Nutrition and Your Microwave

Filed in archive General Health on June 22, 2007

Sure, your microwave is fast and a nifty gadget to have, but is it the healthiest way to cook? A blog on Ray's Writing led me to this interesting article on Gone Raw:

Microwaving broccoli destroys a whopping 97 percent of its disease-protective nutrients know as flavonoids. A study this week has found, for instance, that boiling broccoli in water for just 10 minutes reduced the content of plant chemicals known as glucosinolates by 40 percent. Within the body, glucosinolates are converted into other compounds called isothiocyanates that are believed to have cancer-protective properties.

I found this added bit of information on Wellness Tips:

Since the microwave is so good at killing bacteria, it becomes obvious that it also will kill anything alive in our food. All those vital enzymes that help us digest our food, all the B, C and E vitamins and most trace minerals are destroyed in the microwaving process.

Maybe it's time to go back to the old-fashioned way of cooking and save those nutrients. Wherever possible, eat fruits and vegetables raw for an even more nutritious feast.