America’s most convenient appliance – microwave ovens seem to be an absolute necessity in today’s fast-paced world. They are currently present in at least 90% of homes in America thanks to their ability to cook and reheat foods or beverages in a simple, rapid way. The majority of people use this kitchen appliance without question simply as an alternative to conventional ovens. On this page, you’ll learn about some interesting history concerning the microwave, including how they work, if they deplete nutrients from food, and the potential dangers and harmful effects as touted in research in years past.

What are Microwaves and How Do They Work?

In short, microwave ovens are kitchen appliances which are used to cook or reheat food by emitting microwaves. Microwaves are a form of electromagnetic radiation and are on the low energy end of the energy spectrum, second to radio waves. The waves are generated by something called a magnetron – something found within every microwave oven.

Magnetrons produce an electromagnetic field with a microwave frequency of approximately 2,450 megaHertz (MGz), which is the equivalent to 2.4 gigaHertz (GHz). Microwaves produced within the microwave oven cause dialectric heating – they bounce around the inside of the oven and are absorbed by whatever is placed in the oven.

When microwaving, water molecules within the food vibrate at incredible speeds, creating molecular friction which is largely responsible for the heating of the food.

This is much different than any other method of cooking. Other methods such as convection ovens heat up food starting from the outside and moving inward. Microwaves, on the other hand, penetrate food and excite water molecules throughout, allowing for more even and faster heating.

Unevenly Heated Food – the Worst!

You might wonder why food is often unevenly heated when taken out of the microwave. The uneven heating occurs because microwaves work with whatever water molecules are present, and since not all areas of food contain the same amount of water, heating becomes uneven.

While microwave cooking does begin within the molecules where water is present, they don’t actually cook from “the inside out” like many people believe. They actually start with the outer layers while the inner layers are mostly heated and cooked simply by transference of heat from the outer layers.

This is oftentimes why you’ll find that the outside of the food is extremely hot while the inside seems to have been absent during the re-heating or cooking.

Microwave Radiation and Other Forms of Non-Ionizing Radiation

Microwaves are in fact radiation. The waves emitted are classified as non-ionizing radiation, which can cause molecules to vibrate or rotate, which can result in heat.

It doesn’t have the energy to change the structure of atoms in the sense of removing electrons (ionization), but it can affect the structure or properties of larger molecules, especially in biological contexts. For example, the heat from microwaves can denature proteins in food, changing their structure.

Could You Suffer from “Microwave Sickness?”

Some worry that microwave oven side effects may include something known as “microwave sickness.”

Tissues directly exposed to microwaves are subject to the same deformities molecules go through, and this can in turn cause you to experience “microwave sickness”. Remember, it isn’t just microwave ovens which emit this kind of radiation. Cell phone towers also emit this type of radiation.

Robert O. Becker, author of The Body Electric, stated the following on page 314 in his book:

“It’s [Microwave sickness] first signs are low blood pressure and slow pulse. The later and most common manifestations are chronic excitation of the sympathetic nervous system [stress syndrome] and high blood pressure.

This phase also often includes headache, dizziness, eye pain, sleeplessness, irritability, anxiety, stomach pain, nervous tension, inability to concentrate, hair loss, plus an increased incidence of appendicitis, cataracts, reproductive problems, and cancer. The chronic symptoms are eventually succeeded by crisis of adrenal exhaustion and ischemic heart disease [the blockage of coronary arteries and heart attacks].”

In another book entitled Health Effects of Microwave Radiation, author Dr. Lita Lee also expressed his concern over the use of microwaves. Dr. Lee observed that the symptoms listed above could be caused by certain observations shown below.

• Lymphatic disorders were observed, leading to decreased ability to prevent certain types of cancers
• An elevated rate of cancer cell formation was observed in the blood
• Increased rates of stomach and intestinal cancers were observed
• Higher rates of digestive disorders and gradual breakdown of the systems of elimination were observed

To summarize, people may reportedly experience any or all of the following after being exposed to high levels of microwave radiation:

• Impaired cognition
• Nausea
• Vision problems
• Depression and irritability
• Weakened immune system
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Insomnia and/or sleep disturbances
• Frequent urination and extreme thirst

Did Russians Really Ban the Microwave Oven?

One claim surrounding the microwave oven that has gained traction over the years is that the Russians, specifically during the Soviet era, banned the use of microwave ovens. But how much truth is there to this assertion?

The rumor suggests that the Soviet Union banned microwave ovens in 1976 due to potential health concerns. The narrative is that the Soviet Union, being deeply concerned about the well-being of its citizens, took the drastic step of prohibiting these appliances.

There may have been a ban on western consumerist imperialistic goods, including the microwave oven, but just “may have been.”

Several pieces of evidence challenge the validity of the microwave-oven-ban claim:

• Microwaves in the USSR: Contrary to the ban theory, microwaves were produced in the USSR. While they were expensive and not as widespread as in the West, they were available. There are even records of Soviet-made microwave ovens from the 1980s.

• Modern-Day Russia: Today, microwave ovens are easily accessible in Russia, available in various brands and models, from local to international manufacturers.

• Personal experiences: One person discussing this topic notes various personal experiences he had in Russia that don’t support the claim.

The claims trace back to William P. Kopp of Oregon, associated with the “Atlantic Raising Educational Center,” “Forensic Research” in Portland, Oregon, and the website, Omega News. They were then repeated by Anthony Wayne and Laurence Newell, among others.

Along with negative health effects, Kopp said: “humans, animals and plants located within a 500 meter radius of the equipment in operation suffer a long-term cumulative loss of vital energies.”

Are Microwaves Dangerous Enough to Deplete the “Life Energy” of Food?

Foods which haven’t been processed or cooked and are naturally occurring are said to contain life energy which is transmitted from the sun. Biophotons are weak emissions of light radiated from the cells of all living things.

Some believe they contain bio-information and are partially responsible the feelings you get which signify well-being and vitality. Foods like naturally-grown vegetables and especially sun-ripened fruits are the main source for these biophotons that, again, some believe are beneficial to human health.

Tying the theory together: microwaving food, in effect, potentially destroys and depletes the life energy, rendering the food void of these biophotons.

Say Goodbye to Your Foods Nutritional Value?

Food’s nutritional value is said to be lost after being microwaved. I’ll note right away that cooking any food has the potential to deplete some level of nutrients. Here are just a few examples:

• Heat: Exposure to high temperatures can break down and destroy certain nutrients, especially some vitamins. This is especially true for water-soluble vitamins (C, B vitamins).
• Water: Cooking foods in water can cause water-soluble vitamins to leach out of the food and into the cooking water.
• Oxygen: Exposure to air can degrade certain nutrients (oxidation), especially when combined with heat.
• Light: Exposure to light can degrade certain vitamins.

Microwaves Depleting Nutritional Value of Food

Various studies have found that nutritional value is reduced if you microwave food.

Here are some studies illustrating the detrimental effects of microwaves and microwave cooking. Note that most of these studies have been done prior to 2000.

• This study found that broccoli when microwaved with a little bit of water loses up to 97% of its beneficial antioxidants. Steamed broccoli only lost 11% or less. Some amounts of phenolic compounds and glucosinolates were also lost. The study was published in the November 2003 issue of The Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.
• Vitamin C in asparagus spears was lost during a 1999 Scandinavian study.
• One study found 60 seconds of microwaving garlic depleted the food of it’s allinase, garlic’s primary cancer-fighting ingredient.
• Just 6 minutes of microwave heating turned 30-40 percent of the B12 in milk into a dead form, which was found in a Japanese study.
• An Australian study showed that microwaves cause a higher degree of “protein unfolding.” Protein unfolding, often referred to as protein denaturation, is the process by which a protein loses its native structure. When proteins unfold, they can lose their functionality and may even gain new, sometimes harmful, functions. In many cases, cooking and the associated protein denaturation can make proteins more digestible. However, excessive heat or overcooking can reduce the nutritional quality of some proteins.
• A 1992 study found that breast milk lost lysozyme activity, antibodies, and became a more suitable environment for the potential growth of pathogenic bacteria after being microwaved.

But here’s the thing: if focusing on factors mentioned above (heat, water oxygen, and light), one could argue that a microwave oven is the best choice in terms of avoiding nutrient depletion. Less light, less time in heat, and an appropriate amount of water.

Interesting stuff.

Microwaving Food Leads to a Negative Impact on Human Physiology & the Heart

Could the dangers of microwaves include negative effects on health?

Hans Hertel, a controversial Swiss food scientist, is quoted as saying:

“There are no atoms, molecules or cells of any organic system able to withstand such a violent, destructive power for any extended period of time, not even in the low energy range of milliwatts… This is how microwave cooking heat is generated – friction from this violence in water molecules. Structures of molecules are torn apart, molecules are forcefully deformed (called structural isomerism) and thus become impaired in quality.”

Hertel initiated the first tests on microwaved food and microwave cooking to determine how microwave ovens could affect human physiology and the blood.

After studying these effects, Hertel concluded that microwaving food leads to food degeneration. These degenerative changes in nutrients caused changes in blood which could cause health problems. The study was reportedly never peer reviewed or even published.

According to Hertel, health issues which could be caused are:

• Elevated cholesterol levels
• A plummet in leukocytes (white blood cells), which could suggest poisoning
• Decreased red blood cell levels
• Production of radiolytic compounds
• Decreased hemoglobin levels, which might indicate anemia

Another study found that microwave frequency radiation affects the heart at non-thermal levels – levels which are well below federal safety guidelines. To examine these effects, the study used a 2.4GHz radiation frequency, which is the same frequency emitted by microwave ovens as well as wifi routers.

However, the study’s context is continuous, long-term, and high-power exposure, which is different from the intermittent and short-term use of household microwave ovens. It was also done on rats (as many, many studies referred to are).

A more recent 2014 study titled “Impact of microwave heated food on health,” however, came to some conclusions to back up the negative health claims surrounding microwaves:

“Microwave has attracted a great deal of attention due to its increase usage in occupational environment, which leads to a large number of publications regarding health hazards of microwave.

The aim of this research was to investigate the biological effects of microwave heated food on the blood and organs of the experimental mice. The present study had one goal is to evaluate the effects of feeding on microwave heated food.

These evaluations were done on male Swiss albino mice (pre (one month) and post (three months)-pubertal ages). All the results of albumin and bilirubin showed that an elevation in the levels of two parameters while, the protein concentration was decreased.

The results showed decline in glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase as well as increase in malondahyde concentrations according to the oxidative stress which leads to physiological disturbances.

The results of the present study suggests that the microwave radiation has adverse effects on liver functions leading to histological and physiological impairment.“

Type 3 Diabetes and “Dirty Electricity?”

There is some evidence that this same frequency can cause elevated blood sugar levels in certain people. This points to the possibility that there may be a Type 3 diabetes generated by “dirty electricity.”

Here is a video below making a presentation on this.

Solution!

The dangers of microwaves and their potential ill effects on food and health will likely remain a controversial topic. While research and science can make attempts to come to “conclusions,” there will always be factors to muddy the waters of various claims and findings.

If you’re worried about using a microwave, the answer is simple: don’t use one. Or, use them less. True negative effects aside, many people don’t enjoy the result of microwaved foods and dinners, anyway. This is not even to mention the potential chemicals that could leach out of packaging that is microwaved. That’s an entirely different discussion.

Another controversial potential solution: invest in a product which will protect against EMFs. This is often suggested anyway due to the incredible bombardment of electromagnetic frequencies people are exposed to daily.

Microwave ovens certainly aren’t the biggest problems we face, but it is one more potential knob to turn in the goal of fine-tuning your health.