Influence on the person of microwave radiation. Is microwave harmful to human health?

Microwave harm. Research

The Institute of Nutrition of the Academy of Sciences of the Russian Federation conducted an examination of food cooked in a microwave oven. The level of preservation of vitamins was checked during the preparation of vegetable and meat dishes. And the result exceeded all expectations - even the most valuable "vitamin C was preserved after processing in the oven by 75-98%. And with traditional methods of preparation, the safety of this vitamin does not exceed 30-60%.

However, think for yourself, if we cook food in a microwave oven faster than usual and at a temperature no higher than the boiling point of water, then the danger of preserving all kinds of bacteria and chlorine-containing organic matter is not small.
If we simply heat food or ready-made meals in a microwave oven at a low temperature, then this is always a loss of the original taste properties, and maybe a provocation of the reproduction of any microflora in long-term stored or improperly stored products. Well, if we cook food without water or in small amounts of water, then where do all sorts of heavy metals, nitrates and nitrites go?
You just need to imagine what happens when you use one or another method of cooking.
Soviet research on the dangers of a microwave oven
In the USSR, microwave ovens were banned in 1976 due to their harmful effects on health, as many studies were carried out on them. The ban was lifted in the early 90s after Perestroika.
Here are some of the research findings
Microwave:
1. Accelerate the structural breakdown of products.
2. Carcinogenic substances are created in milk and grain crops.
3. Change the elemental composition of food, causing digestive disorders.

4 . They change the chemistry of food, which can lead to malfunctions of the lymphatic system and the destruction of the body's ability to protect itself from malignant tumors.
5. Lead to an increase in interest cancer cells in blood.
6. Lead to malignant tumors of the stomach and intestines, general degeneration of peripheral fiber, as well as the gradual destruction of the digestive and excretory systems in a statistically high percentage of people.
7. Reduces the body's ability to absorb B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, essential minerals and lipotropics (substances that help accelerate the breakdown of fats in the body).
8. The microwave field next to the oven also causes health problems.
9. Heating cooked meat in the microwave causes the appearance of d-nitrosodiethanolamine (a well-known carcinogen), destabilization of the biomolecular compounds of the active protein,
creation of carcinogens in protein hydrolyzate compounds in milk and grain crops.
10. Microwave radiation also causes a change (decomposition) in the catabolic behavior of the glucoside and galactoside elements in frozen fruit when defrosted in a microwave oven.
11. Cause a change in the behavior of catabolic plant alkaloids in raw, cooked or frozen vegetables that have been exposed to radiation even for a short time.
12. Cancer-causing free radicals were formed in certain molecular structures of trace elements in substances plant origin, especially in raw root crops.
13. Those who ingested microwave-treated food showed a higher statistical rate of gastrointestinal cancers, as well as a general degeneration of peripheral fiber with a gradual destruction of the functions of the digestive and excretory systems.

"Growing wide deficit nutrients in the Western world correlates almost perfectly with the advent of microwave ovens. This is no coincidence. Microwave ovens heat food by creating a process of molecular friction, but it is this very friction that quickly destroys the fragile molecules of vitamins and phytonutrients (vegetable medicines) naturally found in food. One study shows that microwave heating destroys up to 97 percent of nutritional value (vitamins and other plant nutrients that prevent disease, boost immunity and promote health).”
There is a lot of research on microwave ovens and the effects they can have on the human body. The final studies have not yet been published, but if any of the above has signs of a negative effect on food, one can only imagine what effects these effects will have on the human body. So if you can do without using a microwave, do it. Even if it's just to preserve the nutritional value and quality of your food.

How does a microwave oven work
Microwaves are one form electromagnetic energy just like light waves or radio waves. These are very short electromagnetic waves that travel at the speed of light (299.79 km per second). IN modern technology microwaves are used in the microwave oven, for long-distance and international telephone communications, the transmission of television programs, the operation of the Internet on Earth and via satellites. But microwaves are best known to us as a source of energy for cooking - the microwave oven.
Each microwave oven contains a magnetron in which electrons are charged by electromagnetic fields in such a way as to produce microwave radiation equal to 2450 Megahertz (MHz) or 2.45 Gigahertz (GHz). This is microwave radiation and interacts with food molecules.
The magnetron in a microwave oven is the most important part. It is he who is the source of microwave heating in a microwave oven. Food molecules - especially water molecules - have positively and negatively charged particles, like the south and north poles of the Earth.
Microwaves "bomb" food molecules, causing the polar molecules to spin at millions of times per second, creating molecular friction that heats the food. This friction causes significant damage to food molecules, tearing or deforming them. IN scientific world this process is called structural isomerism.
Simply put, the microwave causes food to break down and change its molecular structure through radiation.
Who Invented Microwave Ovens
The Nazis, for their military operations, invented a microwave cooker - "radiomissor", for cooking, which they were going to use in the war with Russia. The time spent on cooking in this case was sharply reduced, which made it possible to focus on other tasks.
After the war, the Allies discovered documents of medical research conducted by the Germans with microwave ovens. These documents, as well as some working models, were transferred to the United States for "further Scientific research The Russians also received a number of such models and conducted a thorough study of their biological effects. As a result, the use of microwave ovens in the USSR was strictly prohibited. The Soviets issued an international warning about substances harmful to health, biological and environmental, produced by exposure to microwaves.
Other Eastern European scholars have also identified harmful effect microwave radiation and created severe environmental restrictions on their use.

Microwaves are not safe for children
Some of the amino acids L - proline, which are part of mother's milk, as well as in milk formulas for children, are converted under the influence of microwaves into d-isomers, which are considered neurotoxic (deform the nervous system) and nephrotoxic (poisonous for the kidneys). It's a shame that many children are fed on artificial milk substitutes ( children food), which become even more toxic with microwaves.
Scientific data and facts
A comparative study on Microwave Cooking published in 1992 in the United States states:
“From a medical point of view, it is believed that the introduction of microwave-exposed molecules into the human body is much more likely to cause harm than good. Microwaved food contains microwave energy in molecules that is not present in conventionally prepared foods."
Microwave waves artificially created in a microwave oven, based on alternating current, produce about a billion polarity changes in each molecule per second. The deformation of molecules in this case is inevitable. It has been noted that amino acids found in food undergo isomeric changes and are also converted to toxic forms when exposed to microwaves produced in a microwave oven. This short-term study raised significant concerns about changes in the blood composition of people who consumed microwaved milk and vegetables. Eight other volunteers ate the same foods but cooked in traditional ways. All products that have been processed in microwave ovens led to changes in the blood of volunteers. The hemoglobin level decreased and the cholesterol level increased.

Swiss Clinical Research
Dr. Hans Ulrich Hertel, participated in a similar study and worked for many years in one of the major Swiss companies. A few years ago, she was fired from her position for disclosing the results of these experiments. In 1991, she and a professor at the University of Lausanne published a study showing that food cooked in a microwave oven could pose a health risk compared to food cooked in traditional ways. An article was also featured in Franz Weber #19, which stated that the consumption of food cooked in microwave ovens has a malignant effect on the blood.
Dr. Hertel was the first scientist to carry out a clinical study on the effects of microwave food on the blood and physiology of the human body. This small study revealed the degenerative forces that occur in microwave ovens and food processed in them. Scientific findings have shown that cooking in a microwave oven alters the nutritional composition of the substances in the food. This study was carried out with Dr. Bernard H. Blanc of the Swiss federal institute Technologies and the Institute of Biochemistry.
At intervals of two to five days, volunteers received one of the following food options on an empty stomach: (1) raw milk; (2) the same milk heated in the traditional way; (3) pasteurized milk; (4) the same milk heated in a microwave oven; (five) fresh vegetables; (6) the same vegetables cooked traditionally; (7) frozen vegetables thawed in the traditional way; and (8) the same microwave-cooked vegetables.

Blood samples were taken from volunteers immediately before each meal. Then a blood test was performed at certain intervals after the intake of milk and plant products.
Significant changes were found in blood at meal intervals exposed to microwaves. These changes included a reduction in hemoglobin and a change in the composition of cholesterol, especially the ratio of HDL (good cholesterol) to LDL (bad cholesterol). The number of Lymphocytes (white blood cells) increased. All these indicators indicate degeneration. In addition, part of the microwave energy remains in food, using which a person is exposed to microwave radiation.
Radiation leads to the destruction and deformation of food molecules. The microwave creates new compounds that do not exist in nature, called radiolytics. Radiolytic compounds create molecular rot - as a direct consequence of radiation.

Microwave manufacturers claim that microwaved food does not have much of a difference in composition compared to conventionally processed food. The scientific clinical evidence presented here suggests that this is simply a lie.
No one State University in the United States has not conducted a single study on the effects of modified food in the microwave on the human body. Isn't this a little strange? But there is a lot of research on what happens if the microwave door is not closed. Again, common sense tells us that their attention should be paid to what happens to food cooked in a microwave oven. It remains only to guess how molecular rot from the microwave will affect your health in the future!
Microwave carcinogens.
In an article in Earthletter magazine in March and September 1991, Dr. Lita Lee, gives some facts about how microwave ovens work. In particular, she stated that all microwave ovens leak electromagnetic radiation, and also degrade the quality of food by converting its substances into toxic and carcinogenic compounds. The summaries of research summarized in this article show that microwave ovens do more harm than previously thought.
The following is a summary of the Russian Studies published by the Atlantis Raising Educational Center in Portland, Oregon. They say that carcinogens were formed in almost all food products subjected to microwave irradiation. Here is a summary of some of these results:
Cooking meat in a microwave oven causes the formation of the known carcinogen -d Nitrosodienthanolamines.
Some of the amino acids found in milk and grain products have been converted into carcinogens.
Thawing some frozen fruits converts glucoside galactoside into carcinogens in their composition.
Already a short exposure to microwaves on fresh, cooked or frozen vegetables will convert the alkaloids in their composition into carcinogens.
Carcinogenic free radicals were formed under the influence of vegetable food especially root crops. Their nutritional value has also been reduced.
Russian scientists have also found a decrease in the nutritional value of food when exposed to microwaves from 60 to 90%!

Consequences of exposure to carcinogens
Creation of cancer agents in protein compounds - hydrolysate. In milk and grains, these are natural proteins that, under the influence of a microwave, are torn apart and mixed with water molecules, creating carcinogenic formations.
Change in elemental nutrients, resulting in disorders in the digestive system caused by a violation of metabolic processes.

Due to chemical changes in foods, shifts in the lymphatic system have been seen leading to degeneration of the immune system.
The absorption of irradiated food leads to an increase in the percentage of cancer cells in the blood serum.
Defrosting and warming up vegetables and fruits leads to the oxidation of the alcohol compounds contained in their composition.
The impact of microwaves on raw vegetables, especially root vegetables, promotes the formation of free radicals in mineral compounds that cause cancer.
Eating foods cooked in a microwave oven predisposes to the development of cancer of the intestinal tissues, as well as the general degeneration of peripheral tissues with the gradual destruction of functions. digestive system.
Direct location near the microwave oven. Causes, according to Russian scientists, the following problems:
Deformation of the composition of the blood and lymphatic areas;

Degeneration and destabilization of the internal potential of cell membranes;
Violation of electrical nerve impulses in the brain;
Degeneration and decay of nerve endings and loss of energy in the area of ​​nerve centers in both the anterior and posterior central and autonomic nervous systems;
In the long term, the cumulative loss of vital energy, animals and plants that are within 500 meters of the equipment.

To cook or not to cook food in the microwave - everyone decides for himself. The microwave oven significantly reduces the time of cooking, heating and defrosting food, which is important in our today's life. One way or another, many of us will cook or eat microwaved food. Perhaps, tips and recipes for cooking in the microwave will be useful.

What harm does a microwave oven do to human health, and what benefits does this device bring. How to use the device correctly to minimize Negative influence.

Microwave - good or bad?

Introduction

IN modern world people often ask themselves the question: “Is the microwave harmful to our body?” Opinions on this matter differ, in order to deal with this issue, you need to understand the principle of operation of this device. In order to decide for yourself whether a microwave for a person is harm or benefit, you need to rely on scientific evidence.

Operating principle

The principle of operation of the microwave oven

A microwave oven emits electromagnetic waves at super frequencies, the length of which is from 1 mm to 30 cm. They are also used in mobile communications, radio communications, as well as for the Internet. But why is the microwave so dangerous and scary? It consists of several parts: a high-voltage transformer, a magnetron and a control system (buttons, display, timer, etc.).

The magnetron transforms electricity into microwave beams, which have an effect on food molecules. Microwaves act on the water atoms in the food, forcing them to rotate rapidly, thereby creating a frictional force, due to which the food is heated. Friction between water molecules and other molecules breaks the food and deforms it from the inside.

This process is called isomerism (that is, isomers appear). It leads to the decomposition of particles, destroys the original molecular structure of food. It is not possible to crush a particle, even such a simple one as a water molecule, at home, even when it goes into a state of steam.

History of creation

The microwave was created during the Second World War, in Nazi Germany. It was intended to speed up the process of feeding soldiers, in other words, to reduce the amount of time spent on cooking and heating food. Soon, German scientists found out that the device they invented had a negative effect on the human body, and they were forced to abandon this development.

In 1943, the development of the furnace was in the hands of the Russians and Americans. The Americans classified this information, and Russian scientists carefully studied all the data and came to the conclusion that the microwave oven is a biological threat that has a harmful effect on the human body. And so they came to the conclusion that this is a device that negatively affects the environment. As a result, its use was banned.

Myths about the first microwave oven

There are many different arguments about whether the microwave is harmful or dangerous. You need to be able to distinguish what is still the truth, the basis for which are scientific research. And what is a pseudo-scientific myth, which is sucked from the finger.

Myth one

Since microwave rays affect the molecular structure of food, everything that is exposed to this device becomes carcinogenic. Carcinogenic - this means that any food that is heated by the oven becomes the causative agent of a malignant tumor. Accordingly, it is impossible to heat food in the device in any case.

Bacteria die in the microwave

No scientific study has proven this information. Only x-rays and ionizing rays can make a carcinogen out of a product. Carcinogens are also produced when frying in oil. When quickly heated in a microwave oven, foodstuffs are not exposed to prolonged heat exposure, respectively, they contain a minimum of burnt fat, due to which the product becomes carcinogenic.

Moreover, rapid heating, on the contrary, destroys harmful microorganisms, such as E. coli. Therefore, the microwave oven plays the role of a sterilizer.

Is microwave food harmful? If you rely on the above scientific research, then in this case, only benefit comes from a quick warm-up.

Myth two

Food cannot be heated in the microwave because the magnetic radiation emitted by this device is harmful to human life. In fact, the radiation from the stove is the same as from a WI-FI router or from a cell phone. It’s just that during cooking it is stronger, but scientists have foreseen this. Due to the design of the furnace, during heating, the radiation remains inside the device.

Scientists have found that waves do not accumulate in household items or food, they disappear in the open atmosphere. In other words, no threat will arise if the equipment is not used with the door open.

Myth three

The waves emitted by the microwave oven are radioactive. The waves generated by the device are non-ionizing. People who are at least a little familiar with physics know that they do not harm food or people.

Myth four

The instrument may explode due to metal objects. This is nonsense, everyone knows that the result of an explosion is the rapid expansion of gas. In our case, metal objects will cause sparks, which will have a negative effect on the device itself. That is why it is not recommended to reheat food in metal objects.

Harm from a microwave oven

It turns out that most of the "horror stories" about the microwave turned out to be myths. So why is the microwave really harmful?

  1. It has a negative effect on the brain. Scientists have found that radiation causes brain damage. The impulses that neurons send out become shorter.
  2. Food heated in the oven is not properly recognized by the digestive tract. In other words, food is not regarded as food. Thus, by eating food from the microwave, you can leave your body hungry.
  3. The body is less able to absorb vitamins and minerals. This is due to the fact that the waves change the structure useful minerals and substances, the body cannot take them. In addition, substances are not only not absorbed, but also do not leave the body, forming blood clots.
  4. Many people ask the question: “Is it harmful or not to heat food in the oven for a child?” Children are not recommended to put food in the microwave. It certainly will not cause harm, but the nutrients of the warmed up will decrease.
  5. Negative effect on immunity. It has been clinically proven that eating foods that have been heat treatment in a microwave oven, leads to disruption of the lymph nodes and lymph glands. The consequence of this is premature aging of the human body. In addition, blood clotting slows down, because of this, wounds heal much longer.
  6. Negative effect on the hormonal system. Frequent consumption of foods that have been exposed to microwaves leads to a violation of the production of male and female hormones. According to the findings of the researchers, this is due to the fact that the human body has not adapted to positively perceive food from the microwave. Eating such food, we ourselves bring down the parameters of the body, complicate the work of the digestive system.

Benefits of the microwave

We have analyzed the harm that this household appliance can cause. But is it possible to benefit from its use? Of course yes.

  • as mentioned earlier, the thermal effect of the device kills some of the harmful organisms;
  • you can cook food without fat and oil, which do not have a very good effect on our body;
  • much less cooking time;
  • You can quickly reheat and defrost food.

Is a microwave useful in everyday life or vice versa harmful? All this controversial issue. Whatever you decide for yourself, in any case, use the recommendations for use:

  1. Follow all recommendations for proper installation.
  2. Leave the ventilation slot open.
  3. Do not turn on the device unnecessarily.
  4. The mass of the heated must be more than two hundred grams.
  5. Do not heat explosive foods such as eggs.
  6. Cover the reheated food with a lid, put it exactly in the center of the disk and try to stir at least occasionally.
  7. Do not stand closer than 50 centimeters from the device.
  8. Wipe down oven walls with soapy water after each use.
  9. Once every half a month, wash the oven completely with vinegar.
  10. Do not reheat in plastic, metal or chipped containers.
  11. Do not use the microwave oven if it is defective and never try to fix it yourself. It is best to contact the experts.

Conclusion

Use the microwave as little as possible

Is the microwave harmful to health and to what extent? Is it safe to heat food in the microwave? Everyone decides for himself. Despite all the data that proves that the microwave oven is harmful, there are just as many denials of this. Most likely, if you decide whether the microwave oven is good or bad, opinions will be divided 50/50.

Do not forget that electrical equipment affects human organs. But each individual is affected differently. For some, it may appear immediately, while for others it may take decades. Years go by and it will be impossible to determine exactly why this happened. In the history of the microwave oven, there is not a single case where it has been proven that a person died due to exposure to it.

In order to benefit from technology and to minimize its harm, a microwave oven should be used only as needed, as an addition to a gas and electric stove. Let her presence in Everyday life will be kept to a minimum.

Video

Is a microwave harmful? How does it work?

What we eat greatly affects our health, because there is a saying: “You are what you eat” for a reason. Many people recommend eating raw food, but eating everything raw is not always possible and not always acceptable, so we have to cook food somehow. For food to be truly healthy, it must be prepared from quality products, but it seems that you need to forget about using a microwave, although using it can be very convenient. What are the dangers of microwaves? And why was there a ban on the use of microwave ovens in the Soviet Union in 1976? In this article, I will review what we know about the health effects of microwaved food.

How food is cooked in the microwave

Food in a microwave oven is heated by high frequency electromagnetic radiation (2.4 GHz) that acts inside the oven and is absorbed by the heated food. Since water molecules are bipolar (they have a pronounced positive and negative pole), electromagnetic oscillations cause resonance in them, transferring energy to them. Molecules spin very fast, polarity changes occur millions of times per second. Molecular friction is created, due to which the food is heated.

If the food or object in the microwave does not contain water, it will not be heated by this effect. Probably everyone noticed that food in the microwave warms up unevenly, this is due to the fact that the water in the food is unevenly distributed. There are very hot places that can burn you, so mothers are not recommended to heat baby bottles in the microwave, as the baby can simply burn. In addition, heating a plastic bottle in a microwave oven can actively leach toxic substances out of them into food. One of the worst contaminants is Bisphenol A, which is very common in plastic containers.

Contrary to popular belief, microwave ovens do not heat food "from the inside". When cooking bulky products in a microwave oven, the outer layers are first heated by microwaves, and the inner layers are heated by heat conduction.

In addition, new compounds are created in the microwave that do not occur in the human body or in nature, called radiolytic compounds. However, it is not yet known how these compounds affect the body. In addition to the thermal effect, microwaves also have athermal effects, which are still very poorly understood, because they are not so easy to measure. Some scientists suggest that it is the athermal effects of microwaves that explain most of the deformations and degradation of cells and molecules.

As an example, microwaves are used in the field of genetic engineering to weaken cell membranes. In fact, scientists are using microwave ovens to destroy cell defenses. After exposure to microwaves, cells become easy prey for viruses, fungi and other microorganisms.
The blood is usually warmed up before being transfused. It is now known that blood heated in a microwave oven is deadly to humans. One woman died in 1991 after a blood transfusion from a microwave oven.

Microwave radiation can escape

In general, problems with leakage of microwave radiation were in older models of microwaves. Theoretically, when properly grounded, a very small amount of radiation penetrates the sight glass, which, according to the FDA, sanitary supervision for the quality of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration "below a level that causes harm to humans." However, according to Powerwatch, a non-profit independent organization that disputes microwave safety claims:

"Even when the microwave is fine and working well, microwave levels within the kitchen are likely to be significantly higher than from any nearby cell phone stations."

When using a microwave oven, regularly check the quality of the insulation in the door to prevent radiation from leaking through it. If the door does not close properly or if it is damaged, do not use this oven.

But even if the microwave is fully operational, at a distance of 30 cm from it, a magnetic induction of 40 μT is created, and only 0.4 μT associated with the development of leukemia. Therefore, of course, it is better not to stand next to a working microwave and not allow children to be near it.

Nutrients disappear in the microwave

Surprisingly little research has been done on how microwaves affect organic molecules and on how the human body responds to eating microwaved food. Most of the research was done before 2000, most likely because researchers are now focusing on more trendy topics, such as the health effects of cell phones and computers, which create a giant cloud of electrosmog around the world.

The studies that have been carried out, however, for the most part confirm that foods cooked in a microwave oven lose their nutritional value.

A study published in the journal Food and Agriculture Science in 2003 found that microwaved broccoli in a small amount of water lost up to 97% of its beneficial antioxidants. By comparison, steamed broccoli loses about 11% of its antioxidants. The amount of phenolic compounds and glucosinolates also decreased, but the level minerals remained unchanged.

A study by the Japanese scientist Watanabe showed that only 6 minutes of microwave heating of milk is enough to make 30-40% of vitamin B12 inert, i.e. useless.

A recent study by Australian scientists showed that microwaves induce a higher degree of protein "folding" than conventional heating.

Microwaves can destroy the important disease-fighting antibodies in breast milk that protect your baby from all sorts of diseases. In 1992, Quan found that breast milk heated in a microwave oven loses lysozyme activity and is more susceptible to pathogenic bacteria.

Quan said the microwave oven causes more damage breast milk than other heating methods.

Diseases Caused by Microwave Radiation

When living tissues are directly exposed to microwaves, various unpleasant symptoms may appear as a result. People who have been exposed to microwave radiation high level experience a variety of symptoms, including:

  • Insomnia, night sweats, and various sleep disorders;
  • Headaches and dizziness;
  • Swollen lymph nodes and weakening of the immune system;
  • Violation of cognitive functions;
  • depression and irritability;
  • Nausea and loss of appetite;
  • vision problems;
  • Frequent urination and intense thirst.

There is evidence that people living near sources of high-frequency electromagnetic radiation, for example, near towers cellular communication, complain of similar symptoms, manifested in varying degrees. According to Professor Franz Adelkofer, a leading scientist in the biological effects of EMF fields:

“There is real evidence that high frequency electromagnetic radiation can have a genotoxic effect. And this DNA damage is always the cause of cancer. We found this deleterious effect on genes at levels well below the safety limits. That is why we think that it is necessary to base the maximum safe levels of radiation on biological effects, and not on thermal ones. They should be based on biology, not physics.”

Is there a microwave effect?

Some experts claim that the effect of microwaves is only a "heating effect", in other words, they claim that cooking in a microwave oven is no more harmful than conventional heating in an oven. They argue that since microwaves are non-ionizing radiation, these waves simply cannot damage blood cells or reduce blood levels. folic acid in spinach. Others suggest that there is a kind of "microwave effect" that causes changes in molecules that conventional heating does not. For many years, it was officially believed that the "microwave effect" was a myth.

However, study after study provides evidence that the effect of microwaves on food cannot be explained by the heat effect alone. In an article titled "DNA and the Microwave Effect" (published by Pennsylvania State University in 2001), the author reviews the history of the "Microwave Effect" controversy. He explains that while the basics of thermodynamics and physics state that the "microwave effect" is impossible, research is constantly showing evidence of its reality. Some of the main facts listed in the article:

  • Microwave heating and conventional heating may be identical at the "macro" level, but they appear to be different at the molecular level.
  • Microwaves are effective for sterilization and have been studied for several decades. Here, scientists cannot come to a consensus, some believe that sterilization is carried out due to the thermal effect, others argue that it cannot be explained only by the thermal effect.
  • Scientist Kakita successfully demonstrated in 1995 that microwave ovens were able to fragment and destroy viral DNA, which could not be done by heating without exposure to microwaves.
  • Numerous studies indicate that there are several mechanisms for DNA destruction without exposure to ionizing radiation, but no theory currently allows to explain this phenomenon.

Some scientists use the "microwave effect" to greatly speed up chemical reactions, sometimes by factors of thousands, resulting in a reaction being completed in minutes that would otherwise take days or months and would require the addition of various chemicals.

The article says:

“... It seems that there is reason to believe that the microwave effect really exists, even if it cannot be adequately explained yet. What we know at present is somewhat limited, but there may already be enough information available to form a viable hypothesis. The possibility that electromagnetic radiation in the non-ionizing frequency range can cause genetic damage could have significant implications for the current controversy regarding the safety of microwave antennas, power lines and cell phones."

I haven't used a microwave in a few years now and don't have much trouble without it. Whether or not to use a microwave oven, everyone decides for himself. For many, convenience comes first. But consider, even if there is a potential risk, is the convenience worth it?

The publication used materials from the article by Dr. Mercola "How Your Microwave Oven Damages Your Health In Multiple Ways"

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Harm of LED lamps

Microwave ovens are ergonomic and convenient devices. However, what does radiation do to our food, and how can it affect our health?Is microwave food harmful? Here are some facts about microwave ovens.

In the break rooms of offices, shops and homes for decades, the microwave oven has been used to reheat frozen food previously cooked food for decades. In fact, some of the city's cafes also have microwaves for cooking and defrosting food, everything from hot meals to snacks. This not only saves time and allows restaurateurs to serve your favorite dishes very quickly, providing a "wow factor" for those who are not familiar with these appliances.

However, Google searches - “are microwaves safe?”, “is microwave food unhealthy”, you will receive a flurry of information from stakeholders, ordinary people and even scientists who are concerned that a device is at hand that can be harmful to health. Of course, the opinion prevails among scientists, experts in the field Catering, government agencies and the general public that microwave ovens are overwhelmingly safe when used as intended. However, there may be some legitimate questions about the safety of certain aspects of microwave technology.

Let's take a closer look at some facts about microwave ovens currently in use.

How do microwave ovens actually heat food?


Microwave radiation is a form of non-ionizing radiation, that is, it cannot directly break atoms or molecules, it lies between radio waves and infrared frequencies in the frequency range.

Microwave radiation cannot damage the DNA of living beings, as X-rays and gamma rays do. However, microwaves can obviously cause a heating effect, and can be harmful or even kill at high power. This is why microwave ovens on the market must operate below the strict limits set by the government standard.

Most microwave ovens operate with microwaves at a frequency of 2.45 gigahertz with a wavelength of 12.24 cm. The prevailing opinion is that molecules in food, in particular water, absorb energy from the waves through dielectric heating. That is, since water molecules are polar, having a positive and a negative pole, they begin to rotate rapidly in an alternating electric field. Through this rotation, it is believed that additional heating of food occurs.

However, there are some scientists who disagree with this opinion, suggesting that other interactions between particles may be the cause of the heating.

Microwave ovens only heat food from the outside

While many people believe that this is the case, microwave ovens actually work on the outer layers of food, heating it up by exciting the water molecules there. The inner parts of the product are heated as heat transfers from the outer layers to the inside. So the microwave can only cook a large piece of meat about one inch deep inside.

Metal ingress into a microwave oven is dangerous

Metals reflect microwaves, while plastics, glass, and ceramics allow them to pass through. This means that metals do not heat up appreciably in the microwave. However, thin pieces of metal such as foil or fork tines can act as antennas and the waves arc from them and produce significant sparks.

The microwave oven is an economical way to cook food

Indeed, a microwave oven consumes less energy to heat food than conventional range ovens, with all energy being directed directly to the food, compared to an oven where energy is wasted on the heating element and the surrounding air. In fact, the Energy Star technology in the microwave is estimated to save up to 80% of the energy needed for a microwave when cooking or reheating small portions of food.

You can't heat oils in the microwave

Oils such as olive oil cannot be heated in the microwave also because their molecules do not have the polarity that water has. It is also true that frozen butter is difficult to melt in the microwave because most of the matter is butter and only a fraction is water, present as ice, which holds the water molecules in a locked crystalline form, making it harder to wobble.

Heating plastic in the microwave can be dangerous

Safe utensils for use with a microwave oven are ceramic and glass utensils, it is better to use special utensils. The use of plastic is dangerous, because. when heated, it releases toxic substances, phenols.

Boiling a cup of water in the microwave can cause it to explode

One of the potential hazards of microwave ovens is getting burned over heated water. What can happen is that when ordinary water is heated in the microwave in a clean ceramic or glass dish for too long, it can prevent the formation of bubbles that tend to cool it down. Water can become superheated past the boiling point. Therefore, when it is broken, said to be moving it or removing something in it, the heat releases violently, spewing boiling water from the cup. To avoid this risk, only a minimum amount of time is needed to heat the water.

Microwave cooking can be unsafe

Indeed, microwave ovens do not always heat food evenly, sometimes leaving cold zones next to hot ones. If you are cooking raw meat, this can be dangerous as harmful bacteria can remain.

Microwave ovens cannot leak dangerous levels of electromagnetic radiation

For decades, scientists and consumers have been subject to debate about possible consequences effects of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation on living tissues. Because we can't reliably investigate over the course of a person's lifetime under controlled laboratory conditions, it's very difficult to figure out what the risks are from fields radiated from power lines, cell phones, computers, clock radios, and, of course, microwave ovens. We know strong fields increase the risk and incidence of cancer and other problems, but what about the cumulative effect of small exposures, or exposure to children?

It is known that the housing of a microwave oven limits the amount of microwaves that can flow out of the oven over its lifetime, the radiation power at about 2 centimeters from the front surface of the oven is 5 milliwatts (mW) of microwave radiation per square centimeter. This limit is much lower than the maximum allowable. It is also true that microwave energy decreases sharply with distance from the radiation source. The measurement was taken 20 inches from the oven and the radiation was about one-hundredth of the value measured at 2 inches. Safety standards also require that all microwave ovens have two independent systems blocking.

And yet, is food from the microwave harmful?

This fact has not been proven. Any type of food preparation is known to change the chemistry of the food. This may decrease the levels of some nutrients, and may increase the levels of others, such as lycopenes, or make them more available for digestion. The prevailing view is that microwaves do not alter foods in ways that are more detrimental than other cooking methods. In fact, some scientists argue that faster cooking times may actually retain more nutrients compared to other methods.

However, we don't know enough about nutrition and the cumulative effects of food, some of which can be dangerous associated with microwaved food... there is a theory that microwaves change chemical composition protein in such a way that it becomes harmful.

Microwave ovens were invented by accident

It's a delusion. The first microwave oven was invented by German scientists commissioned by the Nazis. This was done in order not to waste time on cooking and not to carry heavy fuel for stoves with them during the cold Russian winter. During its operation, it became clear that food cooked in a microwave, which negatively affects the health of soldiers, and its use has decreased.

In 1942-1943, these studies fell into the hands of the Americans and were classified.

At the same time, microwave ovens were extensively studied by Soviet scientists at the Belarusian Radio-Technological Institute and research institutes of the closed cities of the Urals and Novosibirsk. In particular, the biological impact, that is, the effect of microwave radiation on biological objects, was studied.

As a result, back in the Soviet Union, a law was passed banning the use of microwave ovens due to their biological danger!

This data is somewhat alarming, isn't it?

Continuing the work of Soviet scientists, thousands of workers who worked with radars and received microwave radiation were examined. The results were so severe that a strict limit was set at 10 microwatts of radiation for workers and one microwatt for civilians.

But that was in the 20th century, and in modern times - the conclusions drawn by government agencies and leading organizations are that microwave cooking is safe as well as convenient. However, it should not be forgotten that there is a limited number of studies that may indicate otherwise. Given the lack of large-scale or conclusive evidence, it is difficult to judge with certainty whether microwaved food is harmful.

It is up to you, the consumer, to choose whether or not to use this device!

At the moment it is very difficult to say who exactly invented the microwave oven. IN different sources can be seen completely various information. P. B. Spencer, an engineer from the United States of America, who was engaged in the study of a microwave emitter - a magnetron, is usually named as the official creator. As a result of the experiments he made quite specific conclusions. A certain frequency of radiation causes intense heat release. On December 6, 1945, a scientist received a patent for the use of microwaves for cooking. In 1949, in the United States, under this patent, the production of microwave ovens, which were intended for the rapid defrosting of strategic food stocks, had already begun. The whole world celebrates the birthday of microwave ovens on December 6th.

Controversy surrounding the invention

Since this device was created, disputes about its benefits and harms have not subsided. Until now, many people do not understand how the microwave oven works, which is why it is believed that products that have undergone such processing can be dangerous for human health. When on Russian market As soon as this device appeared, many began to hear that food cooked or heated in this way causes cancer. They often talked about the effect of microwaves on the prenatal development of children, the ability to cause various pathologies. Dishes from such an oven are full of carcinogens.

Latest Market Research household appliances showed that every fifth family in Russia has a microwave oven, and in the United States of America only 10% of the population has not yet acquired this unit. When buying from sales consultants, you can often hear that this particular model is completely safe for health and shielded from radiation. And then the thought of the presence of some harmful factors creeps in.

This device uses radio waves similar to a conventional receiver, only they differ in frequency and are characterized by greater power. Every day we experience the action of radio waves of different frequencies - we are affected by our mobile phones, computers, televisions and other types of equipment. It is necessary to consider in more detail what a microwave oven is. Harm or benefit is obtained from its use, what is its effect? The cooking process goes like this: Microwaves bombard the water molecules in the food, causing them to rotate at an incredible frequency, which creates molecular friction that heats the food. It is this process that causes severe damage to food molecules, as it leads to their ruptures and deformation. It turns out that the microwave oven leads to the decay and changes in the structure of products under the influence of radiation.

After the war, medical research was discovered that the Germans were doing with microwaves. All these documents, along with several working models, were transferred to the United States of America for further research. The Russians received a number of models with which they conducted many experiments. In the course of the study, it was revealed that when exposed to microwaves, substances of an ecological and biological nature that are harmful to health are obtained. A regulation was created to severely restrict the use of microwave waves.

The harm and benefits of a microwave oven according to scientists

American researchers say that this device has reduced the incidence of stomach cancer in America. This is attributed to the fact that no oil is required during microwave cooking. And according to the method of preparation, this option is very similar to steam, which is considered the safest. Short cooking time allows you to save twice as much useful substances in food: minerals and vitamins. At the Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, it was calculated that the process of cooking on the stove leads to the loss of 60% of useful elements, in particular vitamin C. And microwaves destroy only 2-25%. However, scientists from Spain claim that broccoli, which is prepared in this way, loses up to 98% of the minerals and vitamins contained in it, and the microwave oven is to blame for this.

The harm of this method of cooking is more and more confirmed every day. A lot of information has appeared that food prepared in this way is harmful to human health. irreparable harm. Microwaves cause food to break down at the molecular level, causing irreversible changes that cause ordinary food to become saturated with substances that can cause cancer.

In 1992, a comparative study was published in the United States, stating that the introduction of molecules exposed to microwaves into the human body leads to more harm than good. In this processed food, the molecules contain microwave energy that is not present in foods that are prepared in traditional ways.

The microwave oven, the harm of which has been studied for more than a year, changes the structure of products. A short-term study showed that people who consumed vegetables and milk prepared in this way had changes in blood composition, increased cholesterol, and decreased hemoglobin. At the same time, the use of the same products, but prepared traditionally, did not lead to any changes in the body.

Question without an answer

Microwave oven manufacturers unanimously claim that food from a microwave oven does not differ in composition from that which is processed in the traditional way. However, no public university in the United States of America has conducted research on how food altered in this way affects human body. But at the same time, there is a huge amount of research on what happens if the device door is not closed. Common sense dictates that issues related to food itself are quite important. Therefore, at the moment it is a complete mystery what a microwave oven does with products, whether it brings harm or benefit to them.

Other important points

Quite often you can hear that these devices harm children. The composition of mother's milk and milk formulas includes such amino acids that, when exposed to this radiation, are converted into d-isomers, and they are considered neurotoxic, that is, they lead to deformation of the nervous system, as well as nephrotoxic, that is, they are poison for the kidneys. Now, when many children are fed with artificial mixtures, there are more and more dangers, because they are heated in microwave ovens.

The World Health Organization issued a verdict that the radiation used in the microwave does not harm food or humans at all. But the intensity of the microwave flow can affect implanted pacemakers. That is why people with pacemakers are advised to give up microwaves and cell phones.

Other Features

However, until now, under the gun of many, it is the microwave oven. Whether it is harmful or not is not clear. Therefore, a final verdict has not yet been issued on this issue. Many scientists are working to study its effect on the human body. In the meantime, the harm and benefits of a microwave oven remain a big question, you should use it only for heating and defrosting food, but not for cooking. You should not be near the switched on stove yourself, especially you should not let children near it. A defective device should not be used. Doors should close as securely as possible without being damaged. And if you have a microwave oven, the instruction manual will help you use it correctly. Always have this appliance repaired by a qualified technician and never do it yourself.

Unusual use of microwave

A microwave oven, whose characteristics depend on many factors, can be used for various purposes that are not considered traditional for it. You can use it for drying vegetables, herbs, nuts for the winter, as well as crackers. If spices and seasonings are sent to the microwave for 30 seconds, then you can refresh their aroma. Bread can be refreshed by wrapping it in a napkin and placing it in the device for 1 minute at the most intense radiation.

You can peel almonds by putting them in boiling water and then heating them for half a minute in the oven at full power. The microwave oven, the harm of which is being intensively studied, is also useful for peeling walnuts. They need to be heated in water at full power for 4-5 minutes. You can easily get rid of the white pulp on lemons or oranges. To do this, citruses should be heated at full power for 30 seconds. After that, the white pulp can be separated from the slices quite simply.

The zest of a lemon or orange can be dried fairly quickly if you heat it for two minutes at full power. The same time will be enough to melt the candied honey.

Can be spared cutting boards from bad smell. To do this, you need to wash them, grate with lemon juice, and then fry them in the microwave for a couple of minutes. In this case, even the sharpest stubborn smell will disappear.

To squeeze juice from citrus fruits to the last drop, it is enough to warm them up for several minutes in the microwave, and then let them cool.

What's wrong with a microwave?

If you are interested in a microwave oven, the harm of which is confirmed by many studies, then it is worth noting that the frequency of operation of this device coincides with the frequency mobile phone. At the moment, there are four main factors that speak in favor of the harm of this unit.

First of all, it should be noted that electromagnetic radiation, more precisely, its informational component, is harmful. In science, it is customary to call it a torsion field. Experiments have shown that electromagnetic radiation has a torsion component. It is these fields, according to most scientists, that pose a danger and harm to human health. The torsion field transmits to a person all negative information, from which irritations, headaches and insomnia, as well as other ailments, can begin.

It is important to remember the temperature, however, this applies to a long time period with constant use of the microwave oven.

If under the gun is a microwave oven, the harm or benefit of which we are so interested in, then from the point of view of biology, it is the high-frequency radiation of the centimeter range that is most harmful to humans. Since it is from him that the electromagnetic radiation of the greatest intensity is obtained.

Microwaves lead to direct heating of the body, while only blood flow can reduce the degree of exposure. But there are organs, for example, the lens, in which there is not a single vessel. Therefore, exposure to microwave waves causes clouding of the lens and its destruction. Such changes are irreversible.

Since we do not see and do not hear electromagnetic radiation, and also do not clearly feel it, we cannot determine whether it was it that caused this or that human disease. The influence of such radiation does not appear immediately, but only when it accumulates, which makes it difficult to blame some device that a person has come into contact with for this.

So, if a microwave oven is considered, the characteristics of which are completely unimportant in this matter, then its effect on food should be studied. Electromagnetic radiation can cause the ionization of the molecules of a substance, that is, as a result of this, an electron can appear or be lost from an atom, which leads to a change in the structure of the substance itself.

Radiation causes the destruction of food molecules and their deformation. The microwave oven (whether or not its use is harmful to health is still being actively studied) creates new compounds that do not exist in nature. They are called radiolytics. And they, in turn, create molecular rot, which is a direct consequence of radiation.

Here are just a few facts to think about if you are interested in operating a microwave oven:

Meat cooked this way contains Nitrosodienthanolamines, which is a carcinogen;

In milk and cereal, many acids are converted into carcinogens;

When defrosting fruits in this way, their galactioids and glucosides turn into carcinogens;

Vegetable alkaloils, even with slight exposure, become carcinogens;

When processing plants, especially root crops, in a microwave oven, carcinogenic free radicals are formed;

The value of food is sometimes reduced by 90%;

Many vitamins lose their biological activity.

A microwave oven, reviews of which can be interesting and informative, is able to weaken the cells of our body with its microwave radiation. There is such a method of genetic engineering, when the cell is lightly irradiated electromagnetic waves to penetrate it, and this leads to a weakening of the membranes. Since the cells can be said to be broken, the membranes no longer serve as an obstacle to viruses, fungi and other microorganisms, while the natural mechanism of self-healing is also suppressed.

The health risks of a microwave oven are the same as exposure to radiation. In this case, the radioactive decay of molecules occurs, after which new alloys are formed, unknown to nature.

The impact of microwave radiation on human health

Eating food that is cooked in a microwave oven leads to a gradual decrease in heart rate and pressure. This is followed by a period of nervousness and high blood pressure, headaches, eye pain, dizziness, irritability, insomnia, stomach pain, hair loss, inability to concentrate, reproductive problems appear. Sometimes they even appear cancerous tumors. With heart disease and stress, all these symptoms are exacerbated.

What does the market offer?

The microwave oven, reviews of which you might like, is designed to provide maximum comfort, convenience and complete safety during use. On the Russian market there are devices of different brands and sizes. Thanks to the abundance of design solutions, you can choose a model that best suits your taste preferences. There are both simple solutions and multifunctional large-sized specimens.

Any microwave oven that suits your needs works on the same principle. The heating of the product evenly occurs due to its irradiation from all sides. Simple Models are characterized by the fact that the product is in one place, and a microwave source rotates around it, and more advanced options suggest that directional microwave radiation is used, and the product is located on a special rotating tray.

A microwave oven, which may include a grill and forced air circulation, is a more complex device. In this case, the fan is usually placed behind the wall of the chamber. Grills are equipped with tubular heating elements. For steam cooking, the appliance can be equipped special dishes. All models have a backlight that allows you to observe the cooking process.

Subtleties of choice and characteristics

While the microwave oven, which you may like reviews, can completely replace the traditional stove, it is usually purchased as an addition to existing equipment. Before choosing, you should determine your needs and capabilities. You need to decide what tasks you need to solve and how often: cook first courses, bake meat and poultry, defrost food, reheat, and so on. Do you need a traditional inexpensive appliance or a modern and elegant one? And all this is important when considering microwave ovens. How to choose one or another model is completely up to you.

Many customers prefer to use this appliance to defrost food and reheat food. These goals are easily achieved in simple microwave ovens, where only microwave radiation is used. Such equipment is usually purchased as an addition to a stove with an oven. So you can meet the requirements of dietary and fast food.

The size and design of the microwave oven will affect the amount of food and dishes that can be cooked at one time. by the most in great demand use appliances that are characterized by medium and small dimensions, as well as the presence of a grill. With the help of this option, food is not only heated, but also brought to condition. Such solutions meet the needs of small families with a limited budget.

An important parameter is the volume of the chamber. Usually than more features at the device, the more it is. Microwave power is another point to keep in mind. It is she who affects the speed of cooking. Management should be clear, but at the same time functional enough.

It is desirable that the kit includes a set of necessary accessories. Then working with the device will be much easier. The choice of a particular brand is a personal matter for everyone, and it all depends on preferences.

If we talk about reviews of microwave ovens, then here, as elsewhere, you can find different opinions. But most agree on the usefulness of such a kitchen appliance as an assistant if something needs to be heated, thawed, and also quickly cooked. Grill models are more popular, as the food in them turns out to be more appetizing in appearance.

In general, a microwave oven, the photo of which you can take yourself, should be the way you want it. In the sense that the choice of a particular model depends entirely on your preferences.

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