Noooooo, this is too much
Google it.
I was being a bit facetious, wondering what your answer would be.
But for anyone else out there, there is absolutely no problem with cooking sweet potatoes (or anything non-metallic) in a microwave, or using a microwave at all. Your google info isn’t correct. It’s not scientifically based, and anyone who thinks this doesn’t understand the physics of a microwave. If you’d like me to explain it to you I can. Or you can go google some more mis-information.
It’s up to you. If you think it is safe then that is your choice. Go for it. Smoking was thought to be safe too…
Can you provide some links to your reasoning on why microwaved food is a health risk?
I just spent a few minutes looking around and it seems like every major publication agrees they are perfectly fine - curious what your sources are
There are thousands of articles suggesting they are not as safe as people think. You decide for yourself. Whether you think it is safe or not, it certainly isn’t a natural way to heat up food :-0
In 30 seconds I found these:
https://www.safespaceprotection.com/news-and-info/microwave-oven-dangers/
https://bodyecology.com/articles/microwave_dangers-php/
If you want to use one it is up to you.
I have given up on this forum trying to point out health information to people that they should perhaps consider.
So…I don’t really wanna dive down into this rabbit hole with you too far, but I figure someone else might stumble across your post and be mislead
The daily mail article is sourced from a doctor who is flowing strongly against dozens of other more rigorous studies. She is the single source disagreeing with dozens of other peer reviewed studies and her studies do not appear to have been published in any peer reviewed journals. The one journal I can find things published in is an internal one for the Ramazzini Institute - which has a whole history of bad science and scare tactics not based in science
Safe space protection is a site dedicated to protecting people from the impacts of WiFi and cell tower radiation. There are tons of studies of people claiming to be sensitive to these types of radiation and none of them have ever had any real proven sensitivity. To be absolutely clear - this is a mental disorder not a physical one. It can absolutely cause real symptoms but they are not tied to anything other than the nocebo affect. You can read about this in detail here:
The third link is mostly saying don’t use plastics in a microwave - which makes sense. The rest of their claims, particularly around nutrient and vitamin breakdown are from the heat, not from the microwave being the source of the heat - these things break down when cooked, so eat them raw. It’s a bit disingenuous to claim that it would not be an issue in a traditional oven
Here are some links to counter these points from more scientifically robust areas
https://www.who.int/peh-emf/publications/facts/info_microwaves/en/
To be clear, I’m not going to get into a debate with you on this - I realize you have your beliefs and I am not going to attempt to change your mind. I just wanted to post some counterpoints lest more people make an uninformed decision
The 3 articles were picked at random in 30 seconds from one google search composing of many other sources. Knock yourself out and debunk them all if you wish. Each to his or her own…
I also have no interest in getting into a debate about microwaves, but just general info for anyone not from the UK: the Daily Mail is a crappy tabloid newspaper that is all about clickbait and a nasty political agenda. I wouldn’t trust a word I read in it. (This has no bearing on microwaves, they could still be evil, just a general word of warning on that source.)
I like Sweet Potatoes too!
But somebody try Baked Cauliflower?
Delicious!
It’s like Healthy chips!))
The fact that the post/argument is based on 30 seconds of biased internet research is sort of the point, though.
MMMM. I LOVE pretty much cauliflower anything. I’ve got two pubs in my neighborhood that have excellent cauliflower dishes.
One is an uber spicey asian stir fried cauliflower. Amazing.
The other is far less healthy, but no less delicious. Basically what you linked…battered buffalo cauliflower. But it’s thoroughly deep fried with a crisp sort of fish and chips type batter. MMMMMMMM.
While I typically do sweet potato/yams in the microwave for 8 minutes. I put this purple sweet potato (3x the price of the typical sweet potatoes I purchase) in the oven for 90 minutes wrapped in foil and it came out perfect. Even my picky wife ate the entire potato, skin included.
Annoying that they’re three times as expensive but definitely worth it when you’re having them as the main ingredient, so yum!! Do you find any difference between cooking in foil and not? I’ve never used foil so I’m curious to know
Up to page four on Google yet to find a remotely reliable source on your proposition (i.e. Peer reviewed… even just a data lead argument would be a start. Nothing but shrieking clickbait and misdirection hand waving so far). The real tell is the lack of Google Scholar hits.
As it happens, while I am not an expert I do know quite a bit about microwaves. Unless you punch out the door window of the oven, tear off the RF mesh and stick your arm into the antenna footprint in the oven nothing can happen to you. Even if you were foolish enough to cheat the double interlocks to do that, K-band MWs cannot penetrate more than a few millimeters into water. So you would just burn your skin and su-cu layers. In a similar manner to holding it over a gas burner on your cooker. The key functionality of the oven is provided by the rotating plate and a cover to increase the humidity over the target and a non-firing dwell time to allow heat to dissipate through the target. If you listen to the oven firing you can hear it switch off for this. Off this antenna foot print the power attenuates massively so the idea of microwaves leaking into the home is risable. There are far more potent RF sources in plain view.
I understand you feel strongly about this. In 1974 Richard Feynman gave us a prescient warning (Cargo Cult Science: Richard Feynman’s 1974 Caltech Graduation Address on Integrity – The Marginalian). The internet has made this stuff ubiquitous. Science and real journalism for that matter requires a sort of rigor that is beyond the norms. Particularly in this attention addled age. Caveat Emptor on this stuff. This anti-science movement is not at all amusing it is downright dangerous. The epidemiology of vaccination relies on a minimum uptake to be effective as the vaccines themselves are only statistically effective. So even if you want to put your own kids at risk your decision endangers others who are less responsive to the vaccine. This is an ethical minefield and all stems from a poor grasp of real science. I find it troubling that even in a data lead community like TR we are fighting this stuff.
Thank you. And yes I agree…discarding established science in many instances is not just foolish but dangerous to society as a whole. I tried to restrain myself as this is not really a ‘debate’ forum but I likely would not have made it through the day without being compelled to respond in a similar manner. It’s dangerous to allow things like this to go unchallenged.
I find it staggering how many people rely so much on other people’s opinions, science, or non-science and don’t use enough of their own common sense.
Do whatever you wish.
Incidentally, if anyone thinks google’s search results are not manipulated by google’s own algorithms then they are deluded, even more so after the various “medic” updates.
Microwave for 3-4 minutes.
Kerry gold butter
Himalayan pink salt
And mash.
If I want it sweet I’ll follow the same then add organic pure maple syrup.
Another up-vote for baking in the oven.
- cut in half long ways
- score a crisscross pattern with a knife
- rub in some olive oil
- sprinkle with salt and pepper
- add some chipotle chilli flakes
Bake at around 210 degrees C for around 40 to 45 minutes (depends on how big they are)
If you need some sweet potato variety (I eat them a lot):
I like par-baking sweet potatoes in the over 400 degrees cut in half, quarter them if they’re bigger. You want to bake them til approx 75% done, (trial and error, but 20 minutes is a safe bet). Test them, they should just slightly soft to the touch. Once out, flip them over so flesh side up and let cool to room temp (or if meal planning for the week you can let cool a bit and go directly into the fridge for a future quick meal). Once they’re cooled you can easily remove the skins (I know there’s value to be had in the skins but I don’t like them in my food), then cut into smaller chunks. Heat a frying pan over med/high heat with your choice of oil (I’ve landed on coconut oil) and seasonings. Cook until slightly brown and crispy on all sides and serve.
I eat a lot of sweet potatoes and came up with this technique after I was bored with just eating standard mashed sweet potatoes day after day, sweet potato fries also got old. This is 100% for variety, but this adds another dimension and level to your dish and if you par bake ahead of time it makes for a really quick side dish for a meal. Browning and caramelizing the sweet potatoes in this way makes for an added depth in texture, too. Possibilities with seasoning are endless, but I always recommend a little cinnamon. Bam!