Preparing Food in the Microwave: Facts and Myths

A microwave oven is in well over half of all households. To what extent it is used, however, varies greatly. Often it is only used to heat up and defrost food. But the microwave oven can do much more. Opinions are also divided on the effect of microwaves on health and food. There are still reservations about microwave technology among many consumers.

How the microwave works

Microwaves are electromagnetic rays. They are created in the microwave device by converting the electric current. Responsible for this is the so-called magnetron, which is the core of the device. A wave stirrer distributes the generated microwaves throughout the cooking chamber.

The turntable and the reflection of the microwaves from the metal walls of the cooking chamber also play an important role. In this way, the waves reach the food from all sides. There, they cause the components of the food to vibrate. In this way, heat is generated in the food, which is used for the heating or cooking process.

This is what the microwave can do

The microwave oven can do much more than is generally believed. It is important to note that depending on the desired function, different powers must be set in the microwave to achieve the best result.

Defrosting
For defrosting foods such as meat, poultry, bread, fruit and ready meals, a power of 150 – 200 watts is recommended. For delicate foods (e.g. cream pies), a lower power of approx. 100 watts should be selected.

Heating
If a dish is to be heated, a maximum microwave power of 400 watts is recommended for a duration of approx. 3-5 minutes. To ensure that the heat is evenly distributed in the food, an additional standing time of approx. 2 minutes should be allowed.

Cooking
Optimally, food is cooked at a power of 600 watts. A higher power is not recommended. If a higher power and shorter time is selected, the food dries out very much on the outside and the desired core temperature of 75°C is usually not reached.

Basically, all foods are suitable for cooking in the microwave. Meat, fish, vegetables or starch side dishes are ready to serve after a short cooking time. Depending on the dish and quantity, up to 80% energy and about 50% time can be saved by the short cooking time compared to the usual cooking method. This effect is particularly noticeable when preparing smaller portions.