Do You Own a Microwave?

OK...this is basically an experiment a child would do in science class. There is a reason there needs to be hundreds, or thousands of "subjects" In the experiment. There has to be a control GROUP. It could have been an unhealthy plant to begin with, it could have had rot in the soil, the fertilizer used could originally could have been tainted, the water could have not been draining right...and on and on.
I am a former Chiropractic Assistant, and I swear by natural doctors. However, this is in no way an accurate experiment. If you are truly worried about microwaves, fine. BUT...don't be worried about them, because of this.

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I could not live without my microwave. Unless u repeated this experiment and had the same results every time I wouldn't abandon my microwave

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I don't trust your chiropractor.

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Oh Lord, really?

Use the microwave.

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I'm no scientist, but this experiment doesn't sound very scientific. Was it double blind? Can it be replicated? Were the results published? Could one plant have been weaker already?

Doesn't cooking in any way change the composition of food?

I think this "experiement" creates more questions than answers. We use our microwave. I don't heat anything in plastic, only glass. And I don't cook in it, only reheat. I'm not too worried, but if you are, then just don't get one. If you do get one, you'll just be agonizing over using it all the time probably.

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Yes, I own a microwave. No, I don't think that an experiment like that means much. Microwaves have been around a long time and we're still alive.

That's my unscientific take!
D.

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My question would be how do you know they watered both plants with the same amount of water?
How do you know they didn't manipulate the results. and did they have a control plant that was the same species as the others thats was watered with just regular tap water no heating involved? Was the water weighed before being administered to ensure both plants got the exact same amount of water? Were the plants watched 24/7 could someone have poured their coffee or soda into it at some point in the day or night, do they have cleaning crew that could have tampered with the plants?

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Yes we have a microwave and we won't stop using it. We only use it to heat something up, not cook anyway.

Before you make rash decisions... get all the facts of the testing. Whomever conducted the test should be able to provide all data with facts on each microwave, age, size, etc.

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All things in moderation.
I use mine to heat a cup of water, nuke a plate of leftovers. No real cooking and we only average, maybe, 5 minutes a day.

How often and how much water did they use on the plants? Was it a day, a week, a month? Etc. Also, keep in mind, no 2 plants on identical - one could have just been a weaker plant to start with, even though it looked healthy.

Yep, trying to rationalize here - think I may have to start boiling water for tea on the stove top instead.

Crickeys, now you got me nervous about the micro.

LOL

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That is sort of an urban legend. Check this out:
http://www.snopes.com/science/microwave/plants.asp

and this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TO6DJz3OF8Q

My husband teases my mom that she's the only person that "heats up" spaghetti in a skillet!

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I would replace it, just because I know that I love the convenience of having it. It helps me out in a pinch and I really dont think I use it that much where I would be worrying about damages, but I use it enough to need one.

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That would not be enough conclusive evidence for me. Most of my plants are pretty lame looking without boiling water in a microwave.
i'd do a few more tests just to see. maybe set a plant on/near a microwave, do the water test thing again. One test like that wouldnt be enough, I'd have to do the best 4 outta 5 and see what happened. If the plant whithered 4 times out of 5, I'd start paying attention.

3 moms found this helpful

My microwave broke a few years ago, and I told my husband I didn't think it was necessary to replace it. We seldom saved leftover food or didn't have much to save to make it worth while to save. We were down to only using it for mic popcorn and that's really not good for us anyway. There are times I miss it but we are getting along just fine without it. Besides that I am enjoying the extra counter space. :)

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We do have a microwave, but we hardly use it. I know i probably seem crazy, but it just sits weird with me. I don't feel comfortable using it from what I"ve read about them! If it were me, I probably wouldn't replace it. I've gotten really good at heating things up in the oven and stove top.

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Funny, we've been talking about getting rid of ours. We use the microwave for thawing meat for dinner, reheating coffee, things like that, and can make do with just the stove. Our other factor is saving on electricity. So, I'd say try going without for a few months, you can always replace it later.

2 moms found this helpful

I was thinking the other day if my microwave kicked the bucket if we would bother replacing it..I decided I would. I do not think I want to turn my oven on to heat up leftovers or boil a whole pot of water for 1 cup of tea. I don't cook my dinners in it but I will steam a bag of veggies in it(less dishes to do) I say buy one but use it sparingly if you're worried. :)

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most new microwaves are low-radon emitting. The test COULD HAVE been using an older microwave instead of a new one...I don't know.

Try a convection oven - i think that's what they are called - they can act as a microwave as well as a convection oven...my husband and I are contemplating this one as well....

When I defrost my meat - I TRY to do it in the water in the sink...if I am out of time - then I do it in the microwave....I cook popcorn both ways (old fashioned and microwave)....

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I suffered from secondary infertility for years, went to a holistic doc and chiropractor that told us to stop using the microwave (was not a damaged microwave as a poster added above and was not standing near it. It comes from years of altered microwaved food.). We stopped using it and switched to using the toaster oven. I got pregnant finally. My children are 17 and 2 years old. For me a microwave is a no. I believe the microwave changes the composition of the food into something that our bodies must adapt to in order to absorb it; which in the end might cause unknown ramifications. We have not used a microwave for 4 years and do not own one; it was a change but we are better off and my periods returned to normal. In the end it is your decision and what your family decides.

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Bug did a great job of describing why this was not at all a valid scientific experiment.

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I haven't owned a microwave since I moved into my apartment 10 years ago. My kitchen is TINY and I have very little counter space so I just got rid of it. Other than the very occassional craving for microwave popcorn I have not missed it at all. Good luck with your decision!

2 moms found this helpful

why not just go without? it's worth a try. or, put off making the decision for six months. if after that you feel you truly do "need" it, or that it's worth it, then you can get it. but if after six months you find you really can live without it pretty effortlessly, then maybe it's worth the adjustment period?? - pretty much the only thing we use ours for is thawing meat to cook for dinner. come to think of it...maybe we should get rid of ours!!

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We have been microwave free for almost 3 years now. I melt butter on the stove and I also make popcorn on the stove. It tastes much better than the microwave stuff. It drives my mother-in-law nuts that we don't have one and she is always trying to buy us one. But my husband and I both think that we are better off for not having one. Yes it takes a little longer to reheat food but I think everything tastes better. The radiation factor had us concerned and we decided to just forgo the microwave.

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Well, do not stand next to a microwave while it is running, it is usually on a high shelf anyway.. I think in moderation it is just fine..

Its not like you sleep next to it.

Updated

Well, do not stand next to a microwave while it is running, it is usually on a high shelf anyway.. I think in moderation it is just fine..

Its not like you sleep next to it.

2 moms found this helpful

we have a microwave and we hardly use it. Really all i use it for is to help my bread rise, since I can turn on the bottom light (it's an over the range microwave) and that helps heat the inside to a nice rising temp. Otherwise we use a teapot on the burner for boiling water. I make everything from scratch and so we tend to reheat things in the oven or on the stove rather than in the microwave. I thaw things out in the fridge or if I need a quick thaw a bowl/sinkful of cold water works wonders and doesn't start cooking the meat. I guess it really depends on how you utilize your microwave. I know people who use it to actually cook meals and I know people who don't use it at all. Hope that helps.

S.

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mil has never had a micro. loves standing there at the stove heating up her left overs, FIL swears tea stays hotter when made with water boilded on the stove top.

I"m risking it I guess, I reheat with it, after hearing this i will try to do less of it. but i would hate for you to eat out more because of not having a micro if that makes sense, don't trade one worry for another.

1 mom found this helpful

When my husband and I lived in Amsterdam, we never had a microwave. We have one now, but rarely use it. My husband hates them because of this exact reason! He thinks they are gross and harmful, so we really never use it. I use it to store homemade bread and cookies sometimes, but that's it haha!

There are a number of hazards with microwave use. Here's a great article that sums up many of them: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/0...

In our family, we do not use the microwave except to sanitize our kitchen sponge.

Our colds have drop dramatically, and everyone is healthier when we are not using it. I believe this is because we are getting more nutrients out of our food.

To reheat food, I just put oven safe dishes in the oven and heat up all of the dishes served up together at one-time. We all get to eat together, with hot food without waiting for each plate to heat up in the microwave. It's much faster, food reheats more evenly and the hot plates keep the food warmer longer. Other dishes I heat on the stovetop. I find I have to add a little liquid, but it's no big deal. For rice, I add some broth and it stays moist and adds flavor when reheated.

As for popcorn, we use an air-popper. It is super fast, we can control how much butter or oil is used on the popcorn as well as salt. It is healthier and tastier!

It is totally an urban legend! The microwave does not change the chemical composition of your food any more or less than a stove, cooking itself is a process that changes some chemical and physical properties of food stuff, that is why we do it!

Anyways, microwaves use electromagnetic energy in the "micorwave" spectrum to "excite" certain molecules (mainly water), making them move faster and such heating your food. Technically your stove does the same thing with electromagnetic radiation of a different frequency (aka heat).

Some foods are actually healthier coming out of a microwave, since it does not brown food (charring produces carcinogens) and cooking times are shorter, which sometimes helps preserve nutrients, such as heat sensitive vitamins.

We only use ours for warming, I personally like the side effects of traditional cooking methods better (browning and such). My mom hasn't had one for years (for lack of space) and doesn't miss it but when I visit her, I have to say it's a pain in the B to warm leftovers on the stove without ruining them...

Microwaves change the molecular structure of the food. So it depends on if you want food your body can use or want the convenience of a microwave and heat food up that your body cannot use.

If you do use a microwave DO NOT under any circumstances use plastic in the microwave. This will cause cancer.

Go online to look at what microwaves will do.

Good luck on deciding the best for you.

N.