Hello,
There seems to be a lot of data both ways on microwaves destroying
nutrients in food, but the general concensus is that Microwave cooking
is the healthiest way of cooking foods with nutrients, except for
Vitamin B-12. This is because the biggest causes of nutrient
destruction in cooking is exposure to prolonged heat and high amounts
of water. Here are a couple quotes which help support this.
---
"
Have you ever wondered if a microwave cooking destroys vitamins? More
vitamins are retained with microwave cooking than with most other
methods due to the very short cooking time, covered cooking and little
or no cooking water.
"
http://miller.uaex.edu/News/haleys_comment/B_Vitamins.asp
"
It is advisable to avoid microwaving food that contains vitamin B-12,
as microwave cooking destroys this vitamin.
"
http://www.asc.upenn.edu/courses/comm240/fall2000/mgilbert/b12.html
"
Microwave cooking of food is not harmful, based on current research.
In fact, microwaves preserve more of the vitamins and minerals in food
because the food's exposure to heat and water is shorter than with
conventional cooking methods.
"
http://www.dietitian.com/cookhint.html
"
Cooking by boiling destroys twice as much vitamin C than steaming, and
microwave cooking is slightly better than steaming.
"
http://www.superbabyfood.com/chapvitc.htm
"
The best method of cooking vegetables and fruit is by using the
microwave. Cooking vegetables and fruit in the microwave requires very
little water, a cover and short cooking time. These all help retain
vitamins and minerals.
"
http://www.carolinaflyer.com/07Jul/0719/0719_07.shtml
---
But you asked for some comparisons in cooking methods, and the
following articles provide just that information.
Dr. Meagan Walsh, a Orthomolecular Microbiologist, reports:
"
'In my opinion, microwaving isn’t bad, it’s what you choose to cook in
it.' She seemed to be more concerned with altered fats and sugars as a
health concern. Walsh further explained that food cooked over a
temperature of 118o F loses enzymes, regardless of the cooking method.
...
Therefore, the higher the temperature and the longer the cooking time,
the greater the loss of nutrients.
...
With the exception of vitamin B12, it is safe to say that microwave
cooking preserves more vitamins and minerals in foods than other
cooking methods simply because it cooks faster and requires adding
less water than other conventional methods. Even when reheating
leftovers and frozen foods there is little nutritional loss in a
microwave. In comparing microwaving to steaming, they both require
short cooking times and less water, but steaming tends to lose 50%
nutritional value, while microwaving only loses 10%-20%.
"
Much more information is in the article listed directly below, I just
wanted to let you know that this expert agrees with you.
http://freepages.writing.rootsweb.com/~jentaylor/CookingVitamins.htm
This next article deals with the differences and cons in nutrient
destruction by the following methods of cooking and compares them to
each other: frying, grilling, boiling, baking, waterless cooking,
steaming, pressure-cooking, and finally microwaving. They say in the
end:
"This avoids nutrient loss as long as the food is cooked on a low
setting and over longer periods. Cover dishes to encourage steaming.
But keep in mind that many people believe that the health benefits of
microwave cooking are outweighed by possible effects of the microwaves
themselves on our bodies.
"
http://www.channelhealth.tv/subsections.asp-sid=5&id=79&Article=705.htm
One of the biggest concerns raised in the last two articles though is
the detrimental effects of microwaves, especially on enzymes and
proteins. Although not destroyed, certain bacteria have been shown to
grow faster in a microwave environment, and certain important
nutrients in human breast milk are destroyed through the process of
microwave heating. The writer sites three different studies which all
link microwaving to nasty effects on food:
"
A study in the April 1992 issue of the medical journal Pediatrics
reports that warming breast milk in a microwave oven at high heat (72
C to 98 C ) destroys 98 percent of its immunoglobulin-A antibodies...
...
In this two-month study, the researchers found that the microwave
heating of milk or the microwave cooking of vegetables is associated
with a decline in various hemoglobin levels (which carries iron in red
blood cells). They also found that microwave cooking of vegetables is
associated with a drop in lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell that
produces antibodies important to our immune system) and the highest
rise of overall white blood cell counts.
"
http://www.aim4health.com/cooking.htm
But on the whole, they agree that microwaving vegetables is the
healthiest way to capture nutrients such as vitamins and enzymes, but
studies are still being tested on the way microwaves affect the food
we eat by lowering immunologic benefits, and possibly promoting
bacteria growth in certain foods (most mentioned were dairy based).
I'm glad to have worked on your question and I thank you for the
opportunity.
Search Strategy:
"microwave cooking" destroys on google:
://www.google.com/search?q=%22microwave+cooking%22+destroys
Thank you for the opportunity to answer your question, if you require
more information, please clarify the question, or if you find this
answer satisfactory, please feel free to rate it. Thank you!
skermit-ga |
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