When it comes to parenting decisions, no American family has their choices publicly debated like the Kardashians.
Mother-of-three Kourtney has already faced public scrutiny over the decisions she made about her children's diets. The health nut mom famously refuses to give her children sugar and soda, and has also banned dairy, gluten, and non-organic foods from her kitchen. But her latest rule is drawing even more attention.
In a post on her blog earlier this week, Kourtney explained why she never cooks any of her family's meals in a microwave, and why she won't let her kids eat food cooked in the appliance. "If anything needs to be heated up, I prefer to use the oven, stovetop or toaster oven instead," she writes.
Her explanation for the ban involves BPA, the chemical found in many types of clear plastic containers. "I read that toxins from plastic containers can be transferred to food when reheated (this applies to BPA-free plastic containers too)," she explained.
But lots of other parents have no problem microwaving their family's dinner. Should the rest of us consider Kourtney's rule? Health experts have weighed in...
While the effects of BPA on the human body is still being studied, the Centers for Disease Control says experiments on animals show it can impact their hormones and reproductive systems.
But the Food and Drug Administration has known about this risk for years, and has taken steps to protect average citizens from the risks posed by BPA, phthalates and other chemicals. Any container that is marked "microwave safe" on the label or container itself is perfectly safe to reheat.
Others have argued that microwaves "leech" the nutrients out of your food. This is true, but only because heating food breaks down any nutrients it contains. A regular oven will do the same thing, so the shorter cooking time of a microwave can actually keep your food healthy.
Kourtney also writes that microwaves cook food using "radiation," which is not true. Microwaves use a system called dielectric heating to warm food, which is similar to using radio waves. Still, Kourtney has concerns and as she writes:
"It only takes a few more minutes and the toaster oven heats food evenly (whereas microwaves can sometimes heat food unevenly, so some parts are scorching hot and others are cold, which is obviously a concern for babies and children)." The mom says that when it comes to her family "I play it safe."
Are you concerned about cooking with a microwave? Share this story and tell us!
[H/T: Women's Health]