Consuming leftovers might not be a great idea, few items you should definitely avoid

Surviving on leftovers after a day of rigorous binging is not a new thing. But, how far is this practice healthy? According to experts, it might be more dangerous than you think.

Just like raw and processed food items have a shelf life, cooked food also has specific time limits within which it must be consumed without fail. The USDA sets the limit for the same in between three to four days. Any food consumed beyond that can cause adverse effects on one's health.

The reason why food should be consumed within three to four days is because repeatedly heating and storing food over longer periods of time depletes the food of all essential nutrients. This is caused by a change in the chemical composition of the food as a result of repeated reheating.

Besides this, consuming leftovers beyond their deadline also sometimes means that you are probably consuming food that is covered in harmful bacteria. This can give rise to some serious side effects ranging from a simple stomach ache to full-fledged food poisoning.

With that being said, there are some specific food items you should definitely consume in one go without keeping some for the next day. These include chicken, fried food, sushi, seafood, baked potatoes, pizza, and food that has already been heated once.

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What is food poisoning, and how can consuming leftovers cause it?

Consuming leftovers may sometimes cause food poisoning (Image via freepik/benzoix)

Food poisoning is a type of illness people develop due to the consumption of food items, especially stale food or leftover food. Germs and bacteria contained in the food end up causing severe side effects among those who consume it.

In most cases, people usually recover without treatment. However, for a selected few, medical attention is necessary. Symptoms of food poisoning may sometimes arise within a few hours or sometimes within a few days, depending on what is causing it.

Some of the common symptoms of food poisoning include stomach cramping, fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and upset stomach.

Since consuming leftovers may sometimes cause severe health issues, does that mean you should avoid having it all together? The answer to that is no.

As long as you are heating and storing your food properly in containers that are meant to keep your food fresh for extended periods of time, leftovers are safe for consumption. However, make sure that you are not consuming food that has been sitting in the fridge for more than four days.

If you are someone who has a busy schedule and believes in cooking in batches, make sure to cook enough food to last you for three days and not more than that.