Is Microwave Oven Harmful?

With Scientific Explanations: Is Microwave Oven Harmful?

Is microwave oven harmful? Unfortunately, the answer to the question is ‘yes’, as a result of research conducted from past to present . The reason why the expression “unfortunately” is used is the fact that microwave ovens make human life much easier in daily hustle and bustle. Because microwave ovens, which have almost all the features of old-school ovens, also have functions such as quickly defrosting meat, fish, vegetables and all foods you take out of the freezer, and allowing you to easily prepare practical recipes. It is the most practical friend of family members who do not have time for the kitchen.

Time crunch or not, a meal that heats up in 20 seconds is not something anyone can say no to. Or, no chef can deny the ease with which frozen meat taken out of the freezer can be thawed in less than 1 minute. However, if we take some time and examine it, the fact proven with all scientific reasons is this; Microwave oven is harmful to health.

Microwaves are the protagonists of devices that have taken place in every aspect of our lives, from television to mobile phones or radio. All these technological products interact thanks to these waves. These waves are the reason why food heats up quickly. Because these waves interact with the molecules of food and therefore cause their DNA to be damaged. All the foods that we sometimes heat or sometimes thaw in the microwave oven become foods with a damaged molecular structure as soon as they come out of the microwave oven. This is, of course, a factor that negatively affects the digestive system.

So much so that for many years, stomach cancer was detected in most people who consumed food heated in microwave ovens. The list of areas where foods with damaged molecular structures threaten human health is quite long. It has been scientifically proven that it causes damage to the lymph systems, damage to brain functions, problems in the functioning of hormones and even psychological disorders.

The harms of microwave ovens have been listed by Erkan Topuz with dozens of items, especially the effect of increasing our susceptibility to cancer.

The temperature of the oven or the environment does not increase during the heating process. Only the food is heated during this process. The reason for this is that the molecules of the food absorb the energy of the microwave. During this process, molecules rub against each other and heat is generated. It is this heat that cooks the food.

This is why foods cooked in microwave ovens cook much faster than meals cooked in normal ovens.

The fact that the DNA of foods is damaged and their vitamin and protein values ​​decrease because their structure has changed clearly reveals the harm of microwaves to human health.

There are also opposing views that microwave ovens do not threaten human health:

For example, there is also a group of people who argue that in cases where people do not come into direct contact with these rays, these rays are too low to adversely affect health. Those who support this view argue that microwave ovens cannot have a carcinogenic effect as long as people use them consciously. For example; Although it is accepted that the waves in question activate the water in the food by vibration, it is claimed that the heat used in other heating and cooking methods also causes serious changes in the natural structure of the food, and therefore microwave ovens do not have a feature that directly threatens human health.

• Istanbul University (IU) Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine Lecturer Prof. Dr. Tunaya Kalkan made it very clear that she is against the crowd who say that microwave ovens threaten human health by saying, “The views that these ovens are harmful are completely an urban legend.” Kalkan supported these thoughts by stating that the rays inside microwave ovens are much less than the rays emitted by a normal mobile phone. He also stated that only the dishes themselves are heated, not the container they are in, which provides significant energy savings. Kalkan also emphasized the advanced safety measures of microwave ovens and stated that they do not have serious negative effects on health with conscious use.

Despite all these opinions, the most clear information about the working system of microwave ovens is that there is a magnetron inside the ovens that produces electromagnetic waves. Microwave ovens use electron and magnetic electricity with the magnetron tubes inside them and thus produce radiation. These magnetrons, which are placed inside the oven and distributed evenly across the oven walls, cause serious changes in the molecular structures of foods. It is quite obvious that these negative effects, which can be minimized with correct and conscious use, cannot be reduced to zero in long-term use of microwave ovens.

So, Why is Microwave Oven Harmful?

Foods whose DNA has been damaged after exposure to radiation are, of course, a threat to human health. It is extremely pointless to emphasize the harm in other heating methods and to cover up this harm or pretend it does not exist. To list the negative effects of microwave ovens observed as a result of detailed research:

• It has been determined that the increased temperature level as a result of the interaction of water molecules causes stomach and intestinal cancer.
• It has been observed that it causes hormonal disorders in both men and women.
• It is known that it disrupts the brain’s electrical system, causing irreparable effects.
• It is known to cause mental problems such as emotional imbalances, memory loss, mental retardation, and lack of concentration.
• It may cause an increase in cholesterol levels in the human body.
• It may cause a decrease in white blood cells and hemoglobin values ​​in the blood.
• The decrease in the nutritional values ​​of the heated product may cause people to consume less of the vitamins and proteins they need daily.

After this long list, what is beyond doubt is that the answer to the question of whether microwaves are harmful to health is yes. We know and understand very well that putting a frozen fish out of the freezer the night before to thaw it, waiting for minutes to heat the soup on the stove, looking at the coffee pot for the milk to boil, is not easy when there is such an alternative. Of course, in this case, everyone’s choice would be a miraculous device that can do the above mentioned in 30 seconds to 1 minute. Moreover, this tool is always ready at hand due to its size and use. In other words, heating the huge oven or taking it down and using it is a much more challenging task, despite its practicality and comfort.

Most people prefer a cheddar cheese that melts on their bread in 20 seconds when they leave the house in the morning, instead of waiting for the toaster to warm up. Or, while you are waiting for frozen ground meat to thaw at room temperature, the guest has already arrived, and a chickpea that was soaked in hot water for minutes and tried to thaw actually melts in the blink of an eye with the microwave oven.

All this convenience and the comfort created by this technology should not cause us to have an element that threatens our health in our kitchens with peace of mind due to lack of time or the rush of daily life.

All evaluations made with examples from two different views should be carefully examined and all requirements should be fulfilled for conscious use. Microwave oven usage rules should be read carefully. In particular, the characteristics of the containers to be used during the heating process, the distance to stand while the oven is operating, and the safety rules regarding this issue should be analyzed accurately. How to clean the oven or where to go in case of a malfunction are details that need to be known before use. Your priority should always be conscious use, both for yourself and your family.