MICROWAVE OVEN DAMAGE ON HEALTH

 

25-Mar-2022

 

Many people turn in their lives to heating foods in the microwave. The microwave has a few benefits and many harms.
 

WHAT IS A MICROWAVE OVEN

It is an electronic oven that cooks and heats food by means of high-frequency electromagnetic waves known as microwaves, whereby the temperature of foods is raised by exposing them to an electromagnetic field. 

 

1- HOW MICROWAVE OVEN OPERATE?

Microwaves operating at a frequency of 2450 MHz produce vibrations that generate heat, and then heat food without heating the surrounding air.

2- MICROWAVE HEATING TIME AND DEGREE

Note that it does not take the same amount of time to heat food in a microwave as it does in a conventional oven, as it takes much less time than traditional cooking.

A microwave oven heats different foods to varying degrees. Wet food is heated or cooked in a shorter period of time than less moist food. The upper layers of food are more wave-absorbing, so their temperature rises faster, as the outer layers are heated before the inner layers.

3- WHAT  CAN'T BE USED IN MICROWAVE OVEN?

Heating vessels also differ in their absorption of waves. Food cannot be heated in a microwave oven in metal containers because metal forms a barrier between food and electromagnetic waves. Cooking or heating food in metal containers also damages the microwave. This is due to the spark that results from metal objects reflecting the waves on the surface of the oven from inside.

 

MICROWAVE AND FOOD

We want only to mention that may be there is bad sides of heating and cooking food in the microwave. The Food and Drug Administration has found that microwaves are made of acrylamide. It is a chemical that causes cancer. Many studies also indicated that the production of acrylamide is more in the case of using high-power microwave ovens compared to all low-power devices. Also the use of microwaves in cooking and heating food causes foods to lose many important vitamins and nutrients, such as: vitamins (B, C, and E), in addition to the loss of amino acids and proteins, which leads to a decrease in the nutritional value of food. Some studies mention that heating breast milk or infant formula in the microwave is not recommended. Studies have shown that microwaves heat baby's milk and formula unevenly. This results in "hot spots" that can scald a baby's mouth and throat. 

 

MICROWAVE AND HUMAN

A long time ago many studies were conducted to investigate the harmful effects of microwaves. In the same way other studies have been conducted on the benefits of using microwave ovens. In the rest of this article we are going to discuss show some of the harms resulting from the way the microwave itself is used.

 

Among the results concerning the damage caused by microwave ovens to human health are the following:

 

MICROWAVE AND RADIATIONS

Exposure of a person to a large amount of microwave radiation leads to damage to body tissues and the incidence of many diseases.

 

MICRO-ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES

It should be noted that these diseases are not only caused by microwave ovens, but also by various devices that work with the system of micro-electromagnetic waves, namely: mobile phones and radars.

Among the diseases that people exposed to such radiation can suffer from are: insomnia, night sweats, various sleep disorders, weakening of the immune system, swelling of the lymph nodes, depression, cognitive disorders, loss of appetite and nausea. Dizziness, headaches, numerous eye and vision problems, excessive thirst and frequent urination.

    

 

MICROWAVE AND PLASTIC CONTAINERS

When you heat or cook food in plastic containers, some of the toxic and carcinogenic chemicals they contain leach into the food and contaminate it.

 

MICROWAVE AND TOXIC SUBSTANCES

The use of microwaves to heat food to high temperatures leads to the formation of heterocyclic amines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and end products of glycosylation. Moreover, these materials are all known as toxic substances that cause cancer. It should be noted that these compounds are not present in raw foods, but more than 90% of them are due to high temperature heating, including microwave heating.

 

IMPORTANT TIPS WHEN HEATING FOOD IN THE MICROWAVE

Here are some tips to follow when using the microwave to cook or reheat food:


The instructions contained in the manual attached to the microwave oven should be read, as this manual provides the user with the necessary information regarding all operating procedures, general safety issues and the cooking method.
Read the instructions for reheating packaged foods:

When food is heated to a large extent, it may become rubbery or tough.

Heating it below the required limit may keep it cold and unpalatable, and it may not kill the bacteria in it.
Microwave-safe containers should be used, and these containers are usually specially marked or sealed at the bottom. If the person is unsure that the container is safe, it is best not to use it.
The interior of the microwave oven should be cleaned regularly as well as the door to remove any traces of food or sparks resulting from heating.

 

This was a brief summary of when the microwave is dangerous and its health damage, as the microwave is recently one of the most important household appliances that are used in preparing food, but before buying it, it is necessary to ascertain its various advantages, and what are the damages resulting from its use, and the microwave is often used In heating only, not cooking.