Lifestyle

The foods you should never, ever microwave - according to a health expert

The foods you should never, ever microwave - according to a health expert
9 Things You Should Never Put in a Microwave
Money Talks News / VideoElephant

For those who of us who are busy (or just can't face cooking) reheating leftovers is an easy and convenient way to grab a quick bite.

Many of us will use the microwave to speedily reheat our food but there are certain foods that experts have warned not to do this with.

Now, nutritionist Amanda Holtzer based in Nutley, New Jersey has shared exactly which food we should avoid cooking or reheating in the microwave - and the reasons why.

Hard-boiled eggs

There are so many ways to cook an egg, but the one way you shouldn't cook an egg is in a microwave as you can put yourself at risk of being burned due to the egg potentially exploding from the pressure.

"Never microwave a hard-boiled egg," Holtzer told Fox News. "Doing so causes steam and pressure to build in the egg white - and can lead to an eruption when the egg is cut into."

@mira123dahl

Someone said to not microwave hardboiled eggs so I had to do it yolo #foryou #fördig #fyp

"This eruption can happen in the microwave, on your plate or, frighteningly, in your mouth when you bite into the egg."

TikToker @mira123dahl learned this the hard way as she was stunned when her microwaved egg suddenly exploded after she cut into it, with the viral video receiving 2.9m views.

Chicken

iStockphoto by Getty Images

Although it is perfectly fine to reheat chicken in the microwave, let's be honest it never tastes as good as when it is freshly cooked.

“However, from a quality-control perspective, I would recommend against reheating chicken," Holtzer said.

"When chicken is stored in the refrigerator after cooking, the fats in the meat can oxidize, which can change the chemical structure of the chicken and therefore the taste."

She added: "Then, when reheated, any moisture that was in the chicken evaporates, thus leaving you with chicken that has both an off taste and texture."

Vitamin C-rich foods

iStockphoto by Getty Images

If you heat up food such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, and potatoes in the microwave as a source of Vitamin C, think again as Holtzer noted why this isn't the way to cook them if that's the case.

"When exposed to heat, vitamin C is degraded and destroyed," she explained. "To maintain the integrity of the vitamin C in these foods, I recommend consuming them raw as often as possible".

Seafood

iStockphoto by Getty Images

Finally, Holtzer shared the reason why we all shouldn't be heating up leftover fish in the microwave.

“Fish is one food I recommend you do not reheat at all,” Holtzer cautioned. “The high heat from a microwave can cause the moisture in fish to quickly evaporate, which can cause a very dry, rubbery texture.”

In other news, health warning sent over viral 'car mukbang' TikToks.

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