Microwave cooking bad for health |dangers| impact

Discover the list of proven health problems that microwave food causes and what makes microwave food bad for health.

Reasons to stop using microwave for cooking

Increases the risk of diabetes

Studies has found that microwave cooking increases glucose, insulin and C-peptide responses and lowers satiety and beta carotene levels versus raw ones.

Eye problem

A study has found that microwaved eggs may cause direct vision-threatening corneal damage.

Cholesterol problem

Studies has shown that microwave cooking results in higher lipid and cholesterol oxidation than grilling.

Another study indicate that microwave cooking causes significantly increased levels of cholesterol oxidiation in chicken and beef patties.

Damages muscle and collagen

According to a study, the pattern of distribution in microwave heating caused surface damage to muscle fiber with separation of some portions and denaturation of collagen in meat.

Heating process

A study has been conducted to measure the temperature distributions during the heating process. The result show that microwaves cause a significantly higher degree of unfolding than conventional thermal stress for protein solutions heated to the same maximum temperature.

Vitamin B 12 Deficiency

A study has shown that approximately 30-40% of vitamin B12 is lost due to conversion to the inactive form during microwave cooking.

Cooking mutton in microwave

A study indicate that microwave cooking does not remove the infectivity of Toxoplasma gondii in mutton, the parasite remained infective, possibly due to uneven heating of the meat.

Salmonella Infections

Studies has shown that microwave cooking may carry a higher risk of salmonellosis. Compared with conventional methods of reheating, microwave ovens had no protective effect in preventing illness. To prevent outbreaks such as this one, care must be taken to assure that food is both properly cooked and handled and properly reheated.

Release of volatile chemical

Microwave heat susceptors that convert electromagnetic energy to heat attain high temperatures that make it possible to cook some foods to golden crispness in a microwave oven. Study has shown that microwave cooking may result in the release of 44 volatile chemicals (including benzene) from microwave-heat-susceptor food packing. These volatile chemicals may be absorbed by the food.

Microwave cooking of brassica vegetables

Study has shown that microwave cooking reduces the beneficial glucosinolate content of cabbbage.

Nutritional Deficiencies

Study has found that microwave cooking results in the decrease of a broad range of nutrients, including vitamin C and phenolic compounds.  Vitamin C showed the greatest losses mainly because of degradation and leaching, whereas losses for phenolic compounds and glucosinolates were mainly due to leaching into water. In general, the longest microwave cooking time and the higher volume of cooking water should be avoided to minimize losses of nutrients.

Another study has shown that  microwave cooking method resulted in a marked loss of phenolics, anthocyanins and antioxidant activities (p<0.05).

Migration of PET into food

Microwaveable French fries, popcorn, fish sticks, waffles and pizza sold in susceptor-type packaging. Study has shown that microwave cooking results in the migration of of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) cyclic oligomers from PET microwave susceptor packaging into food.

Poultry products

Study indicate that microwave cooking results in the migration of plasticizer from plastic film into poultry products.

Microwave cooking of canned spinach

Lutein, a carotenoid found in significant levels in spinach, that act as shield against the photooxidative effects. A study has shown that microwave cooking significantly lowers lutein content of canned spinach.

Increases the risk of oral cancer

Study has found that microwave cooking, because of formation of heterocyclic amines, may increase the risks of oral cancer including the salivary gland tumors.

Garlic

Study has shown that microwave heating destroy garlic’s active allyl sulfur compound formation, which reduces the anticancer properties of garlic.

Olive oil

A study indicates that microwave heating contributes to the migration of plasticizers from food-grade PVC and PVDC/PVC films into olive oil and water.

It is proposed that PVC should not be used in direct contact with food in the microwave oven, while Saran may be used with caution in microwave heating and reheating applications, avoiding its direct contact with high fat foodstuffs.

Thermal injury

Microwave-heated food may cause serious injury if it is not allowed to cool before consumption. Commentary study has shown that microwave heating food may result in thermal injury to the upper aerodigestive tract.

Leaching of Lead

Commentary study states that microwave heating may result in leaching of lead from old ceramic dinnerware. This evidence suggests that use of such dishes to microwave common foods could result in the ingestion of dangerously large amounts of lead.

Another study has shown that microwaving microwavable plastic ware made with lead-containing pigments may result in lead leaching and exposure.

Cheese

A study has shown that microwaving cheese may result in the production of the carcinogen 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD).

Benzene

Benzene increases the risk of cancer and other illnesses. Benzene is a notorious cause of bone marrow failure.

Study has shown that microwaving cookware may result in the migration of benzene into food.

Legumes

Studies indicate that microwaving legumes does not remove problematic antinutritional substances.

Popcorn

A study has shown that microwaving prepacked microwave popcorn results in the production of a number of volatile organic compounds and particulate matter. The greatest chemical quantity is emitted when the bag is opened post-popping; more than 80% of the total chemical emissions occur at this time.

Another study has found that prepackaged microwave popcorn bags may cause exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).

Destroy carotenoids

Study indicates that microwaving tomatoes results in the partial destruction of the beta-carotene and lutein.

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