That's Disgusting

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Pulling back plastic wrap to a warm rush of steam and the smell of your chicken à l’orange from a box is perhaps the greatest joy of microwave cooking. But covering your cuisine with a plastic cloak before nuking it could transfer some unfriendly substances into your food. Carolyn Raffensperger, executive director of the Science and Environmental Health Network (SEHN), says that when plastic wrap gets hot, the chemical compounds that make it flexible, known as phthalates, can migrate into your meal, and they seep most easily into foods containing fat. Though the effect of phthalates on humans isn’t clear, the chemicals have been linked to reproductive problems in laboratory animals, as well as obesity and cancer. So, when it comes to cooking something that will soon be in your body, “It’s safer to avoid plastic food wrap unless you know what’s in it,” says Ted Schettler, science director for SEHN. Fortunately, you can find plastic wrap that is microwave safe. Just look for a label on the box and let harmless heating reign.

Handshy: Plastic is bad for our environment ...

Documentary reveals new consequence for using plastic.

/news/2011/may/04/handshy-plastic-bad-our-environment-and-bodies/

Green It!

eco-friendly sex

/news/2008/oct/30/green_it/

Heed healthy microwave meals

Manual

/news/2010/sep/02/heed-healthy-microwave-meals/

Food for thought

How food can alter your mood.

/news/2010/sep/22/food-thought/

Evanhoe: Organic foods are more appealing

/news/2006/may/10/opinion_evanhoe/

Women learn benefits, dangers of sex toys

Sex toys that have environmentally friendly options also can be less hazardous ...

/news/2008/jul/15/greentoys/

Slow Down and Chew

Eating slowly and healthy helps you during finals and the holidays.

/news/2011/dec/08/slow-down-and-chew/

Greening it

Your guide to greener living

/news/2008/feb/07/greening_it/

Guide to grilling

Awaken your inner grillmaster.

/news/2010/apr/22/guide-grilling/

Tomorrow's news

The Pieroguys

/news/2009/jan/15/tomorrows_news/

Pred: Lawrence's best kept secret

The restaurant Little Saignon is a tiny restaurant with a lot of ...

/news/2012/feb/10/best-kept-secret/

Where your waste goes after it’s disposed

Follow the process your trash and recyclables go through after they’re tossed ...

/news/2009/mar/03/where_waste/

Life outside the (blue) box

Students branch out from boxed dinners and enjoy the art of cooking

/news/2008/sep/18/life_outside_blue_box/

Cook it

Chicken and vegetable stir-fry

/news/2008/feb/21/cook_it/

Carmichael: Sandwich-growing trees, how do those work?

Columnist explores possibilities of genetically-modified life.

/news/2010/dec/05/carmichael-sandwich-growing-trees-how-do-those-wor/

Pred: Foods to eat during winter

Finding food that is in season during the winter months can be ...

/news/2012/jan/19/pred-foods-eat-during-winter/

Spring Eats

Celebrate the return of nice weather with fresh, healthy meal ideas

/news/2007/apr/26/spring_eats/

Kansan Departments

Your guide to surviving the week.

/news/2008/jun/25/kansan_departments/

Green it!

Take out containers

/news/2009/feb/19/green_it/

Pred: Where to go for Valentine's day

It's always hard to decide where to eat for Valentine's day. Here ...

/news/2012/feb/02/pred-where-go-valentines-day/

Green it!: Little changes for big change

Change your shopping routine

/news/2009/apr/09/green_it_little_changes_big_change/

Creative crock pot

/news/2005/sep/15/creative_crock_pot/

Cleaning up, au naturale

Lather up with some homemade soaps

/news/2008/mar/06/naturally_clean/

Waterworld

Water covers about 70 percent of the earth’s surface. That should keep ...

/news/2007/apr/19/waterworld/

McConnell: Consuming weapons of mass construction

/news/2008/aug/27/mcconnell/

Museum to let you be a kid ...

The Natural History Museum will offer several hands-on experiments involving several everyday ...

/news/2007/mar/16/food/

Its the Great Pumpkin, Larry-town

Pumpkins are a fun and decorative Halloween tradition, but they’re also a ...

/news/2007/oct/25/its_great_pumpkin_larrytown/

Stocked kitchen

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Use the Can

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Mastering the art of college cooking

Tired of frozen dinners? Cooking for yourself doesn't always require natural talent ...

/news/2010/apr/08/mastering-art-college-cooking/

Get some culture: Sunfire Ceramics

It's not all about fast food and beer pong.

/news/2009/oct/01/get-some-culture-sunfire-ceramics/

New exhibit shows importance of evolution

/news/2005/oct/26/ne_evolution/

Shoo fly, don’t bother me (or puke on my food)

/news/2007/sep/13/s_disgusting/

Tasting Tofu

Discover the magic of this vegetarian staple.

/news/2006/jan/25/tasting_tofu/

BYOB: Bring Your Own Bag

For more than just sack lunches

/news/2007/sep/06/byob_bring_your_own_bag/

Overworked students' dangerous race against time

Is too much work and too little time putting students' health at ...

/news/2011/apr/28/time-not-our-side/

The real cost of bottled water

An analysis of the economic and environmental costs of bottled water.

/news/2008/feb/14/water/

Better options for bad situations: Alternative sexual ...

If you're going to do it, be smart.

/news/2010/sep/16/better-options-bad-situations-alternative-sexual-p/

Greaseless grab and go

/news/2005/mar/17/jayplay_bite_greaseless/

Clandestine Cine-philes

If candy could ever be considered contraband, then look no further than ...

/news/2009/jan/29/clandestine_cinephiles/

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