6 dishes that should not be reheated to finish dinner: expert opinion

Leftover dishes sometimes become a lifesaver – what’s easier than throwing a plate in the microwave? However, you may want to think twice before reheating these foods.

As nutritionist Kanta Shelke explains, the nitric oxide in beets can be very beneficial: it improves blood pressure and helps achieve better results during training. However, this substance doesn’t like to be heated: “Nitrates can turn into nitrites, then nitrosamines, some of which are known to be carcinogenic,” says Shelke.

This root vegetable can become dangerous if you leave it at room temperature for a long time after cooking. This could contribute to an increase in Clostridium botulinum, the bacteria that causes botulism, Shelke said. You don’t want to eat them? Never heat potatoes in the microwave – 30-60 seconds will not kill Clostridium botulinum: you need an oven or stove and more time.

Spinach is another food high in nitrates. To avoid processing, serve these leafy greens raw or freshly roasted rather than reheated.

In the 1970s, an epidemic of food poisoning linked to leftover rice swept the United States. It was found to contain the bacteria Bacillus cereus, which multiplies at room temperature. This does not mean that uneaten rice should be thrown away immediately: just put it in the refrigerator no later than two hours after cooking.

“Repeatedly heating foods containing these oils can make them unstable and rancid, and therefore dangerous,” says Shelke.

There’s a reason he’s not allowed to take his food to go, and it’s not just because the restaurant doesn’t want to lose money. The containers at the buffet aren’t hot enough to kill germs: they can multiply to unhealthy levels while the food remains unrefrigerated, even in the establishment itself, let alone stored in the room.

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