We love our microwaves, but are they good for us?

When making a list of “must-have” household appliances, the microwave oven has definitely exploded in popularity. But the good kind of explosion. Microwaves can get us through many a rushed morning or too-tired-to-break-out-the-pots-and-pans evening. But other than shortening our time in front of a stove and giving us more things to do with our extra time, is there a down side to having a microwave in every American kitchen? Is there any harm in ‘nuking’ your food? Actually the thinking that microwaves reheat food by releasing radioactive energy is a common misconception. Microwaves operate by converting electric power into waves of oscillating electromagnetic energy, called microwaves. “These waves permeate food, causing the agitation of water molecules and charged salt ions, which produces friction and a quick rise in temperature to warm the food rapidly,” says Juming Tang, professor of food engineering at Washington State University in Pullman, in an article by Matthew Kadey on the site, “Experience Life.” “In a microwave oven,” says Tang, “the air in the appliance is at room temperature, so the temperature of the food surface is cooler to the touch than food in a conventional oven, where the items are heated by hot air or by radiative heat.” Conventional ovens cook from the outside-in, whereas microwaves cook from the inside-out. That’s why food cooked in a microwave doesn’t generally become brown and crispy. So how safe are microwaves when it comes to our home environment? Low-frequency fields emitted from your microwave’s “microwaves,” (as well as all electrical appliances and devices) are called electromagnetic fields. When EMFs are released, this energy can be absorbed by the body and produce heat in exposed tissues. EMFs can still emit at low range even when an appliance/device is turned off. In June 2001, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, in addition to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, concluded that power frequency electromagnetic fields are a possible uman carcinogen with a potential of doubling leukemia risk among children consistently exposed to fields above 4 milliigauss (mG). However, the Electric Power Research Institute estimates that no more than a quarter of homes exceed 2 mG of overall background electromagnetic radiation. According to the World Health Organization, the design of microwave ovens ensures that the EMF waves are contained within the oven and can only be present when the oven is switched on and the door is shut. Leakage around and through the glass door is limited by design to a level well below that recommended by international standards. Nevertheless, EMFs from microwaves and other appliances can cause localized fields in excess of the 4 mG. When a researcher did a study of her home’s EMF sources, she found that when her microwave was turned on, at close range, the EMF was too high to be read by the meter. However, standing even 2 feet from the oven lowered the EMF to 50 mG, and at 6 feet away, the EMF went down to a minimal 1 mG. Therefore, although there is probably no need to kick your functional microwave to the curb, it may be prudent to maintain your distance while it’s working, or other appliance/device. “When food, including baby formula, is microwaved, it has been demonstrated that certain amino acids, the building blocks of protein, are converted from natural, active forms into biologically inactive forms,” says Lita Lee, a chemist and enzyme therapist in Portland, Ore. , on her site. Lee explains that aside from vitamins and minerals in foods, there are very delicate and complex compounds, including antioxidants and enzymes, which could be adversely affected by microwaving, like extra-virgin and virgin olive oil. Other studies show that microwaving may convert vitamin B12 in meat and milk into its inactive form, basically making it non-existent, and that garlic, when exposed to microwaves, loses something which makes it such a super-food—allicin, a potent curative compound. Another view, supported by other studies, like one in the United Kingdom journal “Food and Chemical Toxicology,” indicates kitchen microwaves may not be all that bad, especially when compared to other cooking methods like stir frying or boiling. One study using Brassica vegetables (cauliflower, cabbage, cress, bok choy, broccoli and similar green leaf vegetables) found that microwaving them resulted in equal nutrient loss as when steaming or stir frying. Another study review from the University of Illinois showed that microwaving with low power offered “equal or better retention of nutrients…as compared with conventional, reheated foods for thiamin, riboflavin, pyridoxine, folacin, and ascorbic acid.” Barry Swanson, a food science professor at Washington State University, says that compared to more destructive methods like boiling, the relatively mild temperatures and short cooking times with microwaving can help retain nutrients in produce — as long as you use little, if any, water, and don’t cook the life out of them. “It’s clear that water is not a cook’s best friend when it comes to nutrient retention, whether in the microwave or stovetop,” says Swanson. “High amounts of water provide a sea into which nutrients can get washed away.” Lee disagrees, saying stovetop cooking can’t compare to the damage done from microwaving. “Microwaving for seconds or longer will destroy nutrients — by changing them to biologically inactive forms — and create toxins and carcinogens,” she said. Until more concrete evidence is found as to the safety, or lack thereof, of microwave ovens, the best advice seems to come from Slow Food’s principles: “Slow and low is the best way to go.” Use your microwave sparingly, choose a lower temperature to slow down the cooking time of your food, and use very little water, if any. To learn the EMF of your microwave and/or all of the appliances/devices in your home, call an electrician or purchase a gaussmeter (a gauge for measuring EMFs) to determine your exact exposures.