Why can’t some foods be heated in the microwave?

Why can’t some foods be heated in the microwave?

And others, on the contrary, recommend cooking exactly in the microwave oven.

Microwave oven – an indispensable assistant in the kitchen. It is used both for cooking and heating food. However, not everyone knows that some products can spoil because of this. What can still be heated in the microwave, and what should not.

Can

Vegetables
Journalist and culinary expert Mark Bitten of The New York Times Magazine advises not to be afraid to experiment with cooking methods. Thanks to the microwave himself, he can cook asparagus in just two minutes, cauliflower in five minutes, and eggplant in 5 to 7 minutes.

Popcorn
Popcorn is also much easier to cook in the microwave than on the stovetop. Just remember to take safety precautions, follow the instructions and be sure to cover the container with corn kernels with a lid.

Baked goods
If you reheat baked goods in the microwave oven, they will become much softer and tastier. So you can save even stale bread or yesterday’s pie.

Do not

Grapes
Under the influence of microwave radiation, this berry can not only explode, but also catch fire. And on a chain, one by one, and even provoke a fire. In addition, when heated in a microwave oven, plasma is formed.

Hot peppers
When heating spicy dishes, be especially careful. For example, chili peppers contain a lot of capsaicin. When heated in a microwave oven, it is easily released into the air. If you deeply inhale capsaicin vapors, you can get burned mucous membranes.

Raw eggs
If you put raw eggs on a plate and put them in the microwave, they will explode. Scientists explain it this way: the sealed shell does not allow vapor to pass, and the protein and yolk under the influence of microwaves are heated at different rates. The latter is much faster. As a result, high pressure is formed under the shell, it cannot withstand and bursts.

Frozen meat
To properly and safely defrost meat in the microwave, it will take a lot of time – from 15 to 40 minutes. Moreover, if it’s a large piece, the middle may still be frozen, while the edges are already starting to bake. This increases the risk of bacterial growth, and prolonged heating also destroys vitamin B12. Therefore, it is better to defrost the meat under cold running water or on the bottom shelf in the refrigerator.

Frozen broccoli
If you decide to defrost in the microwave and broccoli, think carefully. Thermal processing is detrimental to the beneficial properties of this vegetable. When heated in a microwave oven, many useful microelements and vitamins are destroyed. The most gentle method in this case is steaming.