Does microwave cooking destroy nutrients in food?
Microwave cooking does not destroy nutrients if used diligently i.e. for a short period of time with medium heat. Nutrients can be destroyed with any form of cooking if cooked for a long time and with a large volume of liquid at a very high cooking temperature. For instance, if a cup of vegetables are cooked in as much as a cup of water for more than 10 minutes at high heat, the water soluble vitamins like vitamin B group and vitamin C, which are the most heat-sensitive nutrients, will be destroyed. But if the same quantity of vegetables is cooked in the microwave using 3-4 tablespoons of water for 3 minutes on medium heat, most nutrients will be retained. Microwaving is known to render vitamin B 12 inactive in the human body, but the folate in spinach and other leafy greens is preserved much more with microwaving than it is with conventional cooking methods, where 77% of the nutrients are destroyed.