In winter, hot pot is a favorite at the dining table, and its popularity is on the rise. Do you know the best way to eat hot pot? Four key principles:
First, a diet high in meat and low in vegetables can easily lead to "internal heat." When eating hot pot, you should add more vegetables and tofu, and it's best to include some white lotus seeds. Vegetables are rich in vitamins and chlorophyll and tend to have a cooling nature. They not only cut through the grease but also have a cooling, detoxifying, and "heat-reducing" effect. Tofu helps to clear heat, reduce "internal fire," alleviate restlessness, and quench thirst. Lotus seeds are not only rich in various nutrients but are also a good remedy for bodily nourishment. It's best not to remove the lotus cores from the white lotus seeds, as they have the effect of clearing the lungs and reducing "internal fire."
Second, improper "cooking time" can lead to illness. Boiling vegetables for a long time in the hot pot can easily destroy their nutritional content. On the other hand, eating meat and other ingredients without waiting for the broth to boil, just to ensure they are tender, can easily cause digestive tract diseases such as diarrhea, intestinal parasites, and hepatitis. To keep the hot pot dishes flavorful and nutritious while also meeting hygiene standards, it's crucial to master the "cooking time." Food should be added to the pot in batches according to its nature, cooked as it is added, and only eaten after the broth comes to a boil. Seafood should be boiled in boiling water for at least 15 minutes before it is safe to eat.
Third, consuming less hot pot broth is better for your health. Hot pot broth is a rich soup formed by cooking a mixture of meats, seafood, and vegetables. It contains a substance at a very high concentration called "purine" (also known as "porphyrin"). After digestion and metabolism by the liver, this substance is converted into uric acid. This can lead to reduced kidney function, impaired excretion, and the excessive deposition of uric acid in the blood and tissues, which can trigger or worsen gout. Therefore, you should consume less of the hot pot broth.
Fourth, leftover broth and ingredients in the pot overnight should not be eaten. Because the broth can undergo a chemical reaction with a metal hot pot, this not only shortens the lifespan of the hot pot but also causes some chemical substances to dissolve into the broth, leading to food poisoning. For example, the aluminum compounds formed from the reaction between an aluminum hot pot and the broth can inhibit the body's absorption of phosphorus, hindering the growth, development, and metabolism of bones and teeth. If a person ingests too much "verdigris" (copper compounds) formed from the reaction between a copper hot pot and the broth, it can cause symptoms like nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and stomach pain. According to the latest research, excessive copper intake can also lead to cirrhosis of the liver.