However, this is not true since The radiation used by the microwave is not ionizingthat is, it cannot remove electrons from matter. For its part, the United States National Cancer Institute assures that “it has been established that most types of non-ionizing radiation do not cause cancer because they do not have enough energy.”
Myth or reality: is the microwave dangerous?
However, the fact that it cannot cause cancer does not mean that its use is not harmful to health. He Henri Joyeux, oncologist and expert in oncology and nutrition He explained in an interview with ‘Infosalus’ that it is a device that should be used “in moderation”.
The expert points out that the first reason why it is not recommended to use the microwave excessively is that the structural modification that amino acids undergo, which can represent “certain risks”such as changes to proteins or peptides, making them more difficult to absorb and causing the appearance of certain potentially toxic substances.
“When heated in the microwave, “L-proline” is transformed into “D-proline”, which is neurotoxic and, as has also been observed, is harmful to the kidneys and liver,” explains- he.
One of the main uses that we give to the microwave is to defrost foodwhere the greatest risk lies according to Joeux: “Partial defrosting of a food can encourage the multiplication of the germs it contains, you must therefore be careful in choosing the quality of the products you buy to subject them to to these waves. Especially in summer, we may not even notice that food has started to defrost due to the intense heat.
The microwave does not cook food, it simply heats it. Therefore, if the food does not have adequate quality from a bacteriological point of view, it is very easy for germs and bacteria to proliferatewhich represents a great danger to health.
But what is the device that will replace the microwave? He convection oven. It is a system that heats food without generating smoke, in less time than a conventional oven and with energy savings of up to 80%.
