For most of us, the refrigerator seems to be the best place to extend the life of food, and therefore we confidently put products in it hoping they will keep fresher for longer. Unfortunately some of the products will not only lose their nutritional values but they also may become poisonous.

Below are the 10 most popular products that will be much happier when they don’t land on a shelf in a fridge.

Tomatoes

A rich source of potassium and beta-carotene, they love warmth and a sunny environment. The cold temperature damages the membrane of the tomato and removes its beautiful smell. They are the happiest at room temperature.

Citrus

Do not give them a life sentence in the fridge. Imagine spending the whole life in a warm country and suddenly someone tells you to live in Antarctica, how would you feel? This is how citrus feel when you put them in the fridge. They losing their best nutrition and before maturing they may be already rotten.

Avocado

Especially immature should never be stored in the fridge. Often it will just break down before it is ready to eat. When it is already peeled and soon to be used then fridge is a good solution.

Bananas

they keep their valuable properties at room temperature. The most healthy are the most ripe ones that start to have brown dots on their skin.

Garlic

Moisture in the fridge makes garlic rot much faster. Garlic likes a dry and dark place at room temperature.

Potatoes and sweet potatoes

Storage in a fridge changes their chemical composition and contributes to the loss of nutritional value.

Studies suggest that raw potatoes stored at low temperature activate enzyme called invertase which breaks down the sugar sucrose into glucose and fructose and form acrylamide a chemical linked to cancer during cooking.

Honey

There is no additional benefit in storing honey in a refrigerator, on the contrary, it crystallises faster and loses its liquid consistency.

Jam

An unopened jar can be stored in a kitchen cupboard for up to 2 years. After opening, most of the jam should be refrigerated to avoid mould

Peanut butter

The nut mass separates from the oil when we store the peanut butter in the refrigerator. It is difficult to get a smooth consistency afterwards. The opened jar can be safely stored at room temperature for up to 6 months.

They are many more foods that surprisingly should be kept out of the fridge. What is the most surprising one that you would never thing should stay out of the fridge? It would be great to hear from you.

If you have any questions, comments please contact me or leave a comment in the comment box.