Is it possible to heat an iron can in the microwave? Why shouldn't you put metal objects in the microwave? Silicone: yes or no

Microwave oven modern women- This is an essential technology. Microwave speeds up the process of cooking and heating food. However, there are many opinions regarding the safety of its use. Technical specifications There are certain prohibitions on using this device in the kitchen. Let's take a closer look at how to properly use a microwave, and what you should absolutely not put in it.

There is a lot of controversy regarding the effects of electromagnetic waves from furnaces and their effects on humans. But what there is no doubt about is the occurrence of undesirable processes that are formed under the influence of high temperature on some elements placed in a microwave oven. Such consequences include fire, explosion, loss of product quality. In order for the microwave to bring only benefits to the housewife, it is necessary to eliminate the use of the following items.

Plastic dishes

Despite the presence of a label on plastic container about the possibility of using it in the microwave, you should still not use such dishes. The legislation does not provide for mandatory testing during its production. When heated, plastic releases estrogen-like substances, which then end up in products. If a container made of not very high-quality plastic is heated for a long time, it may even melt. Heating food in cling film will also lead to the transfer of carcinogens from plastic to food.

Gold plated plates

Usage ceramic tableware with gold may create a spark and cause a fire. This is very dangerous not only for technology, but also for humans. Plates with beautiful gilded designs, which many people inherited from their grandmothers, are not suitable for microwaves. The use of such utensils can result in very serious consequences (see the article about what can be used).

Porcelain

Porcelain tableware from the post-Soviet era. Previously, dishes were produced using different technologies and with different quality. Due to the fact that the main message was the duration of use of the dishes, and not their ease of use and beauty, they added heavy metals(lead, etc.). These components are dangerous when used in a microwave.

Metal objects

The use of metal utensils and cutlery is also prohibited. Metal reflects microwaves, which can cause an explosion, and the equipment can be thrown away. In the worst case scenario, personal injury may occur if you are near the stove when it explodes. When heated, iron elements create a spark, which will lead to a fire inside the oven. The consequences of improper operation of the microwave may cause a fire.

Paper boxes, aluminium foil from fast food or restaurants Chinese food also prohibited. An exception may be baking parchment.

Undesirable food products for microwave

For long-term operation of a microwave oven, it is necessary to use the correct dishes, and for human health, it is necessary to cook approved foods in it. There are several restrictions: not all food products are recommended to be exposed to high heat treatment. Let's consider which food items cannot be placed in the microwave.

Before heating cooked food or making a dish instant cooking, you must follow certain rules.

Do not use products that spoil under high temperatures (yogurt, kefir).
When heating ready-to-eat meals packaged in paper bags or plastic containers, it is better to transfer them to ceramic or glass dishes.
Make sure that the microwave does not run idle.
Heat food only in open container.
Avoid contact with any plastic utensils.

After cooking, it is necessary to promptly remove droplets of fat and food residues using conventional dishwashing detergents that do not contain abrasive substances.

If you follow simple instructions, you can ensure a long service life and prepare delicious, healthy food.

Good day to all visitors to my blog. Today I want to talk about what dishes can be used in the microwave. It turns out that in the wrong container, food takes longer to cook and heats up poorly. And it can also be harmful to health. Yes, yes, it is dishes that can harm our body. And not microwaves, which is what opponents of microwave ovens are so actively trying to prove.

To figure out which containers to use, let’s remember how microwaves work. As you know, dishes in a microwave oven are heated by microwaves. This is electromagnetic radiation that causes dipole food molecules to move. Move quickly and a lot. This creates friction and heats up the food. I have already described this in detail in an article about the principle of operation of a microwave oven.

To heat food, as well as for cooking, containers must be heat-resistant. If you have fireproof cookware, that's even better. Heat-resistant dishes and containers can be heated up to 140˚C. This is enough for a regular microwave. It heats food to the boiling point of water - 100 ˚С. Containers made of fireproof materials can heat up to 300˚C.

Heat-resistant cookware can be:

glass;
porcelain;
ceramic;
plastic;
paper;
silicone;
made of thin foam.

Heat-resistant containers made of these materials are used in microwave ovens. Mode – microwaves only. Plastic boats must have a corresponding icon.

No less important parameter Microwave cookware is the size as well as the shape. It is better to choose a small height for the containers. This will allow you to cook the product faster. If you are going to cook cereals or pasta, the capacity should be with reserve. This is due to the peculiarity of heating liquids by microwaves. When the water boils, its bubbles remain at the bottom for some time. After a certain time, the water may splash out. If you choose a bowl that flares upward, this will not happen. The water won't rise as quickly.

Kirill Sysoev

Calloused hands never get bored!

Content

The microwave oven has long become an indispensable assistant for housewives. Thanks to technical innovations, microwave ovens are equipped with a variety of functions: from defrosting and convection to cooking. Not all utensils present in the kitchen are allowed to be used in the oven; there are strict selection criteria. Choose containers responsibly. Everything is important here, from the material from which the utensil is made to its size.

What dishes should not be put in the microwave?

Products for use in microwave oven differ in variants and shape. It is strictly forbidden to use containers made from certain materials, as this can not only damage the equipment, but also lead to short circuit, cause a fire. Do not heat empty household appliance. The absence of an object inside that absorbs microwaves can damage the equipment.

Made of metal

Iron cups and bowls are not suitable for use in microwave ovens; microwaves do not pass through metal, it reflects them. Do not leave metal spoons or forks, or items containing staples or bolts in the microwave. Metal objects can cause sparks and electrical discharges, so such containers or their elements are dangerous.

With drawings

You should avoid using kitchen utensils with a metal pattern or coating, as well as gold-plated edging and patterns. Such images are often painted with paints containing metal. Unfortunately, the presence of this material cannot be seen with the naked eye, so containers with a pattern are not recommended for use in the oven.

From crystal

Crystal contains silver, lead, and sometimes other metals that can affect the operation of a microwave oven. Crystal products are distinguished by the thickness of the faceted surface, and the influence of microwaves on their walls leads to damage and splitting of the container. For this reason, it is better to avoid using crystal dishes in the microwave oven.

What dishes can be put in the microwave?

The optimal dishes for the microwave oven are porcelain and ceramic, products from heat resistant glass, special plastic and silicone containers. If necessary, you can replace it with cut glasses, thick glass cups, and ceramic plates. Suitable containers for heating food in a microwave oven are wooden bowls that are not varnished.

Glass, porcelain, ceramics

Glass - universal material, so containers made from it are convenient to use in an oven with a grill or when cooking in an oven. It is necessary to choose products made of fireproof, thick, transparent glass that are safe to use high temperatures. It is important to avoid containers with chips and cracks, as this will lead to deformation of the vessel when heated.

Porcelain bowls with low sides make it convenient to heat food. Ceramic microwave oven containers get very hot, so you need to be careful when removing such containers. Do not use homemade ceramic or clay bowls, as this may damage the vessel. Before heating, check the container for cracks. When washing, water often gets into them, which leads to splitting. ceramic product.

Paper, plastic, foam

The range of kitchen utensils is wide, so it is difficult to determine which utensils can be used in the microwave. Paper cups or bags are convenient for heating small portions of food; a napkin will do to warm up the sandwich. If you use disposable paper containers, do so only once to avoid deformation of the container.

Popcorn manufacturers package their products in paper bags that can be heated in the microwave. Using special paper molds with embossed inner walls, you can bake muffins in a microwave oven. Cardboard milk cartons should not be heated. The bottom layer of such packages often contains foil, which can damage the device.

Heat resistant options plastic dishes there are many for microwave ovens; special containers are equipped with lids with an outlet hole and are marked with an icon and inscriptions permitting the use of products in the oven. These containers will help you reheat, defrost and store prepared food. Disposable foam containers are used for low temperatures, as the material may melt.

Fabric, cling film

When cooking in a microwave oven, it is allowed to use cling film and cloth napkins. Baking bags help keep your food moist. The heated bowl is often covered with cling film to prevent food from splattering. inner surface device. Cloth napkins made of cotton or linen help restore a fresh look to dry baked goods.

Microwave cookware sign

Microwave dishes are equipped with markings and drawings that allow you to distinguish special containers from others. Identification marks are placed on the walls or bottom of containers; sometimes they contain the recommended temperature for use. As a rule, such products are not distinguished harmful substances, but it is better to purchase dishes from trusted manufacturers.

Rules for using microwave cookware

Cooking in the microwave is simple, safe and convenient. Remember a few points that will make using a stove significantly simplify your life.

If you think a little about whether there are any modern studies about the use of microwaves, about its effects on the human body, about food products processed in the microwave, what experts can say...

After the Second World War, secret research conducted by the Germans with microwave ovens fell into the hands of the Allies. These documents and some working samples were seized by US intelligence. But the Russians also got several working samples. As a result, a number of studies were carried out that revealed an extremely negative degree of impact of microwaves on products and the human body, and the invention was banned. In the United States, on the contrary, microwave ovens began to be introduced en masse and everywhere, despite the warnings of doctors. Let's figure it out - why is a microwave oven so harmful?
After the war, the Allies discovered medical research, carried out by the Germans with microwave ovens. These documents, as well as some working models, were transferred to the United States for “further Scientific research" The Russians also received a number of these models.

How does a microwave oven work?

Microwaves are a form of electromagnetic energy, just like light waves or radio waves. These are very short electromagnetic waves that travel at the speed of light (299.79 km per second). IN modern technology microwaves are used in a microwave oven, for long distance and international telephone communication, transmission of television programs, operation of the Internet on Earth and via satellites. But microwaves are best known to us as a source of energy for cooking - the microwave oven.

Every microwave oven contains a magnetron, which converts electrical energy in ultra-high frequency electric field frequency of 2450 Megahertz (MHz) or 2.45 Gigahertz (GHz), which interacts with water molecules in food.

Microwaves bomb water molecules in food, causing them to spin millions of times per second, creating molecular friction that heats the food. This friction causes significant damage to food molecules, breaking or deforming them.
Simply put, microwaves cause breakdown and changes in the molecular structure of food through the process of radiation.

Who invented microwave ovens?

The Nazis invented the microwave oven, the “radiomissor,” for their military operations. The time spent on cooking in this case was sharply reduced, which made it possible to concentrate on other tasks.

After the war, the Allies discovered medical research being done by the Germans with microwave ovens. These documents, as well as some working models, were transferred to the United States for “further scientific research.” The Russians also obtained a number of such models and conducted extensive studies of their biological effects. As a result, the use of microwave ovens in the USSR was banned for some time. The Soviets have issued an international warning about harmful substances, biological and environmental, from exposure to microwaves.

Eastern European scientists also identified harmful effects microwave radiation and created strict environmental restrictions on their use.

Microwaves are dangerous for children!

Some of the amino acids L-proline, which are part of mother's milk, as well as infant formula, are converted under the influence of microwaves into d-isomers, which are considered neurotoxic (deform nervous system) and nephrotoxic (poisonous to the kidneys). It is a disaster that many children are fed on artificial milk substitutes ( baby food), which become even more toxic with microwave ovens.

Scientific data and facts

A comparative study on Microwave Cooking published in 1992 in the United States states:
“From a medical point of view, it is believed that the introduction to human body molecules exposed to microwaves are much more likely to cause harm than good. Microwave food contains microwave energy in molecules that is not present in food products prepared in the traditional way."

A short-term study showed that people who ate microwaved milk and vegetables had changes in their blood composition, decreased hemoglobin and increased cholesterol, while people who ate the same food, but prepared in a traditional way, did not change their body condition.

Swiss clinical trials

Dr. Hans Ulrich Hertel participated in a similar study and worked for a large Swiss company for many years. Several years ago, she was fired from her position for disclosing the results of these experiments. In 1991, she and a professor at the University of Lausanne published a study showing that food cooked in a microwave oven may pose a health risk compared to cooked food. traditional ways. The article was also presented in the magazine “Franz Weber” No. 19, where it was said that eating food cooked in microwave ovens has a malignant effect on the blood.

At intervals of two to five days, volunteers received one of the following meals on an empty stomach:
(1) raw milk;
(2) the same milk, heated in the traditional way;
(3) pasteurized milk;
(4) the same milk heated in the microwave;
(5) fresh vegetables;
(6) the same vegetables prepared traditionally;
(7) traditionally thawed frozen vegetables; and (the same vegetables cooked in the microwave.

Blood samples were taken from volunteers immediately before each meal. Then blood tests were performed at certain intervals after taking milk and plant products.

Significant changes were found in the blood during the meal intervals exposed to microwave ovens. These changes included a reduction in hemoglobin and changes in cholesterol composition, especially the ratio of HDL (good cholesterol) to LDL (bad cholesterol). The number of Lymphocytes (white blood cells) increased. All these indicators indicate degeneration. In addition, part of the microwave energy remains in food, consuming which a person is exposed to microwave radiation.

Radiation leads to the destruction and deformation of food molecules. Microwaves create new compounds that do not exist in nature, called radiolytics. Radiolytic compounds create molecular rot - as a direct consequence of radiation.

Microwave manufacturers claim that microwaved food does not have much difference in composition compared to traditionally processed food. But not one State University in the United States has not conducted a single study on the effects of modified food in a microwave oven on the human body. But there is a lot of research about what happens if the microwave door is not closed. Isn't this a little strange? Common sense dictates that attention should be paid to what happens to food cooked in a microwave oven. We can only guess how molecular rot from the microwave will affect our health in the future!

I first thought about what kind of dishes could be used in the microwave after a bad experience with a plate with a pattern. The device remained intact, but there were a lot of sparks.

The microwave oven is one of the best inventions for the kitchen. Warming up, defrosting, and preparing all kinds of dishes using this device is more convenient and much faster. However, everyone knows that not all dishes can be placed in the microwave. If you choose the wrong container, anything can happen - from harmful substances getting into the food to damage to the microwave itself.

Let's take a closer look at which utensils are ideal for the microwave, and which ones need to be handled more carefully. We will also dwell on some of the subtleties of using this or that kitchen utensil for microwave ovens.

What dishes should not be used?

First of all, it is important to understand once and for all which plates and pots are strictly prohibited. Absolutely not suitable:

any metal utensils. That is, aluminum, copper, steel, enameled and cast iron. Metal does not transmit microwaves, and it can also accumulate an electrical charge. This means that the food will not heat up, and the household appliance may break;
dishes with a pattern, and not necessarily with gilding - even a matte pattern can be applied with paint that contains metal particles, and metal, as we understand, is prohibited;
crystal glassware, since it is from natural material, which contains metal;
foil forms;
disposable tableware made of ordinary plastic or paper impregnated with wax;
ceramic without glaze.

It is not advisable to heat food in a container made of thin glass - although it allows waves to pass through, it may not withstand temperature changes.

Microwave-safe dishes

The range of cookware that is perfect for microwaves is increasing every year. Just 10-15 years ago it was hard to find one, especially if you wanted to fit into overall design kitchens. Now the variety of external design, shapes and useful volume is impressive. However, the main thing is the material from which all this beauty is made.

Glassware

Plates, salad bowls, baking dishes and pans made of thick-walled heat-resistant glass can be safely called ideal option for microwave oven. Excellent wave transmission, easy to care for, and also suitable for use in the oven, on gas stove etc.

It is convenient to cook absolutely any food in such dishes, for example, I always make a simple pie “” in a glass form.

Silicone containers

One of the new products - silicone cookware for microwaves. It performs its functions well and is not afraid of waves, temperature changes, etc. In addition, it has excellent non-stick properties - any casseroles, pies, and cakes in such forms can be cooked without additional greasing.

It is important to buy these forms from a trusted brand, otherwise, instead of a wonderful product, you may end up with a product that is, at best, unpleasantly smelling, and at worst, hazardous to health.

Porcelain, ceramic and earthenware dishes

Ceramics, porcelain and earthenware are materials that are similar to each other, since each is based on clay. The proportions, production technology and some physical properties, but, in principle, all this is pottery.

If there are no patterns on them or if they are painted with paint without metal particles, they can also be used for the microwave. They transmit waves a little worse and heat up, but they perform their functions well. The main thing is that the dishes are free of cracks - even the smallest ones can cause a plate or cup to simply break into pieces.

Plastic dishes

Plastic trays, bowls or other containers are allowed to be placed in the microwave, but under one condition - this plastic is heat-resistant and suitable for microwave ovens (this can be found out from the icons on the dishes).

Some types of plastic are only suitable for heating, but it is better not to use them for cooking, especially fatty or sweet dishes. This information is easily deciphered from symbols. The fact is that the melting point of the material may be lower than the boiling point of the food and the plastic will simply begin to melt, releasing harmful substances into the food.

Paper, polyethylene, cling film

All these materials are usually used for packaging, of which there are many types. You can put food in such a container to warm it up, but it’s better for a short time. Make sure there are holes for steam to escape, otherwise it will explode right in the oven.

If food is packaged in factory conditions, then the manufacturer indicates the possibility of exposing the container to microwaves.

Labeling secrets

The time has come to turn to the mysterious icons on the dishes. So, what marking indicates that the container can be placed in the microwave? There are several examples, but they are all understandable on an intuitive level. For example, as in the photo:

At the end, I offer a short video about some of the features of microwave cookware: