Bad for health Do not microwave the following foods in the microwave

Warming Up Food: Not all foods are allowed in the microwave

Be it because too much food was cooked for festivals like Easter or simply ended up in the shopping basket too much: every year millions of tons of food end up in the garbage. Much of it is a shame to throw away. Warming up food helps to avoid waste. However, if you use the microwave for this, you have to be careful: not all food should be heated in it.

Massive food waste

"11 million tons of food are thrown away every year in Germany. Around 60 percent of this is accounted for by private households, which is an average of 82 kilograms per capita per year. 65 percent of these discarded foods are so-called avoidable wastes, ie foods that are still edible at the time of discarding, "writes the Ministry for Rural Areas and Consumer Protection Baden-Württemberg on its website. But food waste can be avoided. In addition to more targeted shopping or freezing food, warming up food is also an option. If the microwave is used for this purpose, caution is advised. Because of some in the microwave heated food is a health hazard.

Warming up food can help to reduce food waste. However, if the microwave is used, caution is advised: not all food should be heated in it. (Image: Alexey Rotanov / fotolia.com)

Practical household appliance

The microwave is one of the most common household appliances in this country. In practical appliances, hot meals are ready within minutes. However, some consumers fear that eating from the microwave is not healthy.

"However, this concern is unfounded," reports the Federal Center for Nutrition (BZfE).

"The electromagnetic radiation of the microwave only causes the components of the food to vibrate, so that heat is generated. However, the composition of the food does not change. The waves are not strong enough, "say the experts.

And: "The food can not absorb any rays. Food from the microwave are just as harmless as dishes from the cooking pot. "The customer review has been automatically translated from German.

However, some foods should not end up in the microwave to warm you up - otherwise you risk health risks.

Do not warm the chicken in the microwave

Experts advise against heating up cold chicken in the microwave. This is because the protein structures in the meat change, which is why our body can no longer process the proteins properly.

This can lead to digestive problems, nausea and diarrhea.

The poultry should therefore be better warmed up in the stove, taking care that it is completely and evenly heated for several minutes. The meat should ultimately be hot even in the middle.

Enjoy mushrooms better fresh

Also mushrooms should not be in the microwave. Not only because they taste fresh when cooked best, but also because they can form dangerous toxins during prolonged storage that can cause health problems such as nausea or vomiting.

Basically, keep leftovers of mushroom dishes cool and store them in the fridge for no longer than one day. This also applies to dishes with spinach.

When warming up once, the food should be heated to at least 70 degrees. Once again, the court should not be warmed up.

Possible gastrointestinal complaints

It is also refrained from warming up eggs, regardless of whether they have been cooked, made into an omelet or used for an Asian noodle dish.

Similar to poultry, protein structures can change, causing stomach discomfort.

In addition, a risk of salmonella threatens if the eggs were not heated long enough either during the first preparation or during the warm-up.

Salmonella are bacteria that can cause severe stomach / bowel disease (salmonellosis).

The disease occurs several hours to days after infection and manifests itself mainly by sudden onset of diarrhea, abdominal pain, malaise, feeling cold and headache.

In some cases, vomiting and mild fever are added.

Warming up in a saucepan is safer

Cooked rice and potatoes that have not been stored quickly in the refrigerator after preparation are also at some risk because spores and fungi may form in them.

If the food is then heated only briefly or at too low a temperature, the germs are not killed. The result can be food poisoning.

Basically, a health hazard can not be ruled out when heating these foods in the microwave. The cooking pot or stove are considered the safer alternatives. Because by thorough cooking or heating bacteria can be killed.

When heated in the microwave, the food is usually not heated hot enough or long enough. (Ad)