Are there any scientific studies available on the Internet regarding
the cooking of vegetables in a microwave oven? I am seeking know if
there is any scientific reports (accredited sources) that give
evidence that microwave cooking destroys vitamins in vegetables.

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Request for Question Clarification by googleexpert-ga on 17 Oct 2004 15:42 PDT

Hi jjww-ga,
Yes, there are scientific studies regarding the cooking of vegetables
in a microwave oven.
I found one:
"Effects of microwave blanching vs. boiling water blanching on
retention of selected water-soluble vitamins in turnip greens using
HPLC"
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/papers/2003/03iftturnipgreensposter.html

According to the study, microwave cooking does not destroy as much
vitamins as from conventional cooking.  In this case, boiling.

Please let me know if this study is what you are looking for.

Thanks.

-googleexpert

"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

"There have been very few studies done to determine what kinds of
changes occur in foods that are microwaved, but rest assured the
changes are significant.
(...) 
A study published in the November 2003 issue of The Journal of the
Science of Food and Agriculture found that broccoli "zapped" in the
microwave with a little water lost up to 97 percent of the beneficial
antioxidant chemicals it contains. By comparison, steamed broccoli
lost 11 percent or fewer of its antioxidants."
  
http://www.mercola.com/2003/nov/5/microwave_food.htm

It should be noted that Dr. Mercola's site, mercola.com (linked above)
is on Quackwatch's list of nonrecommended sites.

"Each of these sites provides a huge amount of information, most or
all of which promotes unsubstantiated theories and/or methods. They
may be useful to researchers seeking descriptions of these theories
and methods from their proponents. However, they should be avoided by
persons seeking high-quality information on which to base a
health-related decision."

http://www.quackwatch.org/12Web/webindex.html

I haven't the foggiest notion of whether microwave cooking destroys or
preserves vitamins and/or other important constuents of food. But
isn't the question itself of little or no consequence in this fat,
affluent, overstuffed society of ours? I seriously doubt if one could
find a single case of vitamin deficiency in the US, excepting
eccentrics whose diet is abnormal. But, if the question originated in
Bangladesh or a desperately poor country in Africa, please accept my
apology.
monroe22

Here is an experiment for you.  Microwave everything you eat for 2
weeks and see how you feel.  If you still have all of your energy or
more and you feel fine and nothing has gone wrong then perhaps the
microwave did not damage to your food or you.  If you become too weak
to go on then I would say to quit the experiment.