What does the microwave *actually* do to your food?

cheryl

cheryl

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What does the microwave *actually* do to your food? - WellAndGood

Microwaving has gotten a bad rap over the years. In fact, I personally gave up microwaving for a while after hearing that it can cause cancer. (The word “nuke” is used to describe its cooking method—can you blame me?)

But, the truth is, the misconceptions about microwaving make it sound way worse than it actually is. In some cases, it can actually be a preferable method to heating and cooking food.

For one thing, it’s a myth that microwaves drain nutrients from your food, according to experts. “Nutrients are frequently well-maintained when microwaving food s,” says Dana Hunnes, PhD, adjunct assistant professor of community health sciences at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. She says this is because microwaves cook food at high speed, using very little liquid. “Often, when steaming foods, nutrients get sucked out into the cooking water or in the vapor.” (Picture the chlorophyll-infused water that’s left over after you steam broccoli.)
 
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