Everyone has eaten leftover food, right? Besides the taste being a bit off and it not looking very appetizing, do you know how much bacteria is in it? Let me explain it to you all.
Frugality is a virtue of the Chinese nation, but it's undeniable that this virtue can sometimes lead to trouble. What I want to talk about with you all today isn't a moral issue, but a health issue. Have you ever thought that in a world full of bacteria, when we continue to eat leftover, cold, or even overnight food, could it be harming our health?
Normally, we wash and heat our food before eating to minimize the dirt and bacteria it contains. But once food cools down or is left out overnight, bacteria will undoubtedly multiply again. In fact, the problem with overnight food is far more serious. After all, we usually reheat it before eating it again. But the problem is, cooked food spoils more easily and breeds bacteria, and the original nutrients in the food can also be lost, or even converted into toxic substances.
1. Try not to drink overnight boiled water
Boiling tap water for 3 to 5 minutes minimizes the content of harmful substances like nitrites and chlorides, making it most suitable for drinking. Nitrites can form carcinogenic nitrosamines in the human body. Experts have found that the nitrite content in boiled water is higher than in raw water. Moreover, repeatedly boiling water for too long or water that has been boiled for more than 24 hours will significantly increase the nitrite content. After 24 hours, the nitrite content in boiled water is 1.3 times higher than when it was first boiled. Chinese people have a habit of drinking boiled water. It's best to boil it fresh and drink it immediately, or only drink boiled water from the same day. Avoid boiling water for too long.
2. It's best not to drink overnight soup
Cantonese people love to simmer soups. What's left is put in the fridge and reheated the next day. Is this overnight soup good for your body?
Healthy way to eat: The best way to store it is not to add salt or other seasonings to the broth base. After cooking the soup, use a clean spoon to scoop out the portion for the day. For the leftovers, it's best to store them in a clay pot in the refrigerator. Because soup left in aluminum or stainless steel pots for a long time can easily cause chemical reactions, it should be stored in glass or ceramic containers.
3. Don't eat overnight leafy green vegetables
Because some green leafy vegetables contain a high amount of nitrates, if they are left for too long after being cooked, the nitrates will be reduced to nitrites by bacterial decomposition. Nitrites are carcinogenic and cannot be removed by reheating. Generally, stem and leaf vegetables have the highest nitrate content, followed by root and stem and flower vegetables, with gourds being the lowest.
Therefore, if you buy different kinds of vegetables at the same time, you should eat the stem and leaf varieties first, such as Chinese cabbage and spinach. If you plan to cook extra food to reheat the next day, try to make fewer stem and leaf vegetables and choose gourds instead.
4. Don't eat overnight family-braised meats and pickled goods
Many people also like to put leftover braised meats and pickled goods in the fridge "overnight," but this practice poses a significant food safety hazard. Bulk braised meats should be finished on the same day and not left overnight. From a food safety perspective, this is unhygienic. If possible, it's best not to eat overnight pickled goods. Food experts remind us that even food stored in the refrigerator is not absolutely "safe." Molds and psychrophilic bacteria can easily grow in the refrigerator.
5. Seafood cannot be eaten overnight
Fish and seafood can easily produce protein degradation products overnight, which can damage liver and kidney function. Therefore, seafood should not be kept overnight.
6. Overnight tea cannot be drunk
Because overnight tea has been left for too long, most of its vitamins have been lost. The proteins and sugars in the tea will become nutrients for the growth of bacteria and mold. Therefore, people generally believe that overnight tea should not be drunk.
7. Overnight undercooked eggs should not be eaten
Can you eat overnight eggs? Northerner: Yes, don't you see tea eggs sold everywhere! Southerner: No, especially for men, because it can cause hernias and swollen testicles! Scientist: Not necessarily! Because if the egg is not fully cooked, the uncooked yolk, if eaten overnight, can easily breed bacteria if not stored properly, which can be harmful to health, such as causing stomach discomfort and bloating.
However, if the egg is fully cooked and stored properly at a low temperature, it can generally be kept for 48 hours without any problem.
From the scientist's advice, we know: whether an overnight egg can be eaten doesn't just depend on whether it is reheated, but on whether the egg was fully cooked the first time it was boiled. Only after it is fully cooked the first time can it be safely reheated and eaten the next day. Tea eggs are made this way. You may not know that tea eggs are boiled twice. The first time they are boiled through, the second time the shells are cracked and tea and other ingredients are added and then boiled again. So tea eggs are definitely cooked. Now some people like to eat half-cooked eggs. Those eggs should not be eaten overnight, even if they are reheated the second time.