Left over foods are almost always kept in fridges for the next day. When we prepare excess food for a special day, it is good to find the fridge full later.
Sometimes the meal we cook turns out to be a real delicacy and we want to have more of that.
However, some foods become extremely dangerous when reheated especially when they are not stored correctly.
Now let’s take a look at these foods.
1. Potatoes
Potatoes need special attention when storing. When you let them cool down at room temperature they lose their nutritional value. And secondly, warm potatoes provide the perfect place for botulism. Botulism is a rare but potentially life-threatening bacterial illness which can even cause paralysis. So the leftovers need to be put in the fridge right after you are done serving.
2. Rice
In normal conditions rice doesn’t cause any health problems. But you need to pay attention not to keep it in room temperature for more than an hour. We can easily lose track of time around the dinner table with our friends or family. A prolonged dinner is what it takes for harmful bacteria to grow on your rice. These bacteria can cause vomiting and diarrhea. So keep in mind to store your remaining rice in an airtight container and put it in the fridge right after serving. You can reheat this rice without causing any health problems.
3. Chicken
Chicken meat contains proteins which are negatively affected when reheated. When cold refrigerated chicken is heated for the second time, the protein composition changes. This can easily lead to digestive problems.
If you really need to reheat chicken you should cook it completely so the inside is steaming hot. Or you can avoid the risk altogether by preparing a delicious cold chicken sandwich.
4. Eggs
Eggs are considered to be one of the super foods due to their rich protein content. Eggs, however, should never be reheated at all. This protein powerhouse becomes toxic when reheated and cause problems in the digestive track.
5. Spinach
As with all leafy greens, spinach also has high amounts of nitrates. When reheated, these nitrates transform into nitrites and other carcinogens. Nitrites are toxic and can cause food poisoning when reheated.
Therefore; make sure to cook spinach so that it is finished in one sitting.
6. Mushrooms
Just like spinach, mushrooms should be eaten and finished right after preparation. Reheating mushrooms can change their protein composition and cause digestive and heart problems.
For this reason, try to cook the exact amount you think is enough for one sitting.
