Not a few in the world today we use a microwave, both to heat food and to cook food. Undoubtedly, it is a useful equipment in the kitchens, because it considerably reduces the cooking times, which makes our life quicker. However, we may be concerned about the effects that the sustained use of such technologies would have on our bodies.
There are three considerations to take into account: first, that microwaves destroy the nutrients of the food we are cooking; second, that the containers with which we cook add chemicals to the food, and third, that its radiation causes cancer in the body. Let's see what science has found in the question of whether the microwave is harmful to health from these three elements.
Does the microwave destroy the nutrients in our food?
Since the appearance of microwaves in the 1960s, scientists have been investigating what effects this equipment can have on the nutritional content of our food. A study published in The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that when we cook vegetables in this way all the nutrients are kept, except vitamin C. It turns out that the latter is very volatile, that is, it is easily lost whenever we heat it, not It matters if we do it steamed, baked, etc.
It is better to combine raw with cooked vegetables and the problem is solved. On the other hand, it has been shown that cooking with microwaves produces the least loss of antioxidants in 20 vegetables compared to cooking under pressure, cooking directly to fire or frying.
Regarding the omega 3 of the fish, the studies indicate that the nutrient losses are greater in the micro than if the product is fried, but specialists agree that when frying harmful fats are added to the food and, therefore, it is less healthy than the first way. It is up to one, then, as a user to choose which method will be used in each dish.
Do microwaves containers add chemicals to food?
A valid question when we cook is if the microwave containers add chemicals to the food during cooking, especially those that are plastic and those that we use to wrap or cover food.
According to the Harvard Medical School, when these accessories are built, strict verification is made that no unsafe quantities are leaked and only those that pass the tests are approved for microwave use. Of course, it is very important that we always follow the indications of the products. The other would be our responsibility, and not the oven. However, if someone is still concerned, you can use only glass and porcelain containers that are designed precisely for cooking in this way and have no effect on food.
Does microwave radiation cause cancer in the body?
For obvious reasons, the most important question we all ask ourselves is whether radiation from the microwave causes cancer in the body. If we know that these electromagnetic waves are reflected by the metal, pass through glass, paper, plastic and similar materials and, above, are absorbed by food, it is natural that we worry.
So, will microwave radiation be harmful to health? To respond to this from science, it is necessary for us to understand that radiation is everywhere in our life, only in variable quantities. And it's about energy that comes from the most everyday things that we come across: the sun, a stove, appliances, X-rays, mobile phones, computers and even radios. We are always exposed to a natural background radiation.
But there are two forms of radiation:
Ionizing: can remove electrons tightly bound atoms, causing them to be charged. It is less risky in very small quantities - X-rays - but can cause problems when exposure is high (burns or DNA damage).
Non-ionizing: it has enough energy to move atoms inside a molecule, but not enough to eliminate the electrons.
The microwave emits non-ionizing radiation, which means that it only gets to move the molecules of the food and can not alter the chemical structure of its components. When food is heated in a microwave, the radiation produced is absorbed by the water molecules in the food. This energy causes the water molecules to vibrate and generate heat through this harmless friction, which cooks the food. Therefore, microwaves heat food faster than other methods.
Regarding cancer, until now there is no evidence that microwave cooking causes this disease or increases the likelihood of it. A study published in Molecular and Cellular Biology notes that exposure to microwave radiation did not show any signs of increased cancer risk in Swiss albino mice.
Specialists from the School of Public Health at UCLA Fielding explain that the types of radiation typically associated with cancers and with nuclear reactions are gamma radiation, neutron radiation and ionizing radiation. This type of radiation can change the DNA of a cell and predispose a person to cancer. For its part, Cancer Research UK, the world's leading cancer research organization, says that using microwaves is highly safe, of course, as long as the team's instructions are followed.
Anyway, it is a very controversial subject that is still subject to study. Later research will give us more information about whether the use of microwaves is harmful in any way, but as far as we have advanced, the only thing this technology does is to heat the food ... and at what speed!
Exactly