Why You Should Think Twice Before Eating Leftover Rice

Feb 04, 2019 by apost team

Rice is a versatile food because it is filling and delicious. As a result, most people across the world consider it as a dietary staple. As much as many people love consuming it with different meals, it has been recently discovered that if not well handled, rice can make you fall sick easily. The problem is not reheating rice, but how people choose to store it.

For Illustration Purposes Only - istockphoto.com/arekmalang

According to the National Health Service UK, you can get food poisoning from eating reheated rice. "It's not the reheating that causes the problem, but the way the rice has been stored before it's reheated." Once the rice has been cooked and is ready for consumption, it should never be stored at room temperature for a long time. The main reason is that once the rice is stored at room temperature, it gets spores known as Bacillus cereus bacteria that are extremely dangerous. If the bacteria reacts with your body, you may suffer food poisoning in the form of vomiting, nausea and diarrhoea.

apost.com

For Illustration Purposes Only - istockphoto.com/paisan191

If you have dried rice, do not eat it if it is not well-cooked. If you happen to experience any crunch or stiffness while eating your rice, you need to take it back to the pun and cook it more. If you happen to visit a restaurant and notice that the rice served to you is cold or looks old, it is advisable to avoid eating it.

How to Store your Rice Safely

For Illustration Purposes Only - istockphoto.com/laymul

Ideally, consume rice as soon as it has been fully cooked. If that isn't possible, cool the rice as quickly as possible within the next 1 hour.

When you bring some rice home from your favorite restaurant, the first thing you should do is to put it in the fridge. National Health Service UK recommends storing it for no longer than 1 day until reheating. 

For Illustration Purposes Only (With Models) - istockphoto.com/yipengge

The guidelines in this article are not difficult to follow. Additionally, they are vital to know to ensure that you keep your health fine. Many people fall sick after eating a meal with rice, but they do not understand the reason behind it. Now that you know, it is your responsibility to protect yourself and your family from the bacteria that grow on your rice. As long as you cook your rice at the right temperature and cool it immediately after you are done eating, you are assured of avoiding certain bacteria-related diseases.

Were you aware of these risks? Let us know how you store your leftover rice in the comments. Don't forget to pass this article on to your friends and loved ones, it's important to inform everyone about this!

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation by your doctor. Your health is important to us!