Is microwave harmful? Microwave danger. Common myths about the dangers of microwave ovens and real facts

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

Principle of operation

Whether it is a myth or not that food from a microwave oven is harmful can only be clarified after considering the operating principle of the device.

A household appliance heats food using microwaves. Under their influence, the molecules begin to vibrate and the food begins to heat up. In this case, vibrations occur in the elements of water, which is contained in all food products. Thanks to such actions, heating occurs. The frequency of microwave radio waves is 2540 MHz.

The radiation in the device can penetrate products to a depth of no more than three centimeters. Next, the heating procedure proceeds gradually inward. Food with a lot of moisture heats up in the device much faster than “dry” food.

Evidence of harm from microwaves

“Microwave oven: benefit or harm?” – people have been arguing for a long time. Proponents of the idea that the device is harmful and nothing more put forward several pieces of evidence:

1. Research by scientists.

USSR researchers once said that the stove was directly harmful to the human body.

In 1976, based on their findings, the government even banned the production and use of microwave devices. For them, the harm of a microwave was clear. It wasn't until 1990 that the microwave permit came into force.

Scientists of that time provided the following series of evidence:

• under microwave influence the structure of food disintegrates;
• when heated, carcinogenic substances appear that are dangerous;
• the changed composition causes digestive disorders;
• after eating microwave food, cancer cells begin to manifest themselves (growth progresses);
• microwaves provoke tumors in the gastrointestinal tract;
• promote the decomposition of the digestive and excretory systems;
• under their influence, 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 do not proceed correctly. Eating such food leads to malignant tumors, disruptions in the lymph system and a decrease in the functions of protection against the occurrence of serious pathologies.

In those years, scientists put an end to the question: is microwave food harmful or healthy?

2. Harm microwave oven for human health due to radiation from the device. They say it can come out.

Electromagnetic waves penetrate the walls of the microwave device and negatively affect humans.

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

Is it harmful for children to heat food in the oven? Harmful and dangerous. If you give me something to drink infant milk from the device, his nervous system will be damaged. Amino acids in milk and infant formula turn into isomers under the influence of microwave radiation. These substances are very toxic. They cause disturbances in proper operation nervous system. Also, isomers become especially dangerous for the kidneys. If children receive milk from artificial formulas, then after microwave radiation it will certainly become toxic.

4. The microwave is radioactive.

5. Metal objects inside can cause an explosion., which will injure the user of the device. It turns out that the device can cause physical harm for a person.

Scientific evidence of harm

1992 - the beginning of research in the USA on the topic of cooking in an “enemy” oven. Scientists tried to find out whether the device was harmful or beneficial. The researchers' findings suggested that oven microwaves may cause more harm than good. Food “comes out” of the device containing microwave energy. This unnecessary energy remains in the molecules. It is absent in products subject to normal thermal heating. As a result, the conclusion was reached: in people who ate food from the microwave, cholesterol jumped up and hemoglobin dropped. Microwaves have been proven to be harmful.

A little earlier in 1989, Swiss scientists tried to find out whether microwave ovens are harmful to the body and how, in general, it affects humans. 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. The essence of it was the sequence of eating.

The test subject had to take the emitted food one time at a time: first cooked thermally on the stove, then in the microwave. After each stage, scientists carried out the necessary analyzes. As a result, they came to the conclusion: microwave food is harmful. After such food, the test subject experienced negative changes in the blood, which could lead to cancer.

Then their opinion was refuted by the WHO (World Health Organization), which stated that microwave radiation cannot affect humans and food. But WHO noted that pacemakers implanted in humans can react to microwaves. Such people should give up not only household microwave ovens, but also telephones cellular communications.

Microwave is not harmful! Destroying myths

Let's try to prove that microwave ovens are not harmful to human health. Let's refute the above myths. A microwave device has a use or benefit of use.

Microwave food is harmful to children

The reality is different. 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 one case: the baby can get burned due to food that is too hot and unevenly heated. To prevent this from happening, adults should warm up the food. If, nevertheless, the child heats food himself, then he must know the rules for using the device and be careful.

Microwave heating causes loss of vitamins and substances needed by humans.

The second myth was not substantiated either. Disclaimer: Heating as a process will definitely lead to loss of value of the 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.

This is also a fiction. 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 cannot tolerate such high-speed heating. Food after a household appliance receives a sterilization effect.

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

Product structure falls apart

Science has confirmed that microwave energy is simply not capable of causing molecular disintegration of molecules. For this reason, there cannot be any harm from a microwave oven.

It is not safe to be near a microwave oven due to radiation.

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

Explosion due to metal objects

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

The device calls various diseases

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

The benefits and harms of microwaves are a controversial issue. It is impossible to answer unequivocally whether 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 idle.
4. Try to heat at least 200 grams of food.
5. Do not put foods that could explode (eg eggs) inside.
6. Do not place metal utensils inside.
7. Choose the right container for heating: heat-resistant plastic or thick glass.
8. If there is another heating method (stovetop, toaster), use them. Make the presence of a microwave oven in Everyday life minimal.
9. Do not use the microwave if it is faulty.

As we have found out, harm and Negative influence cannot bring the device. What can it do? A microwave can provide benefits that include:

• You can cook food without fats and oils;
• it takes much less time to prepare food;
• You can quickly defrost and reheat food.

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

In contact with

We buy to throw away! This is approximately how one can estimate human consumption natural vitamin C contained in raw vegetables And meat products. During culinary processing, 50 to 100% of this essential vitamin for humans is lost, which is extremely unstable and easily destroyed under the influence of atmospheric oxygen, high temperatures, and light. Therefore, many people suffer from a lack of vitamin C in the body. Surveys conducted in various cities of Russia revealed a catastrophic deficiency of this vitamin in 40-70% of the population. Professor V.B. Spiricheva in the journal “Nutrition Issues” provides the following data: 90% of those surveyed consume less vitamin C than is necessary for health, and not only low-income people, but also families with a high standard of living experience a lack of it.

There is an opinion that you can compensate for the lack of vitamin C in the body if you regularly drink fortified preparations. But pills are expensive and don't give us the pleasure that comes from delicious food. Apparently, this is why most often we drink them irregularly; we usually remember about them during illness. In fact, Vitamin C, the most important natural Antioxidant, enhances the body's defense response against microbes. Therefore the laureate Nobel Prize L. Pauling suggested using large doses ascorbic acid at colds. But the help that we offer our body already during illness is somewhat delayed - after all, it is much more important to provide ourselves with vitamin C before the onset of the disease, this will give the body maximum stability. That's why you need to enter into your daily diet fresh fruits. Oranges and lemons are richest in vitamin C. During winter and spring, when a person is most deficient in vitamin C, it is beneficial to eat an orange or lemon every day or drink a glass orange juice. But, unfortunately, this method of replenishing the lack of ascorbic acid is not suitable for everyone: some people have stomach problems. sour juice, some people can’t afford to buy fruit every day.

There are other proposals: experts advise adding special vitamin C stabilizers to food products, enriching food products with them, creating fortified drinks, for example “Golden Ball” (see “Science and Life” No. 1, 1996), developing special packaging, in which the vitamin is destroyed more slowly.

But do we really need synthetic vitamins and tropical fruits? After all, the potatoes and cabbage that we eat every day contain enough ascorbic acid to more than provide us with vitamin C. Only this vitamin is lost during heat treatment - boiling, stewing, frying. One of the solutions to the problem of vitamin C deficiency lies in a completely different area - in the use of new technological cooking methods that make it possible to reduce the temperature of food processing and thereby preserve some of the vitamin C from destruction.

Not long ago, the Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences tested one of the most modern models of microwave ovens (CE 104 CF from Samsung Electronics). It turned out that the preservation of vitamin C in meat products and vegetables after processing in a microwave oven is on average 30-50% higher than in the same products prepared in a traditional way. Vitamin C is especially well preserved in meat products and some vegetables - pumpkin, squash, peppers, Brussels sprouts, cooked in the microwave. Even in ordinary potatoes, 90% of the ascorbic acid contained in it is preserved.

The most simple products, cooked in a microwave oven, will help increase the family's vitamin C intake by more than 1.5 times. So you can do without tropical fruits, pills or fortified foods.

Sometimes metal utensils are equipped with a multi-layer bottom made of several metals. For example, between the layers of steel there is a layer of aluminum, a very heat-intensive metal, so that the pan turns into something like a thermos, where food is not boiled, but evaporated. Despite the advantages of this cooking method, there is a danger that the multilayer bottom may lose its shape, since the coefficients of thermal expansion differ for different metals. Therefore, pans with a thick bottom made of the same stainless steel are more reliable. Stainless steel cookware is often equipped with heat-resistant glass lids with a built-in thermometer. It is sometimes called a temperature controller, although, in fact, it is an ordinary bimetallic thermometer - it only shows the temperature in the pan, but does not regulate the heating. Manufacturers recommend turning off the stove when the temperature reaches 90 degrees. For those who are not always comfortable standing and waiting for this exciting moment, it is better to abandon the thermometer on the lid - there is always a danger that the thermometer will burst if it overheats.

Some companies apply a thin layer of 24-karat gold to stainless steel cookware. This does not provide any advantage for cooking or improving its quality, but the price of the cookware increases significantly.

Porcelain and earthenware cookware, resistant to heat, is quite convenient and ensures excellent quality of cooked food. However, the glaze that covers it may contain lead additives, which makes this cookware dangerous. Consequently, porcelain and earthenware can only be purchased from well-known manufacturers. Pots made of ordinary ceramics are also quite convenient, they can withstand heat well, distribute heat evenly and provide high quality food. But they are quite difficult to clean if they are not glazed on the inside. Glaze can release toxic impurities, and to remove them, you must first boil water and vinegar diluted in a ratio of 1:3 in pots.

For microwave ovens, they usually use dishes made of heat-resistant pressed glass, which are easy to clean, are not afraid of heat, and do not change the taste and color of food. Ceramics (without adding metal), thick porcelain, and earthenware without “golden” patterns are also suitable for stoves.

In conclusion, I want to say: do not rush to throw away the cast iron or aluminum cookware you inherited from your grandmothers. The only drawback of cast iron cookware is its heavy weight, otherwise it is not inferior to modern pots and pans. As for aluminum cookware, it is also suitable for preparing dishes from cereals, lean meat, potatoes, and pasta. IN Lately Much has been written about the dangers of aluminum for the body, which is largely true, but under normal conditions this metal does not get into food, since there is a thin and durable film of aluminum oxide on the surface of the dishes. But store and cook dairy dishes, cabbage soup, compotes in aluminum containers, salted fish, pickled vegetables and mushrooms, sauerkraut It’s not worth it - in acidic and alkaline environments, the solubility of aluminum increases sharply, and part of it goes into products, which is not at all good for health. You should also not clean aluminum cookware with abrasive powders or hard brushes - this will remove the protective film and the metal will come into contact with food. If this happens, wait to use the dishes for two to three days until the protective film forms again. If these rules are followed, aluminum cookware will last a long time and without harm to health.

Candidate of Biological Sciences A. Lushnikova.

20.06.2013. Is it possible that millions of people are sacrificing their health for the short-term convenience that microwave ovens provide? Why was the use of microwave ovens banned in the Soviet Union in 1976? Who invented microwave ovens and why? The answers to these questions may shock you and cause you to throw away your microwave.

More than 90% of American families use microwave ovens to prepare food. Because microwaves are so convenient and more energy efficient than conventional ovens, there are virtually no households or businesses left in America. Catering who do without this miracle of technology.

People believe that no matter what a microwave does to the food it cooks, it cannot have a negative effect on them. Of course, if microwaves were truly harmful, then the government would definitely ban their production at the legislative level, right? Surely it would be prohibited??? Regardless of what materials were officially published about microwave ovens, we stopped using them based on the results of the research that will be discussed in this article.

Our goal is to prove that cooking using a microwave is unnatural and much more dangerous to your health than you might think. However, the manufacturers of these stoves, as well as the politics of Washington and the frivolity characteristic of many, force us to ignore the eloquent facts. And people continue to expose their food to microwave radiation, blissfully unaware of the dangers of doing so.

How does a microwave oven work?

Microwaves (a form of electromagnetic energy that is similar to light waves or radio waves) occupy part of the electromagnetic radiation spectrum. These are very short waves of electromagnetic energy that travel at the speed of light (186.282 miles per second). They are used to transmit telephone signals and television programs, computer information over long distances, both on our planet and to satellites in space. However, microwaves are better known to us as a source of energy used for cooking.

Every microwave oven contains a magnetron, a tube in which electrons are exposed to magnetic and electric fields in such a way as to create microwave radiation with a frequency of approximately 2450 megahertz or 2.45 gigahertz. This microwave radiation interacts with food molecules. The energy from these waves changes the polarity of the molecules from positive to negative. In the case of microwave radiation, this polarity changes millions of times per second. Food molecules, particularly water, have positive and negative charges.

In commercial models, the microwave has an input power of about 1000 watts AC. As the microwaves produced by the magnetron bombard the food, it causes the polarity of the food molecules to change at a rate of millions of times per second. All this vibration creates molecular friction, which heats the food. But this friction also significantly destroys molecules, breaking or deforming them. Scientific name This process is structural isomerism.

In comparison, microwaves emanating from the sun are an example of pulsating forward current that does not create frictional heat. Microwave ovens, on the other hand, use alternating current to create frictional heat. They create electromagnetic waves, in which all their energy is concentrated in only one narrow frequency range. The energy from the Sun is dispersed over a wide range of the frequency spectrum.

Many terms are used to describe electromagnetic waves, such as wavelength, amplitude, cycle and frequency:

• The wavelength determines the type of radiation. In this regard, electromagnetic radiation can be X-ray, ultraviolet, infrared, etc.
• The amplitude determines the length of the wave's movement, measured from the starting point (translator's note - the value that the variable value takes upon the greatest deviations from the equilibrium position).
• Cycle defines a unit of frequency, such as cycles per second, Hertz, Hz, Cycle/sec.
• Frequency describes the number of events per unit of time (usually 1 second). The number of repeating events per unit of time, for example the number of repetitions of cycles in one second.
• Emission (radiation) = energy traveling with an electromagnetic wave.

In physics terms, radiation is the electromagnetic waves emitted by the atoms and molecules of a radioactive substance as a result of nuclear decay. Radiation causes ionization, which is what happens when a neutral atom gains or loses electrons. Simply put, a microwave oven breaks down and changes the molecular structure of food through the process of radiation (radiation). If microwave oven manufacturers had given their products a more accurate name—radiation ovens—they would undoubtedly not have sold any of them. But at the same time, such a name would tell us about the essence of what they really are.

We are convinced that heating food in a microwave is not the same as irradiating food. It is assumed that these two processes make full use of different types wave energy of different intensities. Neither the US Food and Drug Administration nor officially published government studies show that microwave ovens are harmful. But often many of these studies are later found to be inaccurate. As consumers, we should have a certain amount of common sense to judge things for ourselves.

In the late 1960s, it was proven that eating eggs is significantly harmful to health. This statement led to attempts to artificially imitate the components of the egg. Manufacturers of egg substitutes made huge profits, while poultry farms went bankrupt. Modern government research suggests that natural eggs are not harmful after all. So who should we trust and what should we be guided by in resolving issues related to our health? Today, consumer information is provided that microwave radiation is not expected to "leak" into the environment if the microwave oven is used correctly. Therefore, we are faced mainly with next questions: to eat or not to eat food heated in the microwave, and whether to buy a microwave oven at all or not.

Maternal instinct will not let you down

Here we can mention the so-called “sixth sense” that every mother has. It's impossible to argue with him. Have you ever experienced this yourself? Children will never win a competition with their mother's intuition.

Many of us belong to a generation whose mothers and grandmothers did not trust new ways of cooking. So, my mother refused to even try baking anything in the microwave. She also did not like the taste of coffee heated in this miracle of technology. Mom's common sense and instinct tell her that cooking in a microwave cannot be natural, just as the food cooked in it will not taste the way it should.

Many other people feel the same way, but they tend to be looked at as old-fashioned people from the 60s era. At a time when microwaves became commonplace, I, like most young people, ignored my mother's intuitive wisdom and joined those who thought such cooking was too convenient to be believed. then harmful. Here's where my mother gets points for her insight, because even though she didn't know the scientific, technical, or medical evidence that microwaves were harmful, she believed that microwaves were harmful based on the taste of the food cooked in them. In addition, she did not like how the consistency of food heated in this way changed.

Microwaves are not safe for heating baby food.

A number of warnings were made publicly, but they went largely unheeded. For example, Young Families and the University of Minnesota Extension Service published the following warning in 1989:

“Although microwaves heat up quickly, they are not recommended for warming baby bottles containing milk (or formula). The bottle may feel cool to the touch, but the liquid inside can become very hot and could burn your baby's mouth and throat. In addition, the formation of steam inside the vessel, in in this case in a baby bottle may cause it to burst. Heating the bottle in the microwave may cause changes in the milk. Some vitamins may disappear from infant formula. Expressed breast milk some protective ingredients may be destroyed. Warming a bottle of milk under a warm stream tap water or in the basin with warm water although it will take you a few minutes longer, it will be much safer.”

Dr. Lita Lee (Hawaii), reported on December 9, 1989 in The Lancet (a weekly magazine for medical professionals):

“After heating infant formula in the microwave, certain transamino acids were converted to their synthetic cis isomers. Synthetic isomers, whether cis-amino acids or trans fatty acids are not biologically active. Moreover, one of the amino acids, L-proline, has been transformed into its own D-isomer, which is known to be neurotoxic (poisonous to the nervous system) and nephrotoxic (poisonous to the kidneys). It’s bad that now most babies are not breastfed, but now they are also given pseudo milk (infant formula), which becomes simply dangerous after heating in the microwave.”

Blood heated in a microwave killed a patient

In 1991, a lawsuit was held in Oklahoma due to the fact that a hospital was heating blood intended for transfusions using a microwave oven. This case involved a patient, Norma Levitt (who had hip surgery), who died from a simple blood transfusion. Apparently, the nurse warmed the blood in the microwave before the transfusion. What this tragedy makes clear is that there's a lot more going on with microwave heating. different processes, and not just the ones we are told about. Blood for transfusion is constantly and everywhere heated, but not in microwave ovens. In the case of Norma Levit, the microwave changed the composition of the blood, and this killed the patient.

Obviously, this form of microwave heating does “something” to the substances being heated. It is also clear that people who heat food in the microwave are feeding on this resulting “unknown.”

Because the human body is electrochemical in nature, then any force that disrupts or changes the course of events in electrochemical processes will also affect the physiology of the body. This is described in detail in the book “The Body Electric” by Robert O. Becker and in the book “Warning, the Electricity Around You May Be Hazardous to Your Health” by Ellen Sugarman.

Scientific data and facts

The article “A Comparative Study of Traditionally and Microwave-Cooked Food,” published by Raum & Zelt in 1992, states:

“The main hypothesis of natural medicine states that the introduction into the human body of molecules and energies that it is not natural to use is more likely to cause harm than benefit. Food cooked using a microwave oven contains molecules and energies that are not present in food cooked in the traditional way that people have used since ancient times. Microwave energy, coming from the sun and other stars, is based on the principle of direct current. Artificially created microwaves, including those emitted by a microwave oven, are created from alternating current and cause a billion or more polarity changes per second in every food molecule that enters their field of action. The emergence of unnatural molecules is inevitable. It has been found that naturally occurring amino acids undergo isomeric changes, as well as transformation into toxic forms under the influence of microwave radiation. A short-term study showed significant changes in the blood of those who consumed milk and vegetables heated in a microwave oven. Eight volunteers ate different combinations of the same food, but cooked different ways. All the food that passed through the microwave provoked changes in the blood of the volunteers. Hemoglobin levels decreased and total white cells and cholesterol levels increased. The number of lymphocytes has decreased.

A luminescent (light-emitting) bacterium was used to detect energy changes in the blood. These bacteria showed a significant increase in luminescence after their interaction with the blood serum of those people who consumed food heated in a microwave oven.”

Clinical studies conducted in Switzerland

Dr. Ganz Urlich Hertel, conducted research in the field of human nutrition for many years in one of the largest Swiss food companies on a global scale. Several years ago he was fired for questioning known technological processes, changing the natural properties of food.

In 1991, he and a professor at the University of Lausanne published a research report that noted that food prepared using microwave ovens may pose greater health risks than food prepared using traditional methods. An article also appeared in the magazine No. 19 “Franz Weber”, which claimed that eating food cooked in a microwave oven provokes the occurrence of blood cancer. This article was followed by a research paper on the topic itself. The cover of the magazine featured a photograph of a skeleton holding a microwave oven in one hand.

Dr. Hertel was the first scientist to conduct a qualitative clinical study of the effect that components of food prepared using a microwave oven have on the blood and physiology of the human body. His research was small, but it was carried out very carefully. It described both the degenerative processes themselves that occur in a microwave oven and the effect of these processes on food. Finally, it was noted that microwave cooking altered food components and that the volunteers participating in the experiments exhibited changes in their blood that could cause health problems. Dr. Bernard H. Blank of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and Institute of Biochemistry also participated in Dr. Hertel's scientific research.

At intervals of two to five days, study volunteers received one of the following meals on an empty stomach:

1. Raw milk
2. Raw milk, heated in the traditional way
3. Pasteurized milk
4. Microwaved Raw Milk
5. Fresh vegetables from one of the farms
6. Fresh vegetables prepared in the traditional way
7. Frozen fresh vegetables that have been thawed in the microwave
8. Fresh vegetables cooked in the microwave.

A blood test was taken from each of the volunteers immediately before eating. Blood samples were then taken at specific intervals after eating the food.

At meal intervals, tests showed significant changes in the blood of those who ate food cooked in a microwave oven. These changes included a decrease in hemoglobin as well as cholesterol, especially HDL ratios ( good cholesterol) and LDL ( bad cholesterol). As for lymphocytes (white blood cells), the analysis showed that their number decreased in a very short period of time after eating food heated in a microwave oven. All blood counts worsened. In addition, an important relationship was observed between the value of microwave energy in the tested food and the luminescent intensity of the luminescent bacteria used in the experiment to interact with the blood serum of volunteers who ate this food. From the experiment, Dr. Hertel concluded that technically the microwave radiation energy transferred to food can be transferred to humans through the consumption of this food.

According to Dr. Hertel's statement:

“Hematologists are seriously alarmed by leukocytosis, which has nothing to do with natural abnormalities. White blood cells are often a sign pathogenic influences on the body, such as cell destruction and poisoning. The increase in white blood cells was more clearly visible when eating food cooked in a microwave oven than with other cooking methods. It can be seen that these pronounced deviations were entirely caused by the ingestion of substances that had passed through microwave radiation into the body.

This process relies on the principles of physics, and has been confirmed in the scientific literature. The additional radiation energy demonstrated by luminescent bacteria is just further evidence. There is a lot of comprehensive literature on the dangers of direct microwave radiation when exposed to food. Therefore, it is amazing how little effort is being made to replace this destructive technology with more environmentally friendly ones. The technique produces microwave radiation based on the principles of alternating current. Atoms, molecules and cells hit by this harsh electromagnetic radiation are forced to change their polarity 1 to 100 billion times per second. Neither atoms, nor molecules or cells of any kind organic system are not able to withstand such an intense, destructive force acting over an extended period of time, even with a power of milliwatts.”

Of all the substances found in nature that are polar, oxygen in water molecules is the most susceptible and reacts most intensely. Due to the friction that occurs in water molecules under the influence of microwave radiation, heat is generated. Molecular lattices are torn into pieces, the molecules are forcibly deformed (this is called structural isomerism) and thus lose their properties. Heating by microwave radiation begins inside cells and molecules where water is present and where the radiation energy is converted into heat from friction. In contrast, with traditional heating of food, heat is transferred in the usual way - from outside to inside.

In addition to heating from the effect of intense frictional friction (thermal effect), there are also athermic effects that have never been taken into account. Athermal effects cannot currently be measured, but they also deform the structure of molecules and affect their quality characteristics. For example, weakening cell membranes using microwave radiation is used in genetic modification technologies. As a result of the action of such forces, the cells are torn, and the electrical potentials between the outer and inner sides of the cell membranes are neutralized, that is, the cell itself is neutralized vital function cells. Torn cells become easy prey for viruses, fungi and other microorganisms. At the same time, natural recovery mechanisms are suppressed, and cells are forced to adapt to a critical energy state in which they switch from aerobic (oxygen) respiration to anaerobic (oxygen-free) respiration. Instead of water and carbon dioxide, toxins are produced - hydrogen peroxide and carbon monoxide.

When we are directly irradiated with radar or microwave radiation, intense processes of molecular deformation occur in our body. The same processes occur in the molecules of food that is cooked in a microwave oven. This radiation destroys and deforms food molecules. Microwave irradiation also leads to the appearance of new components called radiolytic. These components are known to be synthetic and not found in nature. Radiolytic components appear as a result of molecular decay (putrefaction) caused by irradiation.

Microwave oven manufacturers insist that food irradiated by microwaves does not contain significantly more radiolytic components than food that is fried, boiled, etc. in the traditional way. Scientific clinical researches and the facts shown here tell us that this statement is a lie. In America, neither universities nor federal government officials have conducted studies to determine the effects of eating microwaved food on the human body. Isn't that weird? They are more concerned about what happens if the microwave door is not closed properly. Again, common sense tells us that the focus should be on what happens to the food inside the microwave. Since humans eat these altered foods, shouldn't we be more concerned about how their distorted molecules will affect the biological structure of human cells?

What does the industry do to hide the truth?

As soon as Dr. Hertel and Dr. Blank published their research results, officials responded immediately. A powerful trade organization, the Swedish Home and Electronics Electronics Association (FEA), struck in 1992. They forced the president of the Seftigen County Court of Berne to issue an order banning the publication of research materials. In March 1993, Dr. Hertel was accused of collaborating with commercial entities and was banned from further publication of research results. However, Dr. Hertel stood his ground and fought this decision for many years.

On August 25, 1998, this decision was overturned after a trial that took place in Strasbourg (Australia). The European Court of Human Rights found that the 1993 decision violated Dr. Hertel's rights. The European Court of Human Rights also found that a ban on public disclosure of information about the health hazards of microwave ovens issued to Dr. Hertel by a Swiss court in 1992 violated the right to freedom of speech. Moreover, Switzerland was ordered to pay compensation to Dr. Hertel.

Who invented the microwave oven?

The Nazis originally developed the radiomissor microwave oven to feed soldiers in the war against the USSR. The ability to use electrical equipment to heat food on a mass scale would eliminate the problem of delivering the fuel needed to cook food in the traditional way. In addition, there would be a huge gain in time - cooking time would be significantly reduced.

After the war, Allied forces discovered the documents medical research conducted by the Germans regarding microwave ovens. These documents, along with several functioning furnaces, were transferred to the US military department and were marked “subject to further scientific research.” The Russians also received several microwave ovens for use and conducted extensive research into their effect on the food they were cooking or heating. As a result, the use of microwave ovens was banned in the Soviet Union. The USSR issued an international warning about the threat to human health posed by microwave ovens and other electronic devices operating on the same frequency.

Scientists from other Eastern European countries have also presented research reports on the harmfulness of microwave radiation. In the United States, these reports were not accepted, despite the EPA (Federal US Environmental Protection Agency) statements that the number of sources of microwave and radio radiation in America increases by 15% every year.

Carcinogens in food

In her book, “The Impact of Microwave Radiation (Microwave Ovens) on Human Health,” and in the March and September 1991 issues of Earthletter, Dr. Lita Lee stated that every microwave oven leaks electromagnetic radiation and that every microwave oven causes harms food and turns its components into dangerous toxic and carcinogenic substances. In the conclusion of the article, Dr. Lita Lee concludes that microwave ovens are much more dangerous than previously believed.

The following are the results of Russian studies published by the Atlantis Raising educational center in Portland, Oregon. The appearance of carcinogens was observed in almost all tested foods. At the same time, microwave radiation did not exceed the standard dose for frying, heating and defrosting food:

• The meat was prepared in a microwave oven in compliance with all necessary sanitary standards. As a result, one of the well-known carcinogens (d-Nitrosodienthanolamine in English) was discovered.
• Heating milk and cereal in a microwave oven has caused some of the amino acids they contain to become carcinogenic.
• Defrosting frozen fruit in a microwave oven caused the glucosides (substances derived from glucose) and galactosides (glycosides containing galactose) contained in them to become carcinogenic.
• Even short-term exposure to microwave radiation to fresh, cooked or frozen vegetables has resulted in their plant alkaloids becoming carcinogens.
• Plants, especially root crops, irradiated with microwave radiation have developed carcinogenic free radicals.
• The amount of nutrients has decreased.

Russian researchers also reported a significant acceleration in the process of structural degradation, resulting in low energy value(60% - 90%) in all foods tested:

• In all tested foods, there was a decrease in the bioavailability of vitamins B, C, E, important minerals and a decrease in lipotropic coefficient.
• Negative effects on plant substances such as alkaloids, galactosides and nitrilosides.
• The process of degradation of nucleoprotein in meat was identified.

Microwave radiation is harmful to health

Russian scientists observed thousands of workers exposed to microwave radiation while developing a radar system in the 1950s. As a result, they were found to have the following serious problems with health, that strict restrictions were established on the radiation power permissible for people - 10 microwatts for workers and 1 microwatt for the civilian population.

Robert O. Baker described these studies by Russian scientists in his book “The Body Electric”. On page 314 you can read the following:

“The first signs of “microwave sickness” are low blood pressure and weak pulse. Further and most common manifestations of this disease are chronic excitation of the sympathetic nervous system (stress syndrome) and high blood pressure. At this stage it also often appears headache, dizziness, eye pain, drowsiness, irritation, anxiety, abdominal pain, nervous tension, inability to concentrate, hair loss; increased likelihood of appendicitis, cataracts, problems with reproductive system and cancer. Such chronic symptoms eventually cause kidney failure, and coronary artery disease (blocked coronary artery and heart attacks).”

According to Dr. Lee, people who eat food irradiated by microwaves experience changes in their blood chemistry and are more likely to suffer from certain diseases. The symptoms described above may be caused by the following changes:

• Irregularities detected lymphatic system, resulting in a decrease in the body's ability to prevent certain cancer.
• An increase in the percentage of content was detected in the blood cancer cells. There was an increase in the percentage of stomach and intestinal cancers.
• High percentage of digestive tract diseases.

Research results

The most important studies on the biological effects of microwave radiation in Germany and Russia were:

1. Initial research in Germany during the Barbarossa military campaign, at the Humbolt-Universitat zu Berlin (1942 - 1943)
2. From 1957 until the end cold war, research was carried out in the USSR by Soviet scientists at the Radio Engineering Institute of the city of Kinsk (Belarus) and at the Radio Engineering Institute of Rajasthan.

In most experiments, the food used for the study was subjected to exposure to microwaves new irradiation with a potential of 100 kilowatts/cm3/sec for a time corresponding to sanitary standards. The results obtained by German and Russian scientists are given below:

• Category I: Microwave radiation causes cancer.
• Category II. Microwave radiation destroys nutrients in food.
• Category III. Microwave radiation has a detrimental effect on human physiology.

The first two points of this category could not be reconstructed from the available copies of reports left by German and Russian researchers).

1. …………
2. …………
3. Creation of an “aggregation effect” of radioactivity in environment, which causes a significant increase in the concentration of "alpha" and "beta" particles in food.
4. Agents that cause cancer have been detected in the components of protein hydrolyzate* of milk and cereals. (*-natural proteins split into unnatural ones by adding water)
5. Deformation of basic food components. Unstable dissimilation* of food irradiated by microwaves causes disorders in digestive system. (*- metabolic breakdown)
6. Due to chemical changes inside the food that occur under the influence of microwave irradiation, a disruption in the functioning of the lymphatic system of the person consuming this food was noticed. This disorder causes weakening immune system human and, thus, the ability to protect the body from the occurrence of neoplasms.
7. Eating food irradiated by microwaves causes an increase in percentage cancer cells in the blood serum (plasmocytoma - malignant tumors plasma cells, such as sarcoma).
8. When fruits were defrosted by microwave radiation, changes in catabolic properties (properties that play a role in important role in metabolism) glucosides and galactosides contained in fruits.
9. When fresh, cooked or frozen vegetables were irradiated with microwave radiation, even for a very short period of time, changes were observed in the catabolic properties (properties that play an important role in metabolism) of plant alkaloids contained in the vegetables.
10.B plant foods, and especially in root vegetables, the formation of free radicals (highly reactive incomplete molecules) has been observed, which provoke the occurrence of cancer.
11. Statistics showed that food irradiated by microwaves, in most cases, was the cause of the appearance of tumors in the stomach and intestinal tract. In addition, degradation of the surrounding connective tissues was observed with a gradual deterioration in the functioning of the digestive and excretory systems.

Exposure to microwave radiation caused a significant decrease nutritional value(calorie content) of the studied products. The following are the most significant results of the study.

1. Reduced bioavailability of the B-vitamin complex, vitamin C, vitamin E, important minerals and lipotropic substances;
2. Loss from 60% to 90% vital energy in tested products;
3. Changes for the worse in properties that play an important role in the metabolic process and in the process of integration of alkaloids (nitrogen-containing organic compounds), glucosides, galactosides and nitrilosides;
4. Destruction nutritional value nucleoproteins in meat products;
5. Significant acceleration of the process of destruction of the structure of all food products under study.

Among other things, the impact of microwave radiation on human physiology had an extremely negative impact on health. This was only discovered when scientists in the Soviet Union conducted an experiment using sophisticated equipment and discovered that even without consuming foods exposed to microwave radiation, but only by entering the field of action of this microwave radiation, serious negative effects on health can be detected. After this, in the Soviet Union in 1976, the use of microwave technology was prohibited by law. The following is a list of the main discovered negative effects of exposure to microwave radiation on human physiology.

1. Negative impact on the energy fields of people exposed to radiation from operating microwave ovens.
2. Reducing cellular electrical tension, especially in blood cells and cells in lymphatic areas.
3. Weakening and destabilization of intracellular membrane potentials.
4. Weakening and destruction of the electrical circuit nerve impulses brain
5. Weakening and loss of symmetry of the energy field of the nerve ganglia, both in the anterior and posterior parts of the central and autonomic nervous system.
6. Destabilization of hormone production and control hormonal balance, both in male and female organisms.
7. Disturbances in brain waves leading to negative psychological effects such as memory loss, inability to concentrate, etc.

10 reasons to throw away your microwave oven

Based on the findings of Swiss, Russian and German scientific and clinical studies, we can no longer so easily ignore the microwave in the kitchen. Based on the research, we conclude this article with the following:

1. Constant consumption of food cooked in a microwave oven triggers destruction processes in the brain due to depolarization of brain tissue.
2. The human body cannot digest unknown by-products formed in food irradiated by microwave radiation.
3. Constant consumption of food cooked in a microwave oven leads to disruptions in the production of female and male hormones.
4. The negative effect produced by by-products of food heated in a microwave oven on the human body is long-term or permanent.
5. In food heated by microwave radiation, minerals, vitamins and nutrients are changed or reduced in quantity. Thus, the human body derives little or no benefit from such food. Or the human body absorbs components modified by microwave radiation, which may not be absorbed at all.
6. The minerals in vegetables are altered and converted into carcinogenic free radicals when microwaved.
7. Food cooked in a microwave oven causes the appearance of gastric and intestinal neoplasms (tumors). This explains fast growth number of colon cancer cases in America.
8. Long-term consumption of food cooked in a microwave oven leads to an increase in the number of cancer cells in the blood.
9. Prolonged consumption of food cooked in a microwave oven leads to changes in blood serum levels.
10. Eating food cooked in a microwave oven can cause loss of memory, the ability to concentrate, and also leads to emotional instability and decreased mental abilities.

Epilogue

Is it possible for microwave radiation to leak from the oven?
A study conducted by the Professional Service Association (a group of microwave oven repairers) found that 56% of microwave ovens that had been in use for two years or longer had microwave leakage rates 10% higher than FDA standards allowable. Most often, fixing this leak required a simple mechanical adjustment of the microwave components.

What causes microwave leakage?
The slamming of the microwave oven door, dirt particles or food particles can get on the door hinges and docking points and, thus, the door begins to close less well and microwave radiation penetrates through the resulting micro-cracks.

Many houses and apartments have microwave ovens, the users of which are not aware of possible harm these easy-to-use devices. At the same time, the media periodically discusses the question of whether microwave ovens are harmful to human health? Additionally, the results of studies are provided in which experts check whether microwave radiation is safe? They often disagree: some talk about its negative impact, while others note that cooking food in the microwave is even beneficial.

For example, the benefits of food prepared in these ovens are associated with the preservation of more vitamins. The results of one study prove that up to 70% of ascorbic acid in vegetables is destroyed during cooking, and electromagnetic radiation destroys no more than 15%.

Ambiguous opinions of scientists

Scientists from the USA note that using a microwave is even useful. Thanks to these devices, the number of stomach cancer cases in the states has decreased as people began to use less oil when cooking. In their opinion, food cooked in a microwave oven is similar to steamed food. The device almost does not destroy vitamins and minerals, since the cooking time is much shorter.

Other experts from the Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Sciences confirmed the information that microwave cooking retains more useful substances in the composition of the food. Researchers from Spain do not agree with this, who claim that broccoli cooked in the oven has lost up to 98% of its nutrients. They explained this by saying that water molecules are damaged under the influence of microwave waves, and food turns from healthy into dangerous.

Manufacturers of kitchen appliances claim that talk about the dangers of microwaves has no scientific evidence. Only facts sometimes indicate the opposite, if you delve into the details. For example, on the Internet you can find an experiment conducted by one schoolgirl. The girl heated water in the microwave and daily watered her indoor flower, which died a week later. It is difficult to say whether this is true or fiction, since there is no scientific evidence.

Recently, WHO published information that a microwave oven operates using radiation that does not harm either humans or the food being prepared. At the same time, they made a reservation that the waves can be dangerous for people with cardiac stimulators, but they are not recommended to use even mobile phones.

Thus, it is impossible to make a clear verdict, and scientists continue to work to study the effects of microwave waves on people and food. Also try to follow the instructions and remember a few recommendations that we will give at the end of the material. To complete the picture, let’s look at the main factors that make people talk about the dangers of microwaves.

Microwave oven technology

There is such a scientific term as torsion field. It is on the basis of the torsion component of radiation that Russian, French and other European doctors agree that due to the operation of microwave ovens, people may experience unpleasant symptoms:

• headache;
• irritability;
• insomnia.

Theoretically, this is possible, but modern devices have reliable protective screens that block radiation harmful to the human body.

Are high microwave temperatures harmful?

Microwave ovens emit high-temperature frequencies, the impact of which on humans has a detrimental effect on the internal organs without blood vessels. For example, when the body heats up, the blood reduces the temperature, spreading heat throughout the body. In some internal organs there are no vessels, and heating can negatively affect them, disrupting their functioning. For example, under the influence of high-temperature frequencies, the lenses of the eyes are damaged, and the process is irreversible. As was said, microwave ovens have protection that delays radiation, so do not be afraid of such negative consequences.

Impact of waves on food

You've probably heard about the effects of microwaves on food, but we'll tell you whether it's a myth or reality. It actually changes at the molecular level when exposed to microwaves. Atoms lose or gain electrons, beginning to ionize and leading to a change in the structural composition of the products. Let's look at examples of specific food that is cooked in a microwave oven:

• if you defrost or cook meat in the microwave, some carcinogens are formed in it;
• milk and cereal also contain carcinogens;
• defrosting fruits or vegetables in a microwave oven supplies them with galactosides and glucosides;
• defrosting greens leads to the breakdown of nitrilosides and glucosides;
• If you heat milk in the microwave, it converts amino acids into isomers (they harm the digestive system).

We've sorted out microwave food, but isn't it harmful to heat water? Of course, it also comes under a certain influence, but it does not have any unambiguous harm on the human body.

Why are microwave ovens and food prepared in them dangerous for humans?

The benefits and harms of a microwave oven to a greater extent depends on the frequency of preparation and consumption of food prepared in this device. Even more important is how often you stand near operating equipment. Some scientists believe that stoves are initially safe for health, but people only discover negative effects many years after using them regularly. There is no real scientific evidence for these claims, so it is impossible to say for sure whether this is true or fiction.

At the same time, there are results of a large-scale study conducted several years ago. It confirms that a change has occurred in the blood of people who constantly consume fruits and vegetables from the microwave: the composition of the blood has changed slightly. This largely concerns the hemoglobin content, which has decreased. Besides, microwave rays contribute to an increase in cholesterol levels, so it is better to avoid using the oven too often.

If you regularly cook and reheat food in an oven, including for children, this can lead to gastrointestinal disorders. Doctors do not even rule out gastritis and ulcers, explaining the situation by changes in the molecular structure of products. In their opinion, even melting cheese in the microwave, defrosting fish or meat, or heating pasta is harmful. There is no scientific evidence for these arguments, so if you are used to it, continue to use the oven, but do not abuse it.

How to check if a microwave is safe?

Modern microwave ovens, according to manufacturers, are completely safe, and you can cook and heat any food and drinks in them. We will give a few simple ways, allowing you to check the harm of the microwave on people standing nearby. In general, devices have a certain protection that absorbs electromagnetic waves, and you can verify this like this:

• Turn on the stove in the dark by placing a fluorescent light bulb near it. If it blinks or starts to glow, the device is releasing significant radiation. The damage from the microwave is obvious and it needs to be replaced urgently!
• Check to see if the body, door, or handle of the device gets hot. If they are noticeably warm after cooking, this is a bad sign.
• Turn off the oven and put it inside mobile phone. Try to call him - if you succeed, the equipment is equipped reliable protection. If the phone rings, the oven emits dangerous waves when operating.
• Try boiling a cup of water in a microwave oven. If the water does not boil within a few minutes, the rays from it come out, having a harmful effect on people in the room.

How to avoid harm from the microwave?

We have found out whether it is harmful to heat or cook food for adults and children in microwave ovens, but how to minimize their negative impact? You don’t have to give up using a device that you are already used to, but you just need to remember a few basic rules.

Do not stand in front of a working microwave or keep your hand on the door while waiting for the heating or cooking to finish. Of course, the protection should not release waves outward, but in any case, the further you are from the device, the safer.

Do not open the oven door while it is operating or turn it on without closing it. Most modern models have special protection that prevents this from happening, but older devices do not provide this. Do not place the device near a place where you are constantly present (eating, cooking). It is better to place the device in the far corner of the kitchen. Also, stay away from a running stove if you have a pacemaker in your body.

Try not to cook food in the microwave, but use it to reheat food. In general, initially these devices were created specifically for heating and defrosting food, and not for preparing ready-made dishes.

So is it possible to use a microwave?

We've found that while you may benefit from using a microwave, it can also cause harm. Scientific research is being conducted to debunk myths about negative impact easy-to-use devices. Undoubtedly, the device has design flaws, but if you use it measuredly 1-2 times a day to heat food from the refrigerator, you will not harm either yourself or your children. At the same time, you will significantly simplify your life, since the microwave oven is very convenient to use.

Video about the benefits and harms of microwave ovens for humans

There is a widespread claim that microwave ovens destroy all the beneficial substances in food, such as minerals and vitamins.

Is it true?

Answer: no. In fact, microwaving food retains more nutrients than standard cooking.

Cooking food in any case destroys the nutrients it contains. However, several factors must be taken into account, including cooking temperature, amount of water added, and cooking time.

For example, folic acid and B and C, which are present in vegetables, are most sensitive to heat and easily dissolve in water.

Microwave ovens use less heat during cooking. The cooking time in them is also reduced. That is why they do not have as strong a destructive effect on food as the conventional cooking method.

Temperature causes vitamins to become inactive. Raising the temperature of food in the microwave above the boiling point will certainly have a more destructive effect on the substances than when standard way cooking. However, this destructive effect is greatly reduced by reducing the time required for cooking.

It is advisable to use less water when cooking vegetables in the microwave. This way, the amount of beneficial nutrients that dissolve can be reduced.

Ultimately, this study shows that there are negligible differences between standard cooking and microwave use in terms of preserving vitamins in food. It is better, however, to steam vegetables at.

There are a few exceptions. A 2003 study showed that when cooked in a microwave oven, 74% or more of their phenolic components are lost. With simple cooking - 66 percent. In addition, you should not put milk in the microwave - this reduces the properties of infection-fighting agents.