MICROWAVE OVENS

What is Microwave oven?
Microwave oven, also called electronic oven, appliance that cooks food by means of high-frequency electromagnetic waves called microwaves. A microwave oven is a relatively small, boxlike oven that raises the temperature of food by subjecting it to a high-frequency electromagnetic field.

How Does Microwave oven work?
Microwave oven, the name says it all. The very popular microwave oven uses microwaves to heat the food. Microwaves are the combination of radio waves and infrared radiation on the electromagnetic spectrum. These microwaves help in heating the food properly in accurate temperature.

These waves contain profound property, these waves are absorbed by water, fats, and sugar which in-turn converts into atomic motion i.e., heat.

Advantages of a microwave oven:

• The greatest advantage of the microwave oven is it is time-saving, it is convenient as we can cook food in no time and maintain the nutrient and water content of the food.
• Microwave oven helps in heating food without burning, as there is a touch button to set the time.
• The space consumed is less and easy to use, as it is automatic.
• It will help defrost any frozen items within no time.
• The vitamins are preserved in the food as it is not overcooked.
• The consumption of oil is less in microwave cooking, thus allowing us to prepare a low-fat diet.
• Microwave oven helps us to bake food without any mess.

Benefits of Microwaves - Advantages of Using Microwave Ovens:
Since the microwave oven entered almost every home it shows its advantages compared to other ways of preparing food.

• Microwave ovens present less of a risk of burns when used. They heat the food but stay cold themselves unlike other types of heating methods. Heated food can heat the dish in which it is heated but even that in lesser extent than conventional stoves and ovens.
• Cooking in a microwave oven (compared to baking in the oven or frying) eliminates the formation of tars and char, which are carcinogenic, because of its lower temperature of cooking, which is in fact boiling point of water.
• Direct heat of other types of kitchen appliance can fry the surface while the inside stays cold. Microwave radiation penetrates deeper than that and, in combination with a stirrer or turntable, it allows for more even heating of the food.
• If the food is pre-heated in a microwave oven before putting it into the grill or pan, time needed to heat up the food is reduced as well as the formation of carcinogenic char.
• Microwaving does not produce acrylamide in potatoes which is of concern as a possible carcinogen.
• Because of the reduced preparation time in microwave ovens, foot retains more nutrients because they are not destroyed by prolonged cooking.
• Bacon cooked by microwave has significantly lower levels of carcinogenic nitrosamines than conventionally cooked bacon.
• Spinach keeps nearly all its folate when cooked in a microwave while it loses about 77% when cooked on a conventional stove.
• The microwave oven uses less energy than a cook stove if it cooks or reheats small amounts of food.
• Microwave oven uses much less space in the kitchen and is perfect for those with limited living space.
• Microwave ovens are also much easier for cleaning than traditional ovens.
• In a microwave oven, the food cooks for much less time that in a traditional oven or on a stove.
• The oven turns off automatically because it has time that is set when the cooking begins, so you don't need to worry about leaving it unattended.
• Microwave does not produce any flames, so even the children can operate the oven easily without any fear.
• Because the microwave is an enclosed container it does not produce steam or smoke that usually can appear when cooking food on the stoves or flames.
• Except heating food you can use microwave oven to prepare food from scratch like: poached eggs, cookies, polenta, mac and cheese, popcorn and even potato chips.
• There is no need to pre-heat microwave ovens which also makes them more efficient comparing to traditional electric ovens. The microwave will start cooking as soon as the power is turned on.
• Temperature of the microwave oven can be precisely set which gives more control in food preparing.
• Microwave ovens can heat food that is not in traditional cookware but on plates which lessens the need for cooking dishes.