{"id":4420,"date":"2025-09-29T20:35:21","date_gmt":"2025-09-29T20:35:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/aging\/diet-and-nutrition\/psa-dont-microwave-water-again-before-reading-this\/"},"modified":"2025-09-29T20:35:22","modified_gmt":"2025-09-29T20:35:22","slug":"psa-dont-microwave-water-again-before-reading-this","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/aging\/diet-and-nutrition\/psa-dont-microwave-water-again-before-reading-this\/","title":{"rendered":"PSA: Don\u2019t Microwave Water Again Before Reading This"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Microwaving water may seem like an easy go-to for a quick cup of tea\u2014even though this habit is the bane of every British tea lover\u2019s existence. It can also feel tempting to heat up water that way for a late-night bowl of noodles. However, if you\u2019re microwaving water without anything else in the vessel, this practice could be more problematic than just shaking up tradition.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Zapping water solo in the microwave rather than in a tea kettle or pot on the stove can be dangerous and leave you with potentially serious burns. It all comes down to the science of how water heats up in the microwave.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Wait, why is microwaving water dangerous?<\/h2>\n

\u201cMicrowave radiation interacts with water molecules in the center of a bowl or cup of water, causing them to quickly vibrate,\u201d says Bryan Quoc Le, PhD, a food scientist and founder of Mendocino Food Consulting. \u201cThis increases their temperature in very specific regions, causing steam to rapidly expand and explode.\u201d<\/p>\n

While boiling water on the stove provides a more even distribution of heat, the microwave can quickly bring pockets of water to a boiling point, even if the surrounding regions are still at room temperature. On top of this, while water heats in the microwave, the surface tension isn\u2019t always broken by a rolling boil the way it would in a kettle or pot. So when you do go to stir the water, breaking that tension can lead to explosive results.<\/p>\n

Beyond the risk of volatile liquids, unevenly heated water can lead to serious burns if you\u2019re not paying attention. Orthodontist Mohamad Khorshid, DDS, has treated patients with oral burns caused by overheated liquids, including those heated up in the microwave. \u201cBecause microwaves heat unevenly, liquids can become heated above boiling without visible bubbling,\u201d says Dr. Khorshid.\u00a0<\/p>\n

There are a few unique risks of this, he adds:<\/p>\n