As meticulous as our cooking preparation may be, we all need to be better aware of our eating patterns in order to stay healthy. Sylvia recommended that we should go for vegetables first, regardless which types of one-pot dish we eat. She explained, “Vegetables contain water-soluble vitamins. The longer the cooking time, the more nutrients the vegetables are going to lose. Prolonged cooking also increases the salt and oil content of vegetables.” Sylvia also noted that people tend to overeat when they go to the “all-you-can-eat” sessions at hot pot restaurants. She advised that instead of overeating, it would be better to eat wisely by focusing on healthy and delicious ingredients.
Tips for Healthy One-Pot Dishes
Balance your meal
If you have ordered a flavoured one-pot dish, balance it out by choosing some lighter dishes.
Opt for healthy food ingredients
Avoid ingredients which are high in fat and sodium content, such as pork ribs, roasted pork, ox tails, fatty beef, preserved meats, lamb bellies, deep-fried tofu puff and wheat gluten.
Choose natural seasonings
Go for natural ingredients such as vinegar, chopped turnips, spring onions, garlic and chillies. Reduce the use of soy sauce, oyster sauce, satay sauce and fermented broad bean sauce.
Eat vegetables before meat
Eat vegetables first, then meat. The longer the vegetables soak in a pot, the lower the nutritional value and the higher the fat and sodium content will be.
Nutrition Information on Ingredients Commonly Found in One-Pot Dishes
|
Food Items
(per 100 g)
|
Calories
（kCal）
|
Fat
（g）
|
Saturated Fat
（g）
|
Sodium
（mg）
|
| Meats |
|
Mutton (raw)
|
282
|
23.4
|
10.2
|
59
|
|
Beef ribs (raw)
|
390
|
36.2
|
15.8
|
49
|
|
Beef brisket (raw)
|
253
|
19.1
|
7.5
|
69
|
|
Fatty beef (raw)
|
674
|
70.9
|
29.5
|
26
|
|
Beef shank (raw)
|
107
|
3.3
|
1.18
|
107
|
|
Pork (fat) (raw)
|
518
|
53
|
19.3
|
32
|
|
Pork (lean and fat) (raw)
|
236
|
18.0
|
6.2
|
65
|
|
Pork ribs (raw)
|
277
|
23.4
|
7.5
|
81
|
|
Pork(lean) (raw)
|
109
|
2.2
|
0.7
|
53
|
|
Chinese cured sausage
|
548
|
48.3
|
NA
|
1420
|
|
Chinese cured pork meat
|
498
|
48.8
|
NA
|
763.9
|
| Poultry |
|
Chicken (with skin) (raw)
|
215
|
15.1
|
4.3
|
70
|
|
Chicken (without skin) (raw)
|
119
|
3.1
|
0.8
|
77
|
|
Duck (with skin) (raw)
|
404
|
39.3
|
13.2
|
63
|
|
Duck (without skin) (raw)
|
135
|
6.0
|
2.3
|
74
|
| Seafood |
|
Swamp eel (raw)
|
184
|
11.7
|
2.6
|
51
|
|
Fish fillet (raw)
|
95
|
2.8
|
0.7
|
43
|
|
Abalone (raw)
|
105
|
0.8
|
0.2
|
301
|
|
Clam (raw)
|
86
|
1.0
|
0.2
|
601
|
|
Shrimp flesh (raw)
|
85
|
0.51
|
0.1
|
119
|
|
Oyster (raw)
|
81
|
2.3
|
0.5
|
106
|
|
Crab meat (raw)
|
62
|
1.2
|
NA
|
270
|
|
Sea cucumber (raw)
|
56
|
0.4
|
NA
|
NA
|
|
Scallop (raw)
|
69
|
0.5
|
0.1
|
392
|
|
Salted fish
|
305
|
25.1
|
7.2
|
4450
|
| Bean Products |
|
Soybean sticks
|
478
|
24.7
|
NA
|
83
|
|
Fried tofu
|
270
|
20.2
|
2.9
|
16
|
|
Tofu
|
61
|
3.7
|
0.5
|
8
|
| Vegetables |
|
Enoki mushroom (raw)
|
37
|
0.3
|
0
|
3
|
|
Pumpkin (raw)
|
26
|
0.1
|
0
|
1
|
|
Eggplant (raw)
|
25
|
0.2
|
0
|
2
|
|
Wood ear (raw and soaked)
|
25
|
0
|
NA
|
9
|
Remark: “NA” means that relevant nutrient data for that particular food item is not available.
References:
The Nutrient Data Laboratory, US Department of Agriculture
Nutrient Information Inquiry System, Centre for Food Safety
