Information on popular complementary and alternative medical topics

THREE HEALTH HAZARDS OF MICROWAVE COOKING: WHAT NOT TO DO

Recently, some British researchers found that the amount of salt or sugar in prepared foods may change the way foods absorb microwave energy. According to the research, a high salt or sugar content prevents food from reaching a high enough temperature to kill salmonella and other dangerous bacteria. Instead, microwaving such foods may only heat bacteria to a temperature that, rather than killing them, helps them grow.

When microwaving prepared foods, the best way to avoid food poisoning is to microwave them longer and at a lower temperature than the package recommends. Let the food sit for a few minutes—after microwaving—to be certain that dangerous bacteria are dead.

Another possible health hazard associated with microwave ovens is the adverse effect they can have on pacemakers. Modern pacemakers are relatively unaffected by interference, but in some cases they can be affected by powerful electromagnetic pulses and their ability to help regulate the heartbeat may become impaired.

You should also check the microwave door gasket regularly to make sure the seal is tight so that no stray radiation can leak out.

To get the best nutritional value out of fruit and vegetables, you should eat them raw. Without cooking, vegetables retain their essential vitamins intact and are more potent as health protectors. If you don’t care for raw vegetables, the next best thing is to cook them as quickly as possible. When you microwave vegetables you will preserve nutrients such as vitamin C to a much greater extent than you do when you allow them to simmer in large amounts of water. And if not overcooked, microwaved vegetables will remain both crisp and brightly colored.

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