Microwaving food is harmful. Is a microwave oven harmful to human health? Using the microwave correctly

Whether the microwave is harmful - I want to find out this question once and for all. Perhaps the facts from the "experts" are the same myth, like many others. The controversy over whether it is harmful or not began immediately after the appearance of the first microwave ovens. The manufacturers claim that there is no harm (they did not expect anything else from them), the population is sure that there is (you can even find the "fact" on the Internet that the microwave oven "shot down planes"). We decided to figure it out for ourselves: is the food from the microwave, which we often use, is harmful?

Users, fascinated by the advantages of this device, in response to the attacks of opponents of the use of stoves, make the following arguments:

Modern microwave ovens quickly heat food, which is important for people experiencing a lack of time.
In the device, it is difficult to bring food to the state where it runs away. The availability of ready-made programs allows you to choose the optimal processing mode for each type of food.
Even a child can reheat food in the microwave. It is safer for him than using a gas or electric stove for this purpose.
You can heat food without oil, which, according to American researchers, eliminates the cause of cancer.
Research has shown that using the microwave to process food preserves the maximum amount of vitamin C.

Myths that have not been confirmed

Let's try to consider most of the myths about microwaves - how much they harm us:

Myth number 1: When heated in a microwave oven, food loses most of its vitamins and nutrients. Refutation: with any heating of food, whether on the stove or in the oven, in any case, the amount of vitamins and microelements is lost. Cooked or fried food loses more vitamins than microwaved food. Indeed, the heating time in the microwave oven is always less than on the stove and in the oven. Consequently, less vitamins are lost.

Myth number 2: under the influence of microwave radiation, carcinogens are formed, food cooked in the microwave is supposedly dangerous to human health. Rebuttal: the fact is that carcinogens and trans fats are formed in food after frying it in oil. Rapid heating, on the contrary, kills microorganisms harmful to humans (for example, E. coli), since these microorganisms die with such a strong impact. The food after the microwave gets the sterilization effect.

Myth number 3: The microwave causes changes in food at the molecular level. The food is deformed. Rebuttal: It has long been confirmed that microwave energy cannot do molecular breakdown of molecules.

Microwave chicken is healthier than fried chicken. Since the cooking process produces a very small number of heterocyclic amines. It turns out that much more of them are formed in the pan.

Myth number 4: it is dangerous to be near a microwave oven, as you can catch a large dose of radiation. This is not the case, if you use a microwave oven with a closed door (and with an open door it will not work by itself), then the radiation dose is the same as from a cell phone.

Myth number 5: Microwave causes gastrointestinal diseases and cancer. Refutation: at present there is not a single fact that a person died because he used a microwave oven. According to the WHO (World Health Organization), this technique does not have a harmful effect on human health.
There is only one condition that applies to people with artificial pacemakers: they should not be near the stoves, as microwaves can disrupt the work of the heart pacemaker. But this applies to both the phone and the LCD monitor.

There are some simple rules on how to use the microwave properly. Observe them, and you may not be afraid for your health and do not have to think: is food from the microwave harmful?

You can cook or reheat food in the microwave only in glass or special dishes. The use of metal containers, as well as heating food in foil is strictly prohibited. What food can be placed in the chamber is indicated in the instructions for each oven. Plates with metal rims give off lead when heated and will also spark.
Do not heat food in sealed packaging. These include unpeeled eggs, wrapped sausages in foil, some kind of soup in a bag, food in foil, etc.
It is better to refuse semi-finished products sold in stores. It is preferable to prepare them yourself from safe products without using dyes, preservatives, flavors.
Cellophane and polyethylene bags, as well as plastic dishes are unacceptable to use. These materials, when heated, can not only melt, but also saturate food with toxins. It is better to reheat baby food and breast milk in a baby food warmer that works like a water bath or in a jar of hot water. In the oven chamber, the volume is heated unevenly, since it heats the water contained in the products.
Reheat food should be covered with a special lid so that the dish is heated evenly. This will ensure that the entire product is heated up to 100 ° C, at which pathogenic microbes are destroyed in the food. In addition, the lid will prevent the heated food from splattering on the walls of the chamber and getting bacteria on them.
The oven chamber should be wiped clean after each use.
Once a month, the walls of the chamber should be treated with vinegar.
All plastic packaging and food bags must be removed.

Do not heat or cook food in foil, as you will simply start sparking, and then the oven will simply burn out. There is special foil paper with holes, but it is better not to experiment.

Adhere to these rules, know how to properly heat food in the microwave - you need to know how to use any technique.

In the video - harm or benefit to human health:

"Facts" in which gullible people believe

For more than a decade, we have heard how harmful it is to heat food in the microwave, but Europe, America, and many other countries cannot imagine their life without a microwave oven. I can’t believe that in Europe, they do not care about health.

So what we are used to hearing:

Under ultra-high-frequency radiation, the polarity of food molecules changes, accompanied by their deformation. As a result, the structure of amino acids changes, which causes the formation of harmful toxins.
In Switzerland, a study was conducted on two groups of volunteers to find out if food could be reheated in microwave ovens. The subjects of the first group ate food prepared and heated in traditional ways. Members of another consumed microwaved food. After a while, a blood test of the participants showed that the subjects who ate food that passed through the oven decreased hemoglobin, increased cholesterol, and increased the number of lymphocytes.
After studying the composition of food processed in the microwave, scientists found in it foreign components (considered dangerous) that are not in the original products.

Russian scientists also decided to find out why the microwave is so harmful, and after the research they carried out, they found:

the nutritional value of foods processed in the microwave is halved;
short-term exposure to microwaves is sufficient for the formation of carcinogens in vegetables and fruits, created from alkaloids contained in these products;
in meat after treatment with electromagnetic radiation, the carcinogen nitrosodimethylamine is formed;
when defrosting, galactosides and glycosides appear in products;
microwave processing of dairy and grain products is accompanied by the conversion of amino acids into carcinogens;
Despite the fact that the conclusions of these studies have not been confirmed by official science, they have not been refuted either. Therefore, it should be borne in mind (God saves) that the consumption of products containing carcinogens leads to serious health disorders. The work of the lymphatic and digestive systems is disrupted, cancer cells are formed in the blood. Radicals generated during the processing of food with electromagnetic radiation increase the risk of developing cancer. Doctors suggest that the microwave oven has become a provoking factor in the increase in the number of diseases of diabetes, cancer, obesity, heart and blood vessels.

I don’t know about you, but we weren’t impressed. And above we have written and debunked many myths about this technique.

It is already difficult for a modern person to imagine his life without a microwave oven. The microwave oven is a quick and easy assistant for preparing and heating ready meals or semi-finished products. For decades, there has been a debate about the dangers of reheated food in the microwave and the possibility of preparing complete meals in the microwave. But before abandoning this helper, it is important to find out how harmful it is to heat food in the microwave and whether such fears are real.

Myths about the dangers of microwave

Manufacturers of household appliances, in particular microwave ovens, assure their customers of the safety of these devices. This data is supported by many studies carried out in the laboratories of the manufacturer.

In addition, defenders of microwave heating cite the fact that microwave waves are emitted not only by microwave ovens, but also by mobile phones, computers and even the sun. And if the heavenly body has not been dangerous to humans for millions of years, then why did microwaves fall out of favor? Moreover, progress does not stand still, and new models of microwave ovens are regularly released with improved safety features... In addition, before giving up the microwave, it is important to be completely sure whether the food heated in the microwave is really harmful.

There is a version according to which numerous studies were conducted, where 8 volunteers participated, half of the group was fed three times a day from a microwave oven, and the other half ate habitually heated meals.

The results of blood tests indicated the presence of high cholesterol in the first group of subjects. This was due to changes in the polarity of molecules in the process of exposure to microwaves on foods and the release of carcinogens that humans should not consume.

How microwaves work

For many, a safe alternative to the microwave is the traditional reheating of food over a fire or heating element. In order to understand whether food from the microwave is so harmful and whether it is not better to return to heating on the stove, you should study the mechanism in more detail heating food in the microwave and in the traditional way:

Benefits and harms for children

Heating baby food is of particular concern and controversy. For many mothers, the microwave oven becomes a salvation when the child is hungry and an urgent need to serve warm food. But is it harmful to heat food in the microwave for a baby?

It should be borne in mind that baby food and infant formula contain a lot of water, which, according to scientists, changes its natural structure in a microwave oven.

In addition, the heating of the nutritional formula often occurs in unsuitable baby bottles, which also affects the change in the structure of food. Using these conclusions, many pediatricians do not recommend heating baby food with microwaves.

High frequency ovens can instantly reheat food as recommended by the manufacturer, but many consumers have gone much further with microwaves, suggesting that microwaves will help them not only reheat but also cook from scratch.

Universal assistant and its capabilities

Of course, many housewives would like to have a universal appliance in their kitchen that is capable of both heating and cooking, but, unfortunately, a microwave machine is not suitable for these purposes. In general, many professional chefs and ordinary people around the world use microwave ovens and regularly take blood tests, getting good results, so it can be assumed that it is not harmful to cook in the microwave.

However, it should be borne in mind that not all products can be fully prepared in this way. Exists the cooking rules that follow take into account when working with a microwave:

So, the opinions of manufacturers and the scientific community were divided, unfortunately, there is still no clear answer about the dangers of heated food in the microwave.

The choice to continue using this technique or not is a purely personal matter. And, perhaps, nevertheless, the methods of heating food, proven for centuries, will not lose their relevance and popularity for a long time.

Attention, only TODAY!

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Is it harmful to reheat food in the microwave for a child. Myths and Reality. Important tips on how to microwave food safely for children. The principle of operation and differences from heating on the stove. How to properly warm breast milk.

Historical reference

A patent for the use of microwaves for cooking was obtained in 1945 by engineer P.B. Spencer, and in 1949, according to his patent, the first microwave ovens were made in America, intended for quick defrosting of strategic stock products.

Microwave ovens were also developed in the Soviet Union. The first mention dates back to 1941. After the war, a study was conducted on the effects of microwave radiation, and the use of microwaves was decided to be banned. In 1985, during perestroika, the production of microwave ovens was established, but not everyone could buy them due to their high cost. Now there is a microwave oven in almost every home, but from time to time it is announced that it is harmful to human health, and food heated in it is harmful. As evidence, some (very dubious) studies are cited, which then become overgrown with myths. They are based on an elementary ignorance of the principles of microwave operation.

The principle of operation of the microwave

The principle of operation of a microwave oven is based on the operation of a magnetron, which produces microwave energy, which, in turn, is converted into heat. The fan protects the magnetron from overheating, which also circulates air inside the microwave for more even heating of food.
Microwaves are fed through the waveguide, which reflect the magnetic radiation. Under their influence, the molecules in the food begin to move rapidly, causing friction, as a result of which heat is released.

Now let's move on to the "evidence" given by the opponents of the microwave oven.

Microwave: myths and reality

The first myth- microwaves are radioactive. The magnetron emits non-ionizing waves that do not have a radioactive effect on the surrounding space, be it a person or food.

The second myth- the molecular structure of products under the influence of microwaves changes, and they become carcinogenic. X-rays and ionizing radiation are indeed capable of this, but microwaves are not. And a carcinogen can be obtained if you overdo it when frying food in a large amount of oil in a regular frying pan.

The third myth- magnetic radiation from microwaves is dangerous.
In older models, the protection was really not so thoughtful, therefore, the instructions recommended that you be 1.5 meters from a working microwave while cooking. Manufacturers did not hide the fact that careless handling can harm human health.

But in all modern microwave ovens, the radiation remains inside, since an insulating layer of the microwave oven is provided, which prevents microwaves from "leaving" the microwave body. If it is damaged, this is a potential danger to human health, and it is not the microwave that is to blame for this, but the fact that it is out of service, the terms of which the buyer neglects.

Differences between cooking in the microwave and on the stove

On the stove, the cooking process goes like this:

First, the container with food itself is heated, and then the food in it. The higher the cooking temperature, the more active and chaotic the water molecules begin to move.
With strong heating, proteins are denatured and vitamins are lost.

In a microwave oven, the heating process is different:

Heating occurs in the food itself, not from the container. Microwaves act on water molecules (found in any product), causing them to rotate at a high speed, but in a more orderly manner. Molecular friction arises, due to which heating occurs: the products are heated throughout the volume, starting from the outer layer passing to deeper layers, and not only at the walls of the container.

The heating temperature is not higher than 100 ° C and the fact that the product is heated throughout the entire volume leads to the fact that much less time is spent on heat treatment. The loss of vitamins in this case is minimal.

The real facts about using the microwave

In all fairness, it's worth noting that some foods shouldn't be microwaved. For example, the nutrients contained in garlic will completely disintegrate in a minute in the microwave, but in the oven it will take them 45 minutes.
Let's touch on the pressing topic of warming up baby food. Pediatrician Komarovsky, known to many mothers, considers the microwave to be absolutely harmless, but it is worth remembering the following: when warming up, food heats up unevenly. This is why breast milk or formula should not be microwaved. At high temperatures, some of the amino acids L - proline (compounds in mother's milk and in its artificial substitutes) under the influence of microwaves are converted into -d isomers, which have a detrimental effect on the nervous system and are dangerous for the kidneys.

The best way to achieve the desired temperature of the formula or mother's milk is to use a water bath, on the principle of which the well-known baby food warmers are built. When a certain temperature is reached, the sensor is triggered and the device turns off.

Microwaved food is not harmful. Some dishes are even healthier to cook in the microwave, because no oil and water required.

Of course, you do not need to give up other cooking options: baking in the oven, stewing or boiling. A microwave oven is an addition to the stove. And if you follow certain rules, there will be no harm from it.

Do not use plastic containers for warming up. When heated, food absorbs some of the carcinogens contained in plastic (polyethylene, benzene, xylene, toluene, dioxins) and becomes hazardous to health!
Cover the cookware with a special lid while cooking. Due to uneven heating and a heating temperature not exceeding 100 g, 100% destruction of pathogenic bacteria is impossible. Under the lid, the product warms up faster, and the absence of splashes will lead to the absence of bacteria inside the microwave itself.
Wipe the inside of the microwave with a lightly dampened sponge after each heating.
Once a month, do a "spring cleaning" by treating the microwave with vinegar.

Speaking about the harm from electromagnetic radiation of a microwave oven, it is worth noting that there is no official evidence of this, despite active discussion. Plus, electromagnetic radiation is everywhere. You are not going to give up wireless Internet or mobile communications, are you?

The microwave is one of the favorite kitchen gadgets for most of us. After all, it is very convenient and quick to heat, defrost and even cook food in it. However, scientists prove that not all products can be cooked in a microwave oven. For example, garlic. And this is worth remembering.

Frozen fruits

Freezing fruits is one way to keep the nutrients in them longer. But it turns out that they should never be defrosted in the microwave. Back in the 70s, Russian scientists proved that defrosting fruits in the microwave leads to the conversion of beneficial glucoside (derived from glucose) and galactoside into carcinogenic substances. And in the early 90s, a Russian study confirmed the immunological effects of microwaves on the body (as a result of exposure to a non-thermal radio-frequency electromagnetic field, an increased formation of antibodies was observed in the cells of the rat brain).

Frozen meat

In order to defrost a piece of meat in the microwave, it will take a long time (about 15-30 minutes), and if the piece is too large, then its edges will have time to cook before the middle is thawed.

At the moment when the temperature reaches 60 degrees Celsius, bacteria begin to actively multiply in the meat, and if you are not going to cook it right away, then the defrosted meat will turn into a source of microbes.

In addition, Japanese researchers found that meat that was microwaved for more than 6 minutes degraded about half of its vitamin B12 (the results of this study were published in ScienceNews in 1998). It is believed that the best way to defrost meat is to put it in the refrigerator overnight or place it under a stream of cold running water.

Garlic

Heat treatment also negatively affects the anticancer properties of garlic. According to a 2001 study by a Pennsylvania State University team, a 60 second microwave (or 45 minutes in an oven) can inhibit garlic's ability to naturally bind carcinogen in animal mammary glands. It has also been observed that a 10 minute “rest” of crushed garlic before microwave cooking for 60 seconds prevents the complete loss of anti-cancer properties.

In addition, you should also pay attention to the general precautions that most of us, although they know, do not follow when using the microwave oven.

Protein foods

Scientists recommend using the microwave to a lesser extent for cooking protein foods. A recent Australian study has confirmed that microwaves lead to higher breakdown of protein molecules than cooking them in an oven.

Food in plastic containers or cling film

Using such convenient plastic containers in the microwave oven, we add a portion of carcinogens to food, as some toxic substances pass from plastic to food.

Foods with a high water content and in a shell

Also, you cannot put food in a microwave oven in a dense shell and with a high content of water inside (for example, tomatoes or eggs), since as a result of a sharp increase in temperature, the volume inside increases dramatically and the food simply explodes. Let's remember the failed experiments with eggs:

How often do you use the microwave and why?

Recently, people have increasingly begun to use microwave ovens, and they not only heat food in them, but also cook. However, it is believed that food cooked in the microwave is harmful.

At the end of the twentieth century, scientists at the University of Lausanne conducted experiments using microwave ovens. As a result, they found out that those people who constantly use microwaves change the composition of their blood. Currently, experts say that food cooked in it is life-threatening, because it causes irreparable harm to health by causing the development of cancer cells in the body.

What some studies have shown

Doctors-immunologists say that if people eat vegetables cooked in the microwave and many other foods, their cholesterol rises in the body and hemoglobin falls. The experiments were carried out as follows. A group of volunteers were allowed to eat some of the ingredients, cooked and heated in the microwave, for several days. After some time, these people donated blood for tests, and the results were not the best.

It has been proven that a person who constantly consumes ingredients cooked in a microwave oven is more exposed to microwave radiation than everyone else, thus causing irreparable harm to his health. To avoid unpleasant consequences, it is better to prepare food in a traditional way, using all the knowledge of the culinary art.

Manufacturers, however, argue that there is no difference between the food that modern housewives make on the stove, the one that is cooked in the microwave. Many publishers are now writing about this. But despite all the information voiced by manufacturers, new research is being carried out at this time in the United States.

How to cook in the microwave

It has recently been found that when cooking certain foods in the microwave, the glycosinates in food are reduced by about 85%, while only a small fraction is lost in steamed food.

It is thanks to the microwave that life-threatening diseases have decreased abroad. This happens because housewives simply do not add oil to the ingredients being prepared, because when cooking they do not fry or boil food, but do everything thanks to microwave energy.

Scientists have not yet come to a single opinion on whether to cook food in the microwave or not. The fact that such food is harmful or safe for people has not yet been proven with certainty, so it is better to cook tasty and healthy food on the stove. Defrost food, meat, bread and reheat in the microwave if possible. However, when it is on, move as far as possible. In no case do not allow minor children closer than 2.5 meters to her.

Is it harmful to your health to reheat food in the microwave? What diseases can this lead to?

Alina li

From a medical point of view, it is believed that the introduction of molecules exposed to microwaves into the human body is much more likely to cause harm than good. Microwave food contains microwave energy in molecules that is not present in conventionally prepared foods.

Harm:
Changes in elementary nutrients, the consequence is disorders in the digestive system caused by metabolic disturbances.
Due to chemical changes in food, shifts in the lymphatic system have been observed, leading to a degeneration of the immune system.
The absorption of irradiated food leads to an increase in the percentage of cancer cells in the blood serum.
Defrosting and heating vegetables and fruits leads to the oxidation of alcoholic compounds contained in their composition.
The effect of microwaves on raw vegetables, especially root vegetables, contributes to the formation of free radicals in mineral compounds that cause cancer.
As a result of eating foods cooked in a microwave oven, there is a predisposition to the development of cancer of the intestinal tissues, as well as general degeneration of peripheral tissues with a gradual destruction of the functions of the digestive system.

JSC LOF

harmful .. but this is due to the fact that the frozen food itself was already stored for a long time. ... cells burst from freezing and. ... she lost her taste. ...
long rasskazavvat .. in general, fats under the action of microwaves can split with the formation of any new chemical. with connections. ...
and earlier - with ordinary heat treatment - they would not have heated up to such temperatures!

Best

no - not harmful 100% - microwaves cause a reaction of water, as a result, hydrogen is released, which is accompanied by the release of heat - from this, food is heated - a common chemical reaction. there is nothing harmful there.
Shl. and whoever tells fairy tales does not know how the heating takes place in this oven.

Kosha

The food itself is not harmful. But the waves emanating from the back wall and sides of the microwave are harmful. You just need to put it in such a way that no one is directly near it for a long time (from the sides and from behind).

Svetik

Well it started !! ! It is harmful, it is harmful .... And in the store, what products ?? ? However, scientists say that we now have a higher living age.
Everything is harmful, but everyone has everything.
We must then go to the taiga to live.

Valera Popov

Microwaves should not be confused with radiation. Infrared radiation (thermal) is also a kind of electromagnetic waves, only at a higher frequency. So there is no harm from food in terms of cooking. The point is what we cook there and from what products.

Spring

Thank you for your question and answer (Alina), she wrote in such detail, now buy no, no! but the temptation was great, and the taste of the products after this microwave -simmediately changes, they heat up in the store-such garbage turns out, the only plus would be- do not wash the dishes!

If you heat food in a microwave oven every day, is it bad for your health?

Viktor Yadevich

The food itself is safe, but the radiation from the microwave is harmful. moreover, over time, its power increases. It is recommended to replace microwave ovens every 5 years. Microwave radiation heats up the insides of the body, which increases the risk of colds. The relationship with other diseases has not been clearly established.

anti pofigist

Not harmful, but microwaves partially "spoil" the product (if the microwave is powerful) - it changes the structure of tissue cells - that is, only 20% will be "spoiled" in terms of vitamins and nutrients ..

Yulia Timoshenko

When cooking in a microwave oven, free radicals are generated in food. By the way, when cooking on the stove, too, even more, but they quickly disintegrate in the air. Therefore, after heating in the microwave, you just need to wait a few minutes for the same decay of these harmful radicals to occur. Well, you need to keep a distance, as the instructions say. Because the radiation has not yet been canceled. The first microwave ovens produced in America, according to building codes, had to be embedded in a wall.

How harmful is it to use a microwave?

Jane))

Microwaves have appeared in our life relatively recently. And for many, they have become the most important technique in the kitchen after the refrigerator. Of course, what to say, heat up - a couple of minutes, defrost - a little longer, but all the same, do not wait all day, until a piece of meat in a shell will thaw. Most microwaves can cook almost anything. We got used to them!
But have you ever wondered if food from microwaves is harmful or healthy? As a young mother, I had to think at least because it is very convenient to heat baby food in the microwave.
So, what was it possible to find out.
A microwave oven is a household appliance that allows for thermal processing of products using microwaves. These are ordinary radio waves with a frequency of 2450 MHz. Microwaves, penetrating into the product, make the molecules of the product ripple. To be more precise, not all molecules are molested, but only water molecules. Due to this, food products are heated, since water is contained in any of them. In the product itself, no significant changes occur, so that food from the microwave is not at all harmful, but even useful - unlike, for example, frying in oil, in which, under the action of high temperatures, cancerous substances are formed.
Therefore, the talk about the "dangers" of microwaves, usually mean the potential effect of microwave radiation on a person. By itself, this radiation can negatively affect health, however, the body of the microwave and the special glass on its door reliably protect from this influence of a person. On all microwaves, this glass is necessarily screened with a frequent metal mesh. You will not be able to deliberately put your hand into the microwave either: in any model, the door is equipped with a lock, and you cannot open it during the operation of the oven. But if the case or glass is damaged, or there is another problem, then you should not use such a device. It is also not worth trying to repair the microwave yourself: a specialist must do this.
There is no unanimous opinion among scientists about whether microwave ovens are harmful. On the one hand, studies have shown that in dishes cooked in microwaves, almost 75% -98% of vitamin C is preserved. With traditional cooking methods, the safety of vitamins does not exceed 38-60%.
And, for example, in the USA it is believed that the mass use of microwaves has reduced the incidence of stomach cancer in the country. They claim that microwave ovens preserve vitamins and minerals in products, as they cook faster and do not need to add water.
Very little research has been done on the health effects of microwave cooking, but there is evidence to support that microwave ovens are harmful.
That being said, a Spanish study published in 2003 in the Journal of Food and Agriculture Science stated that cooking in a microwave oven is the worst of all, since fewer vitamins are stored. The co-author of this study assures that broccoli loses up to 97% of vitamins and minerals and important substances.
In any case, experts advise to buy the latest models of microwaves, in the production of which the last remarks on radiation were taken into account. And those who already have a microwave oven are advised not to use it constantly and by the possibility not to use it when there are children nearby.

Andrey Kuzmichev

A microwave oven is a household electrical appliance designed for quick cooking or rapid heating of food, as well as for defrosting food. Operates at 2450 MHz. Unlike other devices (for example, an oven or a Russian oven), heating food in a microwave oven does not occur from the surface, as in a classic oven, but mostly of the volume, since radio waves penetrate deep enough into almost all food products. This significantly shortens the cooking time.
Precautionary measures
If the oven is operating without load, the radiation is not absorbed in the chamber, it has to be absorbed inside the source, which leads to overheating and damage to the oven. If the oven has too little load, it is recommended to additionally put a glass of water in the chamber to absorb excess radiation.
Microwave radiation cannot penetrate metal objects; therefore, food must not be cooked in metal dishes. If the metal pan is covered, the radiation is not absorbed at all and the oven may fail. In an open metal container, cooking is in principle possible, but its efficiency is less (since radiation does not penetrate from all directions). In addition, sparks may occur near sharp edges of metal objects.
It is undesirable to place dishes with metal spraying ("golden border") in the microwave oven - a thin layer of metal is strongly heated by eddy currents, this can destroy the dishes in the area of the metal spraying. At the same time, metal objects without sharp edges, made of thick metal, are relatively safe in the microwave.
Do not cook liquid in hermetically sealed containers and whole bird eggs in a microwave oven - due to strong evaporation of water inside them, they explode.
It is dangerous to heat water in a microwave oven, since it is capable of overheating, that is, heating above the boiling point. Superheated liquid can then boil very sharply and at an unexpected moment. This applies not only to distilled water, but also to any water that contains few suspended particles. The smoother and more uniform the inner surface of the water container, the higher the risk. If the vessel has a narrow neck, then there is a high probability that at the moment of the beginning of boiling, overheated water will pour out and burn your hands.
Microwave oven myths
Claims persist that the iron plate can allegedly trigger a high-power explosion (in fact, in the worst case, it will cause damage to the magnetron due to arcing).
They say that it is allegedly dangerous to approach a working microwave oven, since the body's own cells and tissues "feel" the radiation from this device (in fact, the radiation from a working oven is limited by standards to 5 mW per cm² at a distance of 5 cm from its surface - this is significantly less than the radiation level considered unhealthy).
The microwave oven changes the molecular structure of foods, which can damage your genes or get cancer. If you eat food from the microwave every day, then according to this erroneous opinion, "freak children" can be born (early experiments with the separation of substances by microwave radiation ended in failure - it only led to heating, since this radiation is not ionizing).
If you keep the microwave oven turned on for a long time at high power, its powerful electromagnetic radiation can damage all electrical appliances within a radius of several meters. In fact, its electromagnetic radiation is no more than from the back wall of the computer's system unit, although near it it can still interfere with the reception of a signal by a cell phone at a close frequency. The oven also interferes with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
If you place a living creature in the furnace, it will turn into a mutant. Perhaps it will still first die from overheating. It is difficult to say what can happen with prolonged exposure. There are rumors of air defense soldiers throwing cats at the radar antenna.

Can food from the microwave be harmful?

~ AquaMarinka ~

Microwaves have appeared in our life relatively recently. And for many, they have become the most important kitchen technique after the refrigerator. Of course, what to say, reheat - a couple of minutes, defrost - a little longer, but still do not wait all day for a piece of meat in the sink to thaw. Most microwaves can cook almost anything. We got used to them!

But have you ever wondered if food from the microwave is harmful or healthy?
A microwave oven is a household appliance that allows heat treatment of food using microwaves. These are ordinary radio waves with a frequency of 2450 MHz. Microwaves, penetrating into the product, cause the product molecules to vibrate. More precisely, not all molecules vibrate, but only water molecules. Due to this, food products are heated, since water is contained in any of them. There are no significant changes in the product itself, so food from the microwave is not at all harmful, and even useful - unlike, for example, frying in oil, in which carcinogens are formed under the influence of high temperatures.

Therefore, speaking about the "harm" of microwaves, they usually mean the potential effect of microwave radiation on a person. By itself, this radiation can negatively affect health, however, the microwave body and special glass on its door are reliably protected from this human influence. On all microwave ovens, this glass is necessarily shielded with a frequent metal mesh. So the harm will be felt only if for eight hours every day the tester of this harm is at a distance of 5 cm from the microwave. It is only at this distance that harmful microwaves escaping from the microwave can be partially caught. You can't put your hand in the microwave on purpose either: in any model, the door is equipped with a lock, and you cannot open it while the oven is in operation. But if the case or glass is damaged, or there is another malfunction, then you should not use such a device. You should also not try to fix the microwave yourself: a specialist should do it.
There is no unequivocal opinion among scientists about whether microwave ovens are harmful. On the one hand, studies have shown that in dishes cooked in microwave ovens, almost 75% -98% of vitamin C is retained. With traditional cooking methods, the preservation of vitamins does not exceed 38-60%.
In 1989, the Swiss biologist Hertel, together with Professor Bernard Blank, tried to investigate the effects of microwave food on humans. Since they were not given money for a full-scale study, the scientists limited themselves to one experimental subject, who took turns eating food cooked on the stove and then in the microwave. Scientists assured that after microwave eating, changes occurred in the subject's blood, reminiscent of the beginning of a pathological process. That is, cancer. In other words, the number of leukocytes increased. Consequently, the regular eating of food from the microwave could lead to blood cancer, scientists assured. But their words were not heeded.
And this year, the World Health Organization issued a verdict: the microwave uses radiation that does not have a harmful effect on either humans or food. The only "but": implanted heart pacemakers can be sensitive to the intensity of the microwave flux. Therefore, WHO recommends that those with pacemakers should abandon cell phones and microwaves.
In any case, experts advise buying the latest models of microwaves, in the production of which the latest notes on radiation were taken into account. And those who already have a microwave oven are advised not to use it constantly and, if possible, not to use it when children are nearby.

Svetik

I would not like to believe it - now nowhere without this miracle technique. But standing next to it is definitely harmful while cooking, especially between the stove and the TV turned on. Every time I stand and am afraid.: - (((

all harmful household appliances, especially microwave ovens, still emit microwave rays. and if there is no napkin nearby, never wrap food in cellophane, as dioxin will be released

Inna

I am sure that it is not harmful! Food is pierced by electromagnetic rays, and when the microwave is turned off, these waves are not in the food.
Did you know that a TV, computer, mobile phone and many others? other devices emit electromagnetic waves ... and nothing! We use them anyway.
In order not to be unfounded, I found an entry in the search engine:
Are microwaves dangerous?
A number of misconceptions are associated with microwave ovens, which are explained by a lack of understanding of the nature of this type of electromagnetic waves and the mechanism of microwave heating. We hope that our story will help overcome such prejudices.
The myth is that microwaves are radioactive or make food radioactive.
This is not true: microwaves are classified as non-ionizing radiation. They do not have any radioactive effect on substances, biological tissues and food.
Another myth: Microwaves alter the molecular structure of foods or make foods carcinogenic.
This is also wrong. Microwaves work differently from X-rays or ionizing radiation, and they cannot make foods carcinogenic. On the contrary, since cooking with microwaves requires very little fat, the finished meal contains less burnt fat with a modified molecular structure during cooking. Therefore, cooking with microwaves is healthier and does not pose any danger to humans.
Third myth: Microwaves emit dangerous radiation.
This is not true. Although direct exposure to microwaves can cause thermal damage to tissues, there is no risk when using a working microwave oven. The design of the oven provides for strict measures to prevent the emission of radiation outside: there are duplicated devices for blocking the source of microwaves when the oven door is opened, and the door itself prevents microwaves from leaving the cavity. Neither the casing, nor any other part of the oven, nor food placed in the oven accumulates microwave electromagnetic radiation. As soon as the oven is switched off, the emission of microwaves is stopped.
Those who are afraid to even get close to a microwave oven should be aware that microwaves are damped out very quickly in the atmosphere. Already at a distance of half a meter from the microwave, the radiation becomes 100 times weaker.
As a result of such a strong attenuation, the contribution of microwaves to the general background of the electromagnetic radiation that surrounds us is not higher than, say, from a TV. It is enough to move away from the stove at arm's length and you can feel completely safe.

Gift of Wind Northwind

Good question. They answered me back in the late 80s, when there were almost no such stoves. ...
Namely.
A microwave oven stores vitamins better than an electric or gas oven. but there is one peculiarity ... energy information ... but the distortion of the biofield of food is not very good. ... outwardly, everything seems to be super, and fast, and tasty, and vitamins are normal, but from the point of view of subtle matters - these irradiation are not useful and change the structure of the product. ... it is possible to neglect, I do not argue, it is possible to neglect genomodifiers, too, nothing is visible - horns and hooves do not seem to grow :)) It tastes and thinks of everyone ...
And about the heat cooking they go in terms of quality:
1.the best is birch firewood, a fire, a stove, and so on :))
2. gas stove (analogue of kerosene stove, stove stove and so on) - live fire ...
3. electric stove ...
4. Microwave
Everyone can choose. ... you can use the microwave as a last resort, but not in everyday life ... and more often go out into nature with a kettle, and try to cook soup on a fire at least once, although there will be a gas stove nearby in the country. ... just feel something special. ... or at least boil your evening tea over a fire ... for the delicate fields of our body - this is an insanely strong rest and recovery ... especially for urban people ...

http://www.deti-indigo.ru/index.
php? a = 10 & b = 3 & c = forparents & module = articles
Thermal and non-thermal effects: When cooking in the microwave, intermolecular bonds are destroyed. So, according to scientific research, proteins, fatty amino acids, vitamins, and so on, do not change. However, histological studies of oven-cooked carrots and broccoli have found that the molecular structure of foods is deformed by high-frequency polarity reorientation, even to the point of destruction of the cell membrane, while the cell structure remains unchanged with conventional food preparation. caused by friction, there is a non-thermal effect of microwave radiation. (Radiation is the energy trapped in electromagnetic waves and particles.) Microwave cooking can lead to the development of new, hitherto unknown substances. Microwave-induced polarity reorientation causes destructive polarization of food cells, which can generate free radicals. All radicals have a strong tendency to provoke a backlash. They can interact with enzymes, thus causing the breakdown of biological processes. In addition, through induction, the food itself becomes a carrier and a secondary source of radiation, originally created by the microwave. What Scientists Proved: A report published in 1980 by the Institute of Radiation Hygiene of the German Federal Office of Public Health (BGA) compared 16 studies on the thermal and non-thermal effects of microwave radiation: 1. Decrease in the activity of enzymes and their influence on the processes stimulated by enzymes; 2.Influence on the thyroid gland, adrenal glands and their hormones; 3. Impact on the structure and functioning of blood elements, respectively; 4. Influence on cell growth and structural changes in chromosomes; 5. Cataract; 6. Effects on concentration, blood composition and hormones in the brain, respectively.

In 1973, two American scientists P. Czerski and W. M. Leach proved that microwaves cause cancer in animals. The American National Council for Radiation Protection NCRP announced in the late 1980s that children of mothers who used microwave ovens had higher rates of deformities.
A hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota, distributed leaflets in the early 1990s warning people against using microwaves to heat food for babies. they changed the food.
An interesting pattern: as soon as information about the negative effects of microwave ovens appears in the press, articles that directly or indirectly deny the negative effects of microwave radiation are very quickly discovered.
In 1991, a patient at a hospital in Tulse, Oklahoma, died of anaphylactic shock following a blood transfusion that had been heated in a microwave oven. Apparently, microwave radiation altered the blood and caused the patient's death. In the same year, the New England Medical Center in Boston stated that the structural and functional integrity of red blood cells (red blood cells) remained unchanged by the microwave. But what then killed the patient?
In 1989, the Swiss biologist Doc. H. W. Hertel invited the University of Lausanne to conduct an extensive study of the effects of microwave food on the human body. Together with Prof. Bernard Blank, he developed the program, which was submitted to the Swiss National Foundation. See completely on the site Indigo Children
The link does not remain, make it up of two at the beginning of the answer.

Is it possible to warm baby food in the microwave (just for babies). Is it not harmful?

Yuliya

And so artificial nutrition is harmful, and you are still in the microwave)
A comparative evaluation of 16 studies was carried out regarding the thermal and non-thermal effects of microwave radiation:
Decrease in the activity of enzymes and their influence on the processes stimulated by enzymes;
Influence on the thyroid gland, adrenal glands and their hormones;
Impact on the structure and functioning of blood elements, respectively;
Influence on cell growth and structural changes in chromosomes;
Cataract;
Effects on concentration, blood composition and hormones in the brain, respectively.
At one of the presentations, anthropologist A. Bohmert reported the following discovery: water samples were heated, some in a microwave oven, others in the usual way, and then left to cool for later use. Water samples were used to prepare seeds for germination. The grains that came into contact with the water heated in the microwave were the only ones that did not germinate.

Anastasia

Isn't it harmful to sterilize bottles in the microwave? I warmed everything up - the mixture, and regular food, and water. And they warm up all over the world. The main thing is not to forget to stir, the microwave does not heat very evenly.

Cool-Den4ik

Microwaves are not only harmful to babies! they are harmful even to the person standing next to them. By origin, they are very close to X-ray lu4am, and everyone knows about their harm. It is better not to be lazy and warm it up on the stove, and you will be calmer and the child is healthier!

not harmful, the main thing is that it is no longer possible to heat the food! on all packages with infant formula it is written that food must not be heated, within 2 hours after preparation it must not be given!
I warmed up the water for the child in the microwave and then I diluted the food, this is exactly how you can

Elena Pritula

It is not advised to warm expressed milk in it; it needs a very slow gradual heating so as not to lose valuable substances. The rest is possible, the danger lies only in the fact that the food heats up unevenly, you can get burned, so before using it, be sure to stir the food or shake the bottle if it is a mixture or something liquid

and I read that it is VERY harmful for a child to be in the same room with the TV, it is harmful to wash with modern baby shampoos, and it is simply LETHAL to be near a mobile phone, etc.

Evgeniya Sinyavskaya

baby food for babies is prepared just before feeding, it cannot be stored, even in the refrigerator! what are you going to heat ?! you can poison your baby, read carefully the instructions on the box with the mixture!

Food vs Microwaves, is it true ...?

User deleted

Microwave harmful or beneficial
Scientists in America have found that if it were not for microwaves, the increase in the incidence of stomach cancer would not have been avoided. Indeed, food is cooked in the microwave practically without using oil. The method used for cooking food in the microwave resembles the most beneficial for the stomach - steam.
But the Spanish researchers are outraged that, as they found out, broccoli, cooked using microwave, is deprived of up to 98% of the vitamins and minerals it contains.
The first experiment, during which scientists wanted to find out what is the effect of food cooked in a microwave oven on the human body, took place back in 1989 under the leadership of the Swiss biologist Hertel and Professor Bernard Blank.
Since the state refused to fund the research, the scientists were forced to monitor only one participant in the experiment, who first ate food cooked on the stove, and then - food cooked in the microwave.
The researchers found that after eating from the microwave, in the blood of the participant of the experiment, the number of leukocytes sharply increased, a process similar to the occurrence of blood cancer began. The reason for this disease could be precisely the use of food cooked in the microwave, scientists argued. But no one attached importance to the results of their research.
The World Health Organization (WHO) established earlier this year: radiation emitted from a microwave oven does not bring any harm to food or human health. There is only one contraindication - for people with implanted pacemakers, it is better to refuse to use a microwave, since cardiac pacemakers react negatively to microwaves.

Valeria

Microwaves are a form of electromagnetic energy, just like light waves or radio waves. These are very short electromagnetic waves that travel at the speed of light (299.79 km per second). In modern technology, microwaves are used in a microwave oven, for long-distance and international telephone communications, the transmission of television programs, the Internet on Earth and via satellites. But microwaves are best known to us as a source of energy for cooking - the microwave.
Each microwave oven contains a magnetron that converts electrical energy into an ultra-high frequency electric field of 2450 Megahertz (MHz) or 2.45 Gigahertz (GHz), which interacts with water molecules in food.
Microwaves bombard water molecules in food, causing them to rotate millions of times per second, creating molecular friction that heats the food. This friction causes significant damage to food molecules, tearing or deforming them.
Simply put, a microwave oven causes food to break down and change its molecular structure through radiation.

Caryander

I don’t know about bread, but cooking in the microwave is healthier than on the stove, because the products, allegedly, do not lose their useful properties due to instant cooking. This is what they write and say. I do not know, not an expert. I cook in the old fashioned way on the stove, EXTREMELY rarely in the microwave, I mostly heat it up. But bread croutons for beer are chic-modern. Add a little sausage, cheese, and "three crusts" were not lying around!

Everything began to be heated in the microwave. Is it harmful?

The happiest

Don't put your hands in the stove!

vardan chakhoyan

I haven't been using it for a year now, it's not tasty - the food is somehow dead ((
When microwave ovens first appeared on the Ukrainian market, a horror story immediately arose with them: "Food from the microwave causes cancer." There were also scarecrows that microwaves affect the intrauterine development of a child, causing pathological changes. That the food from the microwave is just overflowing with carcinogens ...

According to the latest research on the household appliances market, every fifth Ukrainian family has a microwave oven. And in the US, only 10 percent of the population does not have microwave ovens. When buying, sales consultants assure that "this model of the oven" is shielded from radiation and is completely safe for health. So there is still a danger?

Don't put your hands in the stove!

Well, of course there is, - says Oleg DRONITSKY, director of the TEST-BET test center. - If you stick your hand in the microwave, you get a burn. As, however, in a conventional oven. Only now you are unlikely to succeed in trying to fry in the microwave. Because all modern models are equipped not only with an interlock when the stove is operating, but also with child protection when the device is turned off.

In the work of a microwave oven, radio waves are used, as in a conventional receiver, only much more powerful and of a different frequency. Every day we experience the effects of radio waves of very different frequencies - from cell phones, televisions, computers, etc. Microwave waves directed at food bind protein, which also happens during boiling. After the end of the work, no residual radiation remains in the food. That is, in fact, food from the microwave is just as harmful as cooked on a regular stove.

Yes, microwave radiation in its pure form can affect a person, up to a serious burn. But microwaves are equipped with a special metal mesh through which radiation does not pass. So the harm will be felt only if for eight hours every day the tester of this harm is at a distance of 5 cm from the microwave. It is only at this distance that harmful microwaves escaping from the microwave can be partially caught.

leondora

It is harmful to heat up dairy products (yoghurts, etc.) in the microwave - living microorganisms are "killed".

The instructions say: do not dry pets in the microwave! :-))))))))))))