The dangers of microwaving food in plastic containers

Although we own a microwave, we hardly use it.

I would say once a month on average, and it is normally my husband reheating food that already has questionable nutritional content, such as deep-fried chicken or chips.

The reason we do not use it has more to do with me than anything else. I am convinced that microwaving is not good for you.

Aside from the fact that microwaved food simply does not taste the way food should, various studies have shown that plants fed with microwaved water do much worse than plants watered with normal water.

In some cases, the plants even die. As one study published in the prestigious medical journal, The Lancet, demonstrated, microwave cooking alters food enough to cause “structural, functional, and immunological changes” in the body when eaten.

But I digress. The reason I am talking about microwaves today is because of a study that was published late last year about how heating up food in plastic containers increases the risk of miscarriage.

NORMAL BALANCE

Even my husband now knows that if he absolutely must use the microwave, he has to use a ceramic or glass container.

The microwave hazard aside, this is something I have been drilling into him for the past 16 years. Obviously, he thinks I am a little nuts, but as the evidence now shows, the nagging has been worth it.

You see, the chemicals that leach into our food when we heat plastic are what are known as foreign or xeno- oestrogens, and because they mimic the action of natural oestrogen, they can upset normal hormonal balance.

By doing so, they can stimulate the growth and development of reproductive tumours (breast, uterine, prostate), impair fertility, and disrupt pregnancy (as the most recent study has shown).

One of the chemicals that you may have heard of is BPA (short for bisphenol-A) and the reason you may have heard of it is because many baby bottles are marketed as BPA-free.

This recent development is because those hormone-like substances are particularly bad news for our little ones.

In fact, a study of nearly 3,000 children in the Journal of Pediatrics found that children between six and 19 years who had been exposed to phthalates (another type of chemical from plastics) had higher levels of blood pressure than those who had not.

Phthalates have an anti-androgenic effect, meaning they interfere with testosterone and other hormones responsible for male sex characteristics. Phthalates have even been linked to allergies and asthma.

PLASTIC EVERYWHERE

So, in addition to reheating food in glass containers, avoid using plastic cling wrap. I would also advise storing your food in glass or ceramic containers where possible.

Also keep your children safe by making sure that bottles, pacifiers, and toys, where possible, are BPA-free.

I do realise that we live in a world where plastic is simply everywhere.

Nevertheless, it is a fairly new invention and our ancestors managed just fine without it. In fact, in Zanzibar, they decided to ban the use of plastic carrier bags. It is amazing what you can achieve with a little imagination, determination, and discipline.