Is Hot Pot Healthy?
Is hot Pot good for you? The answer is... it depends!
Hot Pots can be healthy if done correctly.
Hot Pot at home is generally healthier because you can control ingredients and dosages.
In contrast, Hot Pots in restaurants is riskier due to the high use of sodium and saturated fats.
In this article, we will explore the main risks connected to Hotpot and how it differs based on the type of Hotpot.
Unhealthy aspects of eating Hot Pot
Hot Pot at the restaurant is generally very unhealthy as its packaged broth contains an extreme excess of fats per serving. Unfortunately, most restaurants are using pre-packaged broths which can exceed 1,500 calories per packet.
Here are the 4 main risks connected with eating Hot Pot:
1. High Sodium
Hot pot meals typically have a sodium content that exceeds the daily recommended intake of salt. This is due to the high amounts of processed food, such as fish balls, meatballs and cuttlefish balls which are often eaten in one sitting.
2. Saturated Fats
Hot pot meals, which are made with a soup base and meat ingredients like marinated pork, chicken or beef that contain high levels of saturated fats.
Research has shown that excessive consumption of saturated fats has been linked to heart disease, high cholesterol levels, stroke and Type 2 diabetes.
3. Cholesterol
More than many other kinds of meat, beef and pork have a higher calorie content and an excess amount of cholesterol, so it's important to watch your consumption.
4. Overeating
Hot Pots at the restaurant often use the 'all you can eat' formula.
Not having limits can lead to overeating.
Overeating can lead to health problems such as obesity, high blood pressure and heart disease.
What Hot Pots are the healthiest?
Homemade Hot Pots are the healthiest because you can control which soup and ingredients you'll eat.
Be sure to stay low with salt, add plenty of veggies, and don't consume excessive meat.
Nonetheless, we all know what a lovely moment is to eat Hotpot at the restaurant with family or friends!
So here is a quick of the different types of hot pots and how healthy they are:
Is Chinese Hot Pot Healthy?
It can be! But be sure to avoid excess of sodium and saturated fats, for the sake of your hearth.
Is Mala Hot Pot Healthy?
Mala Hot Pot is usually very high in sodium due to the layers of oil.
Also, it can be too spicy, so try it carefully.
Is Mongolian Hot Pot Healthy?
Same as the other types of hot pots, it depends on the sodium levels of the broth, as well as how much fat meat you'll consume.
Is Japanese Hot Pot Healthy?
Shabu Shabu japanese hotpot is amongst the healthiest type of Hot Pot.
Japanese hot pots focus more on flavoring the food through the sauces rather than having heavy broths.
Conclusions: Can Hotpot be good for you?
Sure it can!
Cooking hotpot yourself at home is the best option because you can control the broth, the soup, and the ingredients.
If you go to the restaurant, be sure to eat plenty of veggies, don't eat over your limits, and try to limit Hot Pot dinners just to twice a month.