Frugality is a traditional Chinese virtue, so eating leftovers seems to be a very common thing. However, little do people know that leftover food not only suffers from severe nutrient loss but also produces substances harmful to the body. It should be reminded that leftover vegetables and seafood should not be eaten, and meat must be steamed thoroughly when reheated to prevent spoilage and deterioration from long storage, which can lead to food poisoning.
Leftover leafy vegetables should not be eaten
It is said that the low incidence of stomach cancer is related to the habit of not eating leftover vegetables. Because some leafy vegetables contain a high amount of nitrates, if left for too long after cooking, bacteria will break them down, reducing the nitrates into nitrites, which are carcinogenic and cannot be removed by reheating.
Healthy eating method: Generally, stem and leafy vegetables have the highest nitrate content, followed by gourds, with root and stem vegetables and cauliflower types in the middle. Therefore, if you buy different kinds of vegetables at the same time, you should eat the leafy ones first, such as Chinese cabbage and spinach. If you plan to cook extra food to reheat the next day, you should try to make less leafy vegetables and choose gourds instead.
Storage of leftover soup has its rules
Many people love to make soups, and they put the leftover soup in the refrigerator to reheat and drink the next day. Is this leftover soup good for your health?
Healthy eating method: The best way to store soup is not to add salt or other seasonings to the base. After cooking the soup, use a clean spoon to scoop out the portion for the day. For the rest, it is best to store it in a clay pot in the refrigerator. Because leftover soup stored in aluminum or stainless steel pots for a long time is prone to chemical reactions, it should be stored in glass or ceramic containers.
Packed lunch should be selective
Many people are tired of restaurant lunches and don't want to eat out, so they choose to bring their own lunch. However, most packed lunches are from the previous night's dinner. After being stored for a night and a morning, the nutrients in the food are significantly lost. Therefore, when bringing your own lunch, you should make selective choices.
Healthy eating method: Foods that can be packed include rice, beef, bean products, various non-leafy vegetables, fruits, yogurt, etc.
Lunch should ensure sufficient energy, and foods containing protein, vitamins, and minerals are essential. Among vegetables, loofah and lotus root contain more fiber. In addition, you can also choose celery, mushrooms, radishes, etc. When cooking the vegetables to be packed, stir-fry them until they are six or seven parts cooked to prevent further destruction of their nutritional components when reheated in the microwave the next day. For meat dishes, try to choose lean options like beef or chicken. After cooking, let it cool down, then cover it immediately and store it in a 4°C refrigerator. After bringing it to the office the next day, put it in the fridge immediately. At lunchtime, heat it thoroughly in the microwave before eating.
Leftover foods that should not be eaten include fish, seafood, leafy vegetables, and cold salads. After being left overnight, fish and seafood can easily produce protein degradation products that can damage liver and kidney function. Leafy vegetables contain varying amounts of nitrates. If overcooked or left for too long, not only will the vegetables turn yellow and taste bad, but the nitrates will also be reduced by bacteria into toxic nitrites, which are carcinogenic. Cold salads are more contaminated during processing, so even if refrigerated, they are very likely to have spoiled overnight and should be eaten fresh.