Withered green leafy vegetables, if consumed regularly, can easily cause illness.
Many people believe that only leftover and pickled vegetables contain nitrites. However, food experts point out that fresh green leafy vegetables left out for a long time during the summer can also produce pathogenic nitrites.
Although it is currently the season for an abundance of fresh green vegetables, some busy individuals still prefer to buy large quantities at once and store them in the refrigerator. Experts note that green leafy vegetables are prone to oxidation. Even in a refrigerator, when left for too long, the once-fresh leaves will turn yellow, wilt, and even begin to rot, easily producing nitrites. Not only are such vegetables inedible, but they can also contaminate other food in the refrigerator. After consuming food containing nitrites, mild symptoms include dizziness, headache, fatigue, chest tightness, nausea, and vomiting, with cyanosis appearing on the lips, earlobes, fingernails, and skin. In severe cases, cyanosis will appear on the conjunctiva of the eyes, the face, and the skin all over the body. The patient's heart rate will increase, they will become agitated and short of breath, and may even experience coma, convulsions, incontinence, and respiratory failure.