Dr. Rituja Ugalmugle, Internal Medicine, Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai (India) - said, there are some foods and drinks that need to be warmed up to enjoy them. But there are also foods that should not be reheated because they can cause health problems .
Dr. Rituja Ugalmugle analyzed that, for example, with tea, reheating this beverage will lead to a series of problems including:
Loss of nutrients: Heating tea can cause the loss of some antioxidants, such as catechins, especially in green tea.
Tannin formation: When tea is reheated, tannin concentrations may increase, leading to a more bitter taste. Although tannins themselves are not harmful, consuming too much can interfere with the absorption of certain nutrients such as iron.
Bacterial Growth: If tea is left at room temperature for a long period of time before reheating, it can become a breeding ground for bacteria, especially if the tea contains milk or sugar.
Dr. Rituja Ugalmugle adds that reheating tea can lead to the formation of potentially harmful compounds and loss of nutrients. In general, it is better to avoid reheating and only drink freshly brewed tea.
According to Dr. Rituja Ugalmugle, spinach is also a food that should not be reheated, because:
Nitrate conversion: Spinach is rich in nitrates, which can convert to nitrites when reheated, especially after being stored for a period of time. Nitrites can convert to nitrosamines, some of which are potentially carcinogenic.
Loss of nutrients: Reheating spinach can cause loss of heat-sensitive nutrients, such as certain vitamins (e.g., vitamin C and folate).
