{"id":1701,"date":"2013-08-10T14:29:05","date_gmt":"2013-08-10T14:29:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cookhappylivehealthy.org\/blog\/?p=1701"},"modified":"2013-08-10T14:29:05","modified_gmt":"2013-08-10T14:29:05","slug":"are-microwaves-safe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cookhappylivehealthy.org\/blog\/are-microwaves-safe\/","title":{"rendered":"Are Microwaves Safe?"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure style=\"width: 390px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/i722.photobucket.com\/albums\/ww230\/mcolletterogers\/dec59400-8b7b-4632-9a76-625664da0ca5.jpg\" width=\"400\" height=\"132\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"color:#aa2b30;\"><strong>They&#8217;re everywhere, they&#8217;re used everyday, but are they safe?<\/strong><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>While general microwave safety has yet to be resolved definitively, there seems to be growing consensus that microwaving in plastic poses dangers.\u00a0 The problem is that chemicals in some plastics&#8211;Phthalates and BPA, for example&#8211;can leach into food when cooked or reheated in the microwave.\u00a0 The potential for leaching with these types of plastics is increased<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>with longer cooking times,<\/li>\n<li>with containers that are old, cracked and have been washed hundreds of times (like most of the containers we own!), and<\/li>\n<li>when the reheated food is heavy in cream and butter, since fatty foods absorb more harmful chemicals.*<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#aa2b30;\">The Immediate Bottom Line<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0 Microwave in glass, not plastic.\u00a0 While perhaps some plastics don&#8217;t contain &#8220;leachable&#8221; chemicals, it&#8217;s difficult to know for sure.\u00a0 And how do you know if your plastic containers have reached the &#8220;old and worn&#8221; threshold?\u00a0 With potential dangers that include hormone imbalances, birth defects and developmental delays for children, why not just avoid the issue and heat in glass?<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#aa2b30;\">Don&#8217;t Stop, Strategize\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>The problem, of course, is time.\u00a0 As always, modern technology presents us with a choice between worrisome health aspects\u00a0 and time-saving convenience.\u00a0 Except that it doesn&#8217;t have to be an either\/or choice.\u00a0 Instead of stopping and giving up, strategize and discover the multiple options that are out there:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>I began by simply transferring my leftovers to microwave safe plates or bowls before reheating.\u00a0 This is a good option for the workplace, too.\u00a0 Transport your lunch in tight-seal plastic containers, but store a couple dishes at the worksite for reheating (or convince the office manager to invest in a small set for everyone&#8217;s use.)<\/li>\n<li>Second, I gradually acquired a collection of glass storage containers.\u00a0 Pyrex and Corningware (on the left) have fairly good rubber seals (remove and cover with a glass plate when reheating.)\u00a0 They can be found everywhere at very reasonable prices.\u00a0 Great vintage sets can be found at estate sales.\u00a0 Crate and Barrel dishes (on the left) are nice enough to use as serving dishes.\u00a0 All double as handy baking dishes.\u00a0 Look for square containers to maximize storage space in the frig.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/i722.photobucket.com\/albums\/ww230\/mcolletterogers\/3e8935dd-0c74-40bc-b939-15ee165f2509.jpg\" width=\"400\" height=\"263\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Next, when stashing leftovers, I gradually got in the habit of reaching for glass containers.\u00a0 (It helps that they are located right next to the stove.)\u00a0 I now use plastic containers only when I need that airtight seal for transporting foods or storing cut vegetables.<\/li>\n<li>Finally, addressing the general issue of whether it&#8217;s safe to microwave at all, I&#8217;m gradually decreasing my reliance on this appliance, reserving it for just those times when I really need it.\u00a0 Very often, when I make a big dish to enjoy for two meals, I&#8217;ll save the leftovers in the same pan and then reheat it in that very pan, as shown below, where I&#8217;m heating up greens and beans cooked the previous day to make a breakfast scramble.<\/li>\n<li><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"   \" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/i722.photobucket.com\/albums\/ww230\/mcolletterogers\/microwaveStorageContainerOption.jpg\" width=\"346\" height=\"259\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color:#b42c3a;\">The Bigger Issue\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>No one really knows whether a particular technology is safe.\u00a0 Basically, we are modern science&#8217;s guinea pigs.\u00a0 From nanoparticles and GMOs to neonicotinoids, irradiation and &#8220;natural&#8221; flavors made in test tubes, new technological &#8220;break-throughs&#8221; roll off the line continually.\u00a0 None are tested for the many years that are required to determine whether small effects add up to big consequences.\u00a0 Nor are they tested in combination with each other to see how small effects react with small effects from other technological advances.<\/p>\n<p>Rolf Halden, director for the Center for Environmental Security at the Arizona State University&#8217;s Biodesign Institute puts it this way:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left:30px;\">&#8220;We don&#8217;t know if and how many people die from plastic exposure. . . But we do know that in the developed world we suffer from a lot of diseases&#8211;breast cancer, obesity and early onset puberty&#8211;that are less prevalent in developing countries.\u00a0 These are a result of our lifestyle.\u00a0 From a public health perspective,&#8221; he adds, &#8220;we should consider heated plastic an unnecessary source of exposure to harmful elements and eliminate it.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>That&#8217;s the approach I&#8217;m taking for all things related to whiz bang technology&#8211;minimize as much as possible.<\/p>\n<p>*\u00a0 Above information and quote based on &#8220;Burning Question:\u00a0 Is It OK to Heat Food in Plastic?&#8221; The Wall Street Journal, April 23, 2013, p. D4<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>While general microwave safety has yet to be resolved definitively, there seems to be growing consensus that microwaving in plastic poses dangers.\u00a0 The problem is that chemicals in some plastics&#8211;Phthalates and BPA, for example&#8211;can leach into food when cooked or reheated in the microwave.\u00a0 The potential for leaching with these types of plastics is increased &#8230; <a title=\"Are Microwaves Safe?\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/cookhappylivehealthy.org\/blog\/are-microwaves-safe\/\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"generate_page_header":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1701","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","masonry-post","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-50"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cookhappylivehealthy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1701","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cookhappylivehealthy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cookhappylivehealthy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cookhappylivehealthy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cookhappylivehealthy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1701"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cookhappylivehealthy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1701\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cookhappylivehealthy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1701"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cookhappylivehealthy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1701"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cookhappylivehealthy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1701"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}