In the autumn and winter seasons, when the weather is cold, many people enjoy eating hot pot to warm up. However, this enjoyable dish can easily lead to symptoms like diarrhea, inflammation, and mouth ulcers. Therefore, it's important to pay attention to certain methods and techniques when eating hot pot to avoid causing health problems.
1. Add more vegetables
Hot pot ingredients not only include meat, fish, and animal offal but should also contain a good amount of vegetables. Vegetables are rich in vitamins and chlorophyll and are generally considered cooling. They can help cut through the greasiness, supplement the body's vitamin intake, and have a cooling, detoxifying, and anti-inflammatory effect. However, the vegetables should not be boiled for too long to maintain their cooling properties.
2. Eat more white lotus seeds
White lotus seeds are not only rich in various nutrients but are also considered a great remedy for regulating the body. Adding an appropriate amount of white lotus seeds to the hot pot helps create a balanced combination of meat and vegetables, which is beneficial for your health. It's best not to remove the lotus seed cores, as they have a heart-clearing and fire-reducing effect.
3. Add some tofu
Tofu is a bean product that contains gypsum. Adding an appropriate amount of tofu to the hot pot not only helps supplement the intake of various trace elements but also allows the gypsum to exert its cooling, fire-reducing, and thirst-quenching properties.
4. Use light seasonings
Seasonings like satay sauce and chili sauce can be harsh on the stomach. Using milder condiments like soy sauce and sesame oil can help avoid irritating the digestive system and reduce the risk of "internal heat."
5. Choose fresh shellfish
When eating hot pot at home, be sure to scrub the shells of shellfish clean and soak them in fresh water for at least half a day. This allows them to expel any impurities from their bodies before consumption. Dead shellfish contain a large number of harmful microorganisms and should not be eaten.