The reason why people put bread in the microwave is to quickly reheat the bread and soften the bread up such as when it become stale.
The microwave's radiation heats the water molecules within the bread and restores some moisture and makes it pliable again.
Although over microwaving the bread can cause a rubbery texture as a result of uneven heating and the disruption of the bread's starch structure.
To heat hard bread in the microwave wrap the bread in a slightly damp paper towel and microwave on low for 30 seconds at a time.
You can also microwave the hard bread by placing a cup of water in the microwave alongside the bread and the steam generated from the heated water will keep the microwaved bread moist and prevent it from drying out.
Retaining moisture in the bread when microwaving it is key to keep the bread from getting hard and drying out.
Microwaving the bread in short bursts or intervals also allows you to check the bread's texture and prevent the bread from being overcooked and hard.
The reason why you shouldn't put bread in the microwave is because microwaving bread can lead to a chewy, rubbery texture and uneven heating of the bread.
Microwaving bread can make bread soft at least temporarily although microwaving bread can also make the bread turn out chewy or rubbery after a short time because the microwave can dry out the bread quickly by boiling the moisture away.
When reheating bread in the microwave you can use a damp paper towel or glass of water to add moisture to the bread and microwave and microwave the bread on lower power for 30 seconds or so at a time.
Microwaving stale bread makes it soft because microwaving the stale bread causes the starches in the bread to re gelatinize and replaces the soft texture in the bread.
As the starches in the bread recrystallize over time they lose the moisture which was locked in during the baking process and the microwave restores that lost moisture in the bread by re gelatinizing the starches.
Just don't microwave too long or it could make the bread even harder.
Microwave the bread for short periods such as 30 seconds at a time until softened.
While you can microwave bread, some people recommend that you don't microwave the bread because microwaving bread can lead to a chewy, rubbery texture and uneven heating of the bread.
Putting bread in the microwave can also make the bread turn out hard as well if you microwave the bread too long.
However I will sometimes microwave some sliced bread by breaking it up in pieces and adding butter to it to melt onto the bread.
I've never had any issue microwaving the bread and butter for around 60 seconds to a little over a minute.
Just keep an eye on the bread if you're microwaving it to ensure it does not dry out or overcook.
Microwaving heats the bread from the inside out so you miss out on the nice crunchy exterior you could get from toasting the bread.
Microwaving bread also gelatinizes the dough's starch and gives it an unpleasant soft and chewy texture.
Bread is better heated in the oven or in a toaster oven but if you do want to microwave bread only do so for a short time.
You can also add a glass of water to the microwave to add moisture to the bread when microwaving it to help prevent it from drying out.
If you microwave bread, microwave the bread in 30 second to 40 second intervals and check the bread to ensure it's not drying out.