Why Some People Are Breaking Up With Their Microwaves - Tasting Table

"Over the last few years, there has been a small but growing movement to break up with microwaves. If there is a modern convenience technology, there is almost always going to be someone who is suspicious of it, and microwaves are particularly susceptible to those concerns. Because of their non-tactile nature, and how few facts about microwaves are understood by people, they naturally raise concerns that they could be harmful, but the push to ditch them touches on more than that."

"While microwaves do in fact give off radiation, it's a form of non-ionizing radiation similar to radio waves. It does not damage cells at all, it merely heats the liquid found inside food, so the worst it can do is burn you, like any other heat source. In fact candlelight emits more electromagnetic radiation than a microwave does. However, one valid area of health concerns here is heating food in plastic containers, as microwaving them can cause plastic to leech into food."

A growing movement encourages abandoning microwaves for health, lifestyle, and simplicity reasons, with alternatives like air fryers gaining popularity. Microwaves emit non-ionizing radiation that heats the liquid in food and does not damage cells, so the primary immediate risk is burns like with other heat sources. Some public fears about radiation are unfounded, and everyday light can emit more electromagnetic radiation than a microwave. A valid health concern is microwaving food in plastic containers, which can cause plastic to leach into food. Preference for or against microwaves often reflects personal lifestyle choices and values.

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