking up counter space, and it's too easy to buy and make unhealthy convenience foods like Hot Pockets if you have a microwave. And food tastes better when it's cooked and heated through conventional methods. But I don't necessarily buy the fact that microwaving your food is bad for you, in and of itself.

    Although I will say, don't microwave water for your coffee or tea. Apparently (though rare) it can create more surface tension on the water, and when you put your spoon in it to stir it the water can come out and burn you. Same with baby food. My friend just burned her face with baby food last week, because when she put the spoon into the jar the food exploded out onto her face. So the moral of the story is, be careful with liquidy things and purees.
  • niftyafterfifty
    niftyafterfifty Posts: 338 Member
    My microwave went out several years ago, and I've never replaced it. The only thing I miss about it is warming leftovers and baking potatoes when I'm in a hurry. I have read articles about the dangers on mercola.com; he usually has good science to back up his opinion. I even read that microwave ovens are banned in Russia because of the dangers. We need to buy new appliances for our kitchen, but I've found I can easily live without a microwave; I don't plan to replace it.
  • RobfromLakewood
    RobfromLakewood Posts: 684
    I use one at work, but still only use that 1-2 times a week. I'm not a fanatic about it, I have plenty of bad habits that will do me in but they still bother me a little. We don't have one in our home. I think it helps in stopping me from doing as much binge eating, because it makes cooking more of a chore then hitting a few buttons and having it ready a little bit later.
  • chelovik
    chelovik Posts: 200 Member
    I personally nuke my food. Just nuke it and don't sweat that stuff. There is always multiple view points to everything. Enjoy your food however way you want to.
  • Dwamma
    Dwamma Posts: 289 Member
    My boss gave me a lecture over a year ago....and I quit using mine with in days!. Her son did a science project and feed three plants water. 1. tap, 2. cooled microwaved water, 3. distilled water. The microwaved watered plant died!!!! the rest lived but the distilled was not as healthy. That was enough for me! But it is all up to you!
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    I don't actually "cook" anything in the microwave but I reheat a lot of stuff. Given the choice I don't reheat meat in the microwave because it tastes funny but at work I just deal with it because we don't have real stoves and stuff there. The microwave in my house sits up over the stove so it doesn't take up any counter space. I've been using one for 30 years and I'm fine.
  • Lyssa62
    Lyssa62 Posts: 930 Member
    yep I'm a nuker from way back. the microwaves today are safer than when they first came out.
  • MrsSWW
    MrsSWW Posts: 1,585 Member
    There is absolutely no scientific data to back up my answer, let me just say that!

    I do have a microwave but I rarely cook things from scratch in it, other than scrambled eggs. I can't cook in small 1 or 2 people portions so I cook big, freeze, thaw and heat in the microwave. A lot. My husband and I work different shifts and he uses if basically for the same purpose. Food doesn't taste as nice when it's cooked from scratch in the microwave but that's just a personal opinion.

    I am more concerned with additives to food and air quality than how my food molecules are heated. If mine breaks down it IS being replaced as it is by far and away the most economical way (both financial and timewise) for our household to eat a warm, nutritious, home baked meal every single day.

    :flowerforyou:
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    Microwaves are on the same side of the EM spectrum as radio waves. They are shorter than radio waves but longer than visible light. They cook the food because they are at a frequency that causes water molecules to vibrate. Movement = heat. No cancer causing agents there.

    In some cases, microwaving can potentially damage some of the nutrients in food, but usually only if it is foods you wouldn't normally microwave, or if you overcook. Also be careful of what you cook your food in. Many plastics, especially older ones, have chemicals that can leach into your food when in the microwave. Your best bet is to use glass, or something new and made especially for the microwave.
  • That_Girl
    That_Girl Posts: 1,324 Member
    I refuse to have a microwave. My mom cooked everything in it when I was a kid. GROSS.

    They make me lazy. Our oven and stove do everything for our needs.

    My friend heated water in a microwave and then poured it out on her grass (experiment) and the grass died in that spot. lol. Yuck.
  • mkallie
    mkallie Posts: 110 Member
    Although I will say, don't microwave water for your coffee or tea. Apparently (though rare) it can create more surface tension on the water, and when you put your spoon in it to stir it the water can come out and burn you. Same with baby food. My friend just burned her face with baby food last week, because when she put the spoon into the jar the food exploded out onto her face. So the moral of the story is, be careful with liquidy things and purees.

    I don't know if this is related to putting the spoon in or just movement. It's also pretty well known that sometimes when you first move something that did not appear to be boiling from a microwave, suddenly it is boiling. Some of my cookware seems to bring it on better than others (probably based on the shape of their opening and maybe what they're made of?), but I just give it a little jiggle and/or learn what the right cook times are and have no problems. More often, something that didn't appear to be boiling in the microwave starts to boil when you pour it, but that is usually harmless. I suspect putting a baby food jar with a smaller top than the rest of the container was probably a good way to make something explosive happen, but I'm not really a chem expert.

    I will say, I learned from experience (my brother's) to never put a Pyrex on a stovetop. What happens is nothing short of terrifying - the whole thing explodes into millions of shards of glass. I'd take a little boiling in the microwave than that anyday.

    My understanding of the radiation risks of microwaves are that they are only present if you are standing close to the microwave and it doesn't have a good seal. At that point, some of the waves can escape and also radiate you, which can disrupt your cells but may not lead to cancer. Still, not a good idea to press your head against it for the final countdown.

    I do have a microwave. For some tasks it is a LOT more energy efficient than running a stove. Think about the energy use to heat up the entire stovetop or entire pot of water to boil a half cup... ridiculous. And in turn, crappy for the environment.
  • Ruthe8
    Ruthe8 Posts: 423 Member
    My friend heated water in a microwave and then poured it out on her grass (experiment) and the grass died in that spot. lol. Yuck.
    Probably because she poured boiling water on it.

    If you do a properly controlled experiment with microwaved water, it does not harm the plants.
  • Ruthe8
    Ruthe8 Posts: 423 Member
    Although I will say, don't microwave water for your coffee or tea. Apparently (though rare) it can create more surface tension on the water, and when you put your spoon in it to stir it the water can come out and burn you. Same with baby food. My friend just burned her face with baby food last week, because when she put the spoon into the jar the food exploded out onto her face. So the moral of the story is, be careful with liquidy things and purees.
    It is rare, but not impossible, so yes you should be cautious. Although I'm wondering why she heated baby food to the point that it would burn skin.
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    We're all going to die, anyway.

    You're welcome. I enjoy cheering people up.
  • 76tech
    76tech Posts: 1,455 Member
    We're all going to die, anyway.

    You're welcome. I enjoy cheering people up.

    I plan on living forever. So far, so good.

    And I thought microwaves were harmful only if you were in them?
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    We're all going to die, anyway.

    You're welcome. I enjoy cheering people up.

    I plan on living forever. So far, so good.

    And I thought microwaves were harmful only if you were in them?

    They are deadly to poodles.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    One of my friends gave me a huge lecture yesterday about how bad that is & that microwaves cause cancer

    I would stop listening to your friend.
  • GhotiandTchoghs
    GhotiandTchoghs Posts: 15
    I am just going to explain how they work and the differences between the types of radiation very broadly.

    Radiation can be classified into two groups. Ionizing and non-ionizing.

    Ionizing radiation has enough energy to free an electron from what it hits without raising it's temperature to ionizing temperatures.

    Non-Ionizing radiation does not have enough energy to free an electron but it can still heat things up.

    Ionizing radiation is what causes the cancer-risk, radiation sickness and is what is used for cancer treatment (though in very controlled, generally safe ways).

    Non-ionizing radiation's greatest threat is that it causes burns. Sunburns and tanning are a result of non-ionizing radiation. And yes, more sunburns leads to a higher chance of getting cancer but this is because the skin is forced to multiply more in order to replace the damaged skin cells. The more times it has to multiply, the greater change there will be a mistake made in the process and that causes cancer. Try writing the same word over and over again, slowly, and then rapidly. Eventually you will spell the word wrong or form a letter a bit wonky. (Get Cancer, in this parallel).

    This might be where your friend got confused because Microwaves are also non-ionizing. They don't cause electrons to go bouncing away, but they do cause things to get hot. That's all they do though. Microwave machines are made for safety. You would know if you were getting hit with microwaves because the water in your body would get very hot. You'd be moving away before damage was done. They also don't make things radioactive because all the electrons stay in their atoms.

    In the end the debate is "Does heating food, cause all those things to happen that your friend said?" because if so, that might be the case with all types of heating and not just microwaves.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    You would know if you were getting hit with microwaves because the water in your body would get very hot.

    I would also add to the above by saying that you would know if you're getting hit by microwaves if you were sitting on a gigantic rotating disc next to a life-size hot dog.
  • kgaskins
    kgaskins Posts: 4
    Because of my job I try to take my lunch with me I use things like Green Giant steamers and I do Lean Cuisine steamers in the microwaves b.c sometimes I dont have time to cook. I personally don't see an issue with it.
  • GhotiandTchoghs
    GhotiandTchoghs Posts: 15
    You would know if you were getting hit with microwaves because the water in your body would get very hot.

    I would also add to the above by saying that you would know if you're getting hit by microwaves if you were sitting on a gigantic rotating disc next to a life-size hot dog.

    Very good point. Reminds me of a Terry Pratchett book quote:

    "... I'm your worst nightmare!" said Teatime cheerfully.

    The man shuddered. "You mean...the one with the giant cabbage and the sort of whirring knife thing?"

    Book - The HogFather
  • StarLeopard
    StarLeopard Posts: 80 Member
    My guess would be that microwaves kill nutrients and bacteria more efficiently than stovetop cooking.

    Apropos of nothing, I remember a high school "convocation" in the early '60s where a microwave oven was demonstrated by cooking peas. (I now wonder who or what agency sponsored this educational presentation back then.) They told us that microwaves were still bouncing around inside the food after taking it out of the oven and if we ate it right away then we'd have microwaves cooking us from inside. Made an impression. It was almost 20 years later before I owned one. Right after I traded in the horse for the Model T. :tongue:
  • GhotiandTchoghs
    GhotiandTchoghs Posts: 15
    My guess would be that microwaves kill nutrients and bacteria more efficiently than stovetop cooking.

    Apropos of nothing, I remember a high school "convocation" in the early '60s where a microwave oven was demonstrated by cooking peas. (I now wonder who or what agency sponsored this educational presentation back then.) They told us that microwaves were still bouncing around inside the food after taking it out of the oven and if we ate it right away then we'd have microwaves cooking us from inside. Made an impression. It was almost 20 years later before I owned one. Right after I traded in the horse for the Model T. :tongue:

    Wow, they really told you that? I was not around then but that is bonkers.
  • hellohappylisa
    hellohappylisa Posts: 141 Member
    I cook most things in the oven (usually toaster oven since it heats up faster!!) and just reheat them in the microwave. If people are at least 50 and been using their microwave since birth I think I'll be okay. Seriously.
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    I'd be lost without mine! At home I use it most breakfast times, either for scrambled egg, or porridge, or a "muffin in a minute" type effort.

    I take my own lunches to work - soups and stews that I've made at the weekend and frozen in single portions. I reheat these in the micro at work.

    Evening meals, I'll often steam the veg in a the micro - asparagus, peas, baked beans. I have a special microwave pan for heating soups and beans. And fish fillets wrapped in a parcel with a slice of lemon or a splash of wine, mmmmmm

    I think they've been around long enough now that if they WERE dangerous we would know abotu it.
  • StarLeopard
    StarLeopard Posts: 80 Member
    Wow, they really told you that? I was not around then but that is bonkers.
    Yeah, they said it wasn't really an issue though because we don't eat piping hot things that are right out of a conventional oven either. I was just happy to be getting out of a history class.
  • Erindipitous
    Erindipitous Posts: 1,234 Member
    My friend heated water in a microwave and then poured it out on her grass (experiment) and the grass died in that spot. lol. Yuck.
    Probably because she poured boiling water on it.

    Exactly.

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