Pork and century egg porridge is favored by the elderly for its thick, smooth texture and easy digestibility, but they should not consume it frequently.
Century eggs are alkaline, and this alkalinity increases the viscosity of the rice porridge, making it thicker. However, these alkaline substances also cause a significant loss of Vitamin B1 from the rice and lean meat.
Vitamin B1 itself is not easily broken down by heat, but when it encounters alkali, it becomes highly sensitive to heat. The long cooking time and high temperature are enough to degrade most of the Vitamin B1 in the rice and lean meat. Since rice and wheat are still the primary sources of Vitamin B1 in the Chinese diet, regularly eating pork and century egg porridge will certainly not provide the body with an adequate amount of Vitamin B1. A deficiency in Vitamin B1 can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, loss of appetite, and constipation. Therefore, it is not advisable for the elderly to eat pork and century egg porridge frequently.