This is my first time hearing that some people worry about nitrosamines in reheated old spinach.
this post was submitted on 18 Nov 2023
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Science of Cooking
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Yeah, I had a Hmmm moment too, but it tugged something in my memory so I put it up, just in case. :)
It definitely qualifies as mildly interesting, though a lot of the article is oddly a puff piece about how cool spinach is.
Listen spinach is the best.
I love spinach, but I think chard is a little better.
Saved you a click: Yes, you can reheat spinach. The myth that its nitrites may reform into nitrosamines only happens at high heat, so maybe cook a bit slower, but regardless, you'll be fine.
If you have a diet rich in antioxidants, which come from foods like leafy greens, they will help prevent nitrates from converting into nitrosamines.
Eating your spinach in the first place can protect you from the unlikely possible harm of reheating it again later.
Finally, it is only very high heat that will convert naturally occurring nitrates into nitrosamines, so avoid burning your spinach to a crisp, and you will be absolutely fine.