Microwaves and cooking food are they bad for you?

[lovebug]

Ok so I have been toying with the idea that my microwave is doing more harm then good- in more ways then one. I started to do research and found a 50/50 result some say it is really bad for you and others say oh its not bad, its safe and well tested as safe.

So in talking to a friend that is more hippy then I I brought this up. She told me to put a glass of water in the microwave for 5 mins and let it cool. Then buy 2 plants. Water only one with the cooled water from the microwave and the other with real tap water. She at that time she did not tell me what would happen. i put them in the same spot and waterd them both the same amount each day.

Well the plant that I water with the microwave water is almost dead! I called her about this and she said that a microwave reduces the amount of nourishment in things we cook in it, even water.

What are your thought mamas? I know they may be bad but this is how I cook most of the time… what to do? I need HELP to get rid of my microwave!

[Beck024]

I agree that it's very confusing whether or not they're safe. There is so much conflicting information and I don't feel microwaves have even been around long enough for us to really know. I decided it wasn't worth the risk. We got rid of ours five years ago and I honestly have not missed it. Get yourself a toaster oven for heating leftovers and you'll be happy. I hate the way most food tastes coming out of the microwave anyway and most of the instant meals people cook in microwaves are unhealthy. We have 4 kids to cook for and get along fine without one.

[jpamama]

We no longer own a microwave due to the same test. I really used to only use it to heat up my daughters food when she was a baby and thought that I am going to all this trouble to make here good, organic food and then sticking in the microwave... thus taking out good nutrients. When we moved to our new house there was no good spot for a microwave so we went cold turkey and haven't honestly looked back. I simply heat things up on the stove as in the old days - no big deal. Although people think we are crazy, it has honestly gotten us to eat healthier as we don't look to the easy fix of frozen food thrown into the microwave. Honestly we only miss it for chinese food leftovers (I don't know why they just don't taste the same if they aren't heated up next day in the microwave)... but seeing as we only order that once a year, no a big loss!

[pers]

No comment on the safety of microwaves overall. But two plants does not make a scientific experiment since there are so many other factors that could have resulted in the death of the single plant.

Snopes as a page on the microwave water/plant expermiment here here. If you want to make the experiment more scientific, I'd suggest following their methodology.

[lovebug]

Originally Posted by pers

No comment on the safety of microwaves overall. But two plants does not make a scientific experiment since there are so many other factors that could have resulted in the death of the single plant.

Snopes as a page on the microwave water/plant expermiment here here. If you want to make the experiment more scientific, I'd suggest following their methodology.

No. I don’t need to make it more scientific. It is proof enough for me! But thank you. I have a feeling I could make a ‘real’ scientific project out of it and for some reason I think I would come up with the same result…

Thank you for the fast response! … so how do you go about making food fast? Do you just prep it early and then heat it up on the stove or oven later?

looking back... All I remember is when I was little my mom always put a line of red tape on the floor and when I was watching popcorn pop or something I had to stand behind that line… what a wise women

Oh and when i was a Dental HYG they always told us to NEVER put our rad badges on the microwave... it is true they DO give off rad because i did this one week and my tag showed VERY high levals of rad on the tag. keep in mind the badge was only on the microwave for one week!

[Ditto]

Double post.

[Ditto]

I know nothing about the actual safety of a microwave. But, when we moved into our new house in November it didn't have a microwave and we have never purchased it. I think my life is better without it. There are times when it's a pain, but I just have to think ahead a little more. Probably my best hint is to invest in Pyrex. I've been switching over from the cheap plastic storage and it's making life easier, plus it's probably healthier. Almost everything can be re-heated in either a saucepan or in the oven (or toaster oven). I hope we never go back to owning a microwave. Plus, it's one less thing to clean!

(Now I kind of wish I had a microwave to try the experiment, but I'm curious like that... maybe I'll knuke some water next time I'm around one and bring it home.)

[mamadelbosque]

IDK, We still have a microwave, but its down in our basement and as such, rearely used. I do still use it to heat up lunches occasionally, but its not an everyday thing. There really is so much conflicting info on them out there, its kind of amazing...

[treemom2]

We no longer have a microwave in our house. We found that we ate more processed foods when we had a microwave (micro popcorn, frozen meals). I also read a study about the nutritional values of foods cooked in the microwave versus other methods and the study concluded that the food cooked in the micro wasn't as healthy. We've now gone 4 years without a microwave in the house. I will admit that it is a little harder to heat up leftovers (we have a countertop oven but keep it put away most of the time because it takes so much space. . .we live in Japan and space is precious). . .especially after a holiday. However, when we had an oven all the time it wasn't too hard just to pop things in a pyrex and bake it. . .now I throw it in a pan and cook it on the stovetop with a cover over it. Most of the time we don't even miss the microwave!

[Juvysen]

wait... in the snopes experiment did they only water it once with the microwaved water? Because it doesn't show anything over time. I guess I wouldn't expect doing it ONCE to hurt it, but only giving microwaved water long term might....

Freaky about the badge showing the amount of radiation. We hardly use our microwave anymore since we switched over to regular stove-top popcorn, but occasionally I do for heating leftovers. Maybe I'll quit. It' give us more counterspace, and why bother with the possible risk?

[pers]

Originally Posted by lovebug

I have a feeling I could make a ‘real’ scientific project out of it and for some reason I think I would come up with the same result…

I'm not so sure. I've read of the study that showed broccoli had far less nutritional value after being cooked in a microwave compared to other cooking methods, but then I've also read criticism of the study saying the methodology wasn't good and they badly overcooked the broccoli in the microwave and it was the overcooking that caused the nutrient loss, not the microwave method, and that the microwave can actually be better since it uses less water and nutrients are often lost to the cooking water. It is very confusing. I compromise by steaming all my vegetables on the stove and using the stove/oven for actual cooking but I will quickly re-heat leftovers and other precooked stuff in the microwave.

But as for the results with water and plants, like I said, I'm not so sure. Food is one thing, but water is water. It isn't really meant to provide any nutrients - it's just H2O and will still be H20 once heated and cooled no matter what method used. My guess would be the plant dying was just a coincidence - I've certainly had plants die inexplicably before I transplanted them while the others of the same plant bought at the same time thrived, so why not here? But I am sort of curious now and thinking of doing the experiment myself now though.

Originally Posted by Juvysen

wait... in the snopes experiment did they only water it once with the microwaved water? Because it doesn't show anything over time. I guess I wouldn't expect doing it ONCE to hurt it, but only giving microwaved water long term might....

That is a good point, and a good question for them, since they neglected to say. My impression was that it went on for a long time since they should be smart enough to know that one watering wouldn't show anything and also they talk about the environment the plants were normally kept in and other little things that implied a longer experiment. And how many pictures of plants looking nearly identical to each other are needed when the end result is the plants all looking identically healthy?

But it was neglectful of them to leave that information out, and I think I will try to email and ask about it.

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by Ditto

Probably my best hint is to invest in Pyrex. I've been switching over from the cheap plastic storage and it's making life easier, plus it's probably healthier.

I've been seriously considering doing that. The main reason I keep putting it off is storage. I have all the plastic containers in a low drawer, and the kids like to play with them. I don't want to put Pyrex where ds2 can get at it, as he'd probably break them. I could put a child-proof lock on that drawer, but I kind of like that they can play with the current dishes. Still thinking...

About 90% of my microwave use is reheating cold coffee, and that's not very frequent. We're thinking of getting rid of ours. We use it so seldom that I'm not really concerned about the health factor. I do like the convenience on those occasions when we do use it. But....I think I'd like the counter space even more. We don't have much of that.

[Ditto]

StormBride - Regarding your son playing with the Pyrex, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Unless he'll be banging it with a hammer or something. I've dropped mine on the ground several times, dropped it on the counter, once it bounced off the corner of the oven. I am a serious clutz and this stuff feels really sturdy to me.

[Juvysen]

:

My kids eat out of pyrex bowls... they've been dumped on the floor numerous times.

[elisheva]

We've never had a microwave. If I need to reheat leftover quickly (pasta, veg, or whatever), I do it on the stove. Prob takes longer but I'm so used to it now that I don't even think about it. For baby food I have some little stainless steel bowls that I submerge in warm/hot water and stir until the food is warm - takes seconds generally and I can control it - never gets too hot!

We also have a toaster oven for the rare occasion when we eat frozen burritos, etc. Yes, it takes a lot longer, but I only do it a few times a year. The rest of the time the toaster oven is used if I'm making toast/bagels.

FWIW, we don't eat much processed food and we all prefer freshly made meals to the freeze and heat variety. Our wok is our best friend

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by Ditto

StormBride - Regarding your son playing with the Pyrex, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Unless he'll be banging it with a hammer or something. I've dropped mine on the ground several times, dropped it on the counter, once it bounced off the corner of the oven. I am a serious clutz and this stuff feels really sturdy to me.

Banging it with a hammer is a possibility, as is dropping it out their bedroom window onto the patio stones. DS2 is a cyclone...a really, really, really cute cyclone, but still a cyclone.

[traceface]

Originally Posted by Storm Bride

Banging it with a hammer is a possibility, as is dropping it out their bedroom window onto the patio stones. DS2 is a cyclone...a really, really, really cute cyclone, but still a cyclone.

[viking]

Originally Posted by pers

Food is one thing, but water is water. It isn't really meant to provide any nutrients - it's just H2O and will still be H20 once heated and cooled no matter what method used.

i recommend watching this documentary about water
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...65733171856&hl

article about the docu: http://www.health24.com/news/Natural...-932,48010.asp

images of water crystals: http://detoxifynow.com/water_images.html


very interesting.

[lovebug]

Originally Posted by viking

i recommend watching this documentary about water
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...65733171856&hl

article about the docu: http://www.health24.com/news/Natural...-932,48010.asp

images of water crystals: http://detoxifynow.com/water_images.html


very interesting.

Thank you for posting this! i am going to watch it tonight at home. my work comp has no sound and is so slow! i cant wait to see what is says!