It doesn't matter how delicious and healthy your freshly prepared meal is. By heating it in a microwave oven, it can lose its beneficial properties and, in the worst case, cause food poisoning. Here are some foods that should not be heated in the microwave.
Which foods should not be heated in a microwave oven:
Green
Greens are a great soup ingredient, but only until you put them in the microwave. Greens contain nitrates, which are converted into toxic nitrites and carcinogenic nitrosamines when heated. Try making creamy celery soup instead - it will be delicious even cold.
Eggs
Although we doubt you're reheating scrambled eggs or an omelette, we'd still like to warn you: eggs become toxic after heating. Better to put them in a sandwich, salad or just throw them away.
Spinach
People who follow a healthy diet usually eat a lot of spinach, as it contains a good amount of vitamins and minerals. But like greens, spinach is full of nitrates, which become dangerous nitrites and nitrosamines when heated. Add spinach to drinks, sandwiches or salads. In this way, you will get its useful substances and avoid harm.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms are among the rather difficult foods: despite the high content of proteins, vitamins and amino acids, most of the time they are not well digested. And if we heat them with leftover risotto, the problem will only deepen: the proteins in the mushrooms will change, which will cause stomach pain and bloating. If you really do not want to get rid of leftover mushrooms, then put them in the refrigerator and use them the next day in a dish that you have heated to a maximum of 70 degrees Celsius. The best use of leftover mushrooms is as a sauce for pasta or as an addition to a salad.
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Potatoes
When heated, potatoes lose their taste and beneficial substances for health, but if you keep them wrapped in foil at room temperature, they can even become the cause of botulism (a disease caused by infection with the neurotoxin botulinum). Mashed potatoes and French fries are best eaten immediately, but boiled potatoes can be added to a salad.
A chicken
Heating chicken changes its protein composition, which can cause digestive problems. That's why it's better to add leftover chicken to a salad or sandwich.
Beetroot
Beetroot retains its medicinal benefits even in soup. But it is not recommended to heat it, as beetroot is also full of nitrates. The healthiest is fresh beetroot, which you can use in a smoothie or salad.
Rice
Rice is rich in vitamins, minerals and amino acids, and it also contains bacterial spores that survive even after cooking. If rice is left at room temperature after it is cooked, bacteria will multiply and this can cause food poisoning. Heating does not solve the problem, so it is better to put the rice in the refrigerator immediately or within an hour of cooking and leave it there until the next day.
Sources:
Food Standards Agency, Independent, European Food Information Council, Mirror