Microwave Water Kills Nutrients... or Not?

Thank you to Marshall Dudley and his granddaughter Arielle Reynolds of Knoxville, TN.

Okay, as promised, I wanted to go into why I have some discomfort these days with using my microwave to reheat food.    This isn't to say that I don't do it from time to time, but it is something I worry about regularly.

In 2006, a gentleman by the name of Marshall Dudley and his granddaughter Arielle did a very basic experiment using purified water and microwaved water to try and grow baby plants.  Now I agree, being familiar in the scientific method, that it wasn't a very thorough or well-rounded test, but the results -are- a little disturbing regardless.   If you would like to see this test they performed in full, go take a peek at http://www.execonn.com/sf/ and you can judge for yourself.

Since then, Snopes.com has weighed in on this test with their own experiment, which is much more thorough and definitely conflicting results.    Snopes is a very reliable site and they debunk myths and hoaxes on a regular basis using logic, solid research and science.

That said, I still find the microwave a little disturbing.  And I can't outright discount the results of Marshall and Arielle's test.    I do have my reasons for this though (as I'm sure you assumed I would).

There are certain foods, when you microwave them, that are very obviously microwaved.   The act of microwaving literally changes the consistency of these foods to something you cannot achieve in any other heating or cooking method.    Cheese is an excellent example of this.  Whether it's nachos or authentic alfredo sauce, cheese is never the same after a visit to the microwave.

Who is to say that the microwave doesn't do something like that to water and, for that matter, to all foods?   Science is a learning process and although they say all tests show water is the same whether boiled or microwaved, who is to say they just haven't yet found that there is an inconsistency somewhere just waiting to be discovered?

It boil down to deciding for yourself what you think and want to believe.   I'm still on the fence, but for me, the cheese factor is a huge weigh-in.