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Myths About Microwave Ovens

Microwave ovens have millions of users who find their lives simpler due to all the advantages they offer. Thus they have invaded kitchens at home, in offices and hotels and restaurants since they offer quick solutions for heating, cooking, and defrosting foods. In fact, the microwave oven can be treated as one appliance that can offer complete cooking solutions for those who do not have the resources to set up a full fledged kitchen, but need to eat to survive. It proves handy for students, single men and women for whom elaborate cooking is out of question, and even old people. But as in everything else, there are many myths about microwave ovens and their working. This can be attributed to the unconventional mechanism of the oven. Myths are defined as “made up stories” that are not necessarily true. Myths become facts only when they are substantiated with concrete evidence.

Common Microwave Myths

• All plastics can be safely used inside the microwave oven-this is not true. Only those plastics that are certified as “microwave safe” must be placed in it, because lower grade plastic like the one used for packaged foods has the ability to contaminate the food stored in it. But the safest materials to use in these ovens are ceramics and glass.
• Metal placed in the microwave oven gets too hot. This is a myth, metal does not allow microwaves to pass through, unlike glassware. But what does cause sparks are the thin metal pieces like a piece of cutlery placed by mistake or a sheet of foil placed as a cover.
• Food gets cooked from the inside towards the outside. Actually the reverse holds true, since food in the microwave oven gets cooked towards the outside first and then inside.
• Microwave ovens release harmful radiation rays. This is not true since the ovens release non-ionizing radiation which is safer than x-rays. Research reveals that microwaves can leak radiation but it is highly unlikely and the leakage if any, is at levels far below those specified by the FDA.
• Microwave cooking kills vitamins and minerals. This is also a myth because what kills nutrients is not the microwaves, but the longer cooking time, which could be on a flame, a convection oven or a steamer. Foods need to be cooked for lesser time to retain their nutritive value.
• Microwaves stay in food even when the oven is switched off. This does not happen since switching off or stopping the oven ends the waves’ inflow into food. It is only the heat produced that stays and keeps the food warm.

The truth about microwave ovens is very different from these myths, and it becomes important to verify them before stating them with conviction as facts. The fact remains that these ovens are cost effective and time saving, efficient and have the ability to simplify things in the kitchen. After a long and hard day’s work, few would want to come and cook a complete meal. Thanks to the microwave oven, they will be able to eat one of the instant meals but hot and cooked.