The microwave has made cooking and reheating foods so convenient. There are plenty of recipes that you can make and leftovers that you can reheat with the use of this particular kitchen appliance. However, did you know that there are certain foods that should never be placed inside the microwave? Otherwise, you may end up ingesting and inhaling toxic substances that are definitely bad for the health. Also, some foods can mess up the interiors of your microwave when they explode, and others can even start a fire!
Refrain from popping the following inside your trusted microwave:
Deli Meat
We all know that processed meat is bad for you. Did you know that microwaving them can further ruin your health? Experts say that heating deli meat in the microwave can generate the so-called cholesterol oxidation products or COPs. You don’t want to ingest COPs because they are known to be more dangerous to your heart than cholesterol. Of all the ways that you can cook processed meat, based on a study, microwaving caused the higher production of those COPs.
Frozen Meat
Before you cook frozen meat in the microwave, have it defrosted first. If not, it will end up unevenly cooked most especially if your microwave does not rotate food. Areas of meat that the microwave fails to cook permit disease-causing microbes to grow and multiply.
Frozen Fruits
It’s a scientific fact that flash freezing fruits can help keep those vitamins and antioxidants intact, and this is why buying frozen fruits is a wonderful idea. However, it’s not recommendable to have frozen fruits thawed in the microwave. According to a Russian study, microwaving frozen fruits causes some of the beneficial compounds in them to end up as carcinogenic substances, which can put you at risk of having cancer.
Nitrate-Containing Veggies
Beets, spinach, celery, parsley, cabbage, carrots, lettuce, radishes, collard greens — these vegetables and a few others contain nitrates, which are inorganic compounds found in nature. Experts say that you should refrain from cooking or reheating these veggies in the microwave. Why? The nitrates in them may end up as carcinogenic substances.
Eggs
Whether scrambled or boiled, it’s a no-no to have eggs reheated in the microwave. That’s because toxic substances may be generated, which can wreak havoc on your digestive system. Reheating boiled eggs in your microwave can also leave quite a mess because they can actually explode.
Microwavable Popcorn
Sure microwavable popcorn is meant to be popped in a microwave, but that doesn’t make it good for your health. Numerous studies have shown that popping the product in the microwave causes poisonous fumes to be generated, which can have all sorts of nasty effects on your respiratory system. If you think that transferring the content in a paper bag is a good idea, think again. Experts say that any ink or glue present on the paper bag can become toxic if heated in the microwave. Plus, it’s not unlikely for a paper bag to catch fire!
Potatoes
The problem with potatoes is it’s easy for botulinum, bacteria that can cause food poisoning, to grow in them if they’re not refrigerated right away. Experts say that botulinum cannot be killed by your microwave, putting you at risk of botulism, a serious problem that can cause paralysis!
Milk
It’s a terrible idea to warm milk in the microwave because it can generate super hot spots that can burn your mouth. Needless to say, you should never pop frozen formula or breast milk in the microwave. Besides, studies say that having milk heated in the microwave destroys some of its beneficial nutrients. So what’s the best way to heat milk? Dunk its container in water that’s heated in your microwave.
