Take extra care when using up the food in your fridge to avoid sickness and allergic reactions
The cost-of-living crisis has caused many of us to change our habits in a bid to save money, and if you’ve found it’s fired up a flare for batch cooking and loving your leftovers, you’re not alone. With UK food prices rising almost 24%* over the past two years, it’s no wonder many of us are trying to make our meals go further. But could making dishes last longer make us sick?
‘When foods age they produce compounds which can cause us to become unwell,’ says integrative health practitioner Jessica Green (jessicagreenwellness.com). ‘We also need to be careful how we’re storing and reheating leftovers, as this simple act can cause us to ingest toxins, which can impact our health.’ Here’s what you need to know.
WHEN TO BIN
Batch cooking meals to pop in the fridge so they last you all week? Only make a maximum of three days’ worth. This time frame will prevent bad bacteria from developing, and it could also avert an allergic reaction. As foods age – even when they’re kept refrigerated – they produce amines that can cause your body to release histamine, resulting in rashes, itchiness and breathing difficulties, warns Jessica. ‘When high-amine foods are combined with seasonal allergies, it can exacerbate your reactions to both – meaning that pre-cooked lunch could make your summer hay fever worse.’
PLAYING HAVOC WITH HORMONES
It’s not just allergies that your batch cook could affect. Stored food and leftovers could also contribute to PMS, perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms. ‘Histamine encourages the ovaries to produce more oestrogen,’ says nutritionist Katherine Corsan from sheernutrition.co.uk. During the perimenopause, oestrogen levels can be erratic, so adding histamine-high foods into the mix can worsen symptoms such as headaches, breakouts, brain fog and hot flushes.
KEEP CHILLED
Bacteria thrives in temperatures between 5-60°C and can double every 20 minutes in that danger zone. As a result, scientists recommend keeping perishable food at room temperature for a maximum of two hours. So let the food cool down, then whack it in the fridge. Also, stick on labels with the food description and the date it was made and stored so you can track what needs eating when. To help, store the items that need consuming first at the front of your fridge.
THIN
