“Healthy through eating series” | Do you know the little-known facts about eating hotpot?

Autumn and winter are here, and the temperature starts to drop. The colder the weather, the more we miss steaming hot pot. Looking across the country, many places have local hot pots, which not only have ever-changing flavors, but also dazzling side dishes. So here comes the question: How much do you know about eating hot pot?

Hot pot with white wine, the more you drink, the better?

The esophageal wall of the human body is composed of mucous membranes, which can only withstand temperatures of around 50°C. The temperature of food boiled in hot pot often reaches over 80°C. If you swallow it immediately, the overly hot food will easily burn the esophageal mucosa. If you are burned repeatedly, it is likely to induce esophageal cancer. The habit of drinking white wine while eating spicy hot pot is even more "adding fuel to the fire". The stimulation of chili and alcohol will accelerate the damage of the esophageal mucosa, which doubles the chance of esophageal cancer.

The onset of esophageal cancer is the result of the interaction of multiple factors and is a long and slow process. Therefore, it is not recommended to drink white wine when eating hot pot.

What drinks are recommended to go with hot pot?

Many people think that hot pot with soda is refreshing, but the best drinks to go with hot pot are tea, plant tea and egg white drinks. Protein drinks, such as yogurt drinks, are best drunk before meals, as they provide rich protein and can also help protect the stomach. Tea drinks can relieve greasiness and reduce internal heat, and can highlight the flavor of hot pot; while plant-based teas such as chrysanthemum tea and winter melon tea can reduce internal heat and aid digestion.

Can I drink hot pot soup?

In the process of cooking hot pot, meat, seafood, vegetables, etc. are mixed together. After being cooked, a substance called "porphyrin" will be formed in the thick soup, which has a certain impact on human health. The longer it is cooked, the worse it tastes. So if you like to drink the soup base or make the original soup dish, try to do it before the hot pot.

What ingredients are recommended for hot pot base?

Tofu is a very good soy product. It contains gypsum, which can not only supplement the intake of various trace elements, but also play the role of gypsum in clearing away heat, purging fire, eliminating restlessness and quenching thirst. Ginger peel is spicy and cool, and can disperse fire and remove heat, which is also very good.

Author: Cai Zhihao and Lan Haobo from Luoyang Normal University

Review expert: He Jialiang, associate professor of the School of Food and Bioengineering, Henan University of Science and Technology