As the weather gets colder, hot pot becomes increasingly popular. Some people prefer to cook meat in it, but even more enjoy 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 is best to drink the hot pot broth within the first half hour of cooking.
Fan Zhihong noted that a domestic study once investigated the changes in nitrite content in four types of hot pot broths. Data was collected at the start of the meal, and then 30, 60, and 90 minutes after various foods had been cooked. The results showed that as time passed, the nitrite content in the hot pot broth continuously increased. By the end of the 90-minute meal, the sour cabbage broth showed the highest increase, at 9.83 times; the seafood broth at 7.06 times; and the bone broth and "Yuanyang" (spicy and non-spicy combined) broth at 2.88 and 3.05 times, respectively. This indicates that hot pot broth cooked for too long is not good for your health.
Fan Zhihong stated that drinking such hot pot broth, assuming two small bowls, would not introduce enough nitrites to cause nitrite poisoning in adults. However, this does not mean it will not have adverse effects on the body. Moreover, when using ingredients rich in nitrates, like sour cabbage and seafood, as the broth base, the nitrite content in the soup becomes particularly high. In comparison, clear broth, bone broth, and "Yuanyang" broth are relatively safer. Additionally, the danger 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 is best to drink the hot pot broth within the first half hour of cooking. When eating hot pot, it's advisable to eat early and consume more fresh vegetables, which should not be overcooked. (By Xia Wen)