Eating hot pot requires some precautions
Although hot pot is delicious, it also has hidden dangers that must be guarded against. Therefore, pay attention to the following when eating hot pot:
Pay attention to hygiene
Clean and fresh utensils are paramount. Ordinary copper hot pots can easily develop a thin layer of green copper rust when not in use. This is a chemical reaction between copper and residual water or moisture, vinegar from seasonings, and carbon dioxide in the air, forming basic copper carbonate or copper acetate, both of which are toxic. Therefore, cleaning is essential to avoid copper poisoning, which can cause symptoms like nausea and vomiting. At the same time, since hot pot involves quick boiling, the ingredients must be fresh and clean to ensure hygiene and prevent food poisoning.
The heat must be high
Use high heat with appropriate cooking time. The flame under the hot pot must be strong to keep the broth boiling vigorously. If ingredients are cooked for too long, their nutritional value will be destroyed and they will lose their fresh flavor. If eaten before the broth is boiling and the ingredients are fully cooked, bacteria and parasite eggs will not be completely killed, which can easily lead to digestive diseases.
It should not be too hot
Food should not be scalding hot. The oral cavity, esophagus, and stomach lining can generally only tolerate temperatures of 50°C to 60°C. Food that is too hot can damage the mucous membranes, leading to acute esophagitis and acute gastritis. Therefore, when taking out scalding ingredients from the pot, it is best to let them cool in a small dish first.
Eating high-fat and spicy food is harmful
The broth for hot pot is often made with a base of large amounts of animal fats like lard, sheep oil, or beef tallow, and is heavily seasoned with chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, and other spices. Eating too much hot pot can easily lead to diseases such as hyperlipidemia.
Avoid eating for too long
Some people eat for several hours, even all night. This causes digestive juices like gastric acid, bile, and pancreatic juice to secrete continuously, preventing the glands from resting normally. This can lead to gastrointestinal dysfunction, causing abdominal pain and diarrhea, and in severe cases, chronic gastritis, pancreatitis, and other diseases.
Avoid eating food that is too hot
Food that is too hot can easily scald the oral and esophageal mucosa. When combined with tobacco, alcohol, or unclean food, it can more easily lead to disease.
Be wary of oral cancer if you love spicy and hot food
Do not fail to master the heat: When eating hot pot, if food is boiled for too long, it will lose its fresh flavor and nutritional value; if it is not cooked long enough, it can easily cause indigestion.
Eat less offal
With the use of pesticides, fertilizers, and additives in food production, animal organs often become "filters" and "storage tanks" for these harmful substances. The liver and lungs, in particular, have the highest levels of pathogenic microorganisms and drug residues.
Eat less undercooked food?
Raw foods served at the table often have residual pathogenic microorganisms and parasite eggs. If eaten after a quick dip, the likelihood of harmful microorganisms entering the body is very high.
Should patients use fewer hot pot ingredients?
Items like shrimp dumplings and meatballs contain a lot of oil, so patients with diabetes, high blood pressure, and high blood lipids should eat less. Hot pot broth contains a high amount of sodium, so patients with kidney disease and high blood pressure should eat less. Seasonings (like satay sauce, chili sauce, etc.) can be irritating, so people with gastrointestinal diseases should use them sparingly.
Avoid eating food that is too spicy
Food that is too numbing and spicy can not only irritate the mucous membranes of the mouth, esophagus, and gastrointestinal tract, causing congestion and edema, but can also easily induce certain diseases. Anyone with recurring oral inflammation, chronic pharyngitis, ulcers, chronic pancreatitis, cholecystitis, or who has had surgery on the upper abdomen should not eat hot pot.
Eating hot pot also requires proper pairing
1. Add more vegetables
1. Vegetables are rich in vitamins and chlorophyll, and most have a cool nature. They can not only eliminate greasiness and supplement the body's vitamin needs in winter, but also have a cooling, detoxifying, and heat-clearing effect. However, vegetables should not be boiled for too long to maintain this heat-clearing effect.
2. Eating vegetables and fruits can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
2. Add an appropriate amount of tofu
1. Tofu is a bean product containing gypsum. Adding tofu to the hot pot not only supplements the intake of various trace elements but also allows gypsum to play a role in clearing heat, purging fire, relieving restlessness, and quenching thirst.
2. Add some lotus seeds: Lotus seeds are not only rich in various nutrients but are also a good remedy for conditioning the body. Adding an appropriate amount of lotus seeds to the hot pot creates a meat-and-vegetable combination that helps balance nutrition and is beneficial to health. It is best not to remove the lotus seed cores, as they have a heart-clearing and fire-purging effect.
3. Add a bit of ginger: Ginger can flavor food and ward off cold. You can add unpeeled ginger to the hot pot, as ginger skin is pungent and cool, and has the effect of dispelling fire and heat.
4. Drink a cup of light tea after eating hot pot. This can not only relieve greasiness and freshen the breath but also has a heat-clearing effect. However, after a hot pot meal with a lot of meat and fish, it is not advisable to drink tea immediately, as the tannic acid in tea can bind with protein and affect the absorption of nutrients.
3. Drink fresh juice before eating hot pot
The order of eating hot pot is very important. It is best to drink a small glass of fresh juice before eating, followed by vegetables, and then meat. This way, you can make rational use of the food's nutrients, reduce the burden on the gastrointestinal tract, and achieve the goal of healthy eating.
The following are some drinks you can choose when eating hot pot:
1. Carbonated drinks can aid digestion, promote the expulsion of internal heat, and are effective for replenishing fluids.
2. Fruit and vegetable juices can stimulate gastrointestinal secretion, aid digestion, and make the upper small intestine acidic, which helps with the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. However, people who are controlling their weight, the elderly, and those with high blood sugar should choose low-sugar drinks.
3. Dairy and plant protein drinks, such as yogurt, almond milk, coconut milk, and herbal tea, are suitable for people with chronic diseases and the elderly.
4. Baijiu (white liquor) or wine can have a sterilizing and deodorizing effect, making them most suitable for eating lamb hot pot. Vegetable and fruit juices can help adjust physical condition.
Eat hot pot in the right order
1. Juice, vegetables, then meat.
The hot pot season is here again, with a wide variety of options: fish head hot pot, seafood hot pot, pork hot pot, beef hot pot, lamb hot pot, spicy hot pot, stone hot pot, and homestyle hot pot, to name a few. As long as the ingredients are clean and stored properly, attention is paid to a balanced diet, and the ingredients are cooked thoroughly before eating, you can enjoy hot pot safely and healthily.