33 - Are You Heating Yourself to Death? The Truth About Microwaves Part 1

Hi Mamas!

Have you ever wondered if your microwave is zapping the nutrients right out of your food? Or maybe you’ve heard whispers that it creates dangerous radiation? Let’s bust some myths and uncover the truth about this kitchen staple!

In this episode, we take a trip back to 1946, when Percy Spencer accidentally melted a candy bar in his pocket and changed home cooking forever. We’ll break down how microwaves work (hint: it’s all about wiggling water molecules!), what the research really says about nutrient loss, and whether you should be worried about free radicals. Spoiler: your food isn’t turning radioactive.

With studies, science, and a little bit of common sense, we’ll separate fact from fiction and help you feel confident about hitting that “start” button. Plus, I share some surprising ways microwaves might actually preserve nutrients better than other cooking methods. Tune in, and let’s dig into the truth about microwaves—no tin foil hats required!

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Sources:

 

[1]Tang J. Unlocking Potentials of Microwaves for Food Safety and Quality. J Food Sci. 2015;80(8):E1776-E1793. doi:10.1111/1750-3841.12959

[2] Fan, Daming & Hu, Bo & Lin, L.-F & Huang, L.-L & Wang, M.-F & Zhao, J.-X & Zhang, Hao. (2016). Rice protein radicals: Growth and stability under microwave treatment. RSC Advances. 6. 97825-97831. 10.1039/c6ra15402f.

[3] Ajayi, Folasade & Afolabi, Rufus & Chukwudozie, Ndudi & Osuntoki, Akinniyi. (2014). Consumption of Microwaved Food induces Oxidative Stress in the Liver and Brain of Sprague-Dawley Rats. IOSR Journal of Environmental Science, Toxicology and Food Technology. 8. 21-24. 10.9790/2402-08712124.

[4]Cross GA, Fung DY. The effect of microwaves on nutrient value of foods. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 1982;16(4):355-381. doi:10.1080/10408398209527340

[5]Jiménez-Monreal AM, García-Diz L, Martínez-Tomé M, Mariscal M, Murcia MA. Influence of cooking methods on antioxidant activity of vegetables. J Food Sci. 2009;74(3):H97-H103. doi:10.1111/j.1750-3841.2009.01091.x

[6]Miglio C, Chiavaro E, Visconti A, Fogliano V, Pellegrini N. Effects of different cooking methods on nutritional and physicochemical characteristics of selected vegetables. J Agric Food Chem. 2008;56(1):139-147. doi:10.1021/jf072304b

[7]Veronica Dewanto, Xianzhong Wu, Kafui K. Adom, and Rui Hai Liu. Thermal Processing Enhances the Nutritional Value of Tomatoes by Increasing Total Antioxident Activity. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2002 50 (10), 3010-3014, DOI: 10.1021/jf0115589

[8]Phenolic compound contents in edible part of broccoli inflorescences after domestic cooking,' by F. Vallejo, F. A. Tomás-Barberán and C. García-Viguera was published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture (2003) 83:1511-1516

[9]Villa-Rodriguez JA, Palafox-Carlos H, Yahia EM, Ayala-Zavala JF, Gonzalez-Aguilar GA. Maintaining antioxidant potential of fresh fruits and vegetables after harvest. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2015;55(6):806-822. doi:10.1080/10408398.2012.685631

[10]Wu X, Zhao Y, Haytowitz DB, Chen P, Pehrsson PR. Effects of domestic cooking on flavonoids in broccoli and calculation of retention factors. Heliyon. 2019;5(3):e01310. Published 2019 Mar 7. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e01310

[11] Ulla Kidmose & Karl Kaack (1999) Changes in Texture and Nutritional Quality of Green Asparagus Spears (Asparagus officinalis L.) during Microwave Blanching and Cryogenic Freezing, Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section B — Soil & Plant Science, 49:2, 110-116, DOI: 10.1080/09064719950135623

[12]López-Berenguer C, Carvajal M, Moreno DA, García-Viguera C. Effects of microwave cooking conditions on bioactive compounds present in broccoli inflorescences. J Agric Food Chem. 2007;55(24):10001-10007. doi:10.1021/jf071680t

[13]Yuan GF, Sun B, Yuan J, Wang QM. Effects of different cooking methods on health-promoting compounds of broccoli. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B. 2009;10(8):580-588. doi:10.1631/jzus.B0920051

[14]Zeng, C. (2013), "Effects of different cooking methods on the vitamin C content of selected vegetables", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 43 No. 5, pp. 438-443. https://doi.org/10.1108/NFS-11-2012-0123