Microwaving Food

[m18pak]

I would like your opinions regarding what effect microwave cooking has on food.

I'd be especially interested in hearing from those who have given up using microwaves entirely. If there are any of you out there, did you find it made a change to your levels of energy etc? and how do you reheat your leftover food now?

[silicon toad2000]

I saw a documentary some time ago. The thrust of it was that microwaves are safe but you should never heat any food in any type of plastic container as toxins leech out of plastic as its heated.
Apparently the best way to heat food in the microwave is in china, glass or earthenware covered with a damp tea towel not with cling film.

[m18pak]

So microwaving doesn't have an effect on the molecular structure of the food itself?

Who was this documentary done by?

[harrem]

If you want to preheat your food, never use the microwave because it makes your food dry. Experienced this lots of times and the food ends up dry.

[Kaspian]

My husband and I quit using our microwave about a year and a half ago. Either we heat things in the toaster oven, on the stove, or eat them cold. The texture of the food is better without the microwave, and it feels more alive and wholesome when I eat it.

Steve has two articles on microwave use:

Dangers of Microwave Cooking
Microwave-Free for 145 Days

In the first one, he lists some articles with more info, and then he says:

These articles claim that microwave cooking makes food more carcinogenic, decreases food value by destroying nutrients, and creates unnatural substances that shouldn’t be consumed by humans.

[m18pak]

Yeah I read some of those articles this morning, which is what prompted me to start this thread in the first place.

[Jennihul]

I have reduced the amount of microwaving I do but it's too ubiquitous to eliminate. No microwave dinners, popcorn or pizzas but a reheat of tea or coffee and reheat of the occasional leftover.

I never use plastic or microwave through plastic lids or wrap.

Jennifer

[silicon toad2000]

sorry, I saw the documentary quite a long time ago, don't recall who made it.

if you're worried about what microwaves do to food, you might want to stay away from bluetooth, wi-fi, GSM phones and GPS devices and some of these use microwave technology.

Microwave - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

mind you, that being said, it's probably not a bad idea to cut down exposure to all of them anyway.

[Barcs]

Personally, I try to avoid the microwave as often as possible. I do use it every once in a while to reheat things, but never to cook. The food comes out nasty. Usually it's better off cold. My roomate does a lot of things in the microwave. Potatoes, pasta, frozen veggies, you name it.

[ogrekilleat]

Reality Check: Do microwave ovens kill nutrients in food?

On a different note, why does anyone want their food to taste alive? I like mine to taste safely dead!

[Andrew Brunelle]

I don't use the microwave much, just every now and then. The food never tastes as good as if it was heated on a stove, so I only use it when I absolutely have to. Supposedly, microwaves destroy nutrients and turn them into poisons, so it is probably best to avoid using one as much as possible. Although once in awhile shouldn't be that detrimental.

[PianoManGidley]

Originally Posted by ogrekilleat

I like mine to taste safely dead!

How about freshly dead? (Sorry...it just reminded me of that...and I love that bit.)

[JoeGoldfarb]

i have not owned a microwave in three years.

certain plastics leach chemicals at high temperatures that can be obtained when microwaving food inside those containers.

microwaves break down bioflavonoid. microwaved broccoli loses about 80% of it's flavonoid compaired to it's raw state. in contrast, steamed broccoli loses about 20%.

since microwaves destroy bioflavonoids, it is possible other nutrients in foods are destroyed as well.

[babuji]

Ok we know the scientific reasons that microwaving may be bad, but is there anyone out there that has experienced this firsthand?

I mean, can anyone talk about what their experience has been after giving up their microwave? How they feel? If they noticed any difference in the food they ate? etc..

[JoeGoldfarb]

Originally Posted by babuji

Ok we know the scientific reasons that microwaving may be bad, but is there anyone out there that has experienced this firsthand?

I mean, can anyone talk about what their experience has been after giving up their microwave? How they feel? If they noticed any difference in the food they ate? etc..

ohhhhhhhhh lol

i miss popcorn.
that is all -- that's the only thing.
i feel no different.

well, i feel better but that is because i eat better. when i had a microwave i used it to warm junk food. when i ditched the 'wave, i had to turn to other foods that were easy to eat but did not required a microwave oven to make.

i dont like cooking.

i believe that ceasing using a microwave oven is a very subtle lifestyle change, similar to exercising outside instead of inside the house.

there probably will not be much of a change, but one may be considered more "natural" than the other.

[PianoManGidley]

Originally Posted by JoeGoldfarb

ohhhhhhhhh lol

i miss popcorn.
that is all -- that's the only thing.
i feel no different.

well, i feel better but that is because i eat better. when i had a microwave i used it to warm junk food. when i ditched the 'wave, i had to turn to other foods that were easy to eat but did not required a microwave oven to make.

i dont like cooking.

i believe that ceasing using a microwave oven is a very subtle lifestyle change, similar to exercising outside instead of inside the house.

there probably will not be much of a change, but one may be considered more "natural" than the other.

In that case, the "benefits" may purely be a placebo effect. You're trying to eat more whole, raw foods and shying away from any semblance of technology-aided processed foods, so the change one feels may purely be psychological.

[JoeGoldfarb]

Originally Posted by PianoManGidley

In that case, the "benefits" may purely be a placebo effect. You're trying to eat more whole, raw foods and shying away from any semblance of technology-aided processed foods, so the change one feels may purely be psychological.

right.
but there is research proving microwaves destroy nutrients in food and encourage plastics to leach toxins into the food. what effect on "mood" and psychological well being might this have?

regardless whether this is a placebo effect or not, a good mood is a good mood!

[PianoManGidley]

Originally Posted by JoeGoldfarb

regardless whether this is a placebo effect or not, a good mood is a good mood!

Good point! And I have a good mood when I eat meats as well as other foods, and have no qualms using a microwave to cook or defrost my food. But that's just my omnivorous self.

[Zombie]

It's kind of a "lost art" these days but you can make popcorn just fine (actually, better in my opinion) on the stovetop with just a pot and some oil, or invest in a whirley pop. Air poppers are fine, too - although the quality of pops isn't as good.

[moonrambler]

Originally Posted by Zombie

It's kind of a "lost art" these days but you can make popcorn just fine (actually, better in my opinion) on the stovetop with just a pot and some oil, or invest in a whirley pop. Air poppers are fine, too - although the quality of pops isn't as good.

I was going to mention this too and was glad to see somebody else did. Microwaved popcorn doesn't taste nearly as good as popcorn made on a stovetop.

[AttractIt]

moonrambler - it's actually horrible to eat from microwave :-), I tried it once and couldn't finish.

It's so much fun to actually make it.