Using a microwave oven to cook food saves your time and makes food tastier. Read on to know the benefits of cooking in a microwave oven.

Arvind bought a microwave oven for their kitchen and surprised his wife Renuka on her birthday. She was very happy. She did not know how to use it but it did not take time to learn to cook food and make it delicious using the microwave oven. Arvind enjoyed it as a piece of a delicious dark chocolate cake melted in his mouth. He showered his wife with compliments and wished her a very happy birthday. But they both knew that most of the credit for that mouth watering cake goes to their new microwave oven.

High frequency electromagnetic waves, also called as microwaves are emitted when food is cooked in the microwave oven. These microwaves produce the heat and cook each and every particle of the food.

Microwave oven is a kitchen appliance which saves your cooking time and makes food tastier. Microwave oven consumes very less electricity and is easy to use. You may end up purchasing one after learning the benefits of the microwave oven. Read on and you will know why we say so.

Microwave oven saves time

The important benefit of a microwave oven is the 'time efficiency'. As compared to the traditional methods of cooking, microwave ovens take very little time to cook. A microwave oven has a timer which enables us to set the time for cooking food. When timer runs out, the oven turns off automatically. Different times are set to cook different types of food items. For instance water can get boiled in one minute; cookies will take longer time to bake.

Easy to heat food

Tasks like heating remaining food (reheating), making crunchy pop-corns, defrosting frozen food, and heating packaged food are quite easy by using a microwave oven as compared to conventional cooking range, old fashioned ovens or stoves. Microwave ovens do not get hot themselves while heating the food.

Easy to clean

Microwave ovens are easy to maintain and clean. What you need is a damp cotton cloth or a sponge. Wipe the oven from inside and you are done. To get rid of the smell of food, boil the bowl of water in the oven with a few drops of lemon juice in it and your oven is ready to use again.

No need to keep a watch

Microwave cooking does not need supervision. Remember, how crazy you go while stirring curry, keeping an eye on the pressure cooker and waiting to hear the whistle, and making salad all at the same time. You will be relaxed while cooking with a microwave oven. Place the food, set the time, stir in between if necessary and remove the food once it is done. You can take that phone call while your food is being prepared in the microwave oven.

Retains nutrients and vitamins in the food

Vegetables boiled in the microwave safe bowl are much healthier than boiled in the pan on the gas burner. Microwave cooking retains the nutritive values of the food. It retains vitamins and mineral in the food. Food gets cooked evenly in the microwave oven and it tastes delicious.

Safety tips while using microwave oven

Closed containers and raw eggs can burst when heated in a microwave oven due to the stress build-up of steam. Liquids if over heated may result in violent burst of water and vapor resulting in liquid and steam burns. Certain safety precautions are must while handling any electronic appliance. Keep in mind the following safety tips while handling microwave oven.

• Use cookware meant for microwave cooking. Do not use metal or plastic cookware to cook in the microwave oven.
  
  
• Do not forget to wear gloves while taking out the food from the oven. You can find these gloves easily in the market.
  
  
• If your microwave oven is not working, then do not try to repair it by yourself. Call your service provider.
  
  
• If you think that something is wrong with your microwave oven like spark or fire, put off the main switch with the use of the wooden stick or any other insulated object. Call your service provider.
  
  
• Strictly follow the rules displayed in the manual that comes along with the microwave oven.