Using Plastic in the Microwave Oven: General Health

Ziggy · **Site Rank:** Healthy BBF

Using Plastic in the Microwave Oven
By Dr. Michael Roizen

Only use plastic containers that have been specifically designed for microwave cooking, then discard them when the surface shows any signs of breaking down.

About 90% of Americans have plastic residue - called phthalates - in their urine because they microwave in plastic. This is potentially harmful because some additives used in the manufacturing of plastics, particularly those which make it pliable, may migrate into food, especially at high temperatures.

tammy · **Site Rank:** Site Admin

Quote:

Only use plastic containers that have been specifically designed for microwave cooking, then discard them when the surface shows any signs of breaking down.

How do you know if your plastic containers have been specifically designed for microwave cooking or not?

Ziggy · **Site Rank:** Healthy BBF

tammy wrote:

How do you know if your plastic containers have been specifically designed for microwave cooking or not?

I don't know how we would know if they have been "specifically designed" for microwave use because most all plastic dishes have "microwave safe" on them, right? To me "specifically designed" and "microwave safe" are two different meanings. So I just don't even use plastic at all. I use glass containers when cooking in the microwave.

tammy · **Site Rank:** Site Admin

I think glass is the best option if you want to be safe.

joebert · **Site Rank:** Moderator

What about having plastic wrap stretched across the top of your glassware, that's safe right ?

tammy · **Site Rank:** Site Admin

I think there are microwavable safe plastic wraps available, but I still wouldn't use it in the microwave it you wanna be safe!

joebert · **Site Rank:** Moderator

It doesn't touch the food though.

I wonder what this means for microwave dinners in their plastic trays and plastic-lined paper trays.

Ziggy · **Site Rank:** Healthy BBF

Paper towels work great to cover food in the microwave.
And for microwave dinners... well, they are bad enough by themselves let alone worry about what they are wrapped in.

tammy · **Site Rank:** Site Admin

Even if it doesn't touch the food, I think when heated up some chemicals from the plastic wrap can leak out and enter your food that way.

The safest thing to do for microwaveable dinners is to dump them out of their plastic containers on to a microwavable plate and heat it up that way. I try to do that most of the time (in the rare occasion that I eat a microwaveable dinner), but sometimes I am lazy and don't do it :shock:

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joebert · **Site Rank:** Moderator

The Healthy Choice microwave dinners aren't so bad.

They use some thick plastic trays.

I've always had a bad feeling about eating mashed potatoes in any microwave dinner, they just look like they've melted the plastic while cooking. I know that potatoes tend to get hotter than other foods because of the starch content in them.

tammy · **Site Rank:** Site Admin

I actually agree that some of the Healthy Choice meals are decent to eat. Marie Calendar has a select few that I can eat too.

Laughing Gravy · **Site Rank:** Moderator

To be honest, this is the sort of health warning I take with a pinch of salt. Sooner or later a scientist somewhere will decide that everything is bad for you. They quite often decide that things that were GOOD for you are now BAD for you, then a little while later, decide it's the opposite again.

There are steps to take to look after yourself, and I regard this risk as acceptable until I see some HARD evidence that there's real harm being done. If I listened to every warning about things that were bad for my health, I'd be too scared to breathe.

As an example, I read in the paper the other day that a group of scientists somewhere had come to the conclusion that running in bare feet was better than running shoes. They claimed that the shoes forced the feet into unnatural positions. I've just bought a pair of support shoes for running (going to start doing short runs when the snow goes - it's back...), but I'm in no mind to ditch them and go jogging in my support-free all stars... then again, those Vibram Fivefingers shoes look like fun!

tammy · **Site Rank:** Site Admin

These are good points, Laughing Gravy. I can't believe scientist are saying it is better to run barefoot! I don't care how good they say it is, I'll never do that... I need my ankle support and the support for my feet in case I run on a rock or something else sharp.

Laughing Gravy · **Site Rank:** Moderator

I've actually spent a bit of time looking into it- there seems to be a real movement towards it- those http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/ shoes seem to be the way to go. They protect the soles from stones etc.

It's down to allowing a more natural footplant and a shorter stride. In some individuals it seems to reduce injuries. the amount of running i intend to do, I guess it won't make much difference either way.

Interesting article for food for thought: http://barefootrunningshoe.blogspot.com/

Try doing a google search on something like 'barefoot vs running shoes' or similar and have a look at the arguments for and against!

Ziggy · **Site Rank:** Healthy BBF

joebert wrote:

What about having plastic wrap stretched across the top of your glassware, that's safe right ?

Bisphenol A (BPA) is present in

hard plastic bottles
lined tin cans
plastic food containers
some plastic wraps

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