Is Microwaved Food safe?

Written by Dr Harold Gunatillake-Health writer

Microwave ovens are designed to cook food through radio-active heat. That does not mean that the food becomes radio-active. The radiation energy is absorbed by the water in each cell of the food such as vegetables or meat. The water molecules vibrate and produce intra-cellular heat which cooks the food. This means that unless there are water molecules in the food you cannot cook in a microwave oven. Fortunately, there is no food that contains no water although some come close.

Meat and poultry are composed of naturally occurring water, muscles, connective tissue. The muscle is about 75% water

It is important to follow the instructions given by the manufacturers in using the oven to cook food. In the modern ovens used in good condition is safe. When old, there may be a leakage of radiation through a non-fitting door, and one should be aware of this occurrence. The answer is change to a newer model.

Microwave radiation affects the nutritional components in most foods, especially fruit and vegetables. The critics argue that heating foods in anyway will affect the nutritional values of any food. Steaming is the only way where nutrition is maintained in most foods like vegetables and meat. Microwaving is a healthy way of cooking so long as the food is not over-cooked. Always follow instruction given in the manual regarding the length of cooking of any specific food in a microwave oven.

Some argue that widespread nutritional deficiencies in Western and Asian cuisine were caused after the introduction of the microwave oven that could be partly causing malnutrition. The intra-cellular heat caused by agitating water molecules may destroy the delicate molecules of vitamins and other nutrients, including natural plant medicines, antioxidants, and phytochemicals found in food. On the other hand, heat produced from outside as in traditional cooking may not cause such intra-cellular molecular damage.

Microwaved foods lose 60-90% of their nutritional value and it also cause structural disintegration of food. Fortunately, minerals like magnesium, calcium, zinc and a few other micro-nutrients are not affected by heating in microwave ovens.

For instance, eating raw broccoli and cauliflower which provides natural anti-cancer chemicals (sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol) so effective to stop cancer growth, will be destroyed by cooking in microwave ovens. Further a balance which is caused by the intracellular water when destroyed can change the equilibrium and harmony within the foods. Mike Adams, Editor of Natural News.com (6 Aug 2007 edition) states that using a microwave is a bit like dropping a nuclear bomb on your food, then eating the fallout. You do not get radiation from eating microwaved foods, however. It is the nutritional value that is destroyed. In short, you are eating ‘dead food’.

It is also a fact that normal cooking of food in fire-places, with gas and on electric hot plates for hours will also destroy most of the micronutrients, including enzymes, phytochemicals and so on.

Radiation of heat could be high or low energy waves and it is classified as ionising and non-ionising radiations respectively. Microwave ovens have Non-ionising variety of radiation. This type of radiation generally has enough energy to move water and other micro-nutrients within the cells. Other non-ionising emanating examples include- Ultraviolet rays from the sun or sunbeds, electromagnetic fields (WiFi), radiation from household electrical appliances, mobile phones and computer and their screens. Nevertheless, over-exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun can cause skin cancer and melanomas.

Microwaved food causing cancer scare

Some studies have revealed that consuming microwaved food can cause cancer, but the majority of studies this is not true at all. The microwave ovens produce magnetic fields when cooking is on, so you are advised to stay as far away as possible. Most experts say that these ovens do not give sufficient magnetic field to damage the genetic material (DNA) in our cells, so cancer production is a rarity. Even the microwaved food will not cause cancer, as there is no intracellular structural damage.

Does consuming microwaved food cause obesity?

Microwaved food does not cause obesity, but it is the convenience of cooking food so fast that may make you eat more. The days when cook-women cooking tasty spicy foods in the traditional kitchen are no more: food was then tasty too and people ate too much to cause an obesity problem.

In Russia, microwave ovens were banned in 1976 because of their negative health consequences and subsequently was lifted after Perestroika (modernization) in the early 90’s

There was one voice in Switzerland Hans Hertel who spoke about his findings about the dangers of microwaved food to the public. The Swiss Association of Dealers for Electro-apparatuses for Households and Industry complained quite loudly about the findings, which caused a court order to ban Hans. In 1998, the European Court of Human Rights held that there had been a violation of Hertel’s rights in the 1993 decision, lifted the gag order and sentenced Switzerland to pay compensation of F 40,000. See “H.U.H. against Switzerland” at https://www.dhcommhr.coe.fr/eng/huhvch.shn.html

Effect on the heart

A recent study has revealed that microwave frequency radiation affects the heart at non-thermal levels that are well below federal safety guidelines, according to Dr Magda Havas of Trent University.

Dr. Havas says:
“This is the first study that documents immediate and dramatic changes in both heart rate and heart rate variability caused by an approved device that generates microwaves at levels well below (0.3 percent) federal guidelines in both Canada and the United States.”
Any kitchen staff in hotels and at homes using daily microwaved cooking are experiencing rapid or irregular heartbeat, pain or pressure in your chest, it is best that you consult your physician for investigations.

In conclusion: Use microwave ovens for warming up foods rather than cooking.
Some reference to Cancer Research UK-www.cancerresearchuk.org