According to the university's announcement, "Heating the bottle in a microwave can cause slight changes in the milk. In infant formulas, there may be a loss of some vitamins. In expressed breast milk, some protective properties may be destroyed."
In 1991, a hip surgery patient died after blood for a routine transfusion was heated in a microwave oven rather than by a conventional heating method. This tragedy added to the evidence that microwave cooking alters food and other substances.
Microwave cooking differs from conventional forms of heating in that it uses an alternating current of energy rather than a direct current. Direct current cooking heats convectionally from the outside in, while alternating current cooking begins within the cells and molecules of foods where the energy transforms into frictional heat which damages the molecules and creates harmful by-products (radiolytic compounds).
Dr. Hans Hertel, a retired Swiss food scientist, with Bernard Blanc of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and the University Institute for Biochemistry, conducted the first clinical study of the effects of microwaved nutrients on human blood and physiology. Dr. Hertel concluded that microwave cooking reduces the nutritional content of foods and creates harmful by-products that lead to blood abnormalities and deterioration in the body. [Valentine, Tom. Search for Health. 1992.]
Dr. Lita Lee adds that microwave ovens leak radiation and cause the following adverse effects in food: Formation of cancer-causing substances, leakage of toxic chemicals from the packaging into the foods, and destruction of nutrients [Lee, Lita, Ph.D. Microwaves and Microwave Ovens. LitaLee.com, 2001].
Quick Cooking Alternatives to Microwave Ovens
Convection oven. Convection ovens use fans to circulate hot air and create a uniform temperature within the oven. Using a convection oven allows one to cook foods faster, at a lower temperature, and with better results. Foods cook evenly and remain moist. Shorter cooking times saves energy.
Toaster oven. Toaster ovens work the same way as larger conventional ovens, however, the smaller ovens heat up faster and cook food more evenly. Smaller ovens require less energy to heat.
Stovetop. Using a saucepan with a small amount of water allows one to reheat foods quickly either by placing the food directly in the saucepan or by steaming food in a colander over boiling water.
The health risks from heating food in a microwave oven far outweigh the convenience. Microwave cooking not only decreases the nutritional value of foods, but also causes dangerous changes in the body. Foods can be heated quickly, more safely, and with better results using alternative methods.
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