6 Smart Ways to Eat Hot Pot: Stay Warm and Healthy!

When enjoying hot pot, in addition to referring to the following "6 Smart Tips for Eating Hot Pot," you should also avoid consuming high-cholesterol offal and high-fat foods such as tripe and duck blood; drink less soup to avoid excessive purine intake which can lead to gout; pair it with fruits like guava to supplement fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and use sugar-free tea instead of sugary drinks; and for individuals with chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure, high blood lipids, diabetes, or gout, they should be even more cautious with their intake when enjoying hot pot to avoid jeopardizing their health.

Tip 1: Avoid All-You-Can-Eat

Eating until you're full involves consuming a large amount of food in a short period, increasing the burden on the digestive tract, and excess calories will be converted into fat stored in the body. It is recommended to eat until you are 70% full at each meal.

Tip 2: Choose a Clear Broth

2 bowls of spicy and numbing broth can contain up to 382 kcal, which is 38 times the calories of a clear broth (about 10 kcal), and the sodium content can reach the recommended daily intake. It is recommended to opt for broth made with kelp or tomato and vegetable soup.

Braised Lamb Hot Pot

Tip 3: Pair Sauces Wisely

Sauces such as satay sauce, soy sauce, chili sauce, and broad bean paste are high in oil and sodium. Their use should be reduced. It is recommended to use natural ingredients like mashed radish, garlic, scallions, and cilantro to enhance the flavor.

Tip 4: Eat More Vegetables

It is recommended to choose more seasonal, natural, unprocessed ingredients and vegetables where the original appearance of the food is visible. They are low in calories and rich in nutrients and fiber, which can also increase satiety.

Tip 5: Limit Processed Foods

Fried processed hot pot ingredients like fried tofu skin contain a large amount of oil, while fish balls and hot pot dumplings often use fatty meat to improve their texture, making them high in fat and calories.

Tip 6: Eat Less Dessert

A 240ml can of cola has about 122 kcal and 30.5g of sugar, equivalent to 6.1 sugar cubes; one 60g scoop of chocolate ice cream has 164 kcal and 12.9g of sugar, equivalent to 2.6 sugar cubes. It is recommended to replace them with plain water or sugar-free tea to reduce the burden on the body.