Hot Pot Soup Isn't as Nutritious as You Think
As the weather gets colder, hot pot is undoubtedly the number one choice for people in Guiyang. Boiling meat and vegetables in the pot, and then having a bowl of rich hot pot soup after a satisfying meal is an incredibly comforting experience.
Generally, we believe that since meat, vegetables, and seafood have all been boiled in the hot pot soup, all the nutrients have seeped into it, making the soup very nutritious. Following the principle of "original soup aids digestion," we should drink every last drop of it. However, nutrition experts believe this is a huge misconception.
In fact, after the hot pot soup has been boiling for 90 minutes, saturated fats from beef and mutton, as well as substances like nitrites and oxalic acid from the vegetables, enter the soup. The nitrite content in the soup far exceeds safe levels. Furthermore, prolonged boiling destroys the vitamin C in the vegetables. Additionally, hot pots used for cooking meat contain large amounts of purines, making the soup unsuitable for people with gout. Therefore, hot pot soup is not nutritious at all; on the contrary, it can be harmful to your health.
If you really can't resist the hot pot soup, a better approach is to add the vegetables first and start enjoying the soup once the water comes to a boil.