We’ve all seen it — maybe even done it ourselves. Heating leftovers in a microwave oven in a plastic dish, covered by plastic wrap to minimise the splatter. Fast. Convenient. Life is busy, don’t you know.

Microwave Oven

But what is the tradeoff for this time-saving appliance? Polymers dripping off the plastic wrap into the food. Toxins leaching out of the plastic dish, further contaminating what is about to be eaten. The change in chemical composition of the food brought about by the microwave cooking process itself. How about the radiation leaking from the oven? The potential that many of the nutrients in the food being cooked are destroyed by microwave cooking.

Is this wonderful time-saving device really worth it given all these risks?

Not at all say many who have spent time researching microwaves. Here’s one excellent article worth a read.

More people today are buying organic. They are more aware of what they are eating. Why risk zapping all the vitamin C in your expensive organic broccoli by sticking it in the microwave?

We haven’t had a microwave oven in our home for 15 years. The former microwave shelf in our kitchen now houses all our cookbooks. Sure, the kids will complain the odd time the butter is hard. My wife, a darn good cook, hasn’t cursed me too much over the years for booting the oven out. But do we miss it? Not in the least.

Will having one plate of food cooked in a microwave hurt you? Of course not. But the important thing to remember about health, like most things in life, it’s what you do day in and day out — your habits — that affect you in the long term.