In winter, hot pot is a favorite at the dining table and is gaining increasing popularity. Do you know the best practices and taboos for eating hot pot?
Four Principles:
1. More meat and less vegetables can lead to "heatiness". 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 are generally considered "cooling" in nature. They can not only cut through the grease but also have a cooling, detoxifying, and "heat-reducing" effect. Tofu has the function of clearing heat, reducing "fire", relieving restlessness, and quenching thirst. Lotus seeds are not only rich in various nutrients but are also a good remedy for conditioning the body. The white lotus seeds added should preferably have their hearts removed, as the lotus heart has the effect of clearing the lungs and reducing "fire".
2. Improper "cooking time" can lead to illness. Cooking vegetables in the hot pot for a long time can easily destroy their nutritional value. Eating meat and vegetables without waiting for the broth to boil, just to keep them tender, can easily cause diarrhea, intestinal parasites, and hepatitis and other digestive diseases. To keep the hot pot dishes flavorful and nutritious while also meeting hygiene standards, it's important to master the "cooking time". Food should be added in batches according to its nature, cooked as it is added, and only eaten after the broth comes to a boil. Aquatic products should generally be boiled in boiling water for at least 15 minutes before consumption.
3. Consuming less hot pot broth is healthier for you. Hot pot broth is a rich stew formed by cooking various foods like meat, seafood, and vegetables together. It contains a highly concentrated substance 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, causing excessive uric acid to deposit in the blood and tissues, thereby inducing or aggravating gout. Therefore, you should consume less of the hot pot broth.
4. Leftover broth and ingredients in the pot overnight should not be eaten. Because the broth can have a chemical reaction with metal pots, it not only affects the lifespan of the pot but also some of the resulting chemical substances dissolve into the broth, causing poisoning in the human body. For example, the aluminum compounds formed from the reaction between an aluminum 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" formed from the reaction between a copper pot and the broth, it can cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and stomach pain. According to the latest research, excessive copper intake can also lead to cirrhosis of the liver.