Introduction: There's no need to worry about using a microwave to rehydrate high-moisture, low-fat foods like soups and vegetables. However, for foods rich in omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, duck, seafood, and egg yolks, traditional steaming and boiling methods are a better choice.
Taking milk from the fridge, pouring it into a glass, putting it in the microwave, and after a minute, drinking it hot with two slices of bread and a slice of ham in between. Three minutes later, breakfast is over, and you're off to work in a hurry. This is a scenario all too familiar to office workers.
The microwave has become an indispensable tool for reheating food, and people use it in a variety of creative ways.
1. Fried Eggs
A few days ago, my girlfriend taught me how to fry an egg in the microwave: Crack an egg into a slightly oiled dish, poke a few small holes in the yolk membrane with a toothpick, cover it with a plastic lid, and then place it in the microwave. After one minute, it becomes a fried egg. This method saves time and oil, and there's no need to scrub a pan or turn on the range hood.
2. Steamed Fish
Many people like to steam fish in the microwave. Prepare a fish weighing over half a jin (about 500g), marinate it lightly with salt, cooking wine, and ginger juice for 15 minutes. Place some chopped green onions and ginger in the belly and on the back of the fish, and put it in a microwave-safe fish steamer. Cook on high for 6 minutes, then let it rest for 3 minutes. Finally, add some cilantro leaves and pour on the sauce, and it's done.
3. Stewed Chicken
However, I was surprised to learn that a friend of mine uses a microwave to stew chicken. She cuts the chicken into pieces, adds seasonings and water to a large glass bowl, covers it with a lid that has holes, and then places the bowl in the microwave. She first cooks it on high for 5 minutes, then switches to low power for 20 minutes. She says that using a microwave is perfect for making a single serving of soup, as you don't have to make a large pot like you would with a clay casserole. You don't have to watch it or stir it once you set the timer; it's actually quite simple.
However, she has a concern. When it comes to nutrition, is there a difference between stewing meat in a microwave versus a traditional clay casserole? Are the vitamins destroyed?
I reassured her that according to current data, microwave cooking shortens heating time, so the vitamin retention rate is higher than with conventional cooking methods. If you stew chicken in a clay casserole, it would take over an hour, and the vitamin loss rate would be even greater. As for protein, whether you boil it or microwave it, both are digested and absorbed normally, with no significant difference. However, everything has its pros and cons. Microwave cooking might reduce the content of unsaturated fatty acids in the 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 in a microwave, while others were heated using traditional steaming methods, until the internal temperature of the beef reached the same level. The results showed that compared to steaming, microwave heating had a greater adverse effect on omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, causing their proportion to decrease significantly. Lower-temperature steaming not only has a smaller impact on unsaturated fatty acids but can even slightly increase their content. Similar reports from abroad have also noted that after cooking fish in a microwave, the proportion of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids decreases, while saturated fatty acids increase.
This means that the traditional method of slow-cooking over low heat in a clay casserole, while not ideal for preserving vitamins, has a beneficial effect on the composition of fatty acids. Previous studies have also found that slow-cooking over low heat for 3-4 hours can improve the fatty acid ratio. While microwave cooking is fast, convenient, and results in less vitamin loss, it can deplete the precious omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from your diet.
Therefore, there's no need to worry about using a microwave for high-moisture, low-fat foods like soups and vegetables. However, for foods containing omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, duck, seafood, and egg yolks, it's better to choose traditional steaming and cooking methods. Of course, it's also important to remember that high-temperature frying has an even greater destructive effect on these unsaturated fatty acids and can also produce various toxic and carcinogenic substances! Instead of finding fault with microwave cooking, it's better to break the bad habit of cooking in a way that fills the kitchen with smoke, and to stay away from frying, smoking, and grilling.