TWICE's Nayeon professes love for Chinese hot pot
TWICE member Nayeon enjoys a late-night hot pot run. Captured from YouTube
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TWICE member Nayeon has once again shown her love for hot pot, even while traveling overseas.
A recent vlog uploaded to her personal YouTube channel offered a glimpse into her daily life in Los Angeles. In the video, Nayeon visited a Chinese hot pot restaurant late at night.
“I was so hungry that I came to eat hot pot at 11 p.m.,” she said. “I want to eat and then immediately pass out.”
She then headed to the sauce bar and prepared her own dipping sauce, mixing peanut sauce, chili sauce, minced garlic, spicy beef sauce, chopped green onions, oyster sauce and chili powder.
“I think this is the third time a hot pot restaurant has appeared in my vlogs,” Nayeon said, adding that she eats hot pot so often.
Hot pot is a Chinese-style communal dish in which thinly sliced meat, seafood and vegetables are cooked in a pot of simmering broth.
However, a meal can quickly become high in calories when fatty, spicy broth is combined with generous portions of beef brisket or pork belly. Fat released from the meat also mixes into the broth. Mushrooms and glass noodles cooked in the broth can absorb some of that oil, while large portions of rice or noodles add even more calories.
The peanut sauce Nayeon used also contains fat. According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), a sauce made by mixing peanut butter with water and soy sauce contains approximately 46 calories per tablespoon (18 grams).
Chili sauce and spicy beef sauce can add further calories if they contain oil. Oyster sauce, meanwhile, can significantly increase sodium intake.
The same USDA data shows that one tablespoon of oyster sauce contains approximately 490 milligrams of sodium. That amounts to nearly one-quarter of the World Health Organization's recommended daily limit of less than 2,000 milligrams for adults.
Excessive sodium consumption can cause the body to retain water, leading to temporary bloating and weight gain.
To enjoy hot pot in a healthier way, choose a clear, lower-sodium broth and avoid drinking too much of it.
If ordering a divided hot pot with two types of broth, cook most of the meat and vegetables in the clear broth. Add plenty of napa cabbage, bok choy and mushrooms, along with lean meat, shrimp or tofu.
Eating vegetables before meat can also help control overall food intake. Vegetables contain water and dietary fiber, which can help people feel full without consuming too many calories.
Hot pot spread in L.A. / Captured from YouTube
Processed fish cakes and sausages should be eaten in moderation because they can contain high amounts of sodium.
When it comes to carbohydrates, choose either glass noodles or rice rather than having both, and keep the portion small.
It is also helpful to prepare only as much dipping sauce as needed in a small bowl. Use soy sauce sparingly and lightly coat the ingredients rather than soaking them in the sauce.
With a few simple adjustments, hot pot can remain an enjoyable meal without adding excessive calories or sodium.
This article from Kormedi.com, Korea’s top health care and medical portal, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.