Top 10 Surprising Foods You Should NEVER Reheat At All Costs (But Why?)
Leftover food can be a lifesaver when it comes to sudden hunger pangs during odd hours of the day.
It is pretty convenient and satisfying;
you just have to reheat the food without wasting any extra time cooking.
But have you ever wondered whether the food you are reheating is safe for you anymore? Reheating
certain foods reduce their nutritional value and can even put you at risk of food poisoning?
So let’s explore more and find out the top 10 foods you must stop reheating now.
#1. Rice It may seem harmless, but
According to Food Standards Agency, you can suffer from food poisoning by eating reheated rice.
This is because rice contains highly resistant bacteria called Bacillus Cereus. Even though
heat kills these bacteria, there is a chance it can produce spores with toxic characteristics.
Reheated rice left at room temperature becomes a catalyst for spore multiplication.
To avoid these problems, cook or buy only a certain quantity that you can consume as
soon as possible without leaving it at room temperature for hours.
#2. Spinach Leftover spinach is definitely no one's
favorite snack, but there is also a paramount health concern stopping you from reheating
this leafy green. Spinach and other vegetables with a high nitrate content can be carcinogenic
when reheated. Upon reheating, nitrates convert into nitrosamines, affecting the body's ability
to carry oxygen. Spinach also contains high iron levels, so multiple heating may oxidize the iron.
This process generates free radicals, which are known to cause many diseases, including cancer and
infertility. Spinach is the most nutrient-dense when you eat it raw, and it loses a significant
portion of its vitamins and minerals when it undergoes the process of reheating.
#3. Breast Milk or Formula
It is so temptingly convenient for new parents to reheat baby milk in the microwave in the middle
of the night or day when the child is cranky. You can warm up breast milk and formula as well
as baby food in a pot over the stove, but microwaving should be avoided at all costs
as it can hurt your baby. According to Food and Drug Administration, microwaves heat
food unevenly. The hottest places are in the center, and the coolest are near the corners,
making you believe the food is not too hot. It can burn a baby’s sensitive throat and mouth.
Also, reheating the formula results in the loss of essential nutrients. To warm up frozen food
or milk for your baby, thaw it first or submerge it in hot water before heating it on the stove.
#4. Eggs Eggs are a staple in many dishes
in every cuisine, but few people know that eggs or egg-containing meals are pretty likely to
cause health problems when reheated. According to the Food and Drug Administration, reheating eggs
or dishes containing eggs as an ingredient that has been left out for more than an hour or two
can cause food poisoning by the group of bacteria, Salmonella. Specific individuals are at a greater
risk than others. These include pregnant women, children, older adults, and people with suppressed
immune systems. To avoid Salmonella infection, make sure to keep eggs refrigerated until needed,
cook eggs until the yellow yolk is firm, and cook egg-containing dishes thoroughly.
#5. Mushrooms Mushrooms should be consumed as
soon as they are prepared. They are a powerhouse of proteins and minerals, so reheating causes the
further breakdown of the protein compounds into non-digestive end products, causing havoc in your
gastrointestinal tract. Even though they may not look any different after reheating, the change in
composition also changes the taste and reduces much of the nutritional benefits. When they go
through the heating process multiple times, toxins containing free radicals and oxidized
nitrogen are generated. If you have no choice but to store mushrooms or a dish with mushrooms as
an ingredient, keep it in the refrigerator to eat them the next day, and make sure to eat them cold.
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#6. Potatoes Potatoes are a staple
in many meals and are often kept as leftovers when people are unable to finish their meals.
When you leave out cooked potatoes for too long, the warm temperatures tend to
promote the growth of the bacteria, Clostridium botulinum, commonly found in potatoes. There is
an even greater chance of this happening if the potatoes are wrapped tightly in foil.
Reheating does not always get the potato hot enough up to a temperature to kill the bacteria.
Do not risk food poisoning by storing potatoes in your refrigerator for the next day. Moreover,
this also includes everyone’s loved French fries. You probably already know that the delicious,
crispy fries are never quite the same when you reheat them or leave them out after they get cold.
Also, did you know that restaurants essentially cook fries twice? First, they are blanched and
then cooked. This means that if you reheat them, you are cooking them for the third time, and the
end result is hugely greasy and potentially toxic for your health, as different oils have
different heat tolerances, and when you heat them past the safe level, it produces toxic fumes.
#7. Seafood Seafood that has
been caught and immediately frozen is safe to consume at a later date. However, you should
be wary of cooked or fresh seafood that has been left out at room temperature for too long.
It might be harboring bacteria, and reheating will not kill these bacteria. The health food
industry has recommended discarding seafood if left out for more than an hour in warm weather
or two hours in cool weather. Some varieties of seafood let off a pungent smell when reheated.
Plus, seafood sure is delicious when freshly prepared but does not taste quite as good
when reheated. The texture and mouthfeel are changed and become rubbery and less pleasurable.
If you have simply no choice but to store and use leftover seafood,
keep it in the refrigerator and serve cold with sidelines such as grilled vegetables.
#8. Chicken and Processed Meat Chicken in the restaurant and processed meat,
in general, are usually cooked twice, just like the French fries we discussed earlier. Due to
this reason, they ultimately result in chewy and tough bites when reheated for the third time.
If you absolutely have to reheat the chicken, make sure you store it below 42 degrees Fahrenheit. Use
a cooking thermometer to ensure that every part of the chicken has reached a temperature of at least
175 degrees Fahrenheit when reheating to guarantee that the harmful bacteria have been killed.
If you are unable to source a cooking thermometer and are unaware of your
lunchbox and fridge temperature, then reheating chicken might cause you more trouble than joy.
#9. Celery Celery is another vegetable
with high amounts of nitrates, so it is just not safe to reheat it. These can release toxic,
unhealthy compounds, which are cancerous in nature and highly harmful to the human body. It is
usually eaten raw, but some dishes contain celery as an ingredient, such as bolognese and soup.
#10. Beets Again just like celery and spinach, beetroot
is also a high nitrate-containing vegetable that should not be reheated at any cost. These
nitrates release carcinogens when reheated, which could potentially cause changes in a cell’s DNA,
leading to cancer and other fatal diseases. If you have to reheat meals that contain beetroot,
be sure to remove it from your dish before warming it up.
Some foods are just not good the next day, both in taste and health. In addition to food, there
are some other things you should never put in the microwave. Some restaurants put toothpicks into
sandwiches, so make sure to remove those since sharp tips are likely to cause an electrical fire.
Metal objects like cutlery or aluminum foil are also a big no when it comes to microwave heating.
If you have ever felt sick after eating reheated leftover food,
it is most likely caused by the reasons listed above, so make sure to be cautious in the future.
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