Is it ok to use a microwave oven for cooking?
Posted on: 24/Mar/2019 8:42:15 AM
Most of us still entertain a doubt whether the nutrients, minerals and other good ingredients in the cooked item would be lost when cooking in the micro oven. On another side, there is an anxiety that there might be side-effects if we use a microwave oven for cooking.
Here is the real state of facts:
When cooking in the micro oven, electrical waves are generated which cook the item kept inside the micro oven. This vibration created by the waves the elements inside the water, fat, and sugar will get vibrated and with this, friction will be created leading to heat. However, the wave will not affect the porcelain and glass vessels. So, ensure that only the right and appropriate vessels are used when cooking in the microwave oven.
The equipment known as Magnetron helps heat the ingredients get hot. The time needed for cooking is also relatively very less. The nutrition in the vegetables will be intact.
When discussing with an expert in this field, he confirmed that while cooking vegetables and the items such as fish and chicken known as ‘white meat’ and all the nutrients values are not lost when cooking in the microwave oven. He further informed while cooking the ‘red meat’ items like beef and mutton, excess oil has to be used and masalas added to make it tastier but it would not be healthy.
When heating milk in the micro oven, the ingredient lysozyme gets disintegrated. When cooking vegetables in the normal stove, While cooking the vegetables in the normal stove under direct fire, if done for a longer period, they will get charred and burnt. However, if the same vegetables are cooked in the pressure cooker, the possibility exists for the taste to get reduced.
However, when vegetables are cooked in the micro oven with the perfect time of cooking, all the nutrients and ingredients would get reined and the color and flavor of the vegetables will not get lost.
How to use a microwave oven?
Generally, once the cooking is done, the microwave oven is switched off. The operations inside will stop altogether. In an instant of switching off, the radiation inside the microwave oven also would get off.
In a similar manner, the vegetables cooked inside the microwave oven would also be unaffected by the waves/radiation. However, please note that in case there is any leakage of radiation, and use of the microwave is continued, there will be definite problems due to the leakage. So, select and use the microwave oven manufactured only by reputed and reliable manufacturers.
While cooking in the microwave oven, ensure that it is closed properly and then switch on for cooking. In case of partial closure, both leakage problem and wounds caused by fire are possible. So, in case of detecting any defect in the functioning of the microwave oven, please hand it over to the service personnel for repair!
Ensure you read the handbook given while buying the microwave oven thoroughly and then only start the cooking activities in the microwave oven. In case the oven turns defective, do not make any attempt to self-repair activities!
Though a section of the community strongly believe microwave oven cooking will lead to cancer, no research has eststablished this so far.
Microwave oven – ‘Don’t’s’
- While cooking in the microwave oven, do not open and close the oven quite frequently. Never use vessels with narrow mouth/opening!
- Never cook the egg with the shell!
- When making chips, do not add salt – because, the iodine in the sale will be disintegrated. So, add salt only after frying the chip.
- Never use plastic or paper while cooking in the microwave oven. They will tend to melt/burn!
- Please do not use a microwave oven to make hot water! This is because the waves have to penetrate the ingredients in the water to get hot. S, steam would not escape. The water will get hotter even beyond its boiling point of 100 Degrees Celsius. However, no movements can be seen inside the micro oven! Hence, without being aware of this, if the vessel is removed immediately after switching off the oven, there are chances of the very hot water getting sprayed on body parts leading the fire-caused wound in the body!
