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Wyatt Parker
Ms. Jessica Robinson
English 3
07 May 2009
The Effects of Microwave Ovens on Human Health
Almost every home in the United States of America has a microwave. microwave
ovens are user-friendly, clean to use, and convenient. In today’s society, family dinners,
and home-cooked meals are uncommon with our busy lifestyles. We in turn, use
microwave ovens to cook our meals - but do you know about the alarming effects of
microwave ovens to human health? Although most people believe that microwave ovens
are harmless to our health, there are many hidden hazards: microwave ovens degrade the
nutritional value of food, cause tumors, and leak harmful radiation.
Many people are told that microwave ovens are safe to use. When I interviewed
Mr. Bruce Meyer (A nuclear radiologist who has an acceptable understanding of
microwave rays and how they affect humans) on the subject, he said that he was
completely confident of microwave ovens having no effect on our health. Every morning
millions of people get up, warm their breakfast in the microwave, and eat it. We were
introduced to the microwave when we were young, and without thought we continue to
use it. Yes, I understand that it is a convenience to have a microwave oven, but think
about the consequences we might face. The research defining microwave ovens as bad to
our health is in abundance; where is the opposing research then?
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First, microwave ovens degrade the nutritional value of food. According to an
article by Mr. William P. Kopp, titled “Perceptions,” while the Russians were
experimenting with microwave ovens they found that all foods that were exposed had an
exponential decrease in nutritional value. We all know how important good nutrition is to
our health, and we don’t eat healthy as it is. The Russians found that all vitamins and
minerals in the exposed foods became useless, as if they were never there to start with.
Also, when meat was cooked to a point that it was ingestible, the proteins that we all
know are important were gone, mostly because the nutritive value of the nucleoproteins
were destroyed. All foods that are cooked in the microwave oven are damaged: after
being cooked, the food breaks down at a much faster rate. The faster decay of the food
that we eat also makes it harder for our body to digest it in the time allotted. In an article
by Stephanie Relfe, titled “Microwave Cooking is Killing You!”, she delves into the
experiments that two food scientists conducted. The scientists were interested in how
human blood was affected by foods cooked in the microwave oven. After conducting an
experiment, which involved taking blood samples from eight people right after food
consumption, they found that there were many alarming changes. After the individuals
ate microwaved food, hemoglobin levels in the samples decreased, which is bad. Two
months into the experiments, anemic tendencies became very clear in the blood samples.
After examining the evidence it is clear that microwave ovens degrade the nutritional
value of food.
Secondly, exposure to microwave ovens is harmful. In further research, one
would learn that the Russian scientists found that the cellular energy in humans decreased
with exposure to them (Kopp). Cellular energy is “the series of metabolic processes by
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which living cells produce energy through the oxidation of organic substances” (Cellular
Respiration), so you can see how important it is. Without any cellular energy, humans
would die just like trees or grass because we would lose the ability to regenerate our
cells. Our cellular energy decreases slowly with age, except for when our bodies go
through certain trauma in life. The scientists also found that when the chemical makeup
of the food was altered, it confused the body’s metabolism (Kopp). Our metabolism is an
integral part of our anatomy; the metabolism burns fat and calories every time we move.
So, needless to say, when our metabolisms become unstable, so do we. Microwave ovens
leak harmful radiation, and we all know how bad that can be for our bodies. After
researching the topic more, I am sure you will realize that exposure to microwave ovens
is harmful.
Lastly, perhaps one of the most alarming properties of Microwave Ovens is that
they can cause tumors. A tumor is an “abnormal growth of tissue resulting from
uncontrolled, progressive multiplication of cells and serving no physiological function; a
neoplasm” (tumor). While doing their experiments, the Russians discovered that
microwaving food produced carcinogens (cancer-causing agents). Meats that were heated
to the point of sanitation created a well know cancer-causing agent. The cancer causing
agent is known as d-nitrosodiethanolamine. There was also an increase in radioactivity in
the heated meats. When the food was microwaved it created a field that attracted alpha
and beta particles. The rise of these particles was significant and the particles saturated
the food. In milks and cereals that were microwaved, cancer-causing agents were created
in the protein-hydrolysate compounds that are found in many milks and cereals. Also,
when thawing frozen foods by microwave, the breakdown process of the glucoside and
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the galactoside elements were altered (Kopp). These findings would lead anyone to
conclude that microwave ovens can cause tumors.
So, when it comes to the topic of safety, most people will agree that it is an
important factor in all things we do. However, this position usually diverges on the topic
of the safety of microwave ovens. Whereas some people are convinced that microwave
ovens are dangerous to our health, others maintain their position, saying that they are safe
to use. While I understand their opinions, after closely examining both sides of the
situation, it becomes clear that microwave ovens are extremely dangerous to their users.
This problem is not of small concern, as millions upon millions of lives are at stake right
now. Do not fool yourself, for the cons of microwave ovens greatly outweigh the pros.
Evaluate what you have learned and make a wise decision -- it could save your life.
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Works Cited
“Cellular Respiration.” 2004. The Free Dictionary. 06 May 2009 <http://medicaldictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Cell+energy>
Kopp, William P. / Perceptions May96. "Medical research summary." The Alarming
Effects of Microwave Apparatus on Food and Humans 1996. Mindfully. 07 April
2009. <http://www.mindfully.org/Food/Irradiate-Microwave-EffectsFoodMay96.htm>.
Kopp, William P. / Perceptions May96. "Microwaved foods can cause tumors.." The
Alarming Effects of Microwave Apparatus on Food and Humans 1996.
Mindfully. 08 April 2009. <http://www.mindfully.org/Food/Irradiate-MicrowaveEffects-FoodMay96.htm>.
Kopp, William P. "Omega-news: microwave madness." Omega-News 2006. 27
April 2009. <http://omega.twoday.net/stories/1825144/>.
Meyer, Bruce. Personal interview. 27 April 2009.
"Omega-news: microwave madness." Omega-News 2006. 27 April 2009.
<http://omega.twoday.net/stories/1825144/>.
Relfe, Stephanie B.Sc. (Sydney). "Microwave cooking is killing you!." Microwave
Cooking is killing people! 1998. 27 April
2009.<http://www.relfe.com/microwave.html>.
Relfe, Stephanie B.Sc. (Sydney). "William p. kopp's studies:." microwave cooking is
killing people! 1998. 27 April 2009. <http://www.relfe.com/microwave.html>.
“Tumor.” Answers.com. May 5, 2009 <http://www.answers.com/topic/tumor>