Facts and Myths about Microwaves 12.04.2016

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Microwaves are a common part of most modern kitchen nowadays. In order to cook or reheat food, a microwave utilizes electromagnetic radiation that falls in the microwave spectrum; hence the name microwave. After its invention, a lot of myths about the microwave started gaining popularity and people became hesitant to use it for their cooking needs. Although a microwave is extremely safe when it’s used as directed, there are still some myths around that cause reluctance in people’s mind about using it. Let’s separate the facts from the myths, so that you can use your microwave without any doubt.

Myths

1. Microwaves Leak Harmful Radiations
Microwave radiation is a common type of radiation that isn’t harmful to us. Also, the amount of radiation that leaks from the microwave throughout its lifespan is very little and is well below the range of radiation that can be defined as harmful. If you are worried, then you can stay away from the microwave while it’s operating, although it’s not necessary.

2. Microwaving Food Ruins the Nutrients
Cooking your food with a microwave doesn’t decrease the level of nutrients to an amount that’s undesirable. There’s no method of cooking that can retain the original amount of nutrients that were present in the food before it’s cooked. Even if you boil food, the level of nutrients will be decreased. So, there’s no need to worry about the nutrients when microwaving food.



3. Microwaves Cook Food from The Inside
Microwaves don’t cook food from the inside when it’s thicker than their penetration range. Microwaves will only go as deep as 1.5 inches inside the food, so anything thicker than that won’t be properly cooked. Therefore, you will want to make sure that the food you cook in the microwave isn’t that thick, especially when cooking meat.

Facts

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1. Microwaves Are Energy Efficient
Microwaves are actually energy efficient if you use them the way they are meant to be used. For example, reheating food on a cooktop or in a conventional oven will take much more time and energy as compared to microwaves. It is a fact that by using a microwave, you can save up to 80% of the energy required to reheat food with an oven.

2. Heating Plastics Can Be Dangerous
Plastics can become toxic when they are heated in the microwave. Even the plastics that are labeled “microwave safe” aren’t safe at all. Therefore, you should not put any kind of plastic into a microwave. Use any other container for your food, when you cook it in the microwave. For example, add a glass bowl to your shopping list.

3. Microwaves Aren’t Dangerous
The last and the most important fact doesn’t need to be elaborated further; microwaves are safe. All the myths surrounding the hazards of microwaves have been debunked. It’s just silly to think of microwaves as the same radiations that cause cancer. If they weren’t safe, microwave ovens wouldn’t have been invented in the first place. But you should always be careful and use a microwave in the right way.