Microwave Food Healthy?

[ukanonymous]

I am not a massive fan of cooking as I am always behind my computer. I cook then heat it up with my nuke box. What are your opinions on eating food warmed up by a microwave?

[mazie]

I would rather not.... I'm not a big fan of Microwave's

[Answerprancer]

I've heard conflicting opinions, on one hand microwaves apparently make food substances generate free radicles, on the other microwave steamed *broccoli (for example) is supposed to help prevent cancer.
(Yes actual b-r-o-c-c-o-l-i, not AB's swear-nannying replacement word!)

[gingejbee]

I suspect that "always behind my computer" is a whole lot more dangerous that heating food in a microwave could ever be.

[chrissa1]

There'e nothing wrong with heating up your own coooked food in the microwave. I've forgotten what life was like without one. I got my first one in 1982.

[coccinelle]

I'm with mazie I don't like microwaves. We don't know enough about them to know what problems they can cause. Used occasionally I don't think there'd be a problem but on a daily basis we don't know.... Why do you cook then heat up? Why not eat when you've cooked?

[Answerprancer]

..LOL yes, and if it's an old CRT monitor, you will be getting microwaves zapped right into you!

[Old_Geezer]

I tend to use one a lot or at least I used to. It has its uses but as one might expect, best for warming up meals already cooked. Obviously some foods really need the outside heated first or else it goes soft not crispy, so choose your meal well. I don't think there is any evidence of microwave food being unhealthy though. Maybe it might be down to the choice of what food one heats.

[mazie]

I'm not worried about them...I just don't like the option. I do prefer to cook from scratch ( that sounds a but unhygienic)

[chrissa1]

Bless you coccinelle. They've been around for over 30 years. I think we would have found out if they were dangerous before now.

[coccinelle]

Yes chrissa, well a bit like the pill amongst other things... Just feel in moderation that might be OK

[boxtops]

They're fine. Those of us who eat'n'go wouldn't survive without it.

[seadogg]

Wonderful for defrosting stuff you forget to get out of the freezer the night before and in moderation fine. Not a very exciting way of cooking though.

[DaisyNonna]

Makes great scrambled eggs.

[chrissa1]

Ooh yes, Daisynonna. No messy pans to scrape and wash.

[ST24]

I believe the microwave oven is like any other cooking implement - you have to know how to use it. I have been surprised by the number of things you can do with a microwave that I thought were impossible - you just have to know how ; you can even 'bake' bread in a microwave.
The basic principles still apply despite modernisation of the appliance ; I bought my first about 30 years ago. If you cook in the microwave you must allow time after it stops for it to finish cooking ; for example if you have something in there for thirty minutes you should wait at least ten minutes after for it to finish. This is because microwaving works by vibrating water molecules and they need time to stop vibrating. If you don't wait the food would be increasing in temperature while it's inside your body.
The reheating of food applies to all methods of cooking - you must make sure that it's properly cooked throughout to kill off the bacteria that will have multiplied during the cooling process.
With these basic principles in mind your microwave can be as useful as (or more than) any other cooking appliance.

[ukanonymous]

The last question is a bit worrying. Sometimes I eat food straight out of the nuke box because I am so hungry. I hope it hasnt caused any damage :(