Status: Undetermined
I've
posted before about theories that microwaved food is bad for you, but this is slightly different. Some guy has posted pictures of his
granddaughter's science fair project in which she tested the effect microwaved water would have on a plant. The result: the plant died. (Yes, the water had been cooled before she watered the plant with it.) But the plant given water that had been boiled on a stove did just fine. So what does this prove? That microwaved water is toxic? Not necessarily. The guy notes:
We have seen a number of comments on this, such as what was the water in the microwave boiled in. The thinking is that maybe some leaching took place if it was in plastic. It was boiled in a plastic cup, so this could be a possibility. Also it was not a double blind experiment, so she knew which was which when watering them. On top of that she was wanting the microwaved ones to do poorly, and although most scientists would dismiss the idea, it is possible that her thoughts toward each plant had an effect as well. Bottom line is, the results are interesting, and duplicate the results that others have reported (try Googling '"microwaved water" plants') more experiments need to be done with better controls and as a double blind study. But this was a simple 6th grade science fair project, and was never intended to be anything more than that. The plants were genetically identical, they were produced from graphs from the same parent plant, so that variable can be eliminated.
Intriguingly, the Straight Dope (a source I usually trust) has written an article about
the controversy over microwave cooking, and he notes that scientists actually do not fully understand the chemical changes that take place when food is microwaved, and so there may indeed be some kind of "microwave effect." He notes a 1992 Stanford study that found microwaving breast milk mysteriously reduces its infection-fighting properties, as well as studies that have found that microwaves can accelerate certain chemical reactions. He writes:
"'One suggestion,' a bunch of chemists wrote recently, 'is that this is some form of 'ponderomotive' driving force that arises when high frequency electric fields modulate ionic currents near interfaces with abrupt differences in ion mobility.'" He doesn't attempt to explain this theory.
I would repeat the girl's experiment myself, but everything I try to grow mysteriously dies, so there wouldn't be much point. (via
The Greener Side)
Comments
Let me argue that point very easily...just because we may have a longer life expectancy, that says nothing about quality of life. And truly, the quality of life of those longer years is argueably BAD, very bad, with seniors more drugged, doped up, and langushing in nursing homes for years than ever before. Your supposition that we aren't very sick just doesn't hold true given the current statistics of the World Health Organization. Autoimmune disease has increased at alarming rates. Diabetes is at epidemic levels. Cancers are higher than ever. Alzheimer's statistics are frightening. No, we aren't very sick at all....if you believe that, you haven't been doing ANY research.
-- posted by pattyf77 on Apr. 28th
Actually, what that article shows is that the author either has a very poor grasp of logic and the most basic and well-proven science, or else that he's throwing in lots of irrelevancies to try to "dazzle people with science" in order to push his own views. And it also shows how to conduct an experiment in such a poor way as to result in nothing useable, and how to then take the useless results of the experiment and jump to conclusions.
Microwaving prepared meats sufficiently to insure sanitary ingestion caused formation of d-Nitrosodienthanolamines, a well-known carcinogen.
Microwaving milk and cereal grains converted some of their amino acids into carcinogens.
Thawing frozen fruits converted their glucoside and galactoside containing fractions into carcinogenic substances.
Extremely short exposure of raw, cooked or frozen vegetables converted their plant alkaloids into carcinogens.
Carcinogenic free radicals were formed in microwaved plants, especially root vegetables.
Decrease in nutritional value
Russian researchers also reported a marked acceleration of structural degradation leading to a decreased food value of 60 to 90% in all foods tested. Among the changes observed were:
Deceased bio-availability of vitamin B complex, vitamin C, vitamin E, essential minerals and lipotropics factors in all food tested.
Various kinds of damaged to many plant substances, such as alkaloids, glucosides, galactosides and nitrilosides.
The degradation of nucleo-proteins in meats.
Microwave sickness is discovered
The Russians did research on thousands of workers who had been exposed to microwaves during the development of radar in the 1950's. Their research showed health problems so serious that the Russians set strict limits of 10 microwatts exposure for workers and one microwatt for civilians.
In Robert O. Becker's book, The Body Electric, he described Russian research on the health effects of microwave radiation, which they called "microwave sickness." On page 314, Becker states:
"It's [Microwave sickness] first signs are low blood pressure and slow pulse. The later and most common manifestations are chronic excitation of the sympathetic nervous system [stress syndrome] and high blood pressure. This phase also often includes headache, dizziness, eye pain, sleeplessness, irritability, anxiety, stomach pain, nervous tension, inability to concentrate, hair loss, plus an increased incidence of appendicitis, cataracts, reproductive problems, and cancer. The chronic symptoms are eventually succeeded by crisis of adrenal exhaustion and ischemic heart disease [the blockage of coronary arteries and heart attacks]."
http://www.herbalhealer.com/microwave.html
It's obvious that a controversy exists and we are not likely to find any clear-cut answers anytime soon. But what I want to suggest to you is that this controversy exists for a reason. People are not just running around and making things up because they have nothing better to do. There is a reason for the concern. If you have never been sick, you will not see the need for a cure. But if you have been seriously ill, you will never again take your health for granted, and will begin to question everything that previously looked safe or benign on the basis that some corporation or person claims it is. I've been there...and found that there is much, much more going on behind the scenes than our government or medical professionals will admit. I choose God's natural design over anything man-made, simply because man is fickle. God is not.
1. Microwaves can be harmful. This is true. However, we're not talking about microwaves. We're talking about food. Heat can be harmful, so do we say that food cooked in an oven is dangerous? We can drown in water, so do we not eat food that has been washed?
2. Scalding hot food can scald people. Again, that is true. Again, that isn't really relevant.
3. Microwaving food reduces its nutritional value. True. That's what cooking does. And though we have, by hearsay basically, one anonymous experiment published in a very minor journal that may show that microwaving food greatly reduces the nutritional value of food, we have plenty of other widely-known tests (you can check with the FDA for some of them, if you want) showing that it can actually leave more nutrients than other forms of cooking.
4. Washington D.C. and the microwave producers are conspiring to suppress the evidence against microwave ovens. This idea is just ludicrous. First, if they were conspiring, then they wouldn't allow all these websites and publications to be out protesting against microwaves and showing off the information that they're working so hard to suppress. Secondly, since when has Washington had complete control over China, and Russia, and Japan, and Germany, and France, and all these other countries out there?
And as for the "Russian investigations published by the Atlantis Raising Educational Center in Portland" that are constantly being alluded to, since when have the results of a single test, which was published in a journal for peer-review (publication in a journal does not automatically mean that something is conclusively proven) and then re-worded and given out second-hand by biased sources, been considered reliable evidence? And why is there no further word on these tests, such as news of them being validated?
6. A Swiss scientist proved that microwaved food is harmful, but has been suppressed by "the establishment". First of all, this is again just one test. Secondly, it was tested on a tiny sample size, apparently without any independent check on the experiment or the results. Third, he really made some rather huge assumptions when explaining his conclusions. And finally, in the dozen or so years since it was carried out, nobody else (even those who believe the guy) have apparently duplicated his results.
7. A woman was given microwaved blood in a transfusion, and she died. This is true. Microwaving the blood causes the blood cells to burst, due to all the heat. This makes the blood unusable, filled with nothing but dead cells. This is only a concern, though, if you make a habit of microwaving your blood. It has nothing to do with food being harmful.
8. Various random bits of trivia about such things as how the Nazis invented microwave ovens, or that microwaves have been tested for use in brainwashing, or that microwaves are a form of radiation. All of which may be true, but is also totally irrelevant. It's just thrown in to form negative mental associations for the reader (e.g. "Nazis are bad, therefore what the Nazis did was bad, therefore microwave ovens must be bad").
Anthroposophist?
And I have used microwaved water to germinate seeds on quite a few occasions. I would heat it up to better dissolve plant food and suchlike in it.
Equipment:
9 plastic yoghurt cups (for pots), 3 labeled A, 3 labeled B, and 3 labeled C
3 small Pyrex bowls (for pots), labeled A, B, or C
3 small glass bowls (for pots), labeled A, B, or C
48 dried kidney beans
Potting soil
1 pint Pyrex measuring cup
3 glasses, labeled red, yellow, or blue
Preparations:
All of the pots were thoroughly washed and dried. The potting soil was thoroughly mixed, and equal amounts of it were put into each pot in random order. The beans were all put in a bowl and drawn out in random order to be placed in each pot. There are to be three beans in each pot, except for in the Pyrex bowls (which are slightly larger than the others, and will each have four).
The pots are grouped into threes: one in each group for water that has been unheated, one for water that has been microwaved to a strong boil, and one for water that has been heated to a strong boil in the oven.
The groups of three pots are to be located in various positions around the house. The three glass bowls, the three Pyrex bowls, and three of the plastic cups will be grouped together, with the alphabetical placement of each cup in each set varying. Each of the other two groups of three plastic cups will be located in a different place in the house. This will hopefully give some indication if any germination or failure to germinate is potentially due to environmental factors other than the water (e.g. lighting, temperature, alien death rays, et cetera).
In each case, the water is to be collected, heated (if it is to be heated), and poured into one of the three glasses using the 1 pint Pyrex cup. The preparation of the water and the pouring it into the three glasses is to be done by one person, the pouring of the water from the glasses onto the beans by a second. This way, the person watering the plants has no knowledge of which water was treated in which way.
Each pot labeled "A" is to be given water only from the glass labeled with a certain specific colour throughout the experiment. Pots labeled "B" and "C" are to be treated likewise. Which colour glass is to be used with which letter of pot is to be known only to the individual watering the plants. In this way, the person preparing the water will not know which plants are receiving which type of water.
All of the pots in each test group are to be watered as simultaneously as possible, with the same amounts of water. Nothing else is to be given to the beans at any time. If anything is given to any pot, then it is to be added to the other two pots in the group in the same amount. If any pot is moved for any reason, then the others in the group will likewise be moved. All treatment for all three pots in each group is to be the same.
Testing for germination will conclude after two weeks if no germination occurs, or if a week passes with no new germinations. The beans will be monitored for germination, as well as the apparent health and growth rate of any shoots. If there is sufficient germination among the different experimental groups to warrant it, then the experiment may be carried on for additional weeks to monitor the growth of the bean plants as they mature.
Pictures will be taken of each pot at the start of the experiment. At the first sign of germination in any pot, then pictures of every pot shall be taken on a daily basis. A daily log will also be kept for each pot.
At the end of the experiment, the results will be studied to compare the germination rates of experiment groups A, B, and C. It will then be determined whether any group displayed an overall better or worse germination rate than the other groups. After this, then it shall be made known which groups were given which type of water.
Of course, any results of your experiment are strictly anecdotal...
I might try this test again with a different batch of seeds that I get from a different store, if I feel motivated enough.
Although, I suppose since they never germinated at all, it would be seed murderer.
You will notice I didn't offer to try this. That's because it takes all the green-ness I own to keep the 3 plants I already have alive.
There are so many different possibilities for why her plant died - I highly doubt it was due to the water being microwaved.
1. L Ron Hubbard proved conclusively in the 1950s that plants respond to thought.
2. Unless a microwave mysteriously changes the chemical makeup of water, H20 goes in, boils, and H2O comes out. If something else comes out, maybe somebody should try microwaving lead -- perhaps they will get gold! 😊
2. Microwaves do have the ability to alter the chemical composition of water with contaminants, which all water contains. The question is if this actually happens in real life and does it create something that inhibits plant growth.
I probably will conclude on my paper that there is no difference.
I do have a question though. Can plants grow from pure water like distilled water? If so, the mutation or change in the solution of tap water would be negligible because plants will only use h2o. Correct me if im wrong, please.
<a >Does cooled microwaved water kill plants?</a>
If you what to see the experiment results you can go to http://www.eclecticscience.net - there is a link "Does cooled microwaved water kill plants?"
What is you test subject size. There is quite a bit of variation in plant growth as you probably know, and the more subjects you have the better. We only did the experiment for 10 days because the school year was ending, but now we are starting a new experiment with aquariums (testing both plants and fish). I have not boiled the control water, although it is bottled water, so it has been treated. For more info on our new experiment drop by our site - comments are appreciated.
I'm interested to know how your experiment turns out.
http://www.eclecticscience.net
When I started UNI, I had limited space so I cooked all my food in a microwave. 6 months later I was diagnosed with an autoimmunity. I didn't take any drugs ro meds and during that time I didn't stress. I have reason to believe that the increase in autoimmune diseases (maybe cancer as well) we see is due to the fact that more and more food companies switch to easy microwaveable food.
The key point is the experiment above is a fraud. Follow this link for why I say this:
http://www.eclecticscience.net/experiments/001-microwave-plants/original_experiment/index.html
You can't tell the truth through a lie. Just because Dr. Mercola is popular doesn't mean he is correct. Here's another view of him:
http://gyxe.com/breast-implant/5-073-dr-mercola-is-a-fraud-read.shtml
or simply Goggle his name along with the word quack and you get a lot of interesting reading. If you fear microwaved food, by all means avoid it. But don't defend obviously fraudulent web evidence. Stick to the science journals and trusted sources.
peace
i love my sis brit..and my lil nephews...foget k fed
here is the text of my abstract
We did an experiment on microwaving water. We wanted to see whether the rumor was true that microwaving water killed plants. We had looked online and supposedly some girl had done an experiment where she microwaved water and fed it to one plant and then fed another plant tap water. She said the one that got microwaved water died. We checked many other places and we also found that a Swedish scientist named Dr. Hans Hertell had conducted a similar experiment. He and some of his colleagues had eaten nothing but microwaved food for a week. After the experiment, they had increased cholesterol and decrease hemoglobin levels and they also had a lower white blood cell percentage. When we tried to find more experiments with plants we could not find anything but the one source. So we decided to do an experiment with more complicated variables to see if it really was the microwaved water that killed the plant.
For our experiment we fed 8 different solutions to 32 different pole bean plants. Our solutions were microwaved, boiled, distilled, and tap water all either with or without fertilizer. Each day we fed the plants a set amount of their solutions usually from 3 to 5 tablespoons on each solution. Then we measured the plants. We only put in fertilizer once a week. We user skewers to hold the plants up and we tried to measure them several times.
Our experiment is done and we have found that the microwaved water has not killed the plants. The microwaved plants were actually doing quite fine and some are taller than the boiled and distilled too.
Yes, it's a tiny sample set. Yes, lots of things could account for the differences. I don't claim anything other than "here's another datapoint".
The water used for both plants came from the bottled water we have delivered to our house. We boiled one batch on the stove in a pot and the other in a pyrex container in the microwave. The water boiled for 10 minutes in each case. It was then stored in plastic Dasani water containers which had been washed out with soap, rinsed thoroughly, and allowed to dry. After that, we simply watered the plants every day making a small effort to put the same amount of water into each pot.
Here's the link to the images:
http://www.flickr.com/gp/11367898@N06/tE769B