The microwave is a very common, and often used, kitchen appliance. It's a great tool for heating up last night's dinner or a quick "2 minute meal". However, the microwave ovens we know today, the same that cook the food we eat, are descended from the radar boxes of the Second World War.
Invented by Percy L. Spencer, who was a radar technician during the war, microwave ovens use electromagnetic energy that is very similar to radio waves. Due to this heating method, microwaves emit non-ionizing radiation, which studies show can affect our blood and heart. The effects of this radiation can lead to certain types of intestinal and stomach cancers.
That being said, there is no need to fear. Microwaves today go through many extensive tests and safety procedures to make sure they are safe to use. But while we are safe standing next to them, what happens to the food we heat inside of them? Here are 5 things you should never put in the microwave as it will damage the food, and maybe also the people who'll eat it.
Breast MilkBreast milk is essential in providing a newborn with powerful bacteria-fighting and nutritious materials. Heating breast milk in the microwave, on either high or low temperatures, has been found to destroy those beneficial substances, and worse. In the same tests, made by The "Journal of Pediatrics", it was found that the heated milk also has greater E-coli growth, a harmful bacteria for humans and babies in particular.