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How to stay cancer-safe with the microwave oven

Microwaveradiations can be a cause of cancer - here are a few tips to stay safe.

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How to stay cancer safe with the microwave oven

Microwave safety

The microwave oven is a fantastic appliance! It is known to evenly heat food without creating any fuss. However, many researches have suggested that its radiations can cause cancer in the body. And while this hasn’t been entirely confirmed, there are ways carcinogens or cancer-causing elements might enter your food and eventually your body. So in order to have a safe experience, here are a few tips to keep in mind.

Choice of Utensils

Microwave oven is compatible with glass, plastic and silicon cookware, since the radiation can be easily absorbed in these elements. However, we strongly recommend you use glass cookware for cooking and re-heating purposes. Plastic is formed using certain chemicals that can turn carcinogenic when heated. Glass and silicon on the other hand don’t suffer from this problem, due to their higher heat resistance. This also makes them perfect to bake or cook food, something that plastic cookware cannot.

Being Safe with Plastic Cookware

There are times when there are no options available and you have to use plastic cookware. In that case, make sure that you use cookwares which are microwave-safe, as all plastic utensils aren’t meant for microwave use. One thing to keep in mind is that you can only heat food in plastic containers, don’t cook in it over a long period of time. Skip plastic cookware over 2 years old, or ones which are scratched and scuffed due to use of dish-scrub etc. The scrapped plastics could release carcinogenic toxins due to the heat and make the food hazardous.

Microwave servicing

It is very common for a microwave to break-down and need servicing. In such a situation, always make sure that you get it serviced from an authorized service centre or an authorized technician. A microwave oven consists of electronics that emit radiation, since it is the radiation that actually cooks the food. This is controlled radiation which is harmless. However, if the microwave is not properly serviced, the radiation can seep out through the device and cause harm to people living in the home, along with the food. The authorized service centre might be a tad bit expensive, but it’ll definitely be whole lot safer.

Getting a new microwave

An average microwave has a life-span of around 10 years. If your microwave has lasted 10 years, then it’s time to get a new one. The reason for this is because the electronics responsible for emitting radiation can get faulty and emit harmful radiation, which can cause health hazards for people at home.

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