Is microwave radiation harmful?

Microwave radiation is a type of electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength between 30 cm and about 1 mm - on the electromagnetic spectrum, it is between infrared radiation and ultrashort waves. Microwaves are the shortest type of radio waves. They are created similarly to radio waves but have a higher frequency. These rays propagate due to interpenetrating electric and magnetic oscillations. Unlike other types of electromagnetic waves, microwave radiation does not carry enough energy to break chemical bonds. In short, microwave radiation penetrates deep into a given substance using various physical and chemical phenomena and spreads thermal energy.

How does a microwave oven work? 

A microwave oven heats food using microwave radiation, i.e. electromagnetic waves with a length of 12 cm. On contact with a dish, this radiation causes the food's molecules to vibrate. This mostly applies to water molecules, which have the ability to absorb electromagnetic waves in a wide range of wavelengths. A device called a cavity magnetron is the heart of every microwave oven. The waves generated by the magnetron are directed via a waveguide to the cooking chamber. If a meal has even the smallest amount of moisture inside, it can be heated there. The vibrating water molecules transfer energy to other ingredients of the food, which makes the whole dish heat up. A microwave oven with a frequency of 2.45 GHz ensures that the heating is very fast and since the waves penetrate the dish, the food warm is warmed in its entirety, not only on the surface. 

Can microwaves radiate out of a microwave oven?  

Every microwave oven has a special net in its cooking chamber that protects against rays radiating out of the device. The meshes of the net are smaller than the wavelength of radiation created by the magnetron (about 12 cm), which stops the rays in the oven. The few microwaves that make it through the net have over 1000 times lower energy than those reaching the door from the inside, therefore they are completely harmless to the human body. In addition, a special mechanism is built into the oven's door, which stops the magnetron's power supply when the oven is opened.  

Therefore, you are not exposed to microwave radiation as long as your body is not directly touching the microwave oven.  

Moreover, microwave radiation is unable to detach an electron from an atom and damage DNA, which is possible with other types of radiation. Because of its low frequency, microwave radiation is also not able to break chemical bonds.  

The higher the frequency, the higher the energy, and thus - the stronger the impact on the human body. 

Food reheated in a microwave oven or in a pan - which is healthier? 

Heating food always has an effect on it. The higher the temperatures the more vitamins, antioxidants, and nutrients are broken down. Moreover, the longer the heating lasts, the more substances that are valuable to our body are lost.  

From this perspective, the most disadvantageous way to heat food is to boil it in water using traditional gas or electric cookers, because many vitamins dissolve in water. In a microwave oven, heating is much faster and no water is added to the food.

According to research, cooking vegetables in the water on a gas or electric stove causes them to lose 80-95% of their nutritional value.   

Scientists confirm that preparing food or heating it in a microwave oven is healthier than doing it in the traditional way. 

However, the microwave oven is not always the perfect solution - it is not recommended to prepare meat in it.  

The microwave oven heats the food unevenly, so sometimes the temperature in some places can exceed 100°C, which causes the breakdown of vitamin B12 (this mainly applies to meat and dairy products).  

In addition, it is not recommended to microwave raw meat as it may not reach a temperature high enough to kill the microbes found in raw meat.  

Some cruciferous vegetables can release a large amount of flavonoids under the influence of microwave radiation. 

The effect of microwave radiation on the human body 

Neither heating food in a microwave oven nor the device itself is harmful to the human body.  

However, please note that not all foods can be safely heated in a microwave oven.  

You should also pay attention to what type of cookware you use to reheat food, as some of them cannot be used with a microwave oven.  

Also, do not heat breast milk using a microwave oven, as some of its ingredients might become negatively altered. 

If you are fond of microwave ovens, steaming products is a viable and safe alternative. 

What type of cookware can be used in a microwave oven? 

Metal dishes with sharp edges create sparks. In a nutshell, this process is caused by a rapidly changing electromagnetic field on the sharp metal edges, where the strength of the induced field is concentrated. This tears the electrons out of the metal's structure, which then ionizes the surrounding air. The electrical discharge then creates sparks. This applies especially to objects with sharp edges, so, for example, a spoon should not cause this phenomenon.  

Therefore, metal cookware should not be used to heat food in a microwave oven. 

It is recommended to heat food in ceramic dishes without any metal parts.  

Some dishes have a symbol indicating that they can or cannot be used in a microwave oven.  

You can also use special plastic containers with a marking that allows for heating in a microwave oven. 

In summary, it is completely safe to use microwave ovens to prepare and heat food. By using a microwave oven, you can avoid burning your food, which can make it carcinogenic. In addition, food heated in a microwave oven retains more of its nutritional value.