Written by Kate Tietje, Contributing Writer
Back when I was in high school, I remember sitting in French class one day. I don't remember what brought it up, but the teacher told us that she didn't have a microwave. We were honestly shocked. Why, we thought (and said). In this day and age, everyone has a microwave! It's so convenient! How do you cook without a microwave?!
Why, indeed.
I continued to happily use my oh-so-convenient microwave for several more years. That is, until I began to move towards real food in 2009. By the end of that year, I was convicted that it needed to go. And it did -- we put it away at the very end of 2009 (replaced it with my lovely Excalibur dehydrator!) and haven't looked back. It's been over two years, and I don't miss it. Are you curious why I did that...and how it's worked out?
Why Get Rid of the Microwave?
Microwaves are undeniably convenient -- if you want to reheat leftovers, or defrost meat for dinner. But using them comes with a price.
The way that microwaves work is by making use of an electromagnetic field. (Hang on -- it gets a little technical, but I'll try to keep it brief and understandable. My eyes were glazing over a little as I was researching all this, and I don't want that to happen to you!) Basically, there is a magnetron in each microwave, that creates an alternating current, acting on the electrons in the food and causing them to become "excited," increasing their kinetic energy -- which creates heat, cooking the food.
This process is basically radiation, where molecules gain or lose an electron through ionization. It doesn't sound like that big a deal, but it actually changes the molecular structure of the food.
This magnetron and the micro-waves it produces are so dangerous that all modern microwaves have to have at least three safety measures in place so that if the door opens, the microwave stops immediately. Being exposed to micro-waves causes all sorts of problems (see below)! Standing close to the microwave is discouraged, as is staring directly at it, because microwaves can sometimes be felt in the couple inches just outside the door.
Anyone who has ever used a microwave knows that food cooked this way doesn't look or taste like food cooked on the stove top or in a conventional oven. It burns more easily. Some things become rubbery, sticky, or have other strange textures. It doesn't taste the same. The food can have "hot spots" and "cold spots" due to uneven heating. These are easy ways to notice that microwaving food is not the same as "normal" cooking, clearly! And it is because of this ionization.
Another problem with microwaving is the containers in which most people microwave foods -- plastic, or coated paper. These can contain BPA and other chemicals that, when heated, leach into the food. We all know how harmful BPA is now! (If you haven't heard, BPA is an endocrine disruptor that really messes up your hormones.)
Some experts have linked microwave use to:
- Leukemia and other forms of cancer
- Cataracts (from looking too closely/radiation escaping)
- Irregular heartbeat/other heart issues
- Diabetes
- Nutrient loss/damage in food
- Anemia
- Higher cholesterol levels (which suggests damage to the body)
Okay, that's a little bit scary. And definitely enough to make me glad I haven't used a microwave in over two years! But what next?
Image by Katalicia1
But The Convenience...!
Like I said, sure, microwaves are convenient. Luckily, there are ways to do all those things you do with your microwave in other, safer ways!
Toaster Oven
If you want to cook or reheat a small amount of something, use a toaster oven. It heats like a regular oven, but since it's tiny, it doesn't take as long to heat up (nor will it make your house hot in the summer). Try using this to reheat foods or bake small amounts.
Oven
Your regular ol' oven shouldn't be ignored, either! I use mine all the time. We store most leftovers in Pyrex glass containers, so we simply remove the lid, pop it in the oven, and turn it on. (Putting cold glass in a cold oven won't shock and break the glass. Though honestly Pyrex is really sturdy, and I have put frozen glass into a hot oven and not had a problem. Don't take my word on it...but I'm saying I've done it.)
Stove Top
Boiling water or reheating things like soup goes just fine on the stove top, and doesn't take much longer. Realistically, rather than have hot soup in one minute, you have it in 10. So what? Start it a few minutes earlier and do the dishes while you wait. :)
Hot Water
Do you hate realizing you haven't defrosted the meat and it's 5PM? Put it in a sinkful of hot water. Now, I know -- "Only cool water, hot water is a breeding ground for bacteria." If you are only going to leave the meat for 10 or 15 minutes until it's mostly thawed, it will not have time to grow anything (that 'cool water' instruction is more for bathing a frozen turkey for several hours). Though honestly I have occasionally forgotten about meat for a few hours and as long as I cooked it, we've never gotten sick. (I'm bad...I break lots of 'food safety' rules all the time....)
Honestly, I don't even have a toaster oven. I rely on my oven, stove top, and hot water to thaw or reheat anything I need and I don't miss my microwave at all. I enjoy the convenience of being able to pop a glass container of food directly into my oven, turn it on, and go take care of something else -- say, putting my kids down for a nap. When I come back, it's perfectly hot enough. In a microwave it would have heated, stopped, and cooled back down already, not to mention been strange in texture. "Long" stuff works better with my lifestyle than "short" stuff anyway. :)
Stephanie's note: Our family also does not use a microwave and hasn't for about 5 years. We don't miss it. We heat food up in primarily the sames ways as Kate's family, although we do own a toaster oven and find it very handy for this purpose.
What About Other Stuff?
The one use that I do admittedly miss is heating those rice-filled socks to use as heating pads. They aren't consumable (obviously) so it's not a dangerous use. If you have a microwave still, you can use it for that. Mine is inaccessible. I'm told you can heat these up in an oven on 350 for 5 - 10 minutes; just check it frequently so it doesn't burn. The same goes for other convenience things -- if it can be done in a microwave, it can be done in another way, too.
I don't know where you're getting your information from, but as an electrical engineering student, I can tell you the science behind your argument is wrong. A microwave oven works by producing electromagnetic waves with a frequency of about 2.45 GHz. This electromagnetic wave interacts with polar molecules (mainly water) within the food. The polar molecules will rotate to attempt to align with the field, but since the the electromagnetic wave produces an alternating electric field, the atoms are continually "flipping" back an forth. In the process, these atoms collide with other molecules in the food to disperse energy which increase the temperature of the food. Yes, microwaves are technically radiation, but not the dangerous type that the average person would think of ( like the type emitted from nuclear reactions that cause radiation poising and cancer). Electromagnetic waves include radar waves, microwaves, infrared (thermal) waves, VISIBLE LIGHT, ultraviolet radiation, x-rays, and gamma rays. The biological damage radiation causes is correlates the energy the wave carries (which is related to the frequency of the wave). This is because if it has enough energy, it knocks electrons out of the "orbit" of the atom which ionizing the atom causing to to react in undesirable ways in the body. Microwaves are NOT ionizing radiation (only x-rays and gamma rays are considered ionizing radiation) they actually carry less energy than visible light. Not to burst your bubble or anything but there is also a significant amount of electromagnetic radiation in conventional ovens too in the form of infrared (thermal) radiation which actually carry more energy than microwaves (though its still not considered ionizing radiation). Also, the safety measures in place to keep the microwaves from exiting the enclosure are there, not because of dangerous ionizing radiation, but because you may recall that our bodies are mostly water, so you probably wouldn't enjoy being cooked along with your food. Also uneven heating of the food is not caused by ionization, but rather by wave interference in the microwave and by difference absorbent/thermal properties of the various part of food. Also real experts have found that even long term direct exposure to microwaves are not linked to cancer actually more carcinogens are produced by cooking with an oven; in general, more of the food's nutrients are lost using an oven too. It's true that food generally tastes worse in the oven because of the nature of the heating process, but it's not any more dangerous for your health, and I advise you do a little more research before trying to scare people into throwing out their microwaves on the basis of false information.
Your whole article is based on "ionisation" and the chemical structure of the food changing. Unfortunately you have the science completely incorrect. The microwave radiation is actually NON-ionising (meaning it doesn't cause electrons to be lost or gained). The radiation merely affects the magnetic dipole of polar molecules (water for example) and doesn't affect the structure in the slightest. This excitation of the molecules releases IR radiation (heat) and heats the food.
Microwave heating is actually safer and healthier than other methods, as it is sterlising (kills all bacteria in the food) and there is less chance of burning the food and ending up with free radicals than in other cooking methods.
If you are going to advise people on giving up a convenient and safe cooking method, you should at least base it on accurate science and not just big words.
Kate, I appreciate your post on microwaves. My family also wants to get rid of ours, because (1) we heard that it wasn't healthy and (2) I like the aesthetic of a clean "natural" kitchen. However, I'm skeptical by nature and I 'm always curious when everybody says something is bad without a ton of proof for it. So I wanted to see if this fear and panic over microwave ovens was justified before deep- sixing ours in the name of health. In terms of danger, I think there is no real evidence that microwave ovens do anything harmful to food while heating up as another person posted previously, but when cooking or running at low to high power, microwave ovens emit EMF radiation which is considered harmful. It is suspected that EMF pollution may nurture or grow many types of microbes that make human infections and diseases more difficult to cure. So in order to test how much EMF my microwave oven produced, I bought a good Gauss meter and I measured the EMF when the microwave was turned off, and it was completely safe, no measurable EMF produced. However, when I turned the microwave on "high" for 45 seconds and placed the Gauss meter on top of the oven, the needle (as they say) was way off the charts in measuring EMF. But, and this is a big point, when I moved the Gauss meter 2 inches away from the microwave oven, the measurement was half as strong as when on top of it, and when I further moved just 5 inches away from the oven, the Gauss meter measured nearly zero EMF. So my conclusions are that most microwave ovens (ours is 8 years old) are very well insulated from EMF pollution and so the hype over EMF pollution that Dr. Mercola and others warn against is just not evidenced or apparent in terms of modern microwave ovens. Frankly, there is way more measurable EMF pollution when you talk on your cell phone. My Gauss meter showed that when speaking on an iPhone the EMF was equal to that of a microwave oven on 'high" with a Gauss meter sitting on top of the oven. A safe distance for EMF pollution when speaking on an iPhone is about 8-10 inches away from your body. And a headset doesn't dissipate the EMF much either. So getting rid of your cell phone is probably a safer health bet than dumping your microwave oven. That said, there is again a certain clean aesthetic that I like in a kitchen that doesn't have a microwave oven, so if people get rid of their ovens for that reason, I find it a more honest and truthful reason. But to think you are protecting your family from dangerous EMF pollution by chucking your microwave oven is not verifiable and you and your readers should be aware of that fact. Thank you.
I enjoyed the article and agree with all of your comments. I think you should visit the website listed above and learn about the Macrowave. It's really a great product. It's been featured on the DIY network "the best of KBIS (kitchen and bath show) 2012, as well as "I Want That". You should check it out.
We tossed our microwave out about three years ago, and I don't miss it at all. We got rid of it because we wanted to distance ourselves from convenience foods, like frozen meals and packaged foods full of preservatives. We hoped by not having a microwave, we would be more likely to eat whole foods and cook from scratch. It really did help!
Our microwave just stopped working this weekend. I had tried to convince the family to get rid of it earlier this year with no persuasion. So God moved! Beware to not preheat the oven to reheat food, our loss of a plate and a lesson learned.
If researching the necessary science gives you a headache, then you probably shouldn't be reporting on the subject. That leads to ill-informed fallacies and misconceptions. Understand that microwave radiation (oo scary word!) is LESS energetic than visible light. And if visible light isn't ionizing your food, then neither is your microwave appliance. There is a difference between excitation and ionization, the latter being the stripping of electrons from host atoms. Think of your microwave as simply vibrating the water in your food to heat it up.
I have an aversion to microwave ovens and all types of unusual radiation.I would like to be a member of an organization that advocates against the use of microwave ovens and being subject to unusual radiation.Does such an organization exsist? Would you know of any people interested in starting such an organization?
Microwaves are a form of NON-ionizing radiation, in the same class as radio waves and visible light.
I haven't had a microwave in 10 years, more for the ruined flavor and texture and because I like my kitchen without a clutter of appliances. But to save energy and time I use a water kettle to heat the water before I start cooking rice/pasta on the stovetop. The kettle also allows me to make coffee quickly in a french press pot, so I don't need any filters either (saving a little time, money and environment in one go).
A regular bread toaster will also do for defrosting slices of bread quickly too, but mostly its just about taking things out of the freezer in time. What I also do is to freeze the foods in flat packs and portion sized to begin with, they will defrost much faster and I can easily cook for one when I want to.
I never really had a habit of reheating food, I eat it when I cook it, what is left over is turned into something else the next day. Besides, the more time spent heating foods the more the vitamins have time to break down.
It is impossible that in the physical world we currently occupy that microwaves can in any way, shape, or form ionize our food.
Please, please, please everyone do your homework before swallowing this hook.
*Disclaimer, I do not own, nor endorse using microwaves. But this kind of pseudo- science and the amount of re-posting from blog to blog to blog is just sad. Unfortunatly I think this tall tale can be traced back to Dr. Mercola's site.
I enjoyed the post and the comments on this. I appreciate the civility of all involved,too.
We have been without a microwave for almost 5 years. This is due to, mostly, space constraints, and generally we have not missed it. I do like to heat things quickly somtimes and have found that using my colander over a small amount of boiling water with a lid on it does wonders. I place an oven proof bowl in the colander because it can tolerate the heat. It's like a micro steam table and since steam gets hotter than boiling water it heats up the food pretty quickly, without crisping things like mashed potatoes.
We recently lived a few months in Italy very happily without the microwave. I'd be happy to see it go, but I think my husband would object. Growing up, my family didn't have one until I was around 14 years old, so I suppose I just got used to living without it. Plus, I really love a simple low-tech life.
My microwave serves 3 main purposes. It holds up my shamrock plant. It is my kitchen timer and clock, and it is used to melt cheese on nachos. I can move the plant, buy a clock, and melt cheese in a double boiler, though it would be healthier to give up the nachos altogether. I like what one commenter said and may replace my m'wave with a nice excaliber dehydrator. :)
We are without MW since feb/2011.....before that also we didn't had it for almost 3 yrs. but this time it's gone for ever.....well I grew up in a house without MW so it all seemed possible....stove top & toaster oven do all my jobs....I do miss it while baking for heating/melting small amounts of chocolate but that's about it....blogged about our life without MW here in this post....
http://spicebuds.blogspot.com/2011/05/back-to-basics-1-life-without-microwave.html
We moved about 7 months ago to a new apartment. The landlord provided a microwave. It sits on the top shelf in our laundry room. We also have our own toaster oven, and it sits up there in the laundry room too. We just warm things with the oven or stove because the toaster oven was taking up too much room in our kitchen. We've been microwave-less for a little over a year now, and we've never once wished we had it. Food tastes so much better reheated on the stove top or in the oven!
We haven't used a microwave in years, and I am happy about it. I don't even think about it. Nearly everyone else thinks we are strange, but that's okay. :-) I use my toaster oven and the stovetop for reheating items, and it is just fine. Good things are worth the wait. :-)
One of the methods I found for heating things up without the microwave that didn't require me to dirty another pot is the power of steam. A double boiler or just a pot with a metal strainer and the item to be warmed inside the strainer is the setup. Get the water in the bottom pot to boil and let it sit for a little while. It warms up the contents of the plate or bowl beautifully.
we haven't used a microwave in almost 5 years as well. i still have our mostly as a clock in the kitchen and to warm my heated wrap for my back when i am pregnant. i am not tempted at all to use it for anything else because of all the reasons you already listed. i have found it really easy to live without one and i think food tastes better the old fashioned reheating ways...
my recent post: a little bit of real life (and my 37.5 week maternity pics!)
When we moved into our house, five years ago, we did not have the counter space for the microwave and the toaster oven and the toaster oven was much more loved. Micro was demoted to the top of the dryer in the laundry room. I thought every grown up had to have one in the house. When people came over it would be moved out of the way, until we just didn't set it back out. Eventually, it was donated and we haven't missed it since!
We haven't had our microwave in the kitchen for several years....it's in the basement kitchen, for the very rare 'just in case.' At one time I could cook a whole meal using the microwave. I finally decided that I don't like the texture of food, and many times foods have been ruined by over-micowaving. We've discovered lots of ways to reheat meals on the stove top and in the oven....and it really doesn't take long...just a little planning. The results are deeelish!
I have never developed an appreciation for microwaving, even though most of my peers have had them since we were kids at home. When microwave popcorn first came out, I thought it tasted awful compared to making homemade. That popcorn cast a lot of doubt in my mind about the quality of microwaved foods. Maybe the popcorn has improved since then, but I still see no real advantages, other than potential convenience, and that is not enough motivation for me to want a microwave.
When I was a young adult who didn't like to cook, the toaster oven got a lot of use, and it still does, only now I've learned how to cook real foods.
Hi there -
Just as an FYI, I wanted to give some comfort to those who are concerned about the safety of using microwave ovens.
It is certainly true that microwaving food does sometimes change the molecular structure of the food (that's why its unwise to microwave breast milk - the proteins in breast milk are more delicate than other proteins - some things are destroyed molecularly in the microwave, and some are just fine). It is also true that microwaving food often produces inferior taste, texture, and uneven temperatures.
However, as far as safety goes, there really REALLY is nothing to worry about. I have a degree in chemistry and a minor in physics, and if you look up details about the electromagnetic spectrum (all the different kinds of radiation that exist - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_spectrum), you can see right away that microwaves have a lower frequency than visible light. The higher the frequency, the more dangerous the type of radiation to our body's cell structure. Scary things like gamma rays have the highest frequencies, and non-scary things like radio waves have really low frequencies. None of us goes around trying to protect ourselves from visible light - we all think nothing of turning on a lamp in the evening so we can see well enough to knit. Microwaves have such a low frequency, and atoms are so SO small, that microwaves just go right through us like we're not even there. The sun emits microwaves. And there are thousands of radio waves flying through the air that go right through us that we don't even know about unless we happen to tune into one of them with a radio. Once you get HIGHER frequencies than visible light, then you get into the dangerous zone, with the ultraviolet rays giving us sunburns, and x-rays that should be used only with caution at the dentist and the doctor's office, and gamma rays that are the result of nuclear fallout, or are only used for cancer treatments.
Studies can show all kinds of results depending on the assumptions of the people performing them, and because of the concern people have about their safety, microwaves are built to practically eliminate exposure to people, unless you press your nose up against the door while its cooking.
So, moral of the story is - your food might not taste good or be optimally nutritious if you use a microwave, using a microwave is not going to give you cancer.
thank you Stephenie,
Your post is very helpful!
Thank you for this post! At last some people are realising how dangerous microwaves are. As with many things there is a big lobby who doesn't want us to know. This information could also possibly change people's minds about using microwaves.
I've been taking qigong classes for over 5 years now. My teacher has explained many times that by using microwaves the food loses about 60-90% of its qi (=Life energy). Food without qi causes fatigue and because of this the body is not able to even absorb vitamins, enzymes, minerals, etc. It's even worse when using frozen food. Through freezing food (also other highly processed food) also 60-90% of qi is lost. Put frozen food in a microwave and you're not left with much qi at all.
Could you elaborate as to why you feel frozen food is so bad?
We didn't have a microwave for about 2 years. I absolutely hated just the amount of dishes used to heat up leftover food (we have a minimal number of everything, like pots and pans - well, except books, ugh - due to moving around a lot...) and the way that I tend to cook creates a lot of leftovers. I also really missed being able to use my rice-filled heating pads when I had a backache or cramps. And I end up with a cold cup of tea by 10 AM that I would not bother dirtying a pot and taking 5-10 minutes to reheat on the stove. So we ended up wasting food and time without the microwave. We got a tiny one a few weeks ago and only use it for reheating leftovers and an occasional frozen meal (that would otherwise take about an hour or more in the oven). I don't use it for much and I still boil my water for tea in my old, beat-up kettle, but we probably use it around once or maybe twice a day now. I avoid being near it while it's on (turn it on and walk away) especially because I'm pregnant. (That is not an invite for criticism from anyone, by the way!) I just want to share that because I was really proud of not having a microwave for these years and finally I just had to admit to myself how much I hated not having one. I grew up mostly without one until I was in my teens (my Mom was afraid of the radiation) and we got along okay. It's just a good thing we got it before all of us kids became hungry teenagers, looking to eat up all of the leftovers quickly. That's my microwave story, hope it helps if anyone is considering just throwing out their microwave. Oh, one last thing, my microwave has different settings (like low, medium, high) with different outputs, so I use the lowest possible setting most of the time (although it takes longer) to minimize the exposure as well as heat through the food more thoroughly (less hot and cold spots). HTH!! :)
Also, I avoid using plastic anything in the microwave. (even "microwave safe") ... I use glass storage containers (they do have plastic lids, that do not go in the microwave) and regular ceramic/stoneware dishes/mugs. :)
We've still got a microwave, but I barely use it other than for it's timer - which works better than the one on my oven.
I did a post about it a while ago, with a few of my tips for reheating food without a microwave. http://www.cravingfresh.com/2011/09/ditching-microwave.html
Yikes! I knew about the standing by the microwave thing but I never thought about the affect on the food.. other than taking nutrients out and changing the texture does it have a harmful affect on the food??
Can you use the plates & bowls made by Corning in the toaster oven or in the regular oven? Sometimes we have leftovers on those. What about the Pyrex containers in the toaster oven or do you have to use the tray that comes with it?
Some things have printed on the bottom, "oven safe" or something like that. I would think that Pyrex and Corning would each be able to answer specifically about their own products if you ask them. Pyrex is generally known for being oven safe, so I would trust Pyrex in the oven and toaster oven. (Just don't add cold water to a very hot,dry roasting pan, because the glass may shatter all over your roast.)
Anything that is safe in a regular oven should also work in the toaster oven. Just think of the toaster oven as a smaller version of a conventional oven, because that's really what it is. The tray/s that come with the toaster oven are meant to be a convenience, not a must-use.
Hope that helps
We use the toaster over quite a bit. The tray that came with it was aluminum, so we got rid of it & use the small, stoneware bar pan from pampered chef. It fits perfectly & works great. We also use our pyrex & other oven safe glassware. It's still an oven, just smaller, so any small iron/stone/glassware that is made for oven use works with the toaster oven, as well.
While I haven't completely made the break from the microwave I have drastically cut back on the use of it. I haven't yet had the time to do the research you have done, but I became concerned and so have tried to reduce the use. The two most prevalent reasons I had for using it were cooking vegetables and defrosting. I now steam most of my veggies, it really does not take that much longer and they taste so much better. I also defrost now in a bowl of room temperature water. It takes a bit longer than the microwave, but the results are again more satisfying - no "cooked" spots while others are still frozen.
My husband does use it to reheat his coffee - I don't know if I can break him of that.
When I began to cut out microwave use in my home, it got to the point where the only thing I was using it for was reheating coffee too. I purchased a Coleman stainless steel percolator, which I use on my stove top to make coffee. Once the coffee is done, I turn the burner to low and it keeps the coffee hot. I LOVE my percolator, and would never go back to a drip machine. It never kept coffee hot, and I was concerned about hot water leeching chemicals out of the plastic parts, so the stainless steel percolator was the perfect solution. The best part is that the coffee tastes so much better! It does take a little longer than a drip machine, but it's so worth it. It takes about 17 minutes from the start to a finished pot of yummy coffee.
We got rid of our microwave about three years ago and I haven't ever missed it. I rarely used it in the first place because I don't like the way microwaved food tastes. My main reason for getting rid of it had nothing to do with how it works, but instead with the kinds of foods that are cooked in it. There are absolutely no healthy whole foods that can *only* be cooked in a microwave, but plenty of incredibly unhealthy processed foods that fit that description. By getting rid of the microwave altogether there is no question of these foods coming into the house since there would be no way to cook them.
I reheat leftovers on the stove or in the toaster oven. It only takes a few extra minutes and the food tastes so much better.
I will definitely talk this over with my husband. I did read the research article linked to at the end of the post. Gee, when you are getting ready to have a little one, you think about a lot more safety things than you did before you got married. Our housemate has been against microwave usage for a while now. I finally understand her reasons! Granted, we don't use a microwave for everything, but still. Thanks for sharing this information.
From my understanding the radiation in Microwaves a is not the radiation you may associate with nuclear power plants or atomic bombs. This radiation is just radio waves. As you know radio waves are everywhere. You are being continuously being exposed to radio waves. Yes, their energy is much less than the energy in the Microwave Oven. The frequency of the microwaves is higher than the frequency radio waves. No ionization takes place if food in the Microwave. The microwaves in Microwave Ovens are tuned to the water molecule. The water molecules move faster as they absorb the microwaves and thus heats the food. All food contains water. Plastics and china are not heated by the microwaves because they do not contain any water molecules. Foods are heated in the microwave simply by the water molecules being heated by the microwaves - not ionization.
In the past, I pulled MANY dishes, both plastic and glass, out of the microwave that were very hot.
I have also had plenty of dishes come out of the microwave very hot, and plastic melts in the microwave. So, yes, the microwave DOES act on them. Also it is not "radio waves," it is a distinctly different type of waves called microwaves...hence the name of the device.
Even if there is question about what microwaves may do to the food, I still think it's wise, personally, to err on the side of caution and avoid use.
Hi John. I appreciate your trying to share information as you understand it. But I have seen plastic melt in the microwave, wet and not. And, I have taken things out of the microwave oven when the container was hot, but the food was not.
I have actually used the microwave to heat stoneware plates that don't have any food on them, so that when we eat, our food doesn't cool down so quickly. The reason I can heat plastic and glass and stoneware in the microwave even though they don't contain water obviously is that there is a small amount of water vapor in the air we breathe all around us. The microwaves heat up the water vapor, and the water vapor molecules bump into the molecules in the empty plate or container and thereby heat it up. Microwaves ARE a higher frequency than radio waves, but they are a lower frequency than visible light - see my other comment for a link to the electromagnetic spectrum. And as I said there, yes, it can change the molecular structure of some foods, but it won't make harmful per se - just less nutritious. A microwaved dinner is still healthier than a large bowl of greasy cheez whiz.
I love my microwave popcorn! I have not done the stove top method in a d mecad e and some. Maybe I'll just invest in a popcorn maker...
Try using a Stir Crazy. It can be used with a small amount of oil and cooks up nice and fluffy. You can add butter to to top if you want which melts and drips down on the popcorn as it pops. Flip it over, and the lid becomes a bowl. Easy to wipe the base clean and just wash the lid/bowl in soapy water.
Don't you get into teflon and bpa issues with a Stir Crazy? Or is this a different one than what I'm thinking of?
We pop all of our popcorn on the stove. I use my smallest stock pot and lid. Put in a little bit of coconut oil and a couple of kernels. Heat over medium high heat until the kernels pop, then dump in the rest of the popcorn kernels. Keep that lid on and shake it or swirl it gently from time to time to be sure nothing is sticking and the unpopped kernels fall back to the bottom where they can heat up and pop. Use popcorn salt and it will stick to the popcorn without having to use a bunch of butter on it.
When I dump out the popcorn, I take the pot to the sink and get water in it right away. A little swish with some dish soap and my big brush and it's clean and ready to go. Much better than the yuck that is on microwave popcorn or a nice coating of teflon.
Hmmm...I'm not usually a fan of food reheated in the microwave but as a scientist and engineer I'm confident a microwave does not 'ionize' food in any way shape or form. The waves are rotated to capitalize on the polarity of the molecules (particularly water) and cause the molecules themselves to move, generating kinetic energy which manifests itself as heat.
Well put! Yes, I'm an engineer as well and what is said about microwaves and how they are so terrible doesn't make any sense. Heating food in general causes changes - like in the oven as cooked food is different than raw food! - but it isn't specific to the microwave. The mechanism of heatin gis different, but doesn't alter the food in some mysterious way.
Thank you.
Just to add... microwaves fall between radio waves and infrared radiation (aka heat) in the electromagnetic spectrum... their waves are WAY longer than visible light! I wouldn't worry about them in contact with your food.
(radio... microwave... infrared... visible light... ultraviolet... x-ray... gamma...)
Hester (BSc Physics)
I'm not a scientist or an engineer, so I'm curious about your opinion on this article: http://www.herbalhealer.com/microwave.html
I am an engineer, the link in question contains this line.
"In simpler terms, a microwave oven decays and changes the molecular structure of the food by the process of radiation."
Everything about this claim is just wrong.
1. Microwave ovens do not decay. Elements with unstable nuclei (typically those with more than 83 neutrons, though there are exceptions) decay ie are "radioactive". Think Radium, Plutonium, Uranium, etc, but not microwave ovens. A microwave oven is doing nothing more than a lightbulb, it is emitting an electromagnetic wave which carries energy (albeit invisible unlike the lightbulb) and transfers that energy into the molecules (typically H20) causing them to move, causing friction, which generates heat that is transfered to the particles that make up the food.
2. Microwave ovens can change the molecular structure of food....just like every other source of heat in the world. Cooking in general is based on breaking and making chemical bonds, this is not unique to microwave ovens.
3. Not all "radiation" is created equal. Infared heat lamps keep food warm at most if not all fast food joints in the world...by radiation. Radiation is all around us all the time, but what matters is its energy level, ie its wavelength.
Radiation does not become a problem until the ultraviolet, x-ray, and gamma ray wavelengths. These are on the opposite side of the spectrum from microwaves.
So, in short, that link is completely bogus. Sorry.
I would love to get rid of ours. We just moved in January and our new house did not have one and I was happy to keep it that way but my mother in law lives with us and she wanted one. I try to limit it how much it gets used.... especially for my kiddos.
"This process is basically radiation, where molecules gain or lose an electron through ionization. It doesn't sound like that big a deal, but it actually changes the molecular structure of the food."
This statement is false. Microwaves are NON-IONIZING and DO NOT change molecular structures. They just basically VIBRATE the molecules to induce HEAT.
I am not trying to be mean, but be careful what you write and read because it is not always true.
We gave up our microwave about 2 years ago. Instead of using the microwave bean bags for heat packs, I have a little cloth bag that closes ( a zipper closure is most ideal), I just throw rice in my dry cast iron frying pan and toss it around for a minute or two (it doesn't take long) then dump the hot rice back into the cloth bag and voila...heat pack
I haven't owned a microwave for over 3 years. I don't miss it except for when I want to melt butter for baking. On the stove am concerned about it burning and always lose a little bit in the pan. Let me know if you have a tip for that!
Hi Catherine, if you are preheating your oven and can melt your butter first, put the butter in a glass bowl and stick it in the oven for a few minutes. Remove, and continue with the recipe as usual. :) I also sometimes put butter on my stove top (best to do it in a bowl in case you forget about it and it melts too much) while I'm cooking to soften it. Or I just tend to leave butter out all the time, especially if I am going to be baking soon.
I completely agree. We finally stopped using one about 6 weeks ago. My hubby didn't think it could be done, so we still have it. If our house sells this year, I plan to include it so it doesn't come with us. :) Has anyone mentioned a tea kettle? I bought a glass one from Amazon when we made the switch. I love it for those times I need boiling water (such as dissolving sugar for lemonade)!!
We moved to our current home almost 2 yrs ago and I never bought a microwave. We have a small kitchen and I didn't want to use up counter space. Never missed it! After all, I grew up in South America and 20 yrs ago it was a luxury my parents wouldn't have dreamed of. Never needed it then, don't need it now. I wonder how many things I still have that I could do without....
I've discovered a very quick way to defrost a package of frozen ground meet by putting it in my 7qt. crock pot with hot water. Put the lid on (essential) and turn it over after about 10-15 min. for more even exposure to the hot water. I don't recommend using boiling water. It will cook the ground beef even if it's frozen going in (voice of experience here). You can, however, spill out some of the water and replace it with more hot water when you're ready to flip it. Should only take 20 - 30 min and the meat is completely thawed and ready to cook. I think it's quicker than doing this in the sink because the crock pot holds the heat better than my sink.
Two out of our three microwaves don't work. (Why we have 3 microwaves is a long story. We won't go there.) The one that does work and is the oldest is down in the basement so I don't go down there. Even before two out of three microwaves died we'd already decided not to use them. We keep them because they are built in and the one has a convection oven so we will eventually have that one fixed...just not use the microwave part. Our kids come over and try to reheat a plate in the broken microwave. They eventually go downstairs and reheat. I always offer to warm it up in the oven for them, but they look at me like I'd grown another head. One of our daughters (out of 6) stopped using her microwave in about 2006. Smart girl!
This is so interesting! Last week was the first time I'd really heard how bad your microwave was for you, and ironically enough mine broke last week! I told my husband we were at least going to try going without one, and it has been difficult. However, I think if I can just *remember* we don't have one anymore it won't be too bad!
So I've wanted to get rid of our microwave for a few years now but one thing always stops me....what temp do you set your oven at when you just want to warm something up? And how long do you leave it in there? I just never found out the answers to those questions and so I've never given my microwave up, but I'd still really like to. I've been heating soup on the stove for a long time now (why on earth would I use the microwave for that when the stovetop is so easy?).
Hi Leslie, I usually just put whatever I'm warming up in a cold oven (no preheating) and turn it to 350. By the time it beeps to indicate it's preheated, the food is usually warm!
I find 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes is plenty of time for most items. Reheating a casserole or baked potato thoroughly takes longer, usually 20 - 30 minutes.
My parents got rid of our microwave for these reasons when I was about ten years old. All my friends thought our family was crazy, and I too wondered "How will we survive!?" Come to find out, it was easy. Really, really easy to find other ways to cook food. We also stopped buying a lot of the convenience foods that are designed for a microwave anyway. When I got married, my new husband was a little weary of living without a microwave but I was insistent. (Besides, we lived in less than 600 sq. feet at the time, and we literally did not have the counter space in our kitchen, so that was in my favor) He adjusted in no time to living without a microwave and in our five years of marriage he has never even considered buying one.
I read a great article on microwaves that sealed the deal for me... See below....
http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/health-hazards-to-know-about/microwave-ovens-the-proven-dangers
I gave the micorwave up for Lent this year. I really want to stop using it and I thought that'd be a good way to see if I could. It's not easy but clearly doable. I've use the little burner for keeping you tea cup warm to reheat small amounts of leftovers for lunch.