Microwave was invented in 1945 by an American engineer. The idea behind the invention was to use electromagnetic energy to heat the food instantly without using gas stoves or direct heat . Not only was it a revolutionary invention for people who wanted to save time while cooking, but it was also great for naive cooks who wanted to try their hands at cooking but be safe at the same time.
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Upon its invention, it became an instant hit and almost every household in America had a microwave. Slowly, its popularity travelled to the rest of the countries and currently in India also microwave is a staple. However, in the past few years, many people have highlighted the potential risks of using a microwave. Many of these assumptions are wrong and shouldn't be believed. In this article, one will find a list of myths related to microwaves that one should stay away from.
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* Microwave Kills Nutrients
Microwave kills nutrients in the food is a very misleading statement about microwaves that is often heard or read by people. It is important to note that exposure to any kind of heat does lead to the breakdown of various nutrients. This means that while boiling vegetables or steaming food, nutrients are still exposed to the same kind of heat that leads to their breakdown like in the case of microwaves. In fact, in an article published by Harvard Health called Microwave Cooking and Nutrition, it has been discussed that as microwaves take a very small amount of time to heat the food, the amount of nutrients that are killed and broken down is very minimal as compared to other ways of cooking food.
* Microwave Can Cause Cancer
Another very common myth associated with the use of microwaves is the fact that they can cause the development of cancer cells in the body. Well, this is another misconception as the design of the microwave is such that the radiation stays safely inside the interiors. The electromagnetic radiation released by microwaves are similar to that of the radiations released by television screens, laptops screens, and radios. It is certainly not harmful for one's health. As per a report published by the Cancer Council, microwaves use non-ionising types of radiation that can heat food without affecting it negatively.
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* The Use of Microwaves Is Limited
When it comes to the utility of microwaves, most people think that microwaves are only used for reheating and baking purposes. Some people also like to use it for grilling purposes. But in reality, microwaves are pretty multi-functional and they can perform a lot of cooking chores. Investing in a good convection microwave offers a great deal of versatility, and one can bake cakes, cookies, and breads and even cook at different types of dishes. Microwaves can be used for making delicious omelettes and even cooking rice. Not only is it time effective but also safe for cooking as it doesn't involve any direct exposure to heat.
* Microwaves Are Expensive
While buying a microwave, people not only calculate the initial expenditure of making the purchase but also the monthly electric consumption. This is the reason why a lot of times the conventional gas stove is preferred over microwaves because it is a general misconception that microwaves consume a lot of electricity. However, microwaves are very energy efficient, as it takes only a small amount of time to cook something in the microwave as compared to cooking the same food on a gas stove. People can also find a lot of energy-efficient microwaves in the market that consume less electricity and give the same output.
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* Microwaved Water Is Bad
Another common misconception related to microwaves is that water that has been heated in microwaves is not fit for consumption and may also alter DNA. There are no scientific grounds to support this myth and it is not to be believed. Microwaved water is safe for consumption and can be consumed by humans as well as animals. One should let the water rest for some time before consuming it as microwave water can sometimes become very hot. One should make sure that they boil the water in microwave-safe cups and something that's not preferably plastic to avoid any health related problems.
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* Microwave Cooks Food Unevenly
A lot of times people see that the food cooked in the microwave is not even in terms of its consistency and surface. As a result, they like to believe that the microwave has certain hotspots which is why food gets unevenly cooked. Well, this is not true in all cases. Foods with irregular or complex services often get cooked unevenly. But in the case of foods that have an even surface, the surface remains pretty uniform and all the food gets cooked equally.