At 11:13 AM -0500 8/17/10, Ben Liberman wrote:
>At 8:13 AM -0700 8/17/10, shirley sommers wrote:
>>Hi All ,
>>
>> I need some info to pass on about how microwaving our food destroys and denatures food values.
>>
>>TIA,
>>Shirley
>
>This article seems to address most of the issues.
>
>http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0813/is_3_32/ai_n13664949/
>
... and here is another side. This is the typical screed that you will find on the internet that vilifies microwave ovens.
http://earthstar.newlibertyvillage.com/microwaves.htm
and here is a cute discussion of "another side".
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-297748.html
Microwave ovens generate microwave radiation of a specific frequency with a wave length that is the same size as a water molecule. As a result, water molecules that are exposed to that specific frequency of microwave radiation will start to vibrate faster, which translates to higher temperature. Also, any metal in the field will also absorb the radiation.
Putting an old CD in a microwave makes for a nice light show until the metal substrate burns out... or until the microwave oven tube burns out.
In theory there is no problem with using a microwave oven to heat food but, if the field is not uniform, there may be super heated points within the food which could cause the formation of transfats if there are fats present, or any of the other problems that you might get when you overheat foods.
Just my opinion...