If you eat this overnight, it will cost you your life

Overnight food is not a terrible thing. As long as it is not left out for too long and is not consumed too often, there is no need to be alarmed. On the contrary, some lifestyle habits have a greater impact on physical health.

However, it should be noted that these do not include cooked river seafood, fish and cold dishes. Cooking river and seafood and fish for a long time is prone to produce protein degradation products, which can damage liver and kidney function and even produce toxins. The hygiene of cold dishes is difficult to control, and they are more likely to spoil when refrigerated.

How do “leftover food” cause harm?

From a food science perspective, whether or not to store it overnight is not the issue. The essence of the problem is what happens to the prepared dishes during the storage process, and we are worried about the conversion of nitrates in vegetables into nitrites. This conversion process can be achieved by the reductase naturally present in vegetables, but when the vegetables are heated and cooked, these enzymes lose their activity and this pathway is cut off. Another pathway is the action of bacteria. The vegetables are cooked and the bacteria in them are almost killed. However, during the eating process, some bacteria on the chopsticks will enter the leftovers; during the storage process, some bacteria in the air may also enter. Cooked vegetables are more suitable for bacterial growth. Under appropriate conditions, they will grow in large numbers, and nitrates may be converted into nitrites during the growth process.

This process has nothing to do with whether it is kept overnight or not, it only has to do with the storage conditions. How much nitrite will be produced in the dish in the end depends first on the vegetables themselves; second on the conditions under which the cooked vegetables are stored; and third on how long they are stored.

Know more: Food in the refrigerator may not be safe

During the interview, the doctor said that some people think that putting things in the refrigerator is absolutely safe, but this is actually wrong. Whether refrigerating or freezing, it can only inhibit the reproduction of bacteria, but cannot kill pathogenic bacteria. Some bacteria and molds can still multiply and grow in large numbers in the refrigerator. If you eat it without fully heating it, it can easily cause diarrhea. In addition, eating cold food directly can also irritate the stomach and intestines, causing symptoms such as upper abdominal cramps and vomiting.

7 foods that are like arsenic when left overnight

1. Soup

It takes time to make soup, so people usually make a big pot and drink it slowly. However, if the leftover soup is left in an aluminum or stainless steel pot for a long time, chemical reactions are likely to occur and harmful substances will be released. It is recommended not to add seasonings such as salt to the soup base. Use a clean spoon to scoop out the cooked soup and drink it on the same day. If you can't finish it, it is best to put it in a glass or ceramic container and store it in the refrigerator.

The best way to preserve soup is not to add salt or other seasonings to the soup base. After the soup is cooked, use a clean spoon to scoop out the portion you want to drink that day. If you can't finish it, it's best to store it in a clay pot in the refrigerator. Because leftover soup is prone to chemical reactions if kept in aluminum or stainless steel pots for a long time, it should be placed in glass or ceramic containers.

2. Fish and Seafood

Fish and seafood are prone to produce protein degradation products after being left overnight, which can damage liver and kidney functions.

3. Bulk marinated food

Bulk braised food should be consumed on the same day and cannot be left overnight. From a food safety perspective, this is unhygienic and it is best not to eat overnight leftovers if possible. Food experts remind that even food stored in the refrigerator is not absolutely "safe". Mold and psychrophilic bacteria are easily bred in the refrigerator.

4. Tea

Because some green leafy vegetables contain more nitrates, if they are left for too long after being cooked, the nitrates will be reduced to nitrites under the decomposition of bacteria, which are carcinogenic and cannot be removed by heating. Generally, stem and leafy vegetables have the highest nitrate content, melon vegetables are slightly lower, and root vegetables and cauliflowers are in the middle. Therefore, if you buy different kinds of vegetables at the same time, you should eat the stems and leaves first, such as cabbage, spinach, etc. If you plan to cook more dishes and eat them hot the next day, you should try to cook less stem and leaf vegetables and choose melon vegetables.

5. Green leafy vegetables

Because some green leafy vegetables contain more nitrates, if they are left for too long after being cooked, the nitrates will be reduced to nitrites under the decomposition of bacteria, which are carcinogenic and cannot be removed by heating.

6. Tremella

Because both the Tremella fuciformis cultivated indoors and the Tremella fuciformis cultivated outdoors on basswood contain more nitrates. If they are left for a long time after being cooked, the nitrates will be reduced to nitrites under the decomposition of bacteria.

7. Eggs

Whether eggs can be eaten overnight does not only depend on whether they are heated, but also on whether the eggs are cooked through the first time. Only after the eggs are cooked through the first time, there is no problem in eating them cooked overnight. The same goes for tea eggs. You may not know that tea eggs are cooked twice. The first time, they are cooked thoroughly. The second time, the egg skin is broken up, and tea leaves and other ingredients are added before cooking again. So the tea eggs must be cooked. Some people now like to eat half-cooked eggs (the yolk is semi-liquid). That kind of eggs cannot be eaten overnight, even if they are cooked through the second time.

If the eggs are not fully cooked, then the uncooked yolk will be eaten overnight. If it is not stored properly, the nutritious food will easily breed bacteria, causing problems such as gastrointestinal discomfort and bloating. However, if the eggs are fully cooked and properly sealed and stored at a low temperature, there is generally no problem.