Pickles and salted eggplants pose potential health risks

Pickled melons and eggplants contain many toxins.

Master, Doctor Le Thi Hai - National Institute of Nutrition said, eating pickled melons and eggplants helps stimulate digestion and at the same time adds many beneficial bacteria such as lactobacilli, acidophilus, plantarum... Eating pickled melons with protein-rich foods helps make digestion easier and more delicious.

Pickled melons and eggplants are fermented foods thanks to probiotic bacteria. However, eating pickled melons and eggplants immediately, that is, salting and consuming them on the same day, will be harmful to your health because the amount of bacteria is not enough to ferment. In addition, melons and eggplants are grown using a lot of nitrogen fertilizer, and when not salted thoroughly, they will turn into nitrite. High nitrite content combines with amino acids to form nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic.

Green pickled eggplants still contain the toxic substance solanine which can cause poisoning. Pickled cucumbers that have been left for a long time and have a bad smell, white or yellow film, or black mold are usually due to fungal infection, which is not good for the digestive system.

When pickling, soak in salt water for 3 to 10 days, depending on the weather. If you use warm water, the fermentation time will be faster. Do not eat too much, especially when hungry. Each person should only eat about 50g per week.

When salting, choose good ingredients, old melons, not crushed, large, green cabbage leaves and dried before salting. Press the melons tightly when salting to keep them crispy and prevent them from turning black. Before eating, wash them gently several times to reduce saltiness and acidity.

Do not eat pickled cucumbers when they are still pungent, spicy, have a bitter taste, or are overripe, too sour, discolored, slimy, have yellow scum or black mold...

Before salting, wash the ingredients and tools thoroughly. Salt should be done in glass, ceramic, or porcelain containers. Do not salt in paint cans or recycled plastic containers because toxic chemicals may stick to the containers.

People should not eat pickled melons and eggplants.

Pickled cucumbers and eggplants have high acidity, contain a lot of salt, and are spicy, so people with stomach pain should limit their intake. Do not eat pickles when hungry or right at the beginning of a meal, as this will cause stomach upset or reduce the taste. Eating too many pickles can also damage the stomach lining, causing chronic inflammation or stomach ulcers.

People with poor digestion are susceptible to infectious diseases such as diarrhea, bacillary dysentery, cholera, typhoid...

This is also a stimulant food, increasing the feeling of fullness and nausea, so it is not suitable for pregnant women and sensitive bodies. Children should limit their intake because their digestive system is not yet complete. Instead, you should supplement your baby with probiotics from other better products such as yogurt, digestive enzymes... to improve health and increase resistance.