Things not everyone knows when using a microwave

Many people believe that cooking or heating food in a microwave oven can be harmful to us. Is this true?

Photo: Adobe Stock: grzymkiewicz

One of the concerns when cooking food in a microwave is that it does not kill harmful bacteria, the microwave's electromagnetic waves are harmful to health... However, this will not be a problem if we use the microwave properly, according to the IFLScience page.

Microwaves and bacteria

Microwaves do not heat food as evenly as ovens. Therefore, if food is left in the microwave, some parts of the food may not be hot enough for long enough to kill bacteria.

The solution is to follow cooking instructions exactly; stir, rotate or turn food half the time in the microwave, and use a food thermometer to check the temperature.

Microwaves and nutrition

Many people believe that microwaving food can destroy nutrients. However, any cooking method can destroy some heat-sensitive nutrients. For example, boiling vegetables in too much water will destroy nutrients in the vegetables.

To preserve nutrients, the best way to cook is to cook quickly, heating food in the shortest amount of time and using as little water as possible, according to Harvard Health Publishing of Harvard University (USA).

Microwaves meet these standards perfectly. A 2023 study in the journal Heliyon found that among microwaving, steaming, and boiling, microwaving was the most effective method for retaining the nutritional value of vegetables.

Microwave and plastic

There are types of plastic that are safe to use in microwaves - Photo: AFP

Many people are also concerned that certain compounds in plastic food storage containers, such as phthalates, can leach into food when heated or cooked in the microwave.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for regulating the use of phthalates in food packaging, and there are nine approved phthalates. This means that plastic food packaging containing any of these phthalates is safe to use in the microwave.

A recent study also found that heating plastic containers in the microwave released microplastics into simulated food in an experiment. However, such findings do not yet prove that the amount of microplastic released is enough to be harmful to humans.

Microwaves and the risk of energy leakage

Microwave ovens are designed to retain their energy, as long as they are properly maintained. According to the World Health Organization, even in the event of a leak, microwave energy (electromagnetic waves) can only cause thermal injury (burns) to the body if exposed for a long time at high power levels.

Notes when using microwave oven

Do not wrap food in foil or place metal containers in the microwave as this may create sparks.

Do not use a microwave to cook or reheat certain foods, such as eggs.

Because microwaves heat food unevenly, stir and check food for doneness to avoid food poisoning from bacteria.

Do not reheat food in the microwave more than once, especially rice.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nhung-dieu-khong-phai-ai-cung-biet-khi-dung-lo-vi-song-20241105134731429.htm