Does microwave cooking reduce the quality of fat?
Taking milk out of the fridge, pouring it into a glass, placing it in the microwave, and a minute later, drinking the warm milk with two slices of bread and a slice of ham in between. Three minutes later, breakfast is over, and it's a rush to get to work. This is a scenario all too familiar to office workers.
The microwave has become an indispensable helper for reheating food, and people use it in a variety of creative ways.
Fried egg
Crack an egg into a lightly oiled dish, pierce the yolk membrane with a toothpick a few times, cover it with a plastic lid, and place it in the microwave. After one minute, it becomes a fried egg. This method is convenient and saves oil; no need to scrub a pan or turn on the range hood.
Steamed fish
Many people like to steam fish in the microwave. Prepare a fish weighing over half a kilogram, marinate it lightly with salt, cooking wine, and ginger juice for 15 minutes, place some chopped green onion and ginger in its belly and on its back, and put it in a microwaveable fish steamer. Cook on high for 6 minutes, then let it stand for 3 minutes. Finally, add cilantro leaves and pour on the sauce, and it's ready.
Stewed chicken
Cut the chicken into pieces, add seasonings and water to a large glass bowl, cover it with a lid that has holes, and place the bowl in the microwave. First, cook on high for 5 minutes, then reduce to low power for 20 minutes. Using a microwave to make soup for one person is very suitable; you don't have to make a large pot like you would with a clay pot. After setting the timer, you don't need to watch it or stir it, which is actually very simple.
Compared to stewing meat soup in a clay pot, is there any nutritional difference when using a microwave? Are all the vitamins destroyed?
According to current data, microwave cooking shortens the heating time, so the retention rate of vitamins is higher than with conventional cooking methods. If you stew chicken in a clay pot, it will take over an hour, and the vitamin loss rate will be higher. As for protein, whether you boil it or microwave it, both can be digested and absorbed normally, with no significant difference. However, every advantage has its disadvantages. Microwave cooking may reduce the content of unsaturated fatty acids in meat, which is a point worth noting.
In a recent research study, scientists measured the changes in fatty acids in beef after heating. Some samples were heated by microwave, while others were heated by traditional steaming, both until the internal temperature of the beef reached the same level. The results showed that compared to steaming, microwave heating had a more adverse effect on omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, causing their proportion to decrease significantly. Steaming at a lower temperature not only has a smaller impact on unsaturated fatty acids but may even slightly increase their content. Similar reports have also come from abroad, stating that after cooking fish in a microwave, the proportion of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids decreases, while saturated fatty acids increase.
In other words, the traditional method of slow stewing over low heat in a clay pot, while having an adverse effect on vitamin preservation, has a positive effect on the composition of fatty acids. Previous studies have also found that slow stewing for 3-4 hours can improve the ratio of fatty acids. While microwave cooking is fast, convenient, and causes less vitamin loss, it can deplete the precious omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the diet.
Therefore, there's no need to worry about using a microwave for high-water, low-fat foods like soups and vegetables. However, for foods containing omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, duck, seafood, and egg yolks, it is better to choose traditional cooking methods. Of course, it's also important to remember that high-temperature frying destroys these unsaturated fatty acids to a greater extent and also produces various toxic and carcinogenic substances! Instead of finding fault with microwave cooking, it's better to break the bad habit of cooking until it smokes up, and to stay away from frying, smoking, and grilling.