Overnight water or water that has been boiled thousands of times does not really cause cancer, but these foods must not be left until the next day!

Today we are going to discuss a very practical question: Can we eat leftovers and overnight drinks at home? Have you often heard that " overnight food causes cancer " and " overnight water is poisonous "? But is this really the case?

Today I will give you some scientific knowledge about which foods you can eat safely and which ones must be thrown away.

Are leftover food really that scary?

A man in Wuxi was admitted to the ICU due to food poisoning after eating an unsealed overnight meal (egg fried rice). His liver function index exceeded the normal value by more than 80 times, and he suffered from severe liver failure ! This is not an exaggeration, but a real case.

Zeqiao original copyright contact So, which overnight dishes should we avoid?

1. Green leafy vegetables If green leafy vegetables are left for too long, not only will the nutrients be lost, but they will also easily go bad. What's worse is that green leafy vegetables themselves have a high nitrate content. If they are left for too long after being cooked, the nitrate will be reduced to nitrite, which is not good for our health.
For example, the Ningbo Food Inspection Institute once tested 30 kinds of dishes. The results showed that after green leafy vegetables such as cabbage, lettuce, and water spinach were stored at 25°C for 24 hours, the nitrite content exceeded 100 mg/kg!
Therefore, we recommend that the fried green leafy vegetables should be eaten within 6 hours, and the remaining ones must be refrigerated.
2. High-protein foods such as seafood, fish, shrimp and crab, if left overnight, will not only lose their taste, but may also produce harmful substances, which in severe cases may even damage the liver and kidney functions.
Zeqiao original copyright contact <br /> Therefore, for seafood, it is safest to buy and eat it on the same day , especially those with weak constitutions should be more cautious.
3. Soaked black fungus and white fungus <br /> If these two ingredients are soaked in water for a long time, they are easily contaminated by Pseudomonas cocovenenans, which will then produce a toxin called fumonisin . Once eaten, people will not only experience abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, but excessive intake may also lead to multiple organ failure or even death.
The correct way is to use it right after soaking. Soaking in cold water should not exceed 4 hours, and in hot water even shorter . If you notice any odor or stickiness, discard it immediately.

Is it true that overnight water and overnight tea cannot be drunk?

Finally, let's talk about overnight water and tea, which everyone is concerned about. Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention conducted an experiment and showed that even if the water was boiled 20 times and left to stand for a day and a night, the nitrite in it was far below the safe value. So, the same is true for overnight water. Although the nitrite in the water increased slightly after overnight, it was still very little.

As for overnight tea, although it will not cause cancer, its nutritional value is greatly reduced due to the loss of many ingredients such as vitamins and tea polyphenols. It is not as fragrant and delicious as freshly brewed tea.

Summarize

• Green leafy vegetables should be eaten within 6 hours; other cold dishes should be eaten as soon as possible; staple foods can be stored for 1-2 days; meat should not be kept for more than 3 days.
• Avoid eating overnight seafood, especially people with low immunity.
• Do not keep the soaked black fungus and white fungus overnight, as this will easily produce aflatoxin, which can cause poisoning or even death if eaten.
• Overnight water and tea can be safely consumed, but from the perspective of taste and nutrition, it is recommended to drink fresh ones.