With our fast-paced lifestyle, using microwave oven to cook or reheat food seems convenient and energy efficient. While it saves you a lot of time and energy in preparing your food, using the microwave oven also poses dangers to your health.
According to Professor Magda Havas, a radiation expert at Trent University, microwave ovens leak radiation which brings a myriad of health risks.
Speaking to the Daily Mail UK, Havas said: “The most important thing for people to know is that microwaves leak radiation. They aren’t meant to. They have a metal mesh that’s supposed to protect the waves from leaking.”
“But I’ve tested over a dozen of the most popular brands, and every single one that I’ve tested has leaked,” he revealed.
The radiation expert also disclosed that microwave ovens reduce the nutritional content in food since the process of radiation denatures enzyme. This means that you’re only getting a fraction of the nutrients you’re supposed to get when you pop your meals in the oven.
Here are some of its negative effects on your body, according to the Daily Mail UK.
1. It can cause cataracts.
Most scientists agree that using microwave ovens may cause cataracts, a condition that causes poor vision particularly in people over the age of 40. Professor Havas said that standing in front of your oven to watch your food go around may cause damage to your eyes when done over and over again.
2. It may cause cancer.
Plastic containers used in reheating food in the microwave may leak carcinogens. Moreover, microwaveable food often contain chemicals such as benze, BPA, polyethylene terpthalate (PET), xylene and toluene, which have been linked to cancer.
3. It affects your heart rate.
Claiming she has “unequivocal evidence” that microwave frequency changes the heart rate, Havas said people standing near microwave ovens experienced variation in heart rate while the oven was on.
4. It change your blood levels.
According to a study in Switzerland, people who consumed microwaveable meals experienced increase in the number of white blood cells and cholesterol levels, and decrease in red blood cells.