Induction stoves are found in most modern kitchens nowadays because of the convenience and safety that they offer compared to gas stoves. However, many people fail to realize that the EMF emission from induction cooking could be detrimental to their health down the line.
Induction cooking emits high levels of EMF radiation, usually ranging from 20-100 kHz. The large EMF radiation added to your proximity to the induction stove results in your body absorbing alarming amounts of EMF waves. The frequency of cooking on the stove every day for 2-3 hours is also worrying.
While induction stoves can speed up the cooking process, prolonged exposure to large amounts of EMF emitted by the stove lead to health complications, including cancer and Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS).
If you want to know more about induction cooking and its impacts on your health, keep reading!
Does Induction Cooking Emit EMF Radiation?
Induction cooking emits EMF levels ranging from 20 to 100 kHz. These emissions are comparable to that of a computer according to the National Cancer Institute.
Some people may argue that these levels are too low to cause any detrimental effects on your wellbeing. However, recent emerging research provides evidence that long-term exposure to low EMF levels could lead to oxidative stress, cancer, and neurological impairments.
The induction technology heats up your pan through a glass surface without heating the surrounding areas. This new feature makes the stove more energy-efficient as no heat is lost.
However, since the mechanism requires electricity to enable induction, the stove automatically emits EMF waves to the surrounding, along with the EMF waves used to heat up your food.
Is It safe?
Induction stoves are not considered a safe device in terms of EMF as they both increase your exposure and emit high levels of EMF radiation compared to a normal gas stove.
Your risk of developing considerable health problems increases proportionally to your exposure to EMF radiation. In simpler terms, the more you are exposed to EMF waves, the larger your risk that it will affect your health.
It is highly recommended that you decrease your exposure to EMF radiation so that your quality of life and wellbeing are not affected. Moreover, compared to other electrical appliances in your kitchen, your body absorbs higher levels of EMF with induction stoves.
These are due to three factors:
- The levels of EMF waves it emits
- The proximity of the stove to your body
- The frequency that you use the stove
As stated above, induction stoves emit 20-100 kHz, which is comparable to the radiation emitted by a computer. Also, when you are cooking on the induction stove, there is an average distance of 5 cm only between your body and the cooktop.
The very small distance between you and the source of EMF (induction stove) makes your body more susceptible to absorbing EMF waves.
Lastly, depending on your lifestyle, some people can spend hours in their kitchen for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. These three factors combined exponentially increase your EMF exposure.
How Do Induction Stoves Work?
Induction cooktops are based on a process called induction. The mechanism uses electric currents and magnetic induction to heat up your pots and pans.
In contrast, a usual gas or electric burner would use thermal conduction to transfer heat from the burner to the pan. The benefit of this new technology is that it heats the pan almost instantly compared to a gas stove.
Underneath the glass panel, there is a coiled copper where an electric current is passed through to create a magnetic current. This magnetic energy is then transferred to your pan to produce heat.
Since the induction process does not require a traditional outside heat source, only the pan that is touching the induction stove will be heated.
This makes it more efficient than the traditional gas and electric cooktops. While the stove provides several advantages, you should not ignore the concerning levels of EMF radiation it emits.
Health Effects Of EMF Radiation
Several studies have shown that EMF radiation could lead to several forms of cancer, including intracranial cancer and leukemia, EHS, and oxidative stress.
In fact, the International Agency of Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified EMF radiation in the group 2B category, meaning that they are potentially carcinogenic to us.
According to a review from the Industrial Health Journal, a number of scientists have appealed to the IARC to upgrade EMF radiation in the Group 1 category, removing the ‘potentially carcinogenic substance’ to ‘carcinogenic to humans’.
There have also been some concerns surrounding the effect of EMF exposure on the antioxidant defense system.
A study carried out by the Journal of Microscopy and Ultrastructure stated that EMF could cause several chemical effects, including the breaking down of important large molecules in cells.
They stated that the degeneration of oxygen molecules in your body could lead to hazardous by-products called reactive oxygen species (ROS).
These ROS molecules can damage crucial components of your body, including lipids, proteins, and your DNA.
While your body has an antioxidant defense system to prevent these components from breaking down by ROS molecules, your exposure to EMF could result in oxidative stress.
This means that there would be too many ROS molecules in your body that the antioxidant defense system would have a hard time protecting you from those harmful free radicals.
The researchers concluded that there are several emerging studies that also reported that EMF exposure could lead to oxidative stress in several tissues of the body.
How To Protect Yourself Against EMF From Induction Stoves
If you already have an induction stove in your kitchen, fear not! While the situation is not ideal, there are several tips that you can follow to decrease your EMF exposure from the cooktop.
1. Increase your distance from the EMF source
It is better to use the rear cooking surfaces than to use the front ones to increase the distance from your body. The EMF levels exponentially decrease as you increase the distance between you and the source.
2. Use EMF Blockers
Your hands are the most vulnerable parts of your body when using the induction stove, especially when you are touching the handles of your pan.
Fortunately for you, there are several EMF blockers, including the gloves from Defendershield that can block up to 99% of EMF radiation from reaching your hands.
If you want more protection, they also provide beanies, scarves, Phones, and blankets to shield your whole body from the waves.
3. Avoid Using Pans With Metal Handles
As you know, metal is a conductor of heat and EMF radiation.
Therefore, by avoiding metal handles, your hands are less exposed to the EMF waves as they are not conducted in the handle section.
You can also use a silicone handle cover or a cooking towel to act as a barrier between you and the handle.
