Is the microwave harmful to human health

A microwave oven is a convenient and compact appliance, thanks to which we quickly and quickly heat food, as well as prepare food even without using oil.

For some reason, people have always been wary of all innovations, as well as the microwave from the moment of its appearance overgrown with speculation about the harm to human health. Next, we will figure out whether it is dangerous to negatively affect our kitchen assistant on the body.

Myths and fiction around the microwave

There are 3 common myths about harm from microwaves:

• The first myth. High radioactivity. Indeed, the device emits energy - electromagnetic waves at super frequencies. But a minimal amount of radiation, unable to harm a person, passes through the housing of working household appliances.
• The second myth. Changing the structure of products and food quality for the worse. The reality is that scientists still have not found evidence that under the influence of waves food is saturated with carcinogens. But when heating food with oil in a pan, on the contrary, there are many confirmed arguments for obtaining carcinogenic products.
• The third myth. Loss of nutrients by food. When heated, the molecules due to electromagnetic waves begin to move at a very high frequency. Thanks to the accelerated transfer of energy, heat treatment occurs at maximum speed. There are no significant changes in the products themselves and cannot be.

Reference: in a microwave oven, heating is much faster, which means that less nutrients are lost.

Expert opinion: “You can warm!”

To the question: is the microwave oven harmful to human health, the director of the test center TEST-BET Oleg Dronitsky reacted with humor. He joked that this device is very dangerous if you put your hand into it. And then he made a reservation that getting burned even in such an absurd case would not work - modern equipment is equipped with blocking protection from children, even when the appliance is turned off.

Oleg Dronitsky explains that food cooked or heated on a microwave does not differ in degree of harmful substances from food from an ordinary pan or pan. Wave emission is really harmful to the body, however, if a person stands idle for 8 hours at a distance of 5 cm from the microwave. And then, harmful microwaves affect only partially.

On a note: according to current sanitary standards in Russia, the density of radiated energy should not exceed 10 mkW per 1 sq. cm at a distance of 50 cm from the microwave when heating 1 liter of water. All produced models fully comply with the required requirements with a large margin.

The opinions of scientists were divided - some trumpeted about the unacceptability of using microwaves, others, on the contrary, about its exceptional benefits. For example, American researchers believe that due to the gentle method of cooking without oil in the United States, the percentage of cancer diseases has decreased.

In contrast, in Sweden, the biologist Hertel and Professor Bernard Blank tried to prove an increase in white blood cells due to the use of a microwave. But their experience was incompetent, because due to the lack of money for research, scientists limited themselves to only one experimental.

A WHO official verdict has now been issued based on scientific evidence: microwave ovens do not have a harmful effect on the human body and food consumed.

Important: the only exception is people with pacemakers, as the flow of intense microwaves negatively affects the work of heart rhythm drivers.

What do nutritionists and doctors say?

Many experts in dietary nutrition are convinced that it is impossible to cook healthy food in the microwave. But also nutritionists find it unacceptable to cook in a pan or in a pan. The best option for preparing healthy foods for nutritionists is use of a slow cooker or a double boiler.

Compare microwave radiation with other household appliances

A microwave oven, of course, produces a certain percentage of harmful effects on a person, but is it so dangerous compared to other irreplaceable technical attributes in a house? Let's look at a few examples:

• Fridge with NO FROST system. 10 cm compressor produces a magnetic field far exceeding the permissible level. Safety is provided only at a distance of a meter from the door.
• Electric stove. At a distance of 25 cm from the front panel - already high magnetic field intensity (1-3 μT). Cooking is recommended, moving at least 50 cm from the stove.
• Electric kettles. Also publish high radiation in a radius of 20 cm - 0.6 μT.
• Irons. It is impossible not to succumb to the negative effects of radiation when ironing - devices emit magnetic fieldsexceeding 0.2 μT, if the arm is less than 25 cm from the iron.
• Washer. Such a working technique should not be approached at all - (10 μT).
• A vacuum cleaner. it the most powerful harmful emitter. During operation, the intensity of the magnetic fields exceeds 100 μT.

When using a microwave oven, harmful emissions are produced (about 0.3 - 0.8 μT), comparable to the negative impact of a Wi-fi router or TV. But the microwave ovens are equipped with a special protective barrier, through which it is impossible to penetrate radioactive waves in an amount exceeding the permissible norms.

Harm or good

In use microwave much more pros than cons:

• deep heat in the oven - up to 2.5 cm from the surface;
• warming up significantly faster;
• uniform heating products;
• cooking food at lower temperature (below 100 degrees);
• convenience and comfort.

The disadvantages include the loss of certain substances necessary for the treatment of oncology. In particular, it is better to add garlic after removing the dish from the microwave, as it loses its beneficial properties.

Microwave leakage problems were observed in older microwave models. Modern samples have undergone improved modernization and are absolutely safe for health. The only exceptions are instruments with damaged housing, so you should carefully consider the technical condition of the microwave oven. If the door is not sufficiently insulated, the percentage of radiation can increase several times, so it is recommended to exclude such devices from use.

Microwave Tips

The following guidelines must be followed to minimize potential harm from the microwave:

1. Install device in a strictly horizontal position at a distance of a meter from the floor surface.
2. To use ventilation system.
3. Do not use the microwave to cook raw eggs in shells.
4. Do not use cookware or containers containing metal.
5. Do not include without products.
6. Remove the defective microwave.

A microwave has a long list of benefits. Of the shortcomings, one can identify only the unproven effect of radiation, as well as the loss of some useful vitamins. The main advantage is the economical use of time. it will allow microwave to remain at the peak of popularity among household appliances for heating and cooking for a long time.