How bad is the Microwave?

[Dlove]

Does the microwave really kill as many nutrients as many people say they do?

 

[huskyguy]

I am not sure that there are any legitimate studies that show Microwaves killing any more nutrients than any other form of cooking.

I use the microwave mainly for re-heating when I do not have a stove-top.

 

[PowerBuilder]

I've never heard anyone say that the microwave "kills" nutrients. Where did you hear that? I would guess that if anything, a microwave oven kills less nutrients because a traditional oven may carbonize(char) some of the food. A microwave oven works by heating up only the water in the food. The wavelength can penetrate the food and heat up the water, thereby heating the food, but it doesn't have much of an effect on any other substance in the food.

 

[BigRonWannabee]

If it kills the nutrients, whats left?? If theres food on the plate, theres nutrients on the plate. If there was a chemical change, it would char/burn/smell/discolor etc.

 

[Dlove]

I never believed in it but a local health department counselor or is also a nutritionist told me to take the microwave out of my house. Ive actually heard this from several people but Im not buying into it yet. I need to see scientific studies.
The Lady that told me this said the radiation heat from the micro hits the container your microwaving and that's what get's into your food's.

 

[Behemoth]

That is a common urban myth. Basically for the study, some kid used toxic plastic and heated it up with something in it. Unsurprisingly, the toxic stuff was found in the food afterward.

 

[Behemoth]

Actually, here is something on snopes about it.

http://www.snopes.com/toxins/plastic.htm

 

[BigRonWannabee]

Microwaves make molecules (mostly H20 molecules) vibrate, period. Thats why food gets hot. Its not going to make you get cancer, kill nutrients or take over the planet.

 

[BigRonWannabee]

I never believed in it but a local health department counselor or is also a nutritionist told me to take the microwave out of my house. Ive actually heard this from several people but Im not buying into it yet. I need to see scientific studies.
The Lady that told me this said the radiation heat from the micro hits the container your microwaving and that's what get's into your food's.

You dont need scientific studies. Ever put a plastic container in the fridge, itl smell like the fridge does. Ever put coolaid in a plastic jug, it stains the plastic over time. If you heat up food in a plastic container, microwave or not some of the molcules can migrate from or to the plastic. Thats the nature of the material.

Use glass - problem solved.

 

[Dlove]

That's what ive been doing. I use glass never put plastic in the nuker. Shit anything that melts when cooking I don't want my food in.

 

[PowerBuilder]

If Im just warming something up I may use a plastic container, but no plastic wrap. If Im really cooking something I would want it in glass.

 

[lifterdanman]

Yeah it matters more what your heating it up in, like plastic, paper, metal, ect than what your heating it up in. As far as "scientific studies" go

 

[GymLift]

You dont need scientific studies. Ever put a plastic container in the fridge, itl smell like the fridge does. Ever put coolaid in a plastic jug, it stains the plastic over time. If you heat up food in a plastic container, microwave or not some of the molcules can migrate from or to the plastic. Thats the nature of the material.

Sometimes when I pour a soft drink into a glass, I get a weird odor. Any idea what I'm talking about?

Use glass - problem solved.

I've actually considered that, but glass has its own problems...mostly of inconvienence. They typically don't have nice plastic lids that make for easy transport to the office, for example.