As the saying goes, "To live a long life, eat mutton often." Mutton is one of the most commonly consumed meats and an excellent food for nourishment in the winter. After the Start of Winter, cold fronts arrive frequently. The favorite food for people in the north is hot pot, and the首选 (first choice) ingredient for hot pot is mutton. Eating mutton in winter is very suitable and enjoyable, as it can add nutrition and heat to the body, and also satisfy the "happiness" of the taste buds. In the long, severe winter, gathering a few friends around the stove, slicing and cooking mutton and fresh vegetables in the steaming hot pot will undoubtedly bring people a warm feeling in a season where water freezes into ice.
People with a "heaty" constitution or those with inflammatory conditions should eat mutton with caution.
Experts explain that mutton has a fine texture, a delicious taste, and is rich in nutritional value. Every 100 grams of mutton contains 13.3 grams of protein, 34.6 grams of fat, 0.7 grams of carbohydrates, 11 milligrams of calcium, 129 milligrams of phosphorus, and 2 milligrams of iron. It also contains important components like B vitamins, vitamin A, and niacin. Mutton is warm in nature and sweet in taste, and has the effects of replenishing qi and addressing deficiency, warming the middle and lower jiao, tonifying the kidneys and strengthening yang, promoting muscle growth and strengthening the body, and resisting cold wind. It is truly a top-grade food for winter nourishment and yang supplementation. The therapeutic effects of mutton include warming the spleen and stomach, which can be used for symptoms like nausea due to deficiency-cold in the spleen and stomach, emaciation, and aversion to cold; warming the liver and kidneys, suitable for symptoms like soreness and cold pain in the lower back and knees, and impotence due to kidney yang deficiency; and nourishing blood and warming the meridians, used for lower abdominal cold pain caused by postpartum blood deficiency or cold in the meridians.
So, how should one eat mutton to achieve the best therapeutic effects? Experts point out that mutton is easy to digest, and whether it's in a hot pot, clear stew, braised, or roasted, it is always fresh and fragrant. However, eating mutton requires a scientific and reasonable approach, as it is not suitable for everyone. Because individual constitutions vary greatly due to factors like gender, age, and nutritional status, and because everyone's health is different. This suggests that when eating hot pot, in addition to satisfying one's palate, it is more important to decide how to eat and how much based on one's own condition. It should be said that people who are thinner, fear the cold, or have a weaker constitution are more suitable for eating mutton. However, people with a "heaty" constitution, such as those who are obese, have hyperlipidemia, or suffer from obesity with hypertension, high blood lipids, or hyperuricemia, should limit their consumption. If one has acute inflammation, an external contraction with fever, is recovering from a febrile illness, or has skin sores, carbuncles, and other conditions, they should also avoid eating mutton. For those who are usually robust, thirsty, like to drink, and have constipation, they should also eat less mutton to avoid generating heat and damaging body fluids.
Hot pot must be paired with vegetables.
At the same time, when eating hot pot, it is essential to pair it with other foods for the sake of health. Yan Yage also recommends that hot pot should be paired with foods like cabbage, sweet potatoes, lettuce, crown daisy, cilantro, spinach, kelp, and frozen tofu. The main seasonings include soy sauce, sesame paste, shrimp oil, sesame oil, chive flower, fermented bean curd, chili oil, cooking wine, and vinegar. You can also add chopped cilantro, shredded green onions, pickled mustard greens, and sugar garlic, each served in small bowls. The hot pot broth can be chicken soup, meat broth, or mushroom soup. Seasonings can be chosen according to personal taste, and the meat slices are dipped in them. It should also be reminded that for healthy adults, an appropriate amount of mutton is 100-150 grams per person per time, and it should be eaten 2-3 times a week. Eating too much can easily generate heat, and it is not suitable for nourishment in summer and autumn.
What else should be noted about hot pot? Experts also warn that although hot pot is good, it has many disadvantages. If eaten improperly, it may cause a sore throat, oral ulcers, abdominal bloating and diarrhea, or gastrointestinal bleeding. Diners need to be reminded: first, do not eat it while it's too hot, as this can easily scald the mouth, tongue, esophagus, and stomach lining; second, do not eat it in a hurry. Many people贪图 (covet) the tenderness of the meat and do not cook it thoroughly, which easily gives bacteria and parasite eggs in the food a chance to survive; third, the seasonings should not be too strong, too salty, or too spicy. People with hypertension should especially control the amount of salt in their dipping sauce; fourth, do not mix cold and hot food, as the drastic temperature change is extremely harmful to the stomach lining; fifth, people with hyperuricemia and gout should not drink the hot pot broth to prevent their condition from worsening.
Hot pot procedure: Broth — Vegetables — Meat
In addition, what to drink with hot pot is also very important. Yan Yage introduces that the following drinks are most suitable to accompany a hot pot meal:
Yogurt: Yogurt is not only nutritious but can also protect the gastrointestinal mucosa. The lactic acid bacteria it contains can inhibit the growth of spoilage bacteria, reduce the toxins they produce in the intestines, and at the same time prevent diarrhea, abdominal pain, etc., caused by the greasiness of hot pot and other factors.
Carbonated drinks: Although they contain few nutrients other than sugar, the carbon dioxide in them can aid digestion, promote the expulsion of heat from the body, create a cool and refreshing feeling, and are also effective for replenishing fluids.
Fruit juice: Rich in organic acids, it can stimulate gastrointestinal secretion and aid digestion. It can also make the upper part of the 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 pay attention to choosing low-sugar fruit juices.
Vegetable juices, dairy products, and plant protein drinks: Such as yogurt, almond milk, coconut milk, and herbal teas, suitable for people with chronic diseases and the elderly.
Alcoholic beverages: When eating hot pot, it is best to drink some white wine or wine, which can have a bactericidal and deodorizing effect and is most suitable for drinking with mutton hot pot. However, it should be noted that when eating seafood hot pot, one should not drink large amounts of beer, otherwise, there is a risk of developing gout.
Finally, experts point out that the order of eating hot pot is also a science. It is best to drink a small glass of fresh juice first, then eat vegetables, and then consume meat. This way, it is possible to make rational use of the nutrients in food, reduce the burden on the gastrointestinal tract, and achieve the goal of healthy eating.