As the weather turns cold, steaming hot pot is becoming increasingly popular. Some people enjoy cooking meat in the pot and even prefer drinking the hot pot broth. Fan Zhihong, an associate professor at the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety in the College of Food Science at China Agricultural University, points out that it's best to drink the broth within the first half hour of cooking.
Fan Zhihong noted that a domestic study once examined the changes in nitrite content in four types of hot pot broths, collecting data at the start of the meal, and then 30, 60, and 90 minutes after cooking various foods. The results showed that as time went on, the nitrite content in the broth continuously increased. By the end of the 90-minute meal, the sour cabbage broth showed the highest increase, at 9.83 times the original level; the seafood broth increased by 7.06 times; and the bone broth and yuanyang broth increased by 2.88 and 3.05 times, respectively. This indicates that simmering the broth for too long is not good for your health.
Boiled Fish Slice Hot Pot
Fan Zhihong stated that drinking such hot pot broth, assuming two small bowls, would not be enough for an adult to suffer from nitrite poisoning. However, this does not mean it won't have adverse effects on the body. Moreover, when using ingredients rich in nitrates, like sour cabbage and seafood, as a base, the nitrite content in the broth is particularly high. In comparison, clear broth, bone broth, and yuanyang broth are relatively safer. Additionally, the risk varies depending on the food being cooked; one should be more cautious when drinking the broth after cooking high-nitrite foods like sour cabbage and seafood.
Experts remind that it's best to drink the hot pot broth within the first half hour of cooking. When eating hot pot, eat early and consume more fresh vegetables, and avoid overcooking them.
Scrambles of fish