READ THIS BEFORE YOU REHEAT YOUR FOOD!: In today’s fast-paced world, we barely have time to have proper meals, let alone eating something freshly-cooked. We all are stuck in the vicious circle of waking up, rushing to college/office, reheating your lunch that was cooked in the morning, coming back home and reheating the food made in the evening having it for dinner.
What we fail to notice in this immensely busy lifestyle is how the reheated food impacts our health and overall life. Owing to our jam-packed schedules, we often resort to reheating food without keeping in mind the dangerous side-effects of the same.
Even if you want to save time, here is a list of 7 food items that you should never reheat, no matter what.
EGGS: Also known as the powerhouse of protein, eggs are a staple breakfast for many. There is a reason why most people eat their eggs fresh as the protein in eggs gets destroyed once it is reheated.
Tip: As per the guidelines of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), eggs can be stored in a refrigerator for a maximum of three to four days.
OIL: There is a reason why roadside food is considered harmful for health, as the vendors keep reheating the same oil that they use for deep frying. When you heat oil to deep fry food, it changes the structure of the oil, making it a toxic substance which is really bad for the heart.
Reheated oil raises the level of bad cholesterol in our body which in turn increases the risk of heart disease, including strokes.
Tip: If you notice that the oil has turned darker and smells acrid, it is time to throw the batch away.
POTATOES: This may come as a shocker for many as this is a staple food item that is the main ingredient in tons of delicacies, including french fries, potato chips and not-to-forget, the widely loved aloo ka paratha.
It is crucial to store anything made with potatoes in the fridge, as soon as you are done eating them as they are the ideal breeding ground for botulism-causing bacteria. Even if you have the habit of sealing the potatoes, it may result in bacteria thriving even more freely, as you’ve locked out the oxygen.
RICE: Another staple food makes its way in the foods-not-to-be-reheated list. If cooked rice isn’t stored in the fridge, it can become a breeding ground for bacteria as it may have some bacterial spores that can survive the cooking process.
As a rule of thumb do not reheat rice and make sure to put it away after you are done eating.
CHICKEN: From E.coli to Salmonella, chicken can quickly become a favourite breeding ground for all these bacteria, if it is not cooked or even stored properly.
Always ensure that any meat, including chicken is properly cooked, and reheat the same for at least 2 minutes on a high temperature to get rid of all the bacteria.
Tip: Always remember to eat reheated chicken in a single sitting. Please keep in mind that it is safe to reheat it only once.
MUSHROOMS: This delicacy is best consumed as soon as it is cooked. The protein content in mushroom rapidly deteriorates if it is not stored properly.
Tip: Always store the mushrooms in the coldest part of the refrigerator and discard them after 2 hours of cooking.
SPINACH: The most nutritious food in the list can also turn into the most harmful to your health if reheated.
This happens because spinach contains nitrates, which get converted into nitrites when reheated. Here’s is the catch, nitrites are good when they form nitric oxide, but when they form nitrosamines, they turns carcinogenic in nature.