What Happens When You Microwave Dog Food
Microwaves use high-frequency waves called non-ionizing radiation. This energy vibrates the water molecules in food at the rate of 2.5 million times per second. So they’ll heat your dog’s food fast. Conventional cooking on a stovetop works much more slowly. It works by heating the outer material, which transfers heat to the food inside.
Any time you “cook” food you’re changing its molecular structure. Overcooking food by any method can rob food of vitality, enzymes, and nutrients. The question is, how fast do these processes occur inside a microwave oven? And what other effects do microwaves have on food?
The “microwave effect” comes from the field of science called microwave chemistry. This field recognizes two things.
The mainstream consensus is that microwaves are safe. The WHO says they’re “safe and convenient for heating and cooking a variety of foods.” They’re viewed as equal to other forms of cooking, with a negligible effect on foods.
But long-term studies on microwave safety and their effects on health don’t exist. And that’s a good reason to be cautious about using it.
Plastics and Chemical Leaching
When our doctor diagnosed my partner with cancer, they gave us a handout. It advised us to dispose of plastic food and drink containers, and plastic wrap. It also warned of the risks of using plastic to heat and store anything hot, especially in a microwave.
Plastics contain a myriad of hazardous chemicals like …
When heated, plastics can off-gas chemicals into the air … or transfer chemicals into porous substances like food. In 2004, researchers at Johns Hopkins University warned against phthalates and heating plastics.
“But what about microwave safe plastic dishes like the one I found in the raw dog food bag?”
So-called microwave-safe dishes should have a label that says “leaching chemicals into your food at a slower rate.” Frederick Von Saal is a biologist at the University of Missouri’s Endocrine Disruptors Group and an expert on BPA. He says there’s “no such thing as microwave safe plastic. As you heat it, you degrade the chemical bond. You can’t see this happening. You can’t taste it, you can’t smell it.”
So, if you choose to use a microwave to heat your dog food, please don’t ever use any type of plastic. Use microwave-safe glass or ceramic containers instead.
Should You Microwave Your Pet’s Food?
Microwaves used in heating food are radiations with no proven harmful effects on health. However, your pet can’t have its food either too hot or too cold. So, maintaining the right temperature is essential in this case.
Your pets need to have a completely balanced diet containing all the proximate principles of food. It should be a well-balanced combination of body-building, energy-dense, protective and enriched nutrients.
So you can’t feed your pet dry foods only. There should be diversities and raw foods can help you with that. Most of the raw foods come in cans that need to be stored in the fridge. Almost all pets hate to eat cold food. Besides, statistics have shown that it affects their health making them prone to diseases and diminishes their appetite severely.
Make sure the food you are serving is at normal temperature. In this regard, you may try microwaving the food. Heat for just a few seconds; maybe for 10 to 15 seconds until it comes down to normal room temperature. Don’t make it too hot. That could actually burn your pet’s mouth.
Will Microwaving Food Give You Radiation?
You just got home after a long tiring day and it’s time to feed your pet. You had kept the food in the refrigerator to store it. Naturally, you don’t want to wait for another two hours to sit it out. The first thing that should come in handy in this situation is microwaving the food. But, can you microwave your pet’s food?
Microwaving your pet’s food has its pros and cons. Yes, you can microwave your pet’s food but only for a couple of seconds until it comes to normal temperature. Nevertheless, some studies don’t support microwaving pet food.
There’s more to microwaving pet food than just that. In this article, I will discuss more on how microwaving pet food can affect your pet and what you should do about it.