10 Myths About Microwave Cooking

Almost every kitchen and restaurant has a microwave oven. But they continue to frighten fans of conspiracy theories.

Almost every kitchen and restaurant has a microwave oven. But they continue to frighten fans of conspiracy theories. What they don’t say about food that is cooked and heated in a microwave oven.

Let's discuss the top 10 myths about microwave cooking.

 

1. Food loses all useful elements and vitamins.

It is no secret that any heat treatment affects the chemical composition of the product. But the microwave is not capable of destroying more than baking in the oven or boiling, for example. Even vice versa! The accelerated mode of preparation saves more useful. In addition, cooking vegetables in the microwave is more expedient than boiling, because the nutrients do not go into the water.

2. Microwaves cook food from the inside

There is also an opinion that microwaves penetrate the food and heat spreads from there. But it's not. They act just on the outer layers, stimulating water molecules, and then the heat transfer goes to the center. Everything is the same as during any other heat treatment - frying or baking.

 

3. Microwaves completely penetrate food

Unfortunately, this is also a myth. Microwaves are able to penetrate only 3-3.8 cm. This means that it is not possible to cook a thick piece of pork or a large stuffed bird to the end. Hence there is a danger of departure. So it is better to still use the microwave to defrost or heat cooked food.

4 Microwaves Cause Cancer

There is a lot of talk about the dangers of microwaves and very convincingly. And it's not only about food, but also about simply being near the microwave, working and not. These statements are, of course, very far from the truth. Microwaves have nothing to do with radio waves. The principle of their action is only to make food molecules move, thereby causing heat. The waves themselves are inside a working furnace, and those that penetrate outside cannot cause any serious harm.

 

5. Microwave heating is dangerous for children.

This myth is apparently generated by the totality of all the previous ones. Moms of babies are not recommended to heat up mashed potatoes or any other food for babies in the microwave. There is only a grain of truth in this myth. It should be borne in mind that the food may not warm up completely evenly, so the child may get burned. But if the mother mixes it thoroughly and checks the temperature, there will be no danger to the child.

Often, young mothers who store breast milk for a long period are frightened by the fact that heated milk loses white blood cells. And the reason lies in the study, which was conducted in 1992. It did show a decrease in the level of white blood cells in milk. But more recent research shows that microwave heating affects milk in exactly the same way as other forms of heating.

6. Metals get very hot in microwaves.

Metals, unlike plastic, glass or ceramics, do not transmit microwaves. On the contrary, they reflect them. So they can't get hot. However, thin pieces of metal, such as the tines of a fork or foil, can act as an antenna and start sparking.

 

7. Reheated pasta is even healthier

The BBC's "Trust Me, I'm a Doctor" program showed that chilled after cooking and then reheated in the microwave, pasta reduced blood sugar levels by 50% in volunteers. This is explained by the fact that in such pasta, resistant starch prevents the breakdown of carbohydrates by the intestines and their absorption in the form of sugar. However, this can hardly be considered an indisputable fact, because only 9 people took part in the study. So it's more of a myth than a fact.

8. Microwaves melt plastic

It is believed that heating in plastic dishes leads to the melting of plastic and the penetration of harmful substances from it into food. This is only partly true. It's all about the dishes. Special plastic containers are absolutely safe for use in the microwave. But disposable and too thin really should not be used.

9. Microwaved food stops the production of female/male hormones.

There are no scientific studies proving that the operation of the microwave oven or the food heated in it in any way affects the production of hormones.

 

10. Diabetes and obesity

Microwaves have also been linked to increased rates of obesity and diabetes. But needless to say, the reason is not in the stoves, but in the products that get into them. In addition, ready-made food from supermarkets, which only needs to be reheated, contains a lot of fat and calories.

Conclusion: cook food for one meal and eat it all at once! And if you need to warm something up, feel free to use the microwave in accordance with the rules for its operation.

But if you need to quickly reheat or defrost something, a microwave oven is an excellent and most importantly safe helper.