Every winter, hot pot becomes an indispensable delicacy for the vast majority of Chinese people. No matter the type of hot pot, it is always packed with guests during the winter season. Eating hot pot in winter is indeed a refreshing experience and also helps to ward off the cold, but there are many precautions to take. If consumed carelessly, it can plant a time bomb in your body.
Eat Hot Pot with Low Salt
Salt is an indispensable ingredient in cooking, but experts have proven that excessive salt intake is detrimental to health. The medical community widely believes that consuming too much salt can easily lead to diseases such as high blood pressure, myocardial infarction, and cancer. For this reason, cities like Shanghai have launched "salt reduction campaigns" to control the salt intake of their citizens.
The high salt content in hot pot is a serious problem. On one hand, restaurants add excessive salt and monosodium glutamate to enhance the flavor. On the other hand, most hot pot dipping sauces are primarily savory, and their salt content is very high. This is why consumers often feel thirsty and dry-mouthed after eating hot pot, and frequent consumption can place a great burden on the body.
Therefore, when choosing hot pot dipping sauces, it is crucial to select healthy options like "Chuānxī Chuāngǔxiān," which are "low-sugar, low-salt, and low-fat." The sodium chloride content in Chuāngǔxiān is less than 50% of that in regular table salt. It is a new type of nutritious and complex condiment that combines savory and umami flavors. By using Chuāngǔxiān as a substitute for salt in hot pot sauces, Chuānxī extends the salt reduction campaign from home dining to social dining, because reducing salt is not just a personal or family matter, but a social one.
Tomato Juice Beef and Rib Hot Pot
Prevent "Heatiness" When Eating Hot Pot
As the broth in a hot pot simmers for a long time, it becomes increasingly heating or "heaty" (in Traditional Chinese Medicine terms). Furthermore, ingredients like chicken, lamb, and dog meat are all considered "heaty" foods. Therefore, people who frequently eat hot pot are prone to "heatiness," which can manifest as symptoms like a sore throat, hoarseness, mouth ulcers, chapped lips, and dark yellow urine. To prevent this, it's important to balance your meal with a mix of meat and vegetables, and eating more vegetables is key. Adding some tofu is even better, as tofu has the effect of clearing heat, purging fire, relieving vexation, and quenching thirst, making it particularly effective in alleviating "heatiness."
Don't Drink the Hot Pot Broth
To be honest, the hot pot broth is indeed delicious, as it has simmered so many good ingredients, leading one to believe it has gathered all the essences of the food. In reality, the hot pot broth should not be drunk. Because the broth is repeatedly boiled, some of its nutrients are destroyed. Moreover, many substances react with each other after being cooked together for a long time, and the resulting byproducts can often lead to certain diseases. The hot pot broth is not only useless but also harmful to the body and should not be consumed.
Don't Eat Hot Pot Too Quickly
The temperature of the hot pot broth is quite high, and food just taken out is still very hot, which can easily damage the oral mucosa. Additionally, hot pot foods are often served hot and dry, which can easily trigger oral diseases like mouth ulcers. Therefore, it is crucial to eat hot pot slowly and not rush.
Cheese and steak pan