In the kitchen, microwave ovens are a very practical appliance. When you're pressed for time, they can help you quickly prepare a dinner or reheat leftovers. Not all meals, however, reheat nicely in the microwave, and if you're not careful, you may wind up with overdone, undercooked, or simply unappealing food. Certain foods shouldn't be quickly and unevenly heated in the microwave because this can destroy their flavour, texture, or even make them dangerous. Bread may become tough, eggs may burst, and greasy curries or creamy sauces may split.
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While dense foods like rice or heavy stews may heat unevenly, leaving chilly areas that are home to bacteria, leafy greens and delicate foods may dry up or lose nutrients. To maintain their flavour and safety, some products just need to be cooked gently and evenly. Not all food can be put into the microwave, because doing so may spoil its taste and even cause harm to your health. For example, the microwave heats your coffee or tea within seconds and does the same for your pizza, too. In addition, you must be aware of containers and wraps that can cause fire, melt or release harmful toxins inside the microwave. But do you know about the food items that should never be heated in the microwave? Here is a list of dishes you should not reheat in the microwave
Water
Although it can be dangerous, many people use the microwave to quickly heat water for green tea. The water inside the mug could not have heated evenly, even though it feels hot. The water may become superheated, heated over its boiling point without actually boiling, as the temperature rises quickly. It can abruptly explode when disturbed, pouring over and perhaps scorching you. The microwave's innards may sustain damage or malfunction as a result of this abrupt boiling. Therefore, use caution when zapping in a microwave, even for something as basic as hot water.
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Rice
You should not reheat rice in the microwave. According to studies, improperly stored or reheated rice can harbour Bacillus cereus, a form of bacteria that can grow rapidly at room temperature and survive cooking. The rice frequently heats unevenly in the microwave, with some areas being chilly and others being extremely hot. Bacteria can thrive in these cooler areas, and eating such rice can result in food poisoning, which can cause cramping in the stomach, vomiting, and diarrhoea. Even seemingly safe leftover rice might be dangerous if zapped improperly. Before eating, make sure the rice is steaming hot or gently reheat it on the hob for further safety.
Broccolis
In order to preserve its vivid colour, crisp texture, and subtle flavour, broccoli is typically eaten after a brief steam or light boil. Putting it in the microwave, though, might be another matter. Because food is heated unevenly in microwaves, certain areas of the broccoli may become quite hot while others hardly warm up. Broccoli may become soggy, limp, and lose its delightful crunch as a result. More significantly, it becomes less nutritious than when cooked gently because the delicate nutrients begin to break down under the abrupt high heat. Therefore, even while microwaving can appear practical, it can transform a fresh, nutritious vegetable into a bland, nutrient-deficient version of itself.
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Eggs
It's best to keep away from microwaves. Eggs include water and proteins that heat up quickly in a microwave, whether they are boiled, scrambled, or in a dish. Because of the quick heating, there may be pockets of steam inside, and when the pressure increases, the egg may suddenly break. This might harm your microwave in addition to creating a massive mess. Even cooked eggs can turn rubbery or develop an odd texture when zapped, while sauces or custards with eggs may curdle or separate. So, whether it’s a leftover omelette, custard, or just boiled eggs, microwaving eggs can affect both safety and taste, making them far less enjoyable than reheated gently on a stove or in a steam bath.
Fried Snacks
From the perspective of food science, fried food is already "stressed" once. By forcing moisture out of oils and carbohydrates, frying produces a crisp crust. That process is reversed when you zap fried food in a microwave. The trapped water molecules are excited by microwaves, which push steam back into the crust and cause its structure to collapse. The oil may taste oily or stale as a result of the lipids' uneven heating. The balance that makes fried food appealing, crisp on the surface, tender inside, is upset by microwaving, making the dish bland, greasy, and texturally confused rather than invigorating.