Why We Don’t Use a Microwave

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Why we don't use a microwave and what we use instead
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I’ve gotten several emails lately asking about microwave safety and if we use a microwave at our house. Even with the natural birthing, dirt eating, barefoot playing, cloth-diapering and mud shampooing that goes on at our house, not using a microwave seems to be one of those things that is inexcusably crunchy.

Since I’ve pretty well established myself in the crunchy camp, I thought I’d finally share why we don’t use a microwave at our house.

The Main Reason

Half of the reason we converted to real food is the taste, and this is also half the reason that we stopped using a microwave. In my opinion, food cooked or reheated in the microwave does not taste as good! I had plenty of microwaved ramen noodle eating experiences (cringe) in college to form this opinion.

According to the daily green, microwaves work by:

“Microwave radiation is a form of non-ionizing radiation (meaning it can’t directly break up atoms or molecules) that lies between common radio and infrared frequencies. So it is not thought to damage DNA of living things, the way X and gamma rays do. Still, microwaves can obviously cause heating effects, and can harm or kill at high energies. That’s why microwave ovens on the market must operate at or below strict limits set by the federal government.

Most microwave ovens hit food with microwaves at a frequency of 2.45 gigahertz (GHz) (a wavelength of 12.24 centimeters (4.82 in)). The prevailing belief is that molecules in the food, particularly water, absorb energy from the waves through dielectric heating. That is, since water molecules are polar, having a positive end and negative end, they begin to rotate rapidly as the alternating electric field passes through. That rotation is thought to add heat to the food.”

This fast method of cooking doesn’t allow time for flavors to develop and meld like other cooking methods do. As I’ve found a lot of quick meal recipes that are much healthier than microwaved meals anyway, we just don’t use a microwave.

The Health Factors

There is a lot of disagreement about if microwaves release radiation or can cause harm this way. By their nature, they do release radiation in to food, but the disagreement regards whether the radiation is released outside of the microwave itself. Mark Sisson covered this here:

“Here’s what we found. First, to the question of transforming your home into a radiation zone… There is, not surprisingly, disagreement about this point. However, occasional home use of a fully functional microwave appliance is generally considered safe. Microwaves do, make no mistake, emit radiation, and the FDA has established what it considers “safe” levels for microwaves: over the machine’s “lifetime” the allowable level is “5 milliwatts of microwave radiation per square centimeter…approximately 2 inches from the oven surface.” Guidelines from the International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA) suggest overall radiation limits of 1 milliwatt per square centimeter “averaged over 6 minutes (0.1 h) period.” Unless you’re using your microwave on a perpetual basis, there’s little reason to worry.) Because the radiation diminishes quickly over distance, standing further away from the microwave during operation cuts your exposure even more significantly. (That instinct to not press your face against the glass door while your lunch was cooking turns out to be right after all…) Additionally, the FDA requires two interlock systems that effectively offer backup security as well as a monitoring system that shuts the microwave down if one of the systems isn’t working or if the door is opened during operation. Common sense adds that you might want to make sure the microwave seal isn’t compromised by built up tomato sauce or other grime. (Hmmm…anyone?) And, of course, it’s a good idea to replace an old, dilapidated microwave even if it’s a great conversation piece. Safety versus vintage flare…”

There are stories of patients dying after being given microwaved blood transfusions and babies being injured by microwaved breast milk, indicating that those substances should definitely not be microwaved. I’ve also seen caution against microwaving oil or water, though we don’t have a microwave so I can’t claim personal experience with either of those.

From a radiation perspective, the general consensus seems to be that microwaves could transmit radiation, though it is unlikely. Dr. Mercola gives some compelling evidence of this possibility though.

There is evidence that heating certain materials (like plastic) in the microwave can cause harm. As that article explains:

“The safest course of action is to avoid putting any plastics in the microwave. When the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tested plastics labeled microwave safe and advertised for infants, even those were found to release “toxic doses” of Bisphenol A when heated in a microwave. “The amounts detected were at levels that scientists have found cause neurological and developmental damage in laboratory animals,” the paper reports.

In fact, the term “microwave safe” is not regulated by the government, so it has no verifiable meaning. According to the Journal Sentinel‘s testing, BPA “is present in frozen food trays, microwaveable soup containers and plastic baby food packaging.” It is often found in plastics marked No. 7, but may also be present in some plastics labeled with Nos. 1, 2 and 5 as well, according to the report. Better to stick to glass or ceramics.”

So, while we’ve opted to avoid microwaves completely, if one is going to use one, it would seem wise not to use plastic.

What About Nutrients?

This is the other half of the reason we avoid microwaves. There is evidence that microwaves reduce nutrients in food. Any cooking will actually change the nutrients in food in some way, though low and slow cooking seems to preserve the most nutrients while faster methods of cooking (microwave being the fastest) destroy more nutrients. This article gives a good summary:

  • Three recent studies of historical food composition have shown 5-40% declines in some of the minerals in fresh produce, and another study found a similar decline in our protein sources (1)
  • A 1999 Scandinavian study of the cooking of asparagus spears found that microwaving caused a reduction in vitamins (3)
  • In a study of garlic, as little as 60 seconds of microwave heating was enough to inactivate its allinase, garlic’s principle active ingredient against cancer (5)
  • A study published in the November 2003 issue of The Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture found that broccoli “zapped” in the microwave with a little water lost up to 97%of its beneficial antioxidants. By comparison, steamed broccoli lost 11% or fewer of its antioxidants. There were also reductions in phenolic compounds and glucosinolates, but mineral levels remained intact (6).
  • A recent Australian study showed that micro- waves cause a higher degree of “protein unfolding” than conventional heating (2)
  • Microwaving can destroy the essential disease-fighting agents in breast milk that offer protection for your baby. In 1992, Quan found that microwaved breast milk lost lysozyme activity, antibodies, and fostered the growth of more potentially pathogenic bacteria (4).”

The article explains:

“Still, we know sufficiently little about nutrition and the cumulative effects of food science that some aren’t so convinced (of course, there is also the threat of any harmful substances present getting released upon cooking, such as the diacetyl blamed for “popcorn lung.”) In a recent article E Magazine pointed out that popular holistic health expert Dr. Andrew Weil has written, “There may be dangers associated with microwaving food… there is a question as to whether microwaving alters protein chemistry in ways that might be harmful.” According to the magazine, Dr. Fumio Watanabe of Japan’s Kochi Women’s University found that heating samples for six minutes degenerated 30 to 40% of the milk’s vitamin B12. This kind of breakdown took about 25 minutes of boiling with conventional heat. In a 1992 Stanford Medical School study often cited by microwave opponents, researchers reported a “marked decrease” in immune-boosting factors in microwaved human breast milk. In the late 1980s Swiss scientists reported decreases in hemoglobin and white blood cells in rats that had eaten microwaved food.”

The Microwave Bottom Line

Microwaves are convenient… So is fast food, so is letting the TV be a babysitter. Convenience doesn’t always make something the best option.

Microwaves don’t produce the best tasting food, they might destroy nutrients, and there is a possibility that they might release harmful radiation. For me, this was an easy choice- if it might be harmful and doesn’t make good tasting food, we avoid it.

Obviously, most people aren’t willing to give up the convenience of a microwave, so at least avoid using plastic in it!

What We Use Instead

This should be pretty obvious (especially to anyone if our parents’s generation) that there are a lot of alternative cooking methods. In general, we use:

  • Conventional Oven: I use my regular oven multiple times per day to cook or reheat food.
  • Toaster Oven: For times when I don’t want to use the oven or need to heat up a small amount of food, a toaster oven is easier.
  • Pan Heating: I use pans at most meals. Breakfast omelets are cooked on the stove, leftovers heated for lunch and veggies steamed for dinner. I use these pans as they are the most non-toxic and environmentally friendly ones I’ve found.
  • Crock Pot: I use the crock pot multiple times a week, and have one constantly going with bone broth. I use this one because the research I found showed that it didn’t have any lead in the crock, though any slow cooker will work.
  • Convection Oven: I don’t have one personally (it is on the wish list), but a close friend of mine loves her countertop convection oven and uses it everyday. This supposedly combines the quick cooking of a microwave with the safety and quality of the oven).

Do you use a microwave? Would you consider giving it up? Why or why not? Share below!

Sources

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Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

179 responses to “Why We Don’t Use a Microwave”

  1. Jackke Friend Avatar
    Jackke Friend

    just found ur webpage & luv it! thnx! regarding th nuke, i would like 2 stop using it 4 th reasons u wrote about. just replaced an old 1 but new 1 is cheap & outside corner metal is unjoined. th main reason not 2 stove-cook is waiting & babysitting time & th small extra cleanup w/using a pan. but now tht i’m going 2 gradually incorporate th cookware u use & recommend, i believe i wil eventually stop nuking. (hope u dont mind my abbrevs. i suffer frm very painful arthritis. therefore, ths informal typing style minimizes keystrokes)

  2. Jenn Martin Avatar
    Jenn Martin

    We have been microwave free for 8 years, and people kind of act like we are crazy. We use all of the same methods you do. I am grateful for your research. We have felt that many of these things were true, but did not do the research to confirm; instead we just made the switch. The only thing we miss is microwave popcorn, but we all know that is terrible for you, and since we eat mostly whole foods for health and allergy reasons, we have just gone to good old fashioned stove-top popcorn cooking, and it tastes even better!

  3. uzma musa Avatar
    uzma musa

    i dont like your website and unlike your fb page because ur not answering my questions

  4. Amanda Avatar

    Seriously just seen this link on pinterest, this will change my home thank you love the way you think!

  5. Chris Avatar

    we went 6 months or more without one (cuz it broke and I didn’t care to replace it) till my step father gave us one then that broke and we went another 6 or more months without it no problem but I had a infant starting food and heating such a small amount on the stove was just a major pain. I honestly don’t care much either way, if this one goes out I don’t think we’ll replace it for a while either (if we do)

  6. Andrea Bowersox Avatar
    Andrea Bowersox

    I’ll definitely use my microwave less after reading this! Thanks for all the info. Do you ever use cast iron pans? I’ve heard that cooking on cast iron helps preserve more nutrients than other cookware.

  7. chantel Avatar

    Ours broke about a year ago and we decided not to replace it. There have only been a couple times where i wished we still had it (because i didn’t want to wait for food to reheat in the oven). But honestly, i mostly forget that we ever had a microwave because the oven works just fine for us. And the best part about not having a microwave is that YOU DON’T HAVE TO CLEAN IT! I have to say that the microwave was always my least favorite thing to clean. That and the tub, although i don’t foresee us getting rid of that any time soon! LOL!

  8. Lottie Chaney Avatar
    Lottie Chaney

    In all honesty, I use my microwave a LOT! to reheat pretty much everything and my 14 month old baby’s food. Thing is i know its bad but its just sooo convenient. After reading this I definitely going to consider changing my ways. Does it take much more time though??

  9. Ginger Avatar

    I would never give up my microwave oven. BUT, I mostly, only use it for defrosting or reheating foods (in glass) and always use a lower strength setting.
    I find after reheating in the microwave oven, the food tastes more like fresh cooked than reheated. There are only two of us and it’s more economical to cook enough for several meals at one time and reheat.
    My microwave oven is a more expensive model that has a wide range of cooking settings and I keep it clean, which helps it’s efficiency. I am very safety conscious but in my opinion, if I use it wisely, to give it up, seems silly to me.

  10. Natalie Hixson Avatar
    Natalie Hixson

    We unplugged last year and I can’t wait to replace the ugly thing with a hood and light! 🙂 Don’t miss it a bit!!

  11. Sofia Avatar

    Our house didn’t come with a microwave and boy am I glad. I was worried at first since I buy all of my meat frozen from the farmer, but it really hasn’t been a hinderance at all.

  12. Virginia Miner Avatar
    Virginia Miner

    We don’t have a microwave and we have never missed it! Leaving it out of our kitchen remodel made that cheaper, too.

  13. Samantha Scruggs Avatar
    Samantha Scruggs

    I use it now and then, but not as my main source of cooking! I agree with you that food just doesn’t taste as good microwaved.

  14. Allison Avatar

    We have a microwave that we occasionally use. I mostly use mine for re-heating my morning coffee, which with having kids, never seems to get drunk all in one go. How do you re-heat your coffee or keep it hot? If I could do that it would cut out microwave usage way down. Also, great article. I like how you explain things factually without sounding condescending.

    1. sabrina Avatar

      we have 4 children so I totally understand the reheating coffee issue! this is what I’ve done for our coffee in the morning….it’s my favorite! I pour non sweetened vanilla almond milk with half and half. add vanilla, cinnamon, and a little sugar. heat it up and pour in coffee cup(I add a little honey to that too:) then pour in my coffee. if it needs reheating I pour my cup of coffee into the small sauce pan and heat it back up…seriously takes about
      3 min. someone told me it’s better than starbucks:)

    2. Melissa Smith Avatar
      Melissa Smith

      Buy a thermos or a coffee carafe. ASAP after you make the coffee, transfer it to the thermos. It will keep it hot long after you make it and if the coffee in your cup goes cold you can just top it up from the carafe or dump it and pour yourself a fresh cup. There are coffee makers that come with an insulated carafe.

      If you pre-heat the thermos / carafe with hot water from your kitchen tap, the coffee will stay hot longer. This is preferable to reheating or keeping a pot on the coffee maker burner b/c adding heat to the coffee after it’s made can contribute to the breakdown of the oils in it.

      1. Sabrina Avatar

        Another idea if the coffee in your coffeepot cools down is to use it to make a cold or frozen coffee drink like iced coffee or a frappuccino

    3. Hayley Avatar

      As a fellow mom, I use my travel mug for my coffee every day. A Contigo vacuum sealed mug keeps my coffee hot for hours!

  15. Helen D Staten Avatar
    Helen D Staten

    As a student in a dorm, I still have my microwave (it’s been with me 3 years, it would be like getting rid of a loyal friend) but I very rarely use it. I used to use it to make tea and oatmeal and such, but now I have a self-heating kettle that does the trick. Most weekends when I don’t feel like eating the food here I use the tiny stove in the itsybitsy 3rd floor kitchen in my dorm.

  16. jbibiza Avatar

    I use a microwave for heating milk for my “cafe con leche” every morning and occasionally to heat leftovers… the only things I use it to cook are scrambled eggs (they turn out lighter and fluffier then any cooking method I’ve tried) and sweet potatoes… I enjoy a sweet potato for lunch sometimes and less then 10 min in the micro rather than an hour in the oven saves energy and they taste great. I also use it to heat cream or melt butter and chocolate for baking but I only use glass containers. For people using a microwave to heat prepacked or ready made meals… I think the processing and the chemicals in the meals are a lot more dangerous then the microwave could ever be.

  17. Elisa Kaufmann Avatar
    Elisa Kaufmann

    Before we got married, my husband’s rental didn’t have one. He didn’t have a toaster oven (or a toaster or a crock pot). We re-heated everything on the stove or in the oven. It was no hassle at all. If our current house didn’t come with one, we probably wouldn’t have one. I zap my kitchen sponge for 30 seconds because I read that disinfects it. I hope that’s true! And I use it occasionally for warming up coffee or melting butter. We never put plastic in the microwave and dishwasher. And no hot food in plastic containers.

  18. Sydney Avatar

    Our microwave had been going for a while, and when it pooped out we really did not get around to buying another. It was not the expense, hassle, or even time in finding a new one, we just got used to doing things “the old fashion way” by pan re-heating and warming things in the oven. We really don’t miss it, as our water boils almost as fast on the stove, and we don’t even eat frozen-microwaved foods.

    If we REALLY need to heat something in a hurry, we just… well deal with it! Few complaints here (:

  19. Sreeja Nedumattathil Avatar
    Sreeja Nedumattathil

    By traditional oven,do you mean electric oven or is it something different.Is it safe to use electric OTGs.PLease let me know.

  20. Kelli Avatar

    The reason that I don’t use a microwave is that if you take a pendulum and hold it over food to see if it is vibrant – It will rotate clockwise or positive. Then if you microwave the food and do the same thing, it will rotate counter clockwise or negative every time. I’m from Boulder, CO and we do weird stuff like this here so please excuse me but I’m thinking that this is not something I want to do to my food. Maybe that’s why people have died from microwaved blood transfusions.

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