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#31 Wed 19 Sep 12 1:53am


Occupation retired
From Virginia, USA
Member since Mon 14 Jan 08


I use mine to quickly dry herbs. You have to watch them very closely because you can start a fire if not careful. yikes

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#32 Wed 19 Sep 12 6:38am


Forum super champ
Occupation avoiding housework
From The land of song.
Member since Tue 04 Oct 05


That's interesting coffeepot I would not have thought of using a microwave for drying herbs . Do you have to spread them out much Oreo you leave them in a bunch ?

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#33 Mon 24 Sep 12 11:35pm


Forum champ
Occupation Walking the Old Ways
From Living in the Wild Woods
Member since Wed 16 Jan 08


There are volatile oils in herbs that are released when drying...............I would be very careful using this method if I were you.

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#34 Tue 25 Sep 12 12:57am


Forum super champ
From Melbourne Australia
Member since Sun 12 Apr 09


You don't do many at a time Min, I have seen them done beautifully dry and still with good colour.

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#35 Sat 15 Dec 12 7:15pm


Member since Sat 15 Dec 12


We have a multi-way microwave which can cook by microwave, grill and convection to 250C. We use it a lot. If we do not have the time to cook vegetables by steam, then we use the microwave. Beans or spaghetti on toast and other quick snacks.

But the absolute winner for cooking rice is the microwave. These figures for an 800-1000W device.

For any rice: 1 cup rice, 2 cups water, salt to taste.
For white rice: 4 + 12 + 10 mins
For brown rice: 4 + 30 + 10 mins
Followed by immediate fluffing up with a fork to prevent caking.

4 is full power
12/30 is medium or half power
10 is standing time
You can play with the 30, as brown rice can be eaten al dente or quite soft, question of taste. Not so with white.

If you want to play around, do something like frying up some onions and a bit of garlic, add some indian spice, not too much nor too many different: try a half-teaspoon of turmeric first time - just wash the frying pan into the rice pot with 1 cup of the rice cooking water before starting the cooking of the rice. When cooked, pop some smoked haddock in a little water back into the microwave, then flake it in the spicy rice for a very quick and easy sorta kedgeree.

Alors, a meal fit for a king microwaved all the way.

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#36 Sun 16 Dec 12 11:05am


Member since Sun 16 Dec 12


No one else poaches eggs in their microwave? Put an egg in boiling water then zap it for 45 to 50 seconds and its perfect every time.

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#37 Sun 16 Dec 12 11:17am


Occupation Retired something or other
From English immigrant in S. Wales
Member since Fri 07 Dec 12


Being a comparatively new owner of one of these new fangled gadgets  wink, I'm still on a bit of a learning curve.  I do know it makes excellent porridge and jacket potatoes are pretty good too.  Never use it for warming up anything and certainly don't use it for general cooking.
This is an interesting subject for me.

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#38 Fri 28 Dec 12 3:40pm


Member since Fri 28 Dec 12


I make popcorn all the time in my microwave. Also great for heating up leftovers!

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#39 Sat 29 Dec 12 3:07am


Forum champ
From Newcastle, Australia
Member since Sat 10 Mar 07


Same as most people but also to puff up pappadams without frying as we are all fatophobes wink

"Cook with love and laughter ..."
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#40 Sun 14 Apr 13 11:38pm


Member since Sun 14 Apr 13


Due to convenience the microwave oven is a common site in most peoples homes. If so many people use microwaves they really can not be that harmful, right ?

Before I go any further it may first be beneficial for some to understand how a microwaves works.
Microwave ovens cook food using microwave technology. Microwaves that come from the sun are known as direct current.
Microwaves used in microwaves ovens use alternative current created by the magnetron installed within. Alternative current creates frictional heat.
During the microwaving process the molecules inside of the food are bombarded with  electromagnetic radiation.
All molecules contain a positive and negative in the same way a magnet has a north or south pole. The magnetron in a microwave causes the poles in a molecule to rotate at the same frequency.
During this process they are forced to switch polarity from positive to negative millions or even billions of times per second.
The oxygen of a water molecule reacts with the most sensitivity to this process. The friction from the violence inflicted on water molecules is how the heating process used in a microwave oven works to cook your food.
This process is so vigorous. The actual structure of the molecules are torn apart and become deformed, this process is known as structural isomerism.

Ionization is what occurs when a neutral atom gains or looses electrons. The microwaves oven actually changes the molecular structure of food, decaying it by the process of radiation.

Public warnings studies and contraindications with regards to this method of heating food have been issued discreetly and disappear with as little attention as they rise.

Is there any evidence to prove that a microwave oven can be dangerous ?

In 1991 Dr Hans Ulrich Hertel working alongside Dr. Bernard H. Blanc of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and the University Institute for Biochemistry published a research paper after conducting a revealing experiment that indicated microwaves as being a risk to health. Going so far as to state that

‘It is astonishing, to realize how little effort has been taken to replace this detrimental technique of microwaves with technology more in accordance with nature. Technically produced microwaves are based on the principle of alternating current. Atoms, molecules, and cells hit by this hard electromagnetic radiation are forced to reverse polarity 1-100 billion times a second. There are no atoms, molecules or cells of any organic system able to withstand such a violent, destructive power for any extended period of time, not even in the low energy range of milliwatts.’

During a 2-5 day period participants in Dr Hans Ulrich Hertel and Dr. Bernard H. Blanc experiment were given
Raw milk, conventionally cooked and cooked in a microwave oven;
Pasteurized milk, conventionally cooked and cooked in a microwave oven;
Raw vegetables from an organic farm cooked conventionally and in a microwave oven;
The same vegetables frozen and defrosted in a microwave oven; and the same vegetables cooked in the microwave oven.

Blood samples were taken from participants immediately prior to and at various intervals after consumption of the said produce listed above.
Serious changes were discovered in the post consumption results.
A decrease in all hemoglobin and cholesterol values, especially the ratio of HDL (good cholesterol) and LDL (bad cholesterol) values.Lymphocytes (white blood cells) showed a distinct short-term decrease following the intake of microwaved food than after the intake of all the other variants. These indicators point to degeneration. A highly significant association was noted between the amount of microwave energy in the test foods and the luminous power of luminescent bacteria exposed to serum from test persons who ate that food. Dr. Hertel concluded that such technically derived energies may, indeed, be passed along to humans inductively via eating microwaved food. Making microwave foods more of a health risk than foods cooked using a conventional heating method and could be responsible for a change in the human system and the way it functions.
Leukocytes are often signs of pathogenic effects on the living system, such as poisoning and cell damage. The increase of leukocytes with the microwaved foods were more pronounced than with all the other variants. It appears that these marked increases were caused entirely by ingesting the microwaved substances.
"Leukocytosis, which cannot be accounted for by normal daily deviations, is taken very seriously by hemotologists. Leukocytes are often signs of pathogenic effects on the living system, such as poisoning and cell damage. The increase of leukocytes with the microwaved foods were more pronounced than with all the other variants. It appears that these marked increases were caused entirely by ingesting the microwaved substances. This process is based on physical principles and has already been confirmed in the literature. The apparent additional energy exhibited by the luminescent bacteria was merely an extra confirmation. There is extensive scientific literature concerning the hazardous effects of direct microwave radiation on living systems. "

During the paper it was also noted that although the thermic effects of the heating process cause such damage the current immeasurable athermic effects were hardly even taken into consideration by the manufacturers of the microwave oven.
In gene altering technology cell membranes are weakened by microwaves. Breaking the membranes and neutralizing the electrical potential of the impaired cells. At this time natural repair mechanisms are employed and cells go into an emergency state turning from aerobic to anerobic. Instead of water and carbon dioxide both hydrogen peroxide and carbon monoxide are produced. This is what happens when human cells are exposed to radiation. The same thing happens to the molecules of food when heated using the microwave oven. At this time a new compound is created. Known as radiolytic compounds. Although manufacturers insist that these compounds are not found in significantly higher levels in microwaved food products the study conducted had proven this to be grossly misleading information.
If the microwave oven is capable of altering the molecules in food products what effect does this have on the human biological system. The scientists knew that the effects would be far from complimentary and the results of the experiment would surely have been both ground breaking and enough to make people think twice about using such a detrimental process to prepare their food.
One would think so however shortly after the study was first published, the Swiss Association of Dealers for Electro-apparatuses for Households and Industry, known as FEA insisted that  President of the Court of Seftigen, Canton of Bern, issued a "gag order" against Drs. Hertel and Blanc. In March 1993, Dr. Hertel was convicted in a court of law for "interfering with commerce" and prohibited from further publishing his results.
On August 25th 1998 the decision was reversed in a judgment delivered in Strasbourg, Austria. The European Court of Human Rights found that there had been a violation of Hertel's rights in the original decision. The European Court of Human Rights also ruled that the "gag order" issued by the Swiss court in 1992 against Dr. Hertel, prohibiting him from declaring that microwave ovens are dangerous to human health, was contrary to the right to freedom of expression. Switzerland was ordered to pay Dr. Hertel compensation.
Have you ever used your microwave to warm a baby or childs meal, just the once ?
Dr. Lita Lee's book, Health Effects of Microwave Radiation shows findings that prove the microwave turns food into know organ toxic and carcinogenic products.
New mothers are often warned of the danger of using a microwave oven to heat a babies food or bottle usually being told that the uneven distribution of temperature was the only risk however Dr Lee when writing for the lancet in December of 89 stated


Further studies into breast milk led to show that virtually all colostrum was destroyed during the microwave process alongside vitamin and other nutritional value.

Patient dies after receiving blood warmed in microwave
In 1991 Norma Levitt of Oklahoma was admitted to hospital to undergo a routine hip operation. During the operation a blood transfusion was necessary. Blood is routinely warmed before transfusions are conducted but instead of using the usual heating method the attending nurse decided to microwave the blood. The results were to cost Nora Levitt her life. The process of radiation heating used here caused ‘unknown’ changes to the blood making it incompatible with the body. These unknown changes occurring in anything cooked using this radiaton process and happening to food as it cooks and continues to cool while we consume are also having a little known effect on the digestive process.

If it was dangerous they wouldn’t sell it ?
In studies conducted by Russian scientists the microwave oven was shown to cause a decrease in food value at between 60 and 90 percent. The degradation of proteins in meats and damage to plant substances including loss of nutrients were noted.
The Russians coining the term microwave sickness
Lymphatic disorders were observed, leading to decreased ability to prevent certain types of cancers. An increased rate of cancer cell formation was observed in the blood. Increased rates of stomach and intestinal cancers were observed. Higher rates of digestive disorders and a gradual breakdown of the systems of elimination were observed. Ingestion of microwaved foods caused a higher percentage of cancerous cells within the blood serum [cytomas - cell tumors such as sarcoma];
Using highly advanced technology the Russians concluded that it was not necessary to eat the food alone to be damaged by the microwave oven but being in close proximity, within 500 meters of the microwave oven was shown to have an effect on the human body. Long lasting effects of magnetic deposits were located throughout the lymphatic and nervous system by those who were in close proximity to a microwave oven that was being used. A degeneration and breakdown of nerve electrical circuits and loss of energy field symmetry in the neuroplexuses [nerve centers] both in the front and the rear of the central and autonomic nervous systems. Brainwave disturbance. A degeneration and destabilization of internal cellular membrane potentials while transferring catabolic [metabolic breakdown] processes into the blood serum from the digestive process. A breakdown of the human "life-energy field" in those who were exposed to microwave ovens while in operation, with side-effects to the human energy field of increasingly longer duration. Damage to the male and female hormone production system…and the list went on.
The brainwave disturbance alone damages the ability, to concentrate, remember, function at full capacity both mentally and physically as well as leading to a break down of the intellect process. The polirization process in the brain is disturbed and irreparably damaged this is a known cause of such diseases as Alzheimer’s.
In conclusion and listed alongside the above and further contraindications, Russia concluded
The microwave apparatus is definitely not advisable, the decision of the Soviet government in 1976, present scientific opinion in many countries concerning the use of such apparatus is clearly in evidence.

Due to the problem of random magnetic residulation and binding within the biological systems of the body (Category III:9), which can ultimately effect the neurological systems, primarily the brain and neuroplexuses (nerve centers), long term depolarization of tissue neuroelectric circuits can result. Because these effects can cause virtually irreversible damage to the neuroelectrical integrity of the various components of the nervous system (I. R. Luria, Novosibirsk 1975a), ingestion of microwaved foods is clearly contraindicated in all respects. Their magnetic residual effect can render the pyschoneural receptor components of the brain more subject to influence psychologically by artificially induced microwave radio frequency fields from transmission stations and TV relay-networks.

To reiterate the Soviet Union contraindicated the use of the microwave oven in all respects.
After world war two studies containing evidence as to serious contraindications of the use of the microwave oven conducted by the German army were discovered.  The papers were taken by the US government with the supposed intent of further investigation, never to resurface.
Studies, research and many of the leading minds in science have proven and spoken out on the risk. Why is the microwave oven still being sold in Europe and America ? Because people continue to buy them. Why do they continue to buy? Because they are unaware of the risk they take when they do and ill-informed. Were all public made aware and reminded with as much vigour as to these proven risks as they are sold the products with would the microwave oven look such an attractive purchase and convenient method of heating food. If they were reminded as to the scientific evidence and fact in relation to the food prepared in results suffered by those in proximity to a microwave oven in use, would sales be so high ? Perhaps you wonder why this information is so little known amongst the greatest number of the population, I suggest the vertabim to these questions may be in the words of the gagging order issued on Dr Hans Ulrich Hertel and Dr. Bernard H. Blanc, IT MIGHT INTERFEAR WITH COMMERCE !

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