Tackle the Hot Pot

Chinese New Year is coming up! We wish all our readers a happy holiday even if there is not a day off work. It would be the norm, even in the US, to have a family gathering around this time of year. Many people may feel like they just got over the hump of non-stop holiday eating and here comes another feast. The new year resolution of losing weight will never be accomplished!

Hotpot is the quintessence of CNY even dinner, and it has also gained popularity in mainstream dining scenes. The variety of hot pots (different soup bases, contents) make it tricky to evaluate its impact on health. Simple rules can be applied to make it as healthy as possible.

Balance diet:

We sound like a broken record, but the same principle applies to every, single, meal. Large portion of vegetables, some carbohydrate (grain), and lean proteins. Good choices of carbohydrate would be corn, glass noodle, or taro. It is absolutely not necessary to have any bone or can broth for hot pots. Vegetables make up a perfect soup base. Blench thinly sliced meat right before eating, and it instantly turns the soup into bone broth.

Sodium, sodium, sodium.

Most of people are concerned about sodium for blood pressure reasons. In order to minimize the sodium content of hot pots, utilize as much fresh ingredients as possible. For example, use napa cabbages, spinach, tofu, sliced meat instead of preserved vegetables, fish balls, or meat balls. Sauces usually contain higher amount of sodium, so a simple mixture of equal parts of soy sauce, black vinegar, and sesame oil is a much better alternative.

Exercise:

Truthfully, it is quite depressing if one has to watch every single meal, including the holidays. One way to stay healthy over the holiday feast is to increase activity level. Invite your families for a walk after meals, throw some balls with the kids, or play some games that require moving around. Doing activities together also creates or strengthens bond. After all, that is the purpose of family gathering over new years.

Happy New Year!

Interested in learning about weight goal and nutrition needs? Schedule a free body weight and fat% analysis with Hazel at 626-283-5128 or email to hazel@smarteater.net.