No link found
Microwaving food
microwave ovens. Food & drink.
- Verdict
- No link foundStudies looked for a link to cancer and didn't find one.
- How sure
- Rung 4 · StrongAt least one large randomized trial, or very large consistent studies, on this exact question.
- How big
- No effect: microwaves heat food without damaging DNA or making it radioactive.
The rung shows how sure the science is, not how big the effect is. How to read these ratings
Cancers affected
None
What the evidence shows
Microwaves are non-ionizing: they heat food without damaging DNA or making food radioactive. The real question is containers, since some chemicals can move from unsuitable plastic into hot food.
What to do
Microwave in glass, ceramic or containers labeled microwave-safe.
Sources
To take it to your doctor, print this page.
Related
Every myth and exposure we rated, or follow one cancer step by step: breast cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer and prostate cancer.