When you hear the word radiation, you automatically think the worst and how bad it can be for you. So when you think about the radiation used when you microwave your food, you may think about so many words of caution. While we are exposed to radiation every day from a variety of sources, people still question whether microwaving food is bad for your health. Should you be putting your health at risk with this quick and convenient way to cook your food? Read on to find out.

Is Microwaving Food Bad for You?

There have been plenty of people who feel strongly about the dangers that come from microwaving food. The rumors you may have heard range from harmful radiation seeping into your foods to chemicals that can cause cancers. Let's take a closer look at some of the most common rumors associated with microwaving your food to see just how dangerous it can be for your health.

Rumor 1: Microwaving cooking destroys your food.

Many people believe that using the microwave not only reduces the nutritional value of the food but can also make it toxic. This belief is brought about because of the misconception that many people have about the cooking process. It is true that foods will lose their nutritional value when microwaved. Just like any type of heating source you use to cook your foods, whether it be a stove, oven or microwave, it will destroy some of the nutritional value of food. When your food is heated, the number of micro nutrients is decreased, especially in vegetables.

Rumor 2: Microwave radiation is dangerous.

When people hear the term radiation, they automatically think of toxic puffs of cloud that can destroy all life forms in its path. However, while some radiation can have this effect, not all radiation is the same. You are exposed to thousands of different types of radiation on a regular basis every day like the sun, the lights in your home, and your cell phone. If you are worried about the amount of radiation your microwave gives off, then you should be just as concerned about the amount of radiation that gets omitted from your cell phone. Is microwaving food bad for you because of the radiation it gives off? Not really. Your microwave gives off just as much radiation as your cell phones, which you hold right up to your face.

Rumor 3: The radiation from microwaves can cause cancer.

This rumor is related to the fear that the radiation given off by microwaves is dangerous. This fear is based off of certain scientific experiments that were not done in a controlled environment or with specific details as to the cancerous changes that happened to occurred. There is no actual documented study that indicates microwaved food causes cancer and the earlier experiments done could have blamed the results on a number of varying factors. There are, however, studies that indicate microwaving food can actually be more beneficial but this again has not been studied or experimented with to a great extent. In any types of controlled experiment that proves microwaves could cause cancers, individuals had been exposed to a large number of microwaves for many years.

Rumor 4: If you microwave plastic, toxic chemicals are released.

This has been a legitimate concern since most plastic already contains a number of harmful toxins which are released into your foods and beverages. The main chemicals that all plastic tend to contain are Bisphenol better known as BPA and phthalates. In large quantities, these chemicals can be harmful and have been said to cause weight gain, cancers, infertility and a number of other severe health conditions. Then is microwaving food bad for you when done in plastic containers? Actually, microwaving your food in plastic containers doesn't increase the number of chemicals that your food is exposed to, but repeatedly microwaving the same plastic container over and over will cause it to release more of these harmful chemicals but still not at a rate that is significantly harmful. If you are concerned about these specific chemicals and the harm they can cause, then stick with using glass or ceramic dishes in your microwave.

However, There are Some Reasons to Avoid Using Microwaves

While microwaving your food may not put your health in serious risk, that does not mean you should rely on your microwave to cook every meal and everything. Some reasons you may want to use another heating source instead of your microwave include:

Heating baby bottles.

Microwaves do not cook foods evenly, this is the number one reason why people are advised not to warm baby bottles in the microwave. Microwaves can cause uneven hot and cold spots in food and when it comes to baby bottles, the outside of the bottle may be cold while the inside contents may be extremely hot. This can result in severe burns and injury.

They won't make your food crispy.

Microwaves are not a good way to brown or add a crispiness to your foods. Since microwaves do not get hot enough, your food will not crisp up.

They don't add flavor or texture to your foods.

Relying on your microwave, cooking your foods in it might leave you with bland, dry and even mushy meals. Is microwaving food bad for you if you want a flavorful meal? Microwaving your food may not be bad for you but it may not be the best meal you ever eat or cook. While this is based on the opinion of the individuals who use and eat foods cooked in a microwave, there is no denying that food just doesn't taste as good when cooked in the microwave.