Negative effects of microwaving

[numberthirtytwo]

I won't lie, I'm not a cook, although I hope to god someday to marry one. But until I do that, or learn the skill set, I rely a lot on my microwave. Someone told me today I was going to get cancer and die which I'm pretty sure is bullshit, but it reminded me of an article (I think) I read about what effects different types of food preparation have on nutrients in vegetables or something like that. Not sure if I read it here or somewhere else. Does anyone know of something like that, or of any actual negative effects of microwaving food: meat/vegetables?

 

[turbozed]

I know of none. Except that it changes the texture of foods. Hard to get things crispy out of the microwave.

 

[$ick Money!]

Ive heard the same rumors but never seen any studies or research to back it up.

 

[Ring Shark98]

Cooking in general does damage some nutrients, but not enough to really worry about I don't think. Microwaving may damage a tad more due to the more violent collision of particles, which results in it heating faster. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

[Cratos]

Microwaving: Makes breads soggy, makes meats dry.

Putting it on a lower power setting will help negate this effect, as will cooking it for a little less time.

 

[XMoker]

Since cooking food adds energy to it, and microwaving cooks faster it adds even more energy to it, look out for extra calories. Sorry, I had to.

 

[d_couch90]

Microwaves make food taste like shit.

 

[IDRISCKY]

I don't even use the microwave anymore. Then again, when all you have to do is stand in the sun for energy, you don't really need to use any cooking appliance anymore.

 

[Rowan11088]

I use the microwave most days, but only to reheat meals I've cooked on the stove/in the oven. Nothing gets nuked for more than a minute or so, so I don't sweat it. It would probably be better if I stovetop reheated everything, but the convenience factor wins out.

Since cooking food adds energy to it, and microwaving cooks faster it adds even more energy to it, look out for extra calories. Sorry, I had to.

Dude, you just BLEW MY MIND. I'm not even joking, I'm thinking right now about the results of only eating frozen foods. Besides hating your life.

 

[LuckyCharms]

I haven't used one for a very long time.

 

[TMMAray]

Since cooking food adds energy to it, and microwaving cooks faster it adds even more energy to it, look out for extra calories. Sorry, I had to.

You are the greatest man who ever lived.


On the subject, supposedly certain chemicals which can adversely affect hormone levels can be released when you cook things in a plastic container. I can neither confirm nor deny the veracity of this claim, it's just the one possible detriment to microwaving that I know of.


Fun fact: microwaved vegetables lose fewer vitamins than steamed or boiled ones (unless you drink the broth, I suppose).

 

[MikeMartial]

A bunch of anecdotal tree-hugging crap circulated a while back, all based on the highly controlled 6th grader science fair experiment of plants that had been given microwaved water. Teh Interwebz = FAIL

I actually don't use mine beyond re-heating foods, and occasionally steaming veggies. It's a convenient appliance that we've done without up until the last 30 years.

 

[JSN]

the big negative is that the food turns out like shit for most things. microwaving is a pretty low energy way too cook. it happens due to resonance between the water in the food and the microwave and not due to the actual energy you bombard the food with. in terms of generating radicals and that sort of thing it's prolly produces far less than cooking with heat.

 

[numberthirtytwo]

thanks ive learned things! i'm gonna go microwave me some bacon