Microwave oven benefit or harm. Microwave device

Nowadays, it is hard to imagine a kitchen that does not have a microwave. And of course, there are many people who speak out in favor of this device, but there are also those who oppose it. Therefore, let's figure it out, is the harm of microwaves a myth or a reality, and is there any scientific evidence of their negative impact on the human body? Should we use such an assistant in the kitchen, or is it still not worth it?

Throughout its existence, humanity has been wary of all new home appliances that have appeared thanks to the useful inventions of scientists. So it was when the first refrigerators, telephones, washing machines. First of all, this was negatively perceived by the clergy, who attributed these innovations to infernal machines.

But over time they all became necessary assistants at home. The harm of microwaves has become the same myth, and in order to debunk it, you need to look at its principle of operation.

Harm or benefit?

If you look at the object from the point of view of the hostess in the kitchen, then the microwave is necessary Appliances, because with its help the food is heated in a matter of minutes, and at the same time it warms up evenly. Due to this, a person reduces the time spent on cooking.

But at the same time, scientists are having a heated debate about whether a microwave oven is harmful to health. The reason for their dispute lies in the effect that microwaves have on the human body during work. this appliance. In order to understand the dangers of the device, you need to consider exactly how it works.

Many people have been using this household item for a long time, and are completely satisfied with its work. It not only heats up food perfectly, but also significantly reduces the time for preparing breakfast or dinner. Even if you just heat up the food on the stove, it takes twice as long, because in this case, the dishes in which the food is heated are heated first, and then the food itself.

In addition, it is also necessary to use oil, without which the food will burn. While in the microwave, the food warms up evenly and does not require the addition of fat. So, after all, what is more from a microwave - benefit or harm?

myths

Many people, having heard the word "wave", begin to picture radiation, cancer in their imagination. There are even a few myths about this. Let's try to figure it out: the harm of microwaves is a myth or reality?

1. The first myth is that microwave waves are radioactive. But this is a big misconception of people. This device emits non-ionizing waves, which in no way affect either food or the human body.
2. The second myth is that a microwave oven changes the structure of cooked food under the influence of waves. That food after heating becomes carcinogenic. But even here there is no scientific confirmation, since such changes can occur only after exposure to radioactive waves on the product. In addition, a carcinogen can be obtained if food is overcooked in an ordinary frying pan, but not when exposed to microwaves of the apparatus. In favor of the microwave is the fact that you do not need to use fat at all to heat food. In addition, food can be cooked for a very short time and does not lose its properties, unlike when it is heated for a long time.
3. Myth three - microwave radiation very dangerous for humans. Although in fact, these waves bring exactly the same harm to the body as Wi-Fi or TV. The only difference is that during cooking, the waves are more active. But at the same time, you need to remember that these waves are only inside the furnace. It should also be noted that such waves do not tend to accumulate in objects, they both arise and fade.

Scientifically

So is the microwave oven harmful to human health? And what does science say about it? Many people claim that during the heating of food in this oven, the products lose all the nutrients. But at the same time, they forget that all these processes also take place during other types of heat treatment of products. The change in the useful properties of the product is affected by:

• Processing of products high temperature.
• Time at which food is processed.
• When cooking food, a lot of vitamins and other useful substances are taken away by water.

And during scientific experiments, it has been proven that when cooking in a microwave, nutrients are lost much less than with other types of cooking.

1. Firstly, this is due to the fact that the use of water is not required.
2. Secondly, food is cooked several times faster, which allows many substances not to lose their properties.
3. Thirdly, food is cooked at a temperature not exceeding one hundred degrees, which is much lower than when cooking on conventional stove.

In this case, the products practically do not lose their properties, but it must be remembered that those substances that are necessary in the treatment of cancerous tumors disappear in the microwave. For example, garlic loses its useful qualities, so it is not recommended to add it to dishes when cooking. It's better to do it after.

Furnace device

In order to debunk the myth that a person is harmed by a microwave oven, and also receives microwave radiation, let's look at how the oven itself is arranged.

First of all, consider the body of the furnace itself. It is equipped with a magnetron, which emits electromagnetic waves. The waves themselves are regulated by a certain frequency. At the same time, everything is arranged so as not to interrupt the work of other devices.

It should be taken into account that modern world completely saturated with electromagnetic waves and radiation, but, nevertheless, not a single victim has yet been found from them. After examining all these factors, the question arises: is the microwave harmful, or is it not?

Hence the conclusion that not all radiation is dangerous, and besides, food cooked in a microwave oven is absolutely not dangerous for the human body.

The waves that are used for cooking do not penetrate the oven, and therefore cannot cause any harm to a person. It is not hidden that the old models of microwave ovens were imperfect in their design, and this was stipulated in the instructions for use. But more modern products have much more perfect protection, and allow you to be in sufficient proximity to the furnace.

To compare which food is more useful, cooked in the traditional way or in the microwave, consider how the cooking process takes place.

When cooking on a traditional stove, the dishes are heated first, and only after that the food begins to be cooked. And when foods reach a high temperature, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial substances begin to break down in them. And this process is quite normal, because some foods cannot be eaten raw.

When cooking food in the microwave, the following processes occur. Under the influence of microwaves, the food begins to warm up from the middle. Due to the chemical process that takes place in food products, which are affected by waves, the food warms up immediately throughout its entire volume. The temperature at which the products are heated barely reaches one hundred degrees.

This is the reason that everyone's favorite crispy crust does not appear on the products. And, besides this, because the product is heated immediately over its entire volume, the time for its preparation is significantly reduced, which allows you to save a significant amount of vitamins and nutrients.

But like everything else, there are downsides to using microwave ovens. During cooking in such a short time, the products do not lose their properties, but some bacteria do not die. Salmonella is one of those bacteria that survives in these conditions.

Are microwaves harmful to health? Definitely not. But with conventional cooking, you can make it much better than in the microwave. And, having prepared food not on a conventional stove, there is every chance of contracting salmonellosis. In this case, the benefits and harms of a microwave oven are determined only by the skill of the cook, on which the quality of the cooked food depends.

What could be the consequences?

Nevertheless, with the constant exposure of microwaves to the human body, the harm to health of the microwave is still there. As a result of these radiations, the following symptoms occur:

• A person has insomnia, there is profuse sweating during sleep.
• The person begins to have a headache and feel very dizzy.
• Lymph nodes increase in volume, and immunity is greatly weakened.
• Cognitive functions are impaired.
• The person suffers from depression and is constantly in an irritable state.
• Nausea occurs and appetite is lost.
• There are vision problems.
• A person is tormented by constant thirst, and, of course, frequent urination.

Such symptoms occur in most cases in those people who are constantly exposed to microwaves. They receive such radiation from nearby cellular antennas or other similar generator.

Consider what else is dangerous microwave, as well as microwave radiation. If there are any malfunctions in it, then there is a danger to the health of people who are close to the device. But, despite the assurances of manufacturers about the tightness of the case, which ensures protection against microwaves, the danger of a microwave oven is as follows:

1. In a person who is exposed to microwave radiation for a long time, the composition of the blood is deformed.
2. There are disturbances in the cerebral cortex.
3. Violations occur nervous systems s.
4. There is a high risk of cancer.

Video: how harmful are microwaves?

Microwaves are also harmful in that problems may arise in the digestive system, immunity is weakened. And in order to reduce the harm of the microwave, you need to follow following rules:

• Install the microwave oven in the correct horizontal position. The surface on which the microwave is installed must be one meter from the floor.
• Under no circumstances should ventilation be closed.
• In no case should you cook eggs in the shell in the microwave. They can explode and thereby harm not only a person, but also the device itself.
• The same explosion comes from the use of metal utensils.
• Utensils for use in the microwave should be made of thick glass or special plastic.

In order to correctly determine the harm and benefits of a microwave oven, you need to listen to the recommendations of experts. Namely:

1. Observe the rules for using the device specified in the instructions.
2. Never turn on an empty oven.
3. The food to be reheated should be at least 200 grams.
4. Do not put objects inside the oven that could cause an explosion.
5. Do not use metal utensils.
6. Do not microwave all food. Some foods need to be reheated or cooked on a traditional stove.
7. Do not use a microwave that has a malfunction.

The benefit of using a microwave is that you do not need to use any fat for heating, you do not need to take water. Food cooks much faster than on a traditional stove or oven. And another plus is that this device also allows you to quickly defrost food.

As a result of all of the above, it is up to the user to decide what dominates - the harm or the benefit of a microwave oven.

“Don't stand next to a working microwave! It emits radiation!”, “Don’t you know that it destroys food molecules?”, “We won’t buy it, do you want to die?” - probably, each of us at least once in our lives heard this from relatives, friends or colleagues. There are many legends around the issue of the dangers of microwave ovens, but we decided to put an end to them and look into this issue, or rather several: why can it be dangerous or not dangerous for humans? how is it arranged? what and where does it radiate? How does it affect the structure of food molecules? Experts say.

Daniil Kaganovich

sanitary doctor of the farm cooperative LavkaLavka

From the point of view of physics Microwave is safe for humans. From the point of view of a nutritionist, it spoils food: cells are damaged, water leaves. As for radiation, the microwave is shielded and therefore cannot act outside, but only inside itself, respectively, it does not pose a danger.

The working principle of a microwave oven is based on on the ability of electromagnetic waves beyond high frequency(2 450 MHz) affect the product, causing it to heat up due to an increase in thermal vibrations of the molecules of the substance. Any food product contains a sufficiently large amount of water. Each water molecule has a characteristic molecular structure, which, due to the mutual orientation of the positive hydrogen ions and the negative oxygen ion, looks like an electric dipole - a particle that has two electric poles: plus and minus.

food quality

The impact of electromagnetic oscillations (electromagnetic waves) leads to a constant shift of the dipoles, lining them up according to the lines of force of the electromagnetic field. Since the field is variable, and even of a high frequency, the molecules periodically change direction at approximately the same frequency. Molecules move, sway, collide, hit each other, transferring energy to neighboring molecules. This causes a highlight a large number heat. Due to this, food is heated, since water is contained in any of the food products.

There are no significant changes in the product itself, since exposure to microwave radiation only affects the heating of the product, so food cooked in the microwave is not harmful. The product can only go bad if you overdo it and overheat it beyond the norm. The same thing - the heating of the product - occurs when cooking food on the stove, but, unlike it, heating in the microwave occurs not only from the surface of the heated product, but also in its volume, since microwaves penetrate the food to a depth of about 2, 5 centimeters. In a microwave oven, microwave radiation is created using a special generator - a magnetron.

The magnetron antenna emits microwaves, which, through a waveguide through a special window covered with a radio-transparent screen, enter a metal chamber, where the product being prepared is located.

Radiation

Microwave radiation is non-radioactive radiation. The radiation that poses a danger to humans has a much higher frequency than that used in microwave ovens. To exclude radiation of microwaves outside the microwave oven, it is structurally provided different types protection. Furnaces are made in such a way that when the door is closed, the waves do not penetrate outside the furnace chamber; the glass of the door must be shielded with frequent metal mesh. The metal chamber of the oven is closed from the front with a door, inside which there is a metal screen with fine perforations, the size of the holes of which do not allow microwaves with a working wavelength of the decimeter range to penetrate outside. Microwaves do not pass through metal, but tend to be reflected from metal objects. For this reason, the microwaves do not leave the interior of the chamber if the door is closed.

The furnace automation has several special protection circuits that exclude the operation of the microwave generator when open door. In addition, the upper body of the device is covered with a metal casing, which is also a means of protection against leakage of microwaves from the electronic compartment of the oven. All manufactured microwave ovens are checked for compliance with the required safety standards, which are determined by mandatory sanitary and technical regulations operating on the territory of Russia.

ILLUSTRATION: Olya Volk

You can often hear the question, is a microwave oven harmful to health? To which you always get a different answer. Let's talk about each point of view separately.

Principle of operation

The myth or not that food from the microwave is harmful can only be found out after considering the principle of operation of the device.

The household appliance heats food with microwaves. Under their action, the molecules begin to oscillate, and the food heats up. In this case, fluctuations occur in the elements of water, which is contained in all food products. This action results in heating. The frequency of microwave radio waves is 2540 MHz.

The radiation in the device is able to penetrate products to a depth of no more than three centimeters. Further, the heating procedure goes gradually inside. food with large quantity Moisture heats up in the device much faster "dry".

Evidence of Microwave Harm

“Microwave: good or bad?” People have been arguing for a long time. Proponents that the device is harmful and only put forward several evidence:

1. Research scientists.

Researchers of the USSR at one time said that the stove was directly harmful to human body.

In 1976, based on their withdrawal, the government even banned the production and use of microwave devices. The harm of the microwave for them was unambiguous. It wasn't until 1990 that the microwave oven permit came into effect.

Scholars of that time cited the following series of evidence:

• under microwave exposure, the structure of food disintegrates;
• when heated, carcinogenic substances are produced that are dangerous;
• the altered composition causes digestive disorders;
• after eating microwave food, oncological cells begin to manifest themselves (growth progresses);
• microwaves provoke tumors in the gastrointestinal tract;
• contribute to the decomposition of the digestive system and excretory systems;
• under their action, the body loses the ability to absorb minerals, lipotropics, vitamins;
• it is unsafe to be near a household, microwave appliance;
• chemical processes in food under the influence of electromagnetic waves proceed incorrectly. The use of such food leads to malignant tumors, to malfunctions in the lymph system and to a decrease in the functions of protection against the occurrence of serious pathologies.

In those years, scientists put an end to the question: is food from the microwave harmful or useful.

2. The harm of a microwave oven to human health is due to radiation from the device. They say it can come out.

Electromagnetic waves penetrate the walls of a microwave device and adversely affect a person.

3. When heated in the device, food loses its beneficial properties for the body.

Is it safe to heat food in the oven for children? Harmful and dangerous. If to drink baby milk from the device, then his nervous system will be disturbed. Amino acids of milk and infant formula under the influence of microwave radiation are converted into isomers. These substances are highly toxic. They cause disturbances in correct work nervous system. Also, isomers become especially dangerous for the kidneys. If children receive milk from artificial mixtures, then after microwave radiation it will certainly become toxic.

4. The microwave is radioactive.

5. Explosion may occur due to metal objects inside, which will hurt the user of the device. It turns out that the device can cause physical harm to a person.

Scientific evidence of harm

1992 - the beginning of research in the United States on the topic of cooking in the "enemy" oven. Scientists tried to find out whether the device is harmful or beneficial. The findings of the researchers said that oven microwaves can do more harm than good. Food “comes out” from the device containing microwave energy. This unnecessary energy remains in the molecules. It is absent in products subject to conventional thermal heating. As a result, a conclusion was obtained: in people who ate food from the microwave, cholesterol jumped up and hemoglobin dropped. The harm of the microwave has been proven.

A little earlier in 1989, Swiss scientists tried to find out whether the microwave is harmful to the body and how, in general, it affects a person. There was no money to conduct large-scale exercises, and the researchers decided to take on a person who would be subjected to an experiment that was important for people. Its essence was the order of eating.

The subject had to take the radiated food every other time: first cooked by heat on the stove, then in the microwave. After each stage, scientists carried out the necessary analyzes. As a result, they received a conclusion: food from the microwave is harmful. After such food, the subject experienced negative changes in the blood, which can lead to oncology.

Then their opinion was refuted by the WHO (World Health Organization), which stated that microwave radiation cannot affect humans and food. But WHO has noticed that pacemakers implanted in a person can respond to microwaves. Such people should give up not only household microwave ovens, but also cell phones.

The microwave is not harmful! Destroying myths

Let's try to prove that there is no harm to human health from a microwave oven. Let's debunk the above myths. The microwave device has a use or benefit of use.

Microwave food harms children

Reality is different. The famous pediatrician O.E. Komarovsky confirms this in his program. The doctor claims that the microwave is absolutely safe for children. Below you can watch a video on the topic:

According to the doctor, a microwave oven can harm a child only in a single case: the baby can get burned due to too hot and unevenly heated food. To prevent this from happening, warm up the food should be adults. If, however, the child himself heats the food, then he must know the rules for using the device and be careful.

Microwave heating causes loss of vitamins and necessary to a person substances.

The second myth has not been substantiated either. Rebuttal: heating, as a process, will necessarily lead to a loss in the value of products. Therefore, the harm from the microwave in this case is absolutely equal to the harm from the stove and oven.

Formation of carcinogens under the influence of microwave radiation.

It is also an invention. The reality is that carcinogens and trans fats appear in food after heating it in oil. Rapid heating, on the contrary, kills various microorganisms (for example, E. coli), because they do not tolerate such high-speed heating. food after household appliance obtains the effect of sterilization.

We continue the conversation on the topic “microwave oven: benefit or harm”.

The structure of the products falls apart

Science has confirmed that microwave energy is simply not capable of making the molecular disintegration of molecules. For this reason, there can be no harm from a microwave either.

Being near a microwave oven is unsafe due to radiation

Not true! The share of radiation from the device is negligible. Its size is equal to the radiation from cell phones and medical devices. It cannot do any harm. The devices are equipped with good protective screens. There will be no danger if the appliance is not used with open door.

Explosion due to metal objects

This is a false opinion. Because the cause of any explosion is the rapid expansion of the gas. In our case, metal objects in the microwave will only give sparks. And the resulting sparks will damage the main element of the magnetron device. By the way, reheat food in metal objects Not recommended.

The device calls various diseases

To date, there is no evidence of this fact. Not a single person died due to the microwave oven.

The benefits and harms of a microwave oven are enough controversial issue. It is impossible to answer unequivocally to use it or not.

But if you use it, then follow these recommendations:

1. Follow all requirements for proper installation.
2. Do not block ventilation openings.
3. Do not turn on the device at idle.
4. Try to warm up at least 200 grams of food.
5. Do not put foodstuffs that can explode (e.g. eggs) inside.
6. Do not put metal utensils inside.
7. Choose the right dishes for heating: heat-resistant plastic or thick glass.
8. If there is another method of heating (stove, toaster), use them. Make the presence of the microwave oven in Everyday life minimal.
9. Do not use the microwave if it is out of order.

As we found out, harm and Negative influence the device cannot bring. What can? Microwaves can provide the following benefits:

• you can cook food without fats and oils;
• Much less time spent on cooking
• You can quickly defrost and reheat food.

Let's summarize. What is characteristic of a microwave oven: benefit or harm? Let everyone decide for himself.

In contact with

The benefits and harms of a microwave oven lie in the microwaves that it emits during operation. Electromagnetic waves are emitted by all objects powered by mains voltage. Refrigerators and microwave ovens are considered the most powerful in terms of radiation.

The opinions of scientists regarding the harm of a microwave oven are divided.

The history of the microwave

The microwave oven was invented in 1946. An American scientist named Percy Spencer worked on microwave radar. Once he experimented on a magnetron. After the experiment, he found a melted piece of chocolate in his pocket.

He repeated the experiment on food, putting a sandwich on the magnetron. The product has warmed up. In 1947 he patented his invention. Useful properties of electromagnetic radiation have been discovered. This is a quick reheat meal.

The first microwave ovens were released in the same year. They did not go into mass production, but were used to defrost food in the soldiers' canteens.

First domestic ovens weighed 350 kg, reached a height of up to 1.8 meters. Power up to 3000 W, they worked on water cooling.

The first domestic microwave oven was produced in 1955 by the Tappan Company. Demand for such furnaces was weak. In the USSR, microwave ovens began to be produced after 1980 by the ZIL and Elektropribor companies.

How does a microwave oven work

Microwave ovens use the useful properties of the 2450 MHz wave, which is set by international standards. It does not interfere with the operation of other devices that operate due to microwaves.

From the course of physics it is known that electromagnetic waves tend to propagate at a speed of 300 thousand km / s. Based on the data, we can calculate that the wavelength of the microwave is 12.25 cm. This will be the first refutation of the theory that the waves from the microwave oven hit 1.5 km, irradiating everything in its path.

Now about the waves that affect the heating of food.

Food, be it pieces of meat, fish, contains dipole molecules. Food molecules have a positive charge on one end and a negative charge on the other. When acting on them electric field they line up strictly in the direction of the field lines of force. When the poles of an electric field change, dipole molecules change poles.

1 MHz is a million vibrations per second. That is, dipole molecules, like the electromagnetic field in the microwave, will change their poles so many times. At a microwave frequency of 2450 MHz, the microwave oven is turned on, the molecules endlessly change poles, rub against each other. Friction heats up.

Is a microwave useful?

Microwave ovens have useful properties giving them huge advantages over gas stoves:

• reheat food quickly
• cook, defrost semi-finished products;
• small sizes;
• ease of use;
• safety for children.

Interestingly, radiation of this frequency is used in the treatment of human diseases, helping:

• heal wounds;
• give an anti-inflammatory effect.

In addition, microwaves do not have any radioactive effect on a person in the vicinity of the device. Proponents of the fact that the microwave oven is not hazardous to health argue that the radiation created in it cannot escape due to the shell in which the oven is dressed.

The opinions of scientists about the benefits and harms of heating food in the microwave also differ.

Food from the microwave: benefit or harm

Before talking about the dangers and health benefits of a microwave oven, about the properties of food cooked in it, it is necessary to understand how food is heated.

On a regular fire, food is heated from below. In the microwave, it heats up on both sides. The movement of molecules becomes chaotic with prolonged heating.

At strong heat vitamins are destroyed, proteins are denatured. Protein denaturation is not harmful to the body: it is the purpose of heat treatment.

Some bacteria, such as Salmonella, which has high survivability properties, are not killed at a heating temperature that rarely reaches 100 degrees.

The harm of heating in the microwave will only be inflicted on health if the food is in plastic. When the temperature rises, the properties of plastic are released into the atmosphere chemical substances can be harmful if ingested.

Is microwave harmful to human health?

Useful properties of the microwave were listed earlier. But there are some signs that indicate the properties of the furnace that have a negative effect on the body.

Effect on blood composition

Electromagnetic waves affect the human body through cooking and eating food from the microwave. They change the composition of the blood:

• reducing hemoglobin;
• increasing the number of white blood cells;
• changing the composition of "good" cholesterol with high density(HDL) to "harmful" low density (LDL), which contributes to the formation of plaque in the vessels.

Studies have proven the harm of microwave oven radiation on milk mixtures heated in them. Electromagnetic vibrations change the composition of milk. L-proline acids are converted to d-isomers. The latter are toxic, destroy the nervous system, and are poisonous to the kidneys.

Effect on protein

The radiation deforms the protein and changes its properties. Meat after cooking in a microwave oven contains carcinogens. Some dairy products and cereals also become rich in carcinogens when heated.

Microwave radiation denatures the protein. Leads to loss of solubility and hydrophilicity.

Weakening of the body

When food is heated in the microwave, the cell membrane of the food pieces is weakened. Food is easily contaminated with viruses, fungi, and other microorganisms. This can lead to the formation of rot, which is harmful to our body.

When exposed to a person, radiation suppresses the natural mechanism of cell repair, suppressing the immune system. Therefore, you should not stay near the operating microwave ovens for a long time.

The harm from food from a microwave oven that a person receives does not act instantly. It can accumulate in the body for up to fifteen years, and then manifest itself in various diseases.

The benefits and harms of a microwave oven according to scientists

Opinions on the benefits of food from the microwave among scientists differed: some consider the data on the dangers of the microwave unproven, others closely study everything harmful properties furnace radiation. So, the journal "Earthletter" provides scientific facts about the properties of the microwave that can cause harm, according to studies conducted in 1991:

• deterioration in the quality of food;
• conversion of amino acids and other compounds into carcinogenic and toxic substances;
• reduction in the nutritional value of root crops.

Russian scientists also found that the nutritional value of food is reduced by 80%. According to scientists Russian Federation, heating food with a microwave, defrosting meat with its help leads to the following problems:

• violation of the composition of the blood and the functioning of the human lymphatic system;
• violation of the stability of cell membranes;
• slowing down the flow of signals from the nerves to the brain;
• disintegration of nerve cells, leading to a loss of energy of the central and autonomic nervous system.

Researchers note that microwave-cooked food has a low pH, which upsets the acid-base balance towards acidification of the internal environment of the body.

Is it possible to heat food in the microwave for a child

Rapid heating of baby food not in the microwave can destroy all of its useful and necessary vitamins and minerals for the child. Milk formulas that are similar in composition to breast milk mothers, it is better not to expose to electromagnetic radiation, which destroys the structure of the mixture and destroys vitamins.

Reasonable precautions must be taken, considering that:

• the final conclusion of scientists that the microwave oven causes cancer is not made;
• electromagnetic waves cause food molecules to rotate at a high speed, therefore it is recommended to heat baby food correctly: do not turn it on at full power and heat it up in short stages: heat it up, mix it up and heat it up again;
• too frequent use of the microwave is not recommended.

How to test a microwave for radiation

There will be no benefit from microwave ovens if there are holes in the protective shell of the device, which will undoubtedly harm the burn.

Radiation escaping from under the device's shell can seriously burn the owner who is nearby. Therefore, those microwaves that last more than three years should be tested for radiation. And with microwave ovens older than 9 years, it’s better to say goodbye altogether.

Radiation test steps (this can be done at home):

1. Find a fluorescent lamp or neon light bulb "NE-2". You can use special home tests.
2. Put out the lights everywhere. Test at night.
3. Put a glass of water inside and turn it on for 2 minutes.
4. During operation, drive a light bulb along the body of the device at a distance of 5 centimeters above the surface.
5. When radiation breaks through the case, the luminescent dump will glow, while the neon one will light up with a bright light.

Important! A microwave with radiation leakage is best disposed of.

How to use the microwave

People do not think about how to properly use electrical appliances. But their lives, as well as those of their household and neighbors, depend on it. Therefore, before using the microwave, it is useful to follow the safety rules:

1. Read the instructions for using the microwave oven.
2. Before turning on the purchased oven, install it on level ground.
3. Connect to network. Put only the dishes that are recommended by the instructions.
4. Unplug the appliance before leaving home.
5. The useful life of microwaves: expensive ones will last from five to 10 years, cheap ones - up to 3 years.
6. Regularly clean the inside and outside of the microwave, after unplugging it from the mains.
7. Wash warm water with liquid soap.
8. Turn on only after natural drying.

Microwave utensils

Not all utensils are suitable for use in the microwave. Metal utensils do not let waves through, which can cause the oven to fail.

Dishes that are not suitable for the microwave oven:

• Cast iron, copper, brass. Spark discharges formed when electric waves strike metal surface, damage the inside of the microwave;
• Porcelain or glass with a pattern. The paint contains metal impurities, so electromagnetic waves, touching the drawing, will create sparks, which can also damage the oven;
• Crystal also contains particles of lead, silver, its surface is inhomogeneous, which can lead to an explosion of dishes inside the microwave;
• Plastic and cardboard. Waxed cardboard does not transmit electromagnetic waves;
• Aluminum utensils.

• porcelain without drawing;
• faience, without drawing;
• ceramic, if glazed.

How to choose a microwave for your home

When choosing a microwave for your home, you need to decide on the volume:

• ovens up to 20 l are suitable for defrosting, heating products;
• from 20 to 25 liters - for a family of about 4 people: this oven has a grill function;
• from 25 liters are suitable for large families.

The next guideline should be power:

• less than 800 watts is suitable for heating food;
• over 800 watts up to 1500 watts - for grilling, cooking.

Microwave control can be push-button, touch, mechanical. Mechanical - the easiest way to control the furnace.

In addition to heating and defrosting food in the microwave, there may be various functions:

• protection from children;
• steam cleaning;
• odor removal;
• keeping food warm.

The choice depends on the desires and requests of the future owner.

Conclusion

The benefits and harms of a microwave oven are a topic that is controversial due to the lack of an official conclusion about the health hazards of the device. From the available information, it can be concluded that the microwave oven is conditionally useful for quickly heating food. It has been proven that cooking certain foods in microwave ovens can harm the body. Therefore, the choice in favor of microwave cooking lies with consumers.

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Microwave harm. Research

The Institute of Nutrition of the Academy of Sciences of the Russian Federation conducted an examination of food cooked in a microwave oven. The level of preservation of vitamins was checked during the preparation of vegetable and meat dishes. And the result exceeded all expectations - even the most valuable "vitamin C was preserved after processing in the oven by 75-98%. And with traditional methods of preparation, the safety of this vitamin does not exceed 30-60%.

However, think for yourself, if we cook food in a microwave oven faster than usual and at a temperature no higher than the boiling point of water, then the danger of preserving all kinds of bacteria and chlorine-containing organic matter is not small.
If we simply heat food or ready-made meals in a microwave oven at a low temperature, then this is always a loss of the original taste properties, and maybe a provocation of the reproduction of any microflora in long-term stored or improperly stored products. Well, if we cook food without water or in small amounts of water, then where do all sorts of heavy metals, nitrates and nitrites go?
You just need to imagine what happens when you use one or another method of cooking.
Soviet research on the dangers of a microwave oven
In the USSR, microwave ovens were banned in 1976 due to their harmful effects on health, as many studies were carried out on them. The ban was lifted in the early 90s after Perestroika.
Here are some of the research findings
Microwave:
1. Accelerate the structural breakdown of products.
2. Carcinogenic substances are created in milk and grain crops.
3. Change the elemental composition of food, causing digestive disorders.
4 . They change the chemistry of food, which can lead to malfunctions of the lymphatic system and the destruction of the body's ability to protect itself from malignant tumors.
5. Lead to an increase in interest cancer cells in blood.
6. Lead to malignant tumors of the stomach and intestines, general degeneration of peripheral fiber, as well as the gradual destruction of the digestive and excretory systems in a statistically high percentage of people.
7. Reduces the body's ability to absorb B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, essential minerals and lipotropics (substances that help accelerate the breakdown of fats in the body).
8. The microwave field next to the oven also causes health problems.
9. Heating cooked meat in the microwave causes the appearance of d-nitrosodiethanolamine (a well-known carcinogen), destabilization of the biomolecular compounds of the active protein,
creation of carcinogens in protein hydrolyzate compounds in milk and grain crops.
10. Microwave radiation also causes a change (decomposition) in the catabolic behavior of the glucoside and galactoside elements in frozen fruits when defrosted in a microwave oven.
11. Cause a change in the behavior of catabolic plant alkaloids in raw, cooked or frozen vegetables that have been exposed to radiation even for short term.
12. Cancer-causing free radicals were formed in certain molecular patterns of micronutrients in plant-derived substances, especially in raw root vegetables.
13. Those who ingested microwave-treated food showed a higher statistical rate of gastrointestinal cancers, as well as a general degeneration of peripheral fiber with a gradual destruction of the functions of the digestive and excretory systems.
"Growing wide deficit nutrients in the Western world correlates almost perfectly with the advent of microwave ovens. This is no coincidence. Microwave ovens heat food by creating a process of molecular friction, but it is this very friction that quickly destroys the fragile molecules of vitamins and phytonutrients (vegetable medicines) naturally found in food. One study shows that microwave heating destroys up to 97 percent of nutritional value (vitamins and other plant nutrients that prevent disease, boost immunity and promote health).”
There is a lot of research on microwave ovens and the effects they can have on the human body. The final studies have not yet been published, but if any of the above has signs of a negative effect on food, one can only imagine what effects these effects will have on the human body. So if you can do without using a microwave, do it. Even if it's just to preserve the nutritional value and quality of your food.

How does a microwave oven work
Microwaves are a form of electromagnetic energy, just like light waves or radio waves. These are very short electromagnetic waves that travel at the speed of light (299.79 km per second). AT modern technology microwaves are used in the microwave oven, for long-distance and international telephone communications, the transmission of television programs, the operation of the Internet on Earth and via satellites. But microwaves are best known to us as a source of energy for cooking - the microwave oven.
Each microwave oven contains a magnetron in which electrons are charged by electromagnetic fields in such a way as to produce microwave radiation equal to 2450 Megahertz (MHz) or 2.45 Gigahertz (GHz). This is microwave radiation and interacts with food molecules.
The magnetron in a microwave oven is the most important part. It is he who is the source of microwave heating in a microwave oven. Food molecules - especially water molecules - have positively and negatively charged particles, like the south and north poles of the Earth.
Microwaves "bomb" food molecules, causing the polar molecules to spin at millions of times per second, creating molecular friction that heats the food. This friction causes significant damage to food molecules, tearing or deforming them. AT scientific world this process is called structural isomerism.
Simply put, the microwave oven causes the breakdown and changes in the molecular structure of food through the process of radiation.
Who Invented Microwave Ovens
The Nazis, for their military operations, invented a microwave cooker - "radiomissor", for cooking, which they were going to use in the war with Russia. The time spent on cooking in this case was sharply reduced, which made it possible to focus on other tasks.
After the war, the Allies discovered documents of medical research conducted by the Germans with microwave ovens. These documents, as well as some working models, were transferred to the United States for "further Scientific research The Russians also received a number of such models and conducted a thorough study of their biological effects. As a result, the use of microwave ovens in the USSR was strictly prohibited. The Soviets issued an international warning about substances harmful to health, biological and environmental, produced by exposure to microwaves.
Other Eastern European scientists have also identified the harmful effects of microwave radiation and created severe environmental restrictions on their use.
Microwaves are not safe for children
Some of the amino acids L - proline, which are part of mother's milk, as well as in milk formulas for children, are converted under the influence of microwaves into d-isomers, which are considered neurotoxic (deform the nervous system) and nephrotoxic (poisonous for the kidneys). It's a shame that many babies are fed on artificial milk replacers (baby food) that are made even more toxic by microwaves.
Scientific data and facts
A comparative study on Microwave Cooking published in 1992 in the United States states:
“From a medical point of view, it is believed that the introduction of microwave-exposed molecules into the human body is much more likely to cause harm than good. Microwaved food contains microwave energy in molecules that is not present in conventionally prepared foods."
Microwave waves artificially created in a microwave oven, based on alternating current, produce about a billion polarity changes in each molecule per second. The deformation of molecules in this case is inevitable. It has been noted that amino acids found in food undergo isomeric changes and are also converted to toxic forms when exposed to microwaves produced in a microwave oven. This short-term study raised significant concerns about changes in the blood composition of people who consumed microwaved milk and vegetables. Eight other volunteers ate the same foods but cooked traditional ways. All foods that were processed in microwave ovens led to changes in the blood of volunteers. The hemoglobin level decreased and the cholesterol level increased.

Swiss Clinical Research
Dr. Hans Ulrich Hertel, participated in a similar study and worked for many years in one of the major Swiss companies. A few years ago, she was fired from her position for disclosing the results of these experiments. In 1991, she and a professor at the University of Lausanne published a study showing that food cooked in a microwave oven could pose a health risk compared to food cooked in traditional ways. An article was also featured in Franz Weber #19, which stated that the consumption of food cooked in microwave ovens has a malignant effect on the blood.
Dr. Hertel was the first scientist to carry out a clinical study on the effects of microwave food on the blood and physiology of the human body. This small study revealed the degenerative forces that occur in microwave ovens and food processed in them. Scientific findings have shown that cooking in a microwave oven alters the nutritional composition of the substances in the food. This study was carried out together with Dr. Bernard H. Blanc of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and the Institute of Biochemistry.
At intervals of two to five days, volunteers received one of the following food options on an empty stomach: (1) raw milk; (2) the same milk heated in the traditional way; (3) pasteurized milk; (4) the same milk heated in a microwave oven; (5) fresh vegetables; (6) the same vegetables cooked traditionally; (7) frozen vegetables thawed in the traditional way; and (8) the same microwave-cooked vegetables.
Blood samples were taken from volunteers immediately before each meal. Then a blood test was performed at certain intervals after taking milk and herbal products.
Significant changes were found in blood at meal intervals exposed to microwaves. These changes included a reduction in hemoglobin and a change in the composition of cholesterol, especially the ratio of HDL (good cholesterol) to LDL (bad cholesterol). The number of Lymphocytes (white blood cells) increased. All these indicators indicate degeneration. In addition, part of the microwave energy remains in food, using which a person is exposed to microwave radiation.
Radiation leads to the destruction and deformation of food molecules. The microwave creates new compounds that do not exist in nature, called radiolytics. Radiolytic compounds create molecular rot - as a direct consequence of radiation.
Microwave manufacturers claim that microwaved food does not have much of a difference in composition compared to conventionally processed food. The scientific clinical evidence presented here suggests that this is simply a lie.
No one State University in the United States has not conducted a single study on the effects of modified food in the microwave on the human body. Isn't this a little strange? But there is a lot of research on what happens if the microwave door is not closed. Again, common sense tells us that their attention should be paid to what happens to food cooked in a microwave oven. It remains only to guess how molecular rot from the microwave will affect your health in the future!
Microwave carcinogens.
In an article in Earthletter magazine in March and September 1991, Dr. Lita Lee, gives some facts about how microwave ovens work. In particular, she stated that all microwave ovens have leaks. electromagnetic radiation, and also worsen the quality of food, converting its substances into toxic and carcinogenic compounds. The summaries of research summarized in this article show that microwave ovens do more harm than previously thought.
The following is a summary of the Russian Studies published by the Atlantis Raising Educational Center in Portland, Oregon. They say that carcinogens were formed in almost all food products subjected to microwave irradiation. Here is a summary of some of these results:
Cooking meat in a microwave oven causes the formation of the known carcinogen -d Nitrosodienthanolamines.
Some of the amino acids found in milk and grain products have been converted into carcinogens.
Thawing some frozen fruits converts glucoside galactoside into carcinogens in their composition.
Already a short exposure to microwaves on fresh, cooked or frozen vegetables will convert the alkaloids in their composition into carcinogens.
Carcinogenic free radicals have been formed by exposure to plant foods, especially root vegetables. Their nutritional value has also been reduced.
Russian scientists have also found a decrease in the nutritional value of food when exposed to microwaves from 60 to 90%!
Consequences of exposure to carcinogens
Creation of cancer agents in protein compounds - hydrolysate. In milk and grains, these are natural proteins that, under the influence of a microwave, are torn apart and mixed with water molecules, creating carcinogenic formations.
Change in elemental nutrients, resulting in disorders in the digestive system caused by a violation of metabolic processes.
Due to chemical changes in foods, shifts in the lymphatic system have been seen leading to degeneration of the immune system.
The absorption of irradiated food leads to an increase in the percentage of cancer cells in the blood serum.
Defrosting and warming up vegetables and fruits leads to the oxidation of the alcohol compounds contained in their composition.
Exposure to microwaves on raw vegetables, especially root vegetables, promotes the formation of free radicals in mineral compounds that cause cancer.
Eating foods cooked in a microwave oven predisposes to the development of cancer of the intestinal tissues, as well as the general degeneration of peripheral tissues with the gradual destruction of functions. digestive system.
Direct location near the microwave oven. Causes, according to Russian scientists, the following problems:
Deformation of the composition of the blood and lymphatic areas;
Degeneration and destabilization of the internal potential of cell membranes;
Violation of electrical nerve impulses in the brain;
Degeneration and decay of nerve endings and loss of energy in the area of ​​nerve centers in both the anterior and posterior central and autonomic nervous systems;
In the long term, the cumulative loss of vital energy, animals and plants that are within 500 meters of the equipment.

To cook or not to cook food in the microwave - everyone decides for himself. A microwave oven significantly reduces the time of cooking, heating and defrosting food, which is important in our today's life. One way or another, many of us will cook or eat microwaved food. Perhaps there will be useful tips and microwave recipes.