Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Microwaves vs. stoves

[Howard Landman (howard]

> I recently read an article stating that there has been evidence that
> microwaving changes the chemical structure of food (although no evidence that
> this has any detrimental effects) but it's weird and sounds NOT GOOD to me.

By itself this means nothing.  ALL COOKING CHANGES THE CHEMICAL STRUCTURE
OF FOOD.  When meat changes from translucent red to opaque brown, or steamed
broccoli changes from green to bright green to olive drab, these are are
due to chemical changes.  Sometimes it is due to proteins being "denatured"
(i.e. unfolded by heat energy and refolded into a different configuration).
Sometimes it can be due to change in oxidation state from reaction with the
oxygen in air.

So the question isn't whether microwave cooking changes the chemical
structure of food.  Of course it does!  The question is whether it changes
it in a way that is different from, and better or worse than, the way other
kinds of cooking change it.

For some kinds of cooking, microwave is probably much safer.  The black or
burned surface of broiled or barbecued food is full of carcinogens.  Fried
foods add a lot of unnecessary fat.

On the other hands, steaming or cooking things over a double-boiler might
be safer, because the temperature is more tightly controlled.  Steaming
can leach out some water-soluble vitamins though ...

        Howard A. Landman
        River Rock Commons
        Fort Collins CO
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