Chilli peppers
Well, everyone loves spicy food but I am sure no one wants to wash their faces in its fumes! This is exactly what happens if you microwave chilli peppers. The peppers are loaded with a chemical called capsaicin which gives it the typical hot and spicy flavor. This ingredient can seep out in a dangerous mist inside the microwave which can wreak havoc upon your eyes and throats when you open it. No wonder the same technique is used to make pepper spray for self-defence! Stick to a traditional oven when dealing with chilli peppers.
Eggs
If you cook hard boiled eggs in a microwave be ready for an explosion! It’s simple to understand; the steam keeps building inside the egg shells and has no place to escape which eventually leads it to explode. The real danger is that eggs can explode once you have taken out the egg from the oven. Unless you have a foolproof recipe to cook a hardboiled egg or have someone to demonstrate it to you do not venture yourself about it. By the way reheating perfectly cooked scrambled eggs or an omelette is absolutely fine.
Frozen meat
In order to cook fast, many of us have tried thawing frozen meat items by simply heating it in the microwave but this shouldn’t be done. This machine has its limitations which heat the meat unevenly according to the cut and the flesh distribution. This not only effectively spoils the meat but also contributes to bacterial growth all over the meat surface making it unfit for consumption. The best approach is to thaw the meat overnight.
Mushrooms
Unless you are using canned or processed mushrooms do not reheat these fungi as they are only safe for eating within 24 hours of their cooking. According to European Food Information Council, leftover mushrooms can be edible only if they are heated to 158 degrees which can’t be achieved properly in a microwave. There are proteins in mushrooms which disintegrate rather quickly that can cause indigestion.
Chicken
Leftover chicken usually has a very high percent of bacterial gestation. This includes the biggest risk Salmonella contamination and reheating it in a microwave increases and allows festering of bacteria which is actually as dangerous as it sounds. Moreover, the proteins in the chicken, just like mushrooms have the tendency to break down as they are reheated, this can lead to acidity and indigestion. If you are stuck with leftover chicken, give it a thorough heating, preferable in an oven.
Anything in a plastic container
Plastic containers have always been hazardous for human health but it was not taken seriously and we now have an onslaught of ready to heat plastic containers meant especially for microwave ovens available on markets shelves. The chemicals coating these containers start coming off with the application of heat and slowly mixes up with your meals which can only mean bad news. Even if these microwave-safe containers are old and scratched it is potentially dangerous and should be discarded. Ceramic or glass bowls are the best options as they look classy and are perfectly safe.
Grapes
Sugar or any fruit or food item loaded with it is a potential explosive inside a microwave. Sugar catches fire easily and either burns the fruit completely or worse create superheated plasma in the microwave, the same rule applies for raisins too.
Carrots
Too much of a good thing could be dangerous for you sometimes. Carrots are the case in example here. They are so rich in minerals and vitamin content that these vegetables can actually spark and catch fire. So when it comes to good old carrots, reheat them in the oven or a stove.
Breast milk
We get it, you are a young mom, exhausted and tired all the time because of lack of rest and sleep and bang on the middle of the night your baby is hungry. It’s tempting to just use the microwave for heating breast milk bottles than going through the tedium of warming it on a gas stove, especially when your baby is hungry right?? NO!!Wrong move, because heating breast milk in microwave leaves hot spots because of its uneven heating. Besides, the same reason can make parts of the milk bottle too hot which would scald the baby’s mouth. If even this does not scare you enough, a study has proven that there has been a significant promotion of E-Coli bacterial growth after heating milk in a microwave. Do what your mom did, warm a mug of water drop the milk in the mug and it will heat it up evenly. Danger averted!
Broccoli
There is nothing wrong with reheating broccoli in a microwave as such. But the process drains out all the healthy nutrients from the vegetable, which is the only reason we eat broccoli in the first place. Rather than eating unhealthy broccoli which would be a complete waste, its best to steam it.
Pasta
All tomato-based sauces or syrup are bad combinations when it comes to reheating it in a microwave. The sauce is thick and uneven in texture and creates pockets of boiling sauce like spluttering lava. No wonder it pops and splatter all over your plate and inside the machine. Well if you love to watch your pasta explode like your hard boiled eggs, be my guest, but if you want scrumptious pasta for dinner, heat it the conventional way. Heat a bit of oil in a pan and stir-fry it. Delicious!
Water
Many self-proclaimed experts and sometimes even the product instructors claim that you can boil water faster in a microwave just to make a quick sale. But they all should be punched in the face for this dangerous sales pitch. One must NEVER try to boil water in a microwave as the steam from the boiling water escapes into the air which builds up a lot of water pressure making the boiling water spill out of the container itself. It is dangerous as you can spoil your meal or worse burn yourself pretty badly over it. So it’s a strict no-no.
Rice
According to the UK.'s Food Standards Agency one of the biggest causes of food poisoning is leftover rice. It easily creates conditions ripe for hosting dangerous bacteria such as Bacillus cereus, which, releases heat resistant toxic spores. Microwave does more damage as after reheating the rice, it is left to sit at room temperature, the bacterial growth doubles. So heat up the rice portion once and eat it immediately while it’s warm.
Potatoes
Potatoes hide a deadly type of bacteria which causes botulism. This can be avoided by immediately putting the cooked potatoes in the refrigerator and take out portions to be heated only on stove.
Celery, spinach and beets
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