Microwaved food: is it healthy? (part 1)

(continued from How Microwaves Work part 2)

Microwave ovens were invented by German scientists during World War II to support ground troops or those in submarines.  Soon thereafter, microwaves made their way into virtually every home in the US, and people have taken for granted their abilities.

It was not until 1975 that the Journal of Food Science first cast doubt on the safety of microwaved food. Studies revealed the molecular structures of nutrients were deformed to the point of destroying cell walls, while the cell structures stayed intact after conventional cooking.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has regulated the manufacture of microwave ovens since 1971 and has authority over food safety, but a review of 200 references on its Web site reflects more attention to potential radiation leakage than the effects of eating microwaved foods.

 (to be continued…)