Microwave Cooking: Is It Safe?

A microwave oven is a kitchen device, which cooks food by the use of microwaves- electromagnetic waves of a particular frequency range. Percy Spencer is credited with the invention of the modern microwave oven, from radar technology developed during World War II. Microwave ovens have become very common nowadays across our kitchens. The speed and convenience that a microwave provides to today’s fast world cannot be denied. Microwave ovens can be used for a variety of purposes starting from simple reheating to the preparation of complex multi-layered cakes.

Safety Concerns

However, there are some concerns regarding the safety of the food cooked in a microwave oven. Some of the commonly held apprehensions about the usage of microwave ovens include the following

• Dilution of the nutritional value of the food, including vitamins and minerals
• Creation of Carcinogens or Cancer-causing substances
• Microwave sickness
• Risks from Electromagnetic Radiation

Types of Microwave ovens

• Convection Oven
• Grill Oven
• Solo Oven
• Over the Range Oven
• Countertop Oven
• Built-in Oven

How it works

The principle by which microwave ovens work is known as Dielectric Heating. There is a device named magnetron in the microwave oven, which produces the microwaves. These waves are absorbed by water & other molecules like fat & sugar. The energy carried by these waves gets converted into heat. The advantage of microwave oven over traditional cooking methods is that the energy absorption is fairly uniform and we will get a uniformly cooked dish.

Advantage of Microwave ovens

• The great convenience it offers – you can cook a dish by merely pressing a button and within a few minutes
• You will get a better and uniformly cooked food
• Certain dishes like cakes are very difficult to make without an oven.
• You don’t need to give great attention to the device. You can place the food in the oven, put the timer and forget about it. The device will automatically stop after the specified time limit
• It’s a clean device and produces no smoke and other related problems and health hazards
• You don’t need to worry about refilling your cylinders or the risk of a gas cylinder explosion
• It looks nice on your tabletop and will definitely augment your kitchen aesthetics

Disadvantages

• The cost may be a setback for many. However, this may be overcome if we do some market research. For example, there are many offers on websites and retail stores like Croma as price discounts and where you can get these at utter cheap rates.
• You cannot utilize metal utensils or plastic containers inside the microwave oven. You need to have crockery suitable for microwave cooking.
• Microwave ovens have limited space and you cannot scale up if you have a family function or some of your friends are visiting you.
• Although it’s possible to cook most of the food items in an oven, there are certain items which have to be avoided. For example, you may not be able to boil eggs inside an oven as it may result in the explosion of its shells
• There are still fears about radiation risks, although all modern devices come with proper radiation shield for users

Precautions to be taken while using a Microwave oven

• Never use metal or plastic in the oven
• Spread the food evenly, to get a uniform cooking
• Don’t try to cook dishes that need a lot of water
• Keep food pieces smaller, to make the cooking faster
• Cover the utensil to avoid any splatter

How to select a Microwave oven

The following points should be kept in mind while purchasing a microwave oven

• First, you have to determine the type of oven you want to have. Some may prefer countertop ovens. For others over the range or built-in ovens may seem more attractive
• Next thing to decide is the capacity of the microwave oven, depending on your usage. There’s no point in spending extra money on a higher capacity device if you are not going to need it.
• The oven should be within your budget. You have to weigh in various options from different brands.
• It’ll be better if you can get it from a reputed brand and a reputed store.
• The years of warranty a company provides may be an important factor you should consider
• The availability of service centers in your town is another important factor.
• Look for both online and offline options and avail the various offers available from time to time. In this regard, Offers on Croma are something you should never leave out. The advantage of Croma compared to other dealers are manifold. It carries it with the reputation of Tata Group. In addition, it combines the advantage of both online & offline shops. Croma has both an online portal and brick & mortar stores.

If you do some bare minimum market research and take all necessary precautions in purchasing and using a microwave oven, this will definitely be worth your money and will definitely add to the quality of your life.