Re: microwave ovens and enzymes

[Guest guest]

I think that enzymes are destroyed by microwaving enzymes, in foods as

well as supplements, due to the heat if nothing else. The heat will

destroy the enzyme activity...so it cooking enzymes/foods. I don't have

a study, though, or similar to provide.

Have you checked any of the raw food sites? They focus on enzyme

activity in foods, rather than supplements. Supplemental enzymes are to

be added after microwaving when the food is cool to the touch (again,

has to do with heat rather than any other property of microwaving).

.

[Guest guest]

I personally wouldn't even heat water in a microwave. I remembered

an article I had read in the British journal The Lancet many years

ago, regarding microwaves and baby formula. Microwaving baby

formulas converted certain trans-amino acids into their synthetic cis-

isomers. Synthetic isomers, whether cis-amino acids or trans-fatty

acids, are not biologically active. In addition, one of the amino

acids, L-proline, was converted to its d-isomer, which is known to be

neurotoxic and nephrotoxic (kidneys).

And I wasn't joking about the water, either. I did an experiment in

which I bought 10 identical little plants. 5 of them I watered with

filtered tap water (I would never subject a poor, defenseless plant

to LA tap water!), and 5 I watered with microwaved and cooled

filtered water. All of the control plants thrived and all of the

test plants either did not grow or withered and died. No, that was

not the most sophisticated experiment, but it convinced me that I

would never put another thing in the microwave that was going to be

ingested by me or anyone else. Perhaps that sounds a bit hysterical,

but I'm not chancing it.

[Guest guest]

OK, I have been looking at the microwave every day for a looonnnnnng time

(like years - my husband of course thinks I am wacky that I refuse to stand

anywhere near it when it is on) wishing I could figure out how to eliminate

it from my life b/c I know it is evil. And not to sound wimpy but how do

you do it? I am basically making 3 different meals (especially now that the

baby eats food) 3 times/day and dealing with the requisite number of dishes

- and the clamor of little people waiting for their food. I have been able

to rise to the occasion of special diets and crazy supplement regimens and

little rows of enzymes lining my countertop and pureeing homemade food for

my baby - but I cannot figure out how I could do it all without that evil

little machine and being able to heat things up quickly (I don't cook with

it but I use it to heat things up). We visited a friend who doesn't own one

- and this was before the baby was born - and I thought I would go

absolutely insane! My kids are still young enough that they are both home

with me all day and anything (anything) that gets done around here during

the day is done by me. So I am totally serious. How did you get rid of it?

Is it sort of like going through gluten withdrawal?? What do you do if your

kid wants those last few string beans heated up and your infant is clamoring

for a pear that you are busy peeling and dicing and you have a puree only

half pureed and your own dinner is all over the place (ie in process) and

the phone is ringing and you realize that the syringes you use to dispense

the yucky vitamins to your child are still dirty from the morning routine

and you have to wash those too and the phone call happens to be your (super

helpful) spouse who says his boss just dumped something on his desk and he

wont be home until much later than usual?

Josie

(not being sarcastic here btw - I am totally serious!)

Re: Re: microwave ovens and enzymes

I personally wouldn't even heat water in a microwave. I remembered

an article I had read in the British journal The Lancet many years

ago, regarding microwaves and baby formula. Microwaving baby

formulas converted certain trans-amino acids into their synthetic cis-

isomers. Synthetic isomers, whether cis-amino acids or trans-fatty

acids, are not biologically active. In addition, one of the amino

acids, L-proline, was converted to its d-isomer, which is known to be

neurotoxic and nephrotoxic (kidneys).

And I wasn't joking about the water, either. I did an experiment in

which I bought 10 identical little plants. 5 of them I watered with

filtered tap water (I would never subject a poor, defenseless plant

to LA tap water!), and 5 I watered with microwaved and cooled

filtered water. All of the control plants thrived and all of the

test plants either did not grow or withered and died. No, that was

not the most sophisticated experiment, but it convinced me that I

would never put another thing in the microwave that was going to be

ingested by me or anyone else. Perhaps that sounds a bit hysterical,

but I'm not chancing it.

[Guest guest]

I hear you Josie. It has been quite awhile for me since I quit cold

turkey, and it was difficult at first but I got used to it. And I

did not give myself a chance to falter. I got rid of the thing.

Gave it away. Yes, it's a pain to put something in the oven, or let

something defrost overnight in the fridge, or have to get out pots

and pans just to quickly heat up a few string beans, but just know

you are doing the best thing for your family. Believe me, I am

dealing with the same mayhem in my kitchen and it feels like I am

doing dishes all day and night, but it is just part of my commitment

to health, and I have made many sacrifices along the way. I just

plan ahead as best I can, and at the very least, it has taught my

daughter patience.

Good luck!

On Feb 13, 2006, at 5:31 PM, Josie Lecraw wrote:

> OK, I have been looking at the microwave every day for a

> looonnnnnng time

> (like years - my husband of course thinks I am wacky that I refuse

> to stand

> anywhere near it when it is on) wishing I could figure out how to

> eliminate

> it from my life b/c I know it is evil. And not to sound wimpy but

> how do

> you do it?

[Guest guest]

I feel your pain, and like you, when the microwave was around, I'd use it. It

wasn't until we got to this new house and remodeled the kitchen that I was

finally able to dump the microwave, and so now it's a non-issue. Those green

beans? Yeah, eats them cold, I figure they're organic, I cooked them

yesterday, they're fine, and she eats them. I use the stove and a little water

in a pot to heat up leftovers that are like rice and beans, and I use the oven

to heat up those things like pork tenderloin. But it is amazing how much we will

eat cold. Cold fried chicken, cold peas and carrots. Now some things have to be

warmed up, like mashed potatoes. So for that, I'll put a dollop of whatever he's

going to eat on his plate and shove the plate in the oven while I get out the

napkins, drinks, enzymes, etc. always goes in the highchair first, and

with a handful of cheerios or crackers to get her through the preliminaries in

terms of cooking meals. My Mom bought me some Mikasa china for Christmas this

year, and gave it to me in October when the kitchen was done being remodeled.

These dishes are the best, they don't chip, dishwasher and oven safe. It's

terrific. Expensive, but so worth it. Good luck to you, I feel your pain, we

went through the same thing until ph was able to swallow capsules. But even

now it gets ugly if I'm too pressed for time and everyone is hungry. I always

keep some frozen waffles and whatnot in the freezer, so if it gets too ugly,

will get a waffle from the toaster, some cottage cheese with fruit, and

ph will get some fries that I defrosted and cooked in the oven and a couple

of hamburger patties, throw some of 's fruit on his plate and call it a

day. My husband then gets a phone call where I oh so sweetly tell him he needs

to pick something up for himself to eat ( just let him complain, he can get home

on time if he wants a say in what I cook) and I order myself a pizza that gets

delivered after everyone goes to sleep. Crack open a beer and relax. There might

be some dusting that needs to be done, there might be a load of clothes that

need folding, might even be a dishwasher door open revealing a half loaded

dishwasher. But I am on a sanity break. No one will appreciate everything we do,

everything we sacrifice, the fact that we're running full blast from the moment

we get up till the time we hit the pillow. So, rather than frustrate myself by

looking for help or kudos that aren't coming, I have determined that I'm going

to enjoy every day. Every day there will be something that I will smile over,

and if it's 6pm and the pooh hits the fan and everyone is clamoring for you to

get it done, I guarantee the dinner I mentioned earlier is done in 15 min. tops

and it's gluten and casein and soy free. I'd say the pooh hits the fan around

here once every couple of weeks, a vet appt., a doctor appt., haircut, playdate,

something that throws our schedule off, and so I improvise. Kids eat homemade

organic everything three meals a day 7 days a week, one quickie dinner once in a

while isn't going to hurt them, at least that's my opinion.

Re: Re: microwave ovens and enzymes

I personally wouldn't even heat water in a microwave. I remembered

an article I had read in the British journal The Lancet many years

ago, regarding microwaves and baby formula. Microwaving baby

formulas converted certain trans-amino acids into their synthetic cis-

isomers. Synthetic isomers, whether cis-amino acids or trans-fatty

acids, are not biologically active. In addition, one of the amino

acids, L-proline, was converted to its d-isomer, which is known to be

neurotoxic and nephrotoxic (kidneys).

And I wasn't joking about the water, either. I did an experiment in

which I bought 10 identical little plants. 5 of them I watered with

filtered tap water (I would never subject a poor, defenseless plant

to LA tap water!), and 5 I watered with microwaved and cooled

filtered water. All of the control plants thrived and all of the

test plants either did not grow or withered and died. No, that was

not the most sophisticated experiment, but it convinced me that I

would never put another thing in the microwave that was going to be

ingested by me or anyone else. Perhaps that sounds a bit hysterical,

but I'm not chancing it.