Indulge in Hot Pot Safely to Shield Your Body

Hot pot is a popular winter dish. However, not everyone knows the secrets of selecting and preparing ingredients for a delicious, health-conscious hot pot. 

Key Points to Note in Hot Pot Ingredients

Hot pot is a comprehensive dish with a variety of ingredients. Due to the diversity, people often have the habit of combining many types of food in one hot pot. However, these ingredients need careful inspection and preparation to avoid the risk of harming health.

In addition to the main ingredients in hot pots like meat, fish, and vegetables, mushrooms are also considered one of the elements that make hot pots more enticing. Hence, this type of food is almost present in every kind of hot pot.

However, this is also an ingredient that poses many health risks if not handled and consumed properly. Nowadays, mushrooms sold outside the market often lack clear information about their origin, source, and even expiration dates. While mushrooms are easily susceptible to spoilage, fermentation, and bacterial contamination, consuming undercooked mushrooms can lead to poisoning. Unripe mushrooms also contribute to introducing disease-causing bacteria and toxins into the body.

Furthermore, in the meat of certain animals such as dog meat, frog meat, and beef, the prevalence of worms, parasites, and larvae is quite high.

Since frogs live in open fields, the rate of frog meat containing larvae is as high as 75%. Larvae are white, blending with the color of the meat, making them challenging to detect. Additionally, statistics show that various types of parasites, worms, and larvae can transmit from dog meat to humans.

Worm larvae in dog meat, upon entering the body, can cause allergies, trigger asthma attacks, difficulty breathing, hives, itching all over the body, and may even damage the spinal cord. Therefore, for meats with such a high prevalence of worm larvae, special attention is needed in the preparation process, ensuring the meat is fully cooked to avoid harm to the body.

According to nutrition experts, for hot pots containing shellfish such as shrimp, clams, and snails, it's not advisable to combine them with vegetables rich in vitamin C, such as tomatoes and bitter melon, as it can easily lead to poisoning. For hot pots with beef, it's best not to pair them with water spinach, as it can compromise digestive health. Especially for those suffering from constipation, it's advised not to consume these two types of food together as it may worsen the condition.

- When indulging in hot pot, opt for easily digestible and mild vegetables, as hot pots typically combine various foods, posing a risk of poisoning. Some mild vegetables commonly used in hot pot include spinach, Chinese mustard greens, water spinach, chrysanthemum greens, etc.

When purchasing meat and seafood, it's crucial to opt for fresh, live products. Absolutely avoid old or spoiled meat. Additionally, after bringing the ingredients home, make sure to thoroughly wash them before marinating with spices.

The golden rule of 'fully cooked and boiling' should be kept in mind when enjoying hot pot to prevent harm from worms and parasites.

When indulging in hot pot, the temperature of the food entering the mouth should not be too hot to avoid causing damage to teeth, gums, and the esophagus. Avoid consuming excessively sour or spicy items as they can be harmful to the stomach and digestive organs.

Avoid prolonging the hot pot session (3-4 hours) as extended consumption can lead to continuous secretion of bile and pancreatic juice, causing abdominal pain and indigestion. Additionally, allowing the hot pot broth to boil for too long will result in the degradation of vitamins and the saturation of fats, posing risks to the body, especially the cardiovascular system. Therefore, it's advisable to replace the hot pot broth after 60 minutes.

As per 24 hours

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