In a fast-paced world, reheating leftover food has become a solution for people lacking time to prepare a homecooked meal. In fact, most people prepare food enough to cover at least two meals and just reheat them in the microwave. After all, it’s convenient and it saves you from the hassle of preparing a new meal.
However, many of us aren’t aware that reheating food is not 100% safe. Several food can become toxic or cause food-borne illnesses once you reheat them.
So before you put that leftover food in the microwave, check out Scupe.net’s list of 7 foods that can become toxic when reheated.
1. Chicken
Almost everyone is guilty of reheating chicken. Although it may seem pretty harmless, reheating chicken has negative consequences as it contains proteins that is easily modified by the process. The protein loses its nutritional value as well as its health benefits. Moreover, you can suffer from illnesses such as digestive problems if you consume a reheated chicken. If reheating is inevitable, it is recommended that you reheat chicken at a lower temperature.
2. Eggs
Boiled or fried eggs, which also contain proteins, should never be reheated. However, this rule does not apply to eggs used in sauces such as béchamel.
3. Mushrooms
Another food which contains proteins, mushrooms should be eaten right after preparation. Soups or risotto, which contain mushroom, are best consumed immediately after cooking. If there’s leftover mushroom the next day, it is advisable that you eat it cold.
4. Potato
Potato loses much of its nutritional value once you reheat them. Worse, it can become toxic when reheated. It is recommended that you eat it immediately after cooking. If you’re going to prepare a meal containing potatoes that you plan to consume for several days, just cook as needed.
5. Spinach
Reheating spinach can cause you trouble in the long run since it contains a high percentage of nitrates. For those not familiar with nitrates, these are chemical compounds present in several foods. Intake of excessive levels of it has been linked to several diseases. Nitrites, on the other hand, is known to be carcinogenic to humans when exposed to heat. Therefore, you should never ever reheat spinach.
6. Celery
If you used celery as an ingredient in soups or broths, you should remove it right after cooking since it also contains nitrates.
7. Beet
This is another food that contains nitrates. Thus, reheating it is strongly discouraged.