What Happens If You Eat Leftover Foods?

Friday, January 29, 2016, 16:11 [IST]

Do you think that your own cooking is healthy than eating restaurant-made foods, even when it is leftover foods? You are wrong if you are taking leftover foods improperly.

Leftover foods possess greater health concerns, if not handled properly.

Is it healthy to eat leftover foods is a common doubt for those who prefer to cook some extra servings to save time and effort.

Holiday lunch and dinner time is the best time to enjoy good food with the whole family together. But, this will leave some leftover foods that you will hesitate to throw off.

It is natural that you will keep this food for the next day. This can happen not only in this case, but also with working women who cook during the weekends for the coming week and with women who cook without any calculations.

If you are eating leftover foods even after the recommended safe period, chances are more that you will face some illnesses.

Here, we will discuss on how safe is it to eat the leftovers and the most common health issues that you may face by eating leftover foods.

Food Poisoning

Studies show that bacteria grow between 40 F and 140 F in foods. If you are using leftovers that are not refrigerated within two hours of cooking, chances are more that you will experience food poisoning due to the growth of bacteria.

Digestive Disturbances

The growth of bacteria will cause digestive disturbances and indigestion. Also, the growth of bacteria will cause the food to get fermented that will affect the digestive process.

Never use perishable foods that are kept at room temperature for more than two hours.

Acidity

Are you suffering from unexplained acidity? Your food habit may be the reason for this. Acidity is a common complaint of people who use leftover foods regularly.

This is due to the intake of foods that contain bacteria. There will be associated digestive disturbances as well.

Vomiting

No matter how fresh the food looks, there are chances for the growth of bacteria in leftover foods. This may cause vomiting that is commonly associated with food poisoning.

This can occur as early as within two hours or as late as one or two days. This is mainly due to the chemicals and toxins produced by the bacteria.

Diarrhoea

One of the common health issues that makes leftover foods dangerous to consume is diarrhoea. If it is related to food poisoning, chances are more that this will lead to dehydration as well.

Hence, watch your food habit and follow a good food routine with freshly cooked dishes for a healthy living.

Abdominal Pain

Another common health issue that will occur as a side effect of eating leftover foods is abdominal pain. This can be mainly due to the formation of gas and intestinal contractions.

Refrigerating reheated food is one of the common causes for food poisoning and the associated abdominal pain.

Mild Fever

Bacterial infection will cause mild fever and malaise. If you experience any of the above stated symptoms along with mild or moderate fever, it is better to consult a doctor for further investigations.