As autumn arrives, delicious hot pot becomes popular again. But here's the problem: while hot pot is tasty, it also brings health issues, such as "gout". Why is eating hot pot a common cause of gout? Let's find out with us.
The "purine" in hot pot food leads to "gout"
In addition to factors like physical constitution and fatigue, seafood, animal offal, mushrooms, and alcohol are all the main culprits causing gout. This is because the "purine," which gives food its delicious flavor, cannot be excessively processed by the human body, and it is the "troublemaker" that causes gout.
If excess "purine" cannot be expelled from the body, uric acid will deposit in the blood, leading to gout. In its early stages, it often manifests as a mysterious sprain of the toe, with recurring redness, swelling, and pain. If left uncontrolled, uric acid can further cause joint deformities and eventually lead to kidney damage and failure.
Gout is considered a "disease of affluence," with 85% of patients being overweight. Currently, gout patients are mostly high-income, sedentary, and socially active white-collar office workers. The age of onset has shifted from after 50 to around 30, often with a sudden attack after a luxurious seafood feast the next morning. In our country, gout has changed from a rare disease to a common one since the 1980s.
It is currently confirmed that seafood, meat, animal offal, mushrooms, alcohol, strong tea, and coffee contain high levels of "purine" and should be consumed in moderation. Many mistakenly believe that "not eating meat but only drinking the broth" would be better, but because "purine" can fully leach into the broth after long simmering, gout often peaks during the season when various hot pots and casseroles are popular.
Pay attention to the following points when eating hot pot
Keep raw and cooked food separate
Director Qin introduced that when eating hot pot, attention must be paid to hygiene. For example, raw and cooked foods should be stored separately, and two sets of chopsticks, utensils, and tableware should be used to handle raw and cooked foods to avoid cross-contamination. It's also advisable not to place too much food on the table. After adding more water or broth, wait for the liquid to boil again before continuing to cook.
"Many people, in pursuit of a fresh taste, often eat food before it is fully cooked during the hot pot process. However, the raw food served on the table often contains residual pathogenic microorganisms and parasite eggs. If you eat it as soon as it's seared, the likelihood of harmful microorganisms invading the body is very high," Director Qin explained. Hot pot mainly involves scalding, so the ingredients must be fresh, clean, and hygienic.
Don't eat hot pot that's too hot to avoid harming the digestive tract
First, you shouldn't eat hot pot that's too hot. There's a saying, "Heat is as good as three delicacies." For this reason, some people pick food directly from the steaming hot pot into their mouths, feeling their tongues go numb and their forehead sweat before exclaiming how enjoyable it is. This is harmful to the body because the oral, esophageal, and gastric mucosa can generally only tolerate temperatures of 50°C.
Qin Qianzi, Chief Physician of Gastrointestinal Surgery at the Autonomous Region People's Hospital, explained, "Consuming food that is too hot will damage the mucosa. The broth in a hot pot is at a high temperature, and eating it immediately can easily scald the mucosa of the mouth, tongue, esophagus, and stomach. Eating hot pot can easily lead to 'internal heat.' For example, people who already have hemorrhoids may find their chances of rupture increase several times due to the stimulation of the high temperature and spicy food in hot pot, which causes blood vessels to dilate. People with pharyngitis and enteritis should also be cautious when eating hot pot."
Han Shouhua, Chief Physician at the Cancer Treatment Center of the General Hospital of Guangxi, explained that the oral, esophageal, and gastric mucosa of a person can generally only tolerate temperatures of 50°C-60°C at most. Food that is too hot can damage the mucosa, leading to acute esophagitis and acute gastritis. Because people eat every day, once the mucosa is damaged, it is difficult to heal. If these inflammations are not treated in time, they may slowly develop into gastric ulcers. Director Han kindly suggests that when eating hot pot, take a small amount of food from the pot, let it cool in a bowl, and do not rush to eat it.
Eating too spicy can induce diseases
"Food that is too spicy not only irritates the mucous membranes of the mouth, esophagus, and gastrointestinal tract, causing them to become congested and swollen, but it can also easily induce some diseases," Director Han explained.
It is understood that people with stomatitis, chronic pharyngitis, ulcers, recurrent chronic pancreatitis, cholecystitis, or those who have had surgery on the upper abdomen should try to eat less hot pot.
Many people have the habit of drinking a cup of clear tea after eating hot pot, believing that it can not only relieve greasiness and freshen the breath but also clear internal heat. Director Qin introduced that after a hot pot meal with a lot of meat and fish, it is not advisable to drink tea immediately, nor to eat too greasy food. Experts also remind that boiling the hot pot broth for too long can easily produce nitrites, so the time should be controlled when eating hot pot.
The longer the hot pot cooks, the more nitrites it contains
Many people who eat hot pot feel that the broth gets saltier as they eat towards the end. It is understood that hot pot broth is typically heavily seasoned, and a large amount of seasoning is added. During the cooking process, the longer it simmers, the more nitrites the broth contains, making it saltier.
A professional academic survey shows that the longer a hot pot is cooked, the higher the nitrite content. In terms of nitrite concentration, the various broths start out with little difference, ranging from 1.3 to 1.8mg/L. However, as the cooking time extends, the difference in nitrite content becomes larger. After 90 minutes, the nitrite content in the sauerkraut broth is 15.73mg/L, the seafood broth reaches 12.70mg/L, the bone broth is 3.3mg/L, and the yin-yang hot pot is 3.87mg/L. Therefore, do not drink broth that has been simmered for too long.
Eat some fruit after eating hot pot
Physician Han Shouhua recommends eating more fruits rich in fiber after a hot pot meal. "Unlike herbivores, humans cannot directly digest and utilize fiber. However, bacteria in the intestines can break down a portion of the fiber, which can then be absorbed and utilized by the human body. Fiber in food has good water-absorbing properties, keeping feces at a certain moisture level. It prevents dry stools and has a preventive and therapeutic effect on constipation, hemorrhoids, and other diseases." Physician Han Shouhua emphasized that besides after eating hot pot, one should also eat more fruits and vegetables in daily life.
It's best not to add sauerkraut and processed meat products to the broth
The production of nitrites is related not only to the cooking time but also to the ingredients. Generally, processed foods such as sauerkraut, sausages, and luncheon meat contain nitrites and are not recommended for excessive consumption. Vegetables should also be eaten while fresh, as cooking them for too long will also produce nitrites. According to data, nitrite is quite toxic. Calculated by human body weight, its median lethal dose (the dose of a toxin that kills half of the test animals) is 22mg/kg. Simply put, for a person weighing 60kg, only 1.32 grams can be lethal. Symptoms of poisoning are generally shock, coma, and respiratory failure. However, based on some academic survey data, the nitrite in hot pot broth will not cause acute poisoning. But this does not mean it will not have adverse effects on the human body. In hot pot broth, the content of amino acids and amines is relatively high. Under heating conditions, they may react with nitrites to form nitrosamines. Nitrosamines are recognized carcinogens worldwide. Furthermore, meat ingredients simmered for too long in a hot pot can also react with other components to form nitrosamines. Han Shouhua, Chief Physician, explained, "Hot pot broth is typically heavily seasoned with a large amount of condiments. During the cooking process, the longer it simmers, the more nitrites the broth contains, making it saltier. Therefore, it's best not to add sauerkraut and processed foods like seafood to the base of the pot." Director Han suggests trying to finish eating hot pot within an hour and a half. If you want to taste the broth, it's best to drink the first one, not the last one. Ingredients should be primarily fresh, with fewer processed foods like fish balls and sausages.