What does microwaving do to your food?
Microwaving food involves exposing it to electromagnetic waves (microwaves) that cause water molecules in the food to vibrate rapidly. This generates heat, which cooks or reheats the food.
Microwaving affects food at both molecular and nutritional levels. For example it
Can heat food unevenly, creating hot spots where the food may be overcooked and other areas where it may be undercooked
Is dehydrating for food (we get water from food too)
Like any form of cooking, it can lead to the loss of heat-sensitive nutrients like vitamin C and some B vitamins
Can denature proteins as with other cooking methods, changing their structure and making them more digestible
The rapid heating can cause the cell walls of plant-based foods to rupture, leading to changes in texture
Fats in food can oxidise when exposed to microwave heat, potentially leading to the formation of free radicals, but omega-3 content is not altered
Some studies suggest that microwaving can alter the antioxidant levels in foods, both increasing and decreasing them depending on the food and cooking conditions
So, microwaving is generally efficient in retaining nutrients because it uses minimal water and shorter cooking times, which helps preserve water-soluble vitamins.
Like our wifi systems, it does send out electric and magnetic fields (EMFs), or radiation at low levels that accumulatively can impact some people's health.
That said, if you microwave, never cook food for too long or at too high a temperature. And it's vital to avoid plastics of any kind, which can leach into food.
And it always pays to eat a balance of raw foods too, at least 30%