How much time should I spend eating hotpot?

Answer:

Hotpot is an enticing dish, especially during the cold season and on gathering occasions. Enjoying hotpot while simultaneously talking has become common, making it normal for a hotpot session to last three to four hours.

However, this is not good for our health.

You should spend no more than two hours eating hotpot. A prolonged meal may put continuous strain on your stomach. It can also boost the production of gastric juices, bile, and pancreatic enzymes to deal with the food intake. Ingredients may also lose their nutrition value due to being soaked and cooked for too long.

A hotpot gathering. Illustration photo by Freepik

Long eating time also results in greater consumed food amount, which may lead to weight gain. Hotpot broth is rich in fat and cholesterol, which may increase the risk of gout and elevated blood uric acid level if consumed too much.

In order to get the best nutrition from hotpot, it is advised to drink a small amount of water before eating. Consuming vegetables first and meat last is also recommended. The ingredients should be sliced and immersed in the broth for around one minute to ensure that they get cooked completely and are safe to digest. For seafood with thick shells such as shrimp, clams, or snails, or foods that are in ball form, it is necessary to immerse them in boiling broth for more than five minutes.

It is advised not to eat hotpot too frequently in a week as this may harm your digestive system and disrupt nutrition balance. You should limit hotpot consumption to once every one or two weeks.

Dr. Nguyen Hoai Thu

Vietnam Institute of Applied Medicine