Most households have a microwave. Critics argue that using it reduces the nutritional value of food and may even be harmful to health. Supporters claim that there is insufficient evidence to support those claims.
What has been confirmed through research is that microwaving breaks down up to 97% of healthy antioxidants in vegetables (also known as flavonoids), whereas steaming causes minimal nutrient loss.
A portion of the Dutch population is deficient in vitamin B12, and microwave heating destroys 30–40% of this vitamin—clearly a shame.
The anti-cancer properties of garlic are also lost after 60 seconds in the microwave.