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| - Last Updated on August 9, 2024 by Nivedita
Quick Take
A social media post claims that a microwave is toxic and it destroys every food value in the food. We fact-checked and found this claim to be False.
The Claim
In a social media post, the narrator when asked about his perception regarding Microwave ovens says, “It is highly toxic”. Later, he further adds, “The microwave is basically destroying every food value that’s in the food and turning it into a toxin. So, everything out of the microwave is highly toxic and the food value is completely zero. Another social media user wrote
Fact Check
How are microwaves used for cooking?
According to the FDA, “Microwaves are produced inside the oven by an electron tube called a magnetron. The microwaves are reflected within the metal interior of the oven where they are absorbed by food. Microwaves cause water molecules in food to vibrate, producing heat that cooks the food. That’s why foods that are high in water content, like fresh vegetables, can be cooked more quickly than other foods. The microwave energy is changed to heat as it is absorbed by food, and does not make food ‘radioactive’ or ‘contaminated’.
Does a microwave destroy every food value in the food and make it toxic?
No. There is no evidence that they destroy every food value in the food and make it toxic. Generally, any form of cooking damages the chemical structure of the nutrient, to some degree. Since microwave ovens often use less heat than conventional methods and involve shorter cooking times, they generally have the least destructive effects.
Microwaves are even better than other cooking methods at preserving nutrients and preventing the formation of harmful compounds. A study highlighted that “Pressure-cooking showed a more pronounced effect on the reduction of the dietary fibre components than ordinary and microwave cooking.” Another research that studied the effect of microwaves on nutrient value of food states that, “No significant nutritional differences exist between foods prepared by conventional and microwave methods. Any differences reported in the literature are minimal.”
On studying the influence of cooking methods on antioxidant activity of vegetables, it was noted that microwaving and baking preserved antioxidants the best, while pressure cooking and boiling did the worst.
A false social media posts also shared that consuming food cooked in a microwave causes colon cancer.
Further proving this claim to be false, the FDA states, “ Foods cooked in a microwave oven may keep more of their vitamins and minerals, because microwave ovens can cook more quickly and without adding water.” In conclusion, microwaves are a safe, effective, and highly convenient cooking method which do not turn your food toxic.
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