microwaving food?

[swt_asian_soul]

ok alot of you guys have mentioned that you guys make some of your meals such as chicken breast, rice, potatoes and etc earlier during the week and store them in the fridge. So i was just wondering do you guys use the microwave to heat them up to eat it, or just eat it cold. I am now skeptical of using the microwave because i heard that once you microwave it a large majority of the food nutrients are gone.

[Maximum6]

i don't microwave any food..i either eat it cooked fresh..or eat it cold..or...if i have time reheat it in the toaster oven.

No microwave for me.

[Hardgainer409]

hey everyone sorry to jack the thread but i was wondering if this applies to microwaving oatmeal too? I usually microwave my oatmeal with milk, too time consuming for me to put it on the stove.

[ll ReNeGaDe ll]

i heard that once you microwave it a large majority of the food nutrients are gone.

anyone know if this is true?

[taffer]

i dont think microwaving effects oats or meat too badly, although i know it has negative effects of vegies, i never microwave vegies, i either have the straight out of the steamer or cold (i reckon they taste better cold!)

[Zensuji]

i don't microwave any food..i either eat it cooked fresh..or eat it cold..or...if i have time reheat it in the toaster oven.

No microwave for me.

me neither. i love cold chicken and rice i never heat up my pre-made meals

[RipStone]

Hot food is overrated!!

[A.FreeRadical]

Nutritional benefits of microwaving

Although you may think that microwaving is an "easy-way-out," using a microwave to cook your food has its nutritional benefits. More vitamins and minerals are retained with microwave cooking than with many other methods of cooking. This is because microwave cooking requires a shorter cooking time, covered cooking and little to no water. Too much water, surface exposure and overcooking can rob foods of nutrients.


Examples of foods that work well in microwaves are: fresh vegetables, burritos, hot sandwiches, baked potato, hot cereal, casseroles, soups, new low-fat convenient items, nachos, low-fat popcorn.

Microwaves are ideal for defrosting frozen food items such as meats and poultry, vegetables and leftovers. This takes just a few minutes, and is one of the safest methods of defrosting.

Another bonus of microwave cooking is that it enhances the natural flavors in food, which makes you less likely to add extra salt or sugar. Since it cooks foods in their own moisture, no added fats such as butter or oil are needed. This helps you to keep the flavor in and the pounds off! The one commonly reported limitation to microwave cooking is that it can’t make a food really crispy. So if you are looking for that crunchy quality, you should broil or bake instead.

Source: http://www.ynhh.org/online/nutrition...microwave.html

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aA.FreeRadical a

[Maximum6]

I think that only goes for NON COOKED foods. But either way..i don't reheat my food. Its kind of like eating sushi..where its cooked..(rice)...but then you eat it cold...with raw fish and vegetables.

Oatmeal..i'm not sure. I would prefer cooking oatmeal and then put it in the fridge if you don't have time. But i make pancakes with them everymorning..i just put all ingredients in blender....and stick it in the fridge.. Blend it in the morning....and pour on hot pan...so easy..only takes 10min.

[xenithon]

foods that work well in microwaves are: fresh vegetables

That sounds VERY dubious to me. I am not attacking the poster (no need to blame the messenger) but the research it comes from. I have read countless articles and studies on how microwaving fresh veg kill most of the goodness in them. That is exactly why the preferred (healthiest) methods of eating veg are (in order):
1. raw
2. steamed
3. boiled
....
....
....
1034. microwaving



Things like meats are not that sensitive and can be microwaved (to either cook or reheat) if so desired, but it you are thinking in terms of nutrition then I suggestly HIGHLY against microwaving veg.

X

[Maximum6]

Just cook your food...and eat it fresh...
And Eat it cold if its already cooked.

Its just like sushi!!

[ratmonkey]

cooking vegetables any way takes nutrients from them, microwaving takes less than any other method.


microwaving gets a bad rep because people are afraid of the term "radiation"

[bkman4]

Microwaves are everywhere. In higer concentrations, microwave ovens, they can produce heat. To produce heat they vibrate water molecules. In the Microwave oven this happens enough to cook food. That is all that happens. No radiation, no death to nutrients. Don't cook in plastic containers that arent' made to use in the microwave. Tupperware is OK.

[xenithon]

I am on my way out to friday night supper, but just a quick 2 minute search yielded numerous results, two of which are included below:

http://www.xpeditionsmagazine.com/ma...microwave.html
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/md18.htm
(There are many more highlighting the same points )

There are two different arguments possibly going on which must be differentiated
1. microwaving is bad for YOU and to YOUR DETRIMENT
2. microwaving is bad for the VEG as it destroys many of the nutrients

I am not saying that microwaving is harmful to you, rather it is to the detriment of the nutritional value of the vegetables (not other foods like proteins, but far more effect on veg).

X

[ovidiu]

maybe this will help...
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/md18.htm

[A.FreeRadical]

maybe this will help...
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/md18.htm

He is saying it is killing anti-oxidants, not vitamins or minerals. He is saying freezing and blanching is going to destroy vitamins. Eat them raw if you want. I will have mine cooked (steamed or microwaved) and take my vitamins and antioxidents, just in case he is right. (I don't think he is.)

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