Does Microwaving Eggs Destroy Nutrients

In this brief article, we will be answering the question, “does microwaving eggs destroy nutrients”, how to cook eggs properly, and will be discussing some more interesting facts about microwaving food.

Does Microwaving Eggs Destroy Nutrients?

Yes, microwaving eggs destroys their nutrients, as any heat treatment applied to food destroys some nutrients. However, microwaving destroys nutrients to a lesser extent than conventional heating does.

Whenever you cook eggs – microwave, fry, or bake – some nutrients are unavoidably lost. However, cooking in the microwave oven preserves the most nutrients in food. Microwave heating makes it possible to better retain the quality of the cooked food, because, due to its high heating rate, high temperatures are reached quickly, thus reducing the thermal impact on the food and minimizing the deleterious effects on the nutritional and sensory properties of the food (2). 

Microwave heating is known for its operational safety and nutrient retention capacity with minimal loss of  heat-labile nutrients such as vitamins B and C, dietary antioxidants, phenols and carotenoids (1).

Taking this into account, microwaving eggs might actually help retain their nutrients, and microwaves might be among the healthiest methods to prepare food.

Are Microwaved Eggs A Healthy Option?

Yes, microwaved eggs are a healthy option, although it may change some nutritional aspects of the egg. In fact, cooking eggs changes the nutritional properties of eggs, especially in the case of the proteins bioavailability and digestibility, which are increased. The fatty acid profile also changes depending on the cooking method, whereas cooking eggs in a microwave oven may cause a decrease in oleic acid content and an increase in the amount of palmitic acid content (3). 

The microwave cooking has shown to retain a higher percentage of major minerals (such as K, Ca, Na, and Mg) and minor elements (Cu, Fe and Zn) contrasting to fried cooking and traditional cooking methods. Microwave cooking also preserves better water soluble vitamins, such as ascorbic acid, folic acid, thiamin and riboflavin (1).

Here are a few important facts about microwaved eggs that you probably didn’t know:

• Food scientists state that roasting, frying, and baking food can significantly compromise its nutrients due to the dry heat. But with microwaves, food is cooked faster and the exposure to heat is lesser, preserving many essential nutrients including vitamins (B1, B2, B6, C) and folic acid.
• Compared to conductive heating, microwave processing induces minimal effects on the food compounds and less damage to the nutritional and sensory quality.

• The limited heat in which eggs are cooked in a microwave helps kill harmful bacteria such as salmonella. Microwave is used to pasteurize shell eggs and increase their shelf lives.
• Microwave cooking of eggs enhances their protein bioavailability and protein digestibility. However, extended cooking times, such as 5 minutes microwave cooking of eggs, decrease the protein digestibility and nutritional value (4).

What Are The Benefits of Cooking Eggs in the Microwave?

Here are some reasons to stop cooking your eggs in the frying pan or oven and turn to the microwave for a more nutritious result:

Preserves Nutrients

Microwave energy applied to food can retain more nutrients because it is more effective. The food can be processed for a reduced time, while achieving the same results or improved results.

Saves time

Due to the increased heating rate provided by the microwave processing of food, the time needed for cooking or heating increases significantly. 

Conserves Energy

Microwaves require less energy to work as compared to conventional ovens. They generally operate at around 600 to 1,650 Watts, whereas an oven consumes around 3,000 Watts. Moreover, microwaves spend around 60 percent of their energy on heating food, whereas ovens spend only 12 to 14 percent.

Are Microwaves Dangerous For Cooking Food?

No, microwaves are not dangerous for cooking food. Microwave ovens are constructed in such a way as to ensure that there is no wave leakage to the outside of the oven. Microwaves are emitted only when the door is closed and the oven is on. When microwave ovens are used as directed, there is no evidence that they pose a health risk. However, damaged or modified ovens can allow microwaves to leak, which could pose a hazard to those nearby, causing burns. 

Microwave radiations are non-ionizing, and according to the American Cancer Society, they do not chemically alter body cells or DNA in food. Microwaves do not make food radioactive. Microwaves use energy waves similar to radio waves to cook food, but shorter in wavelength. Microwave oven uses electromagnetic waves called microwaves to heat food. The micro-waves oscillate at a very high speed, normally 2450 times per second. When food is placed in a microwave oven, various food ingredients behave differently (1). 

These waves mainly target water molecules present in food. When food is heated, these molecules vibrate and produce heat which gradually warms the food from the outside in.

Industrially, the microwave has been used to pasteurize and sterilize food, including milk and liquid eggs, and efficiently eliminate hazardous bacteria such as C. botulinum. Microwave cooking has the advantage of less loss of moisture contents and the greatest energy savings, and the nutrition of foods will be preserved very well (1).

Conclusion

In this brief article, we answered the question, “does microwaving eggs destroy nutrients”, and discussed how to cook eggs properly, along with some more interesting facts about microwaving food.

If you have any more questions or comments please let us know.

References

1. Kalla, Adarsh M. Microwave energy and its application in food industry: A reveiw. Asian J Dairy Food Res, 2017, 36, 37-44.
2. Martins, Carolina PC, et al. Microwave processing: current background and effects on the physicochemical and microbiological aspects of dairy products. Comprehen Rev Food Sci Food Safe, 2019, 18, 67-83. 
3. Juhaimi, Fahad Al, Nurhan Uslu, and Mehmet Musa Özcan. Oil content and fatty acid composition of eggs cooked in drying oven, microwave and pan. J food sci technol, 2017, 54, 93-97.
4. Bhat, Zuhaib F., et al. Effect of processing technologies on the digestibility of egg proteins. Comprehen Rev Food Sci Food Safe, 2021, 20, 4703-4738.