Visitors are often taken aback when they realize we don’t have a microwave. We did have one, but decided to get rid of it after learning the potential health risks of microwaving food and beverages. The family was a bit more reluctant about this change than they are to most of the changes I propose. They are troopers, we have adapted and it is now a non-issue.
Microwave ovens use short radio waves to affect the food’s water molecules to generate heat. This changes the chemical structure of the food or liquid. I’m no scientist, so that is my layman’s explanation. Dr. Mercola has a good article addressing concerns; http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/05/18/microwave-hazards.aspx . There are as many posts debunking the concerns as there are addressing them, but I’m not willing to take the risk.
Microwave ovens are convenient, energy-efficient and easy to clean, but in my opinion, they have much more downside. Besides the potential health concerns, they tend to produce tough meat, inconsistent cooking and heating, and can’t brown food. Mine was a countertop model, so the extra counter space is great too.
Anything that can be heated or cooked in a microwave can be done in an oven or on a stovetop, mostly with better results. Yes, it is slower and will take more planning. Here are a few tricks we have found to help. We use a convection oven which works more quickly than a standard oven. A toaster oven works even quicker.
An induction burner is speedy fast. It can literally boil liquids faster than a microwave can. The price of these has come down significantly since we first started looking at them. They do require pans that are made of magnetic material which luckily I already had. I love it and did not experience the ‘learning curve’ that some warned about. Mine is fairly new, so advancements may have been made.
We really don’t even miss having a microwave oven. Well, speaking for myself of course. They are a convenience that have only been around 50 or so years. You’ll adapt. Questions, comments, and shares are welcomed.
In Health,
Coach Nanette
