If you keep overnight vegetables well, they can be eaten within a certain period of time. As for the claims that many overnight vegetables threaten health and even cause cancer, they are too exaggerated and not credible. As for "vegetables that have been left overnight cause cancer", everyone's opinion is this: vegetables that have been left overnight will produce a large amount of nitrite, and nitrite is a carcinogenic component, so we came to this conclusion. It is true that overnight dishes produce more nitrites than fresh dishes, but we don’t actually need to worry about the content of these nitrites. They are still far from the limit of human intake.

Nitrite is actually an approved food additive. So it is impossible to say that eating some food with nitrite added will definitely cause cancer, right? Nitrite is a preservative ingredient that can increase the storage time of food and has the effect of tenderizing and freshening meat. It is often used in processed meat products and canned meat products. However, the amount of these nitrites added is strictly controlled, because the intake of large amounts of nitrites can indeed cause acute poisoning, and long-term large intakes can indeed cause cancer. A very small amount of nitrite intake can also generate nitric oxide in the body, which can dilate blood vessels and promote blood flow.

So, what is the nitrite content in overnight meals? Many researchers have done relevant experiments. Even green leafy vegetables, which are most likely to produce nitrite (green leafy vegetables themselves carry a lot of nitrates, these nitrates are exposed to bacteria in the air for a long time or after cooking. , is easily reduced to nitrite by bacteria, so it is most likely to produce more nitrite in food) When food is placed at room temperature for 20 hours, the nitrite they produce is also a hundred times smaller than our limited intake, so Don’t worry about the nitrite in overnight dishes causing cancer.

But we still have something to worry about. If the overnight meals are not stored properly, they may go bad. Especially in the hot summer, if our leftover meals are not refrigerated in time, You may get rancid in the afternoon. After all, you have been exposed to the air and come into contact with vitamins in the air. These bacteria can easily multiply at a suitable temperature. If harmful bacteria multiply, then the meals we eat will be bad. It will have an impact on the body. And if there are more bacteria, the nitrate in the food will be more likely to be reduced to nitrite. Fortunately, the growth of bacteria will be greatly inhibited at a temperature of about 4°C. As long as you keep it in the refrigerator in time, you don’t have to worry about inedible meals overnight.

Some overnight ingredients need to be stored in the refrigerator, while others can be stored at room temperature. For example, if meat and seafood are easy to deteriorate in a warm and humid environment, they may actually go bad after overnight. And you need to discard the plant food that has been left overnight. Don’t worry about not being able to eat it, unless it is really stored for a long time, such as green leafy vegetables. If it is stored for more than 3 days, more of the nitrate in it will be converted into nitrite, not only the antioxidant content in it will The nutritional value is lost and the taste is not good. Even if the nitrite content is acceptable to the human body, it is not recommended for consumption. In addition, cooked meals that have been left for a long time will inevitably lose some nutrients. Long-term intake of such meals may limit the absorption of nutrients. In short, when cooking and shopping, it is better to focus on eating as much as possible and do your best. And for that.