廣東人喜歡喝湯，特別是老火湯，覺得它們特別滋潤有益。傳統中國家庭每天吃晚飯的時間都會有一大煲湯，以細火數小時慢燉，滋補每個回家喝湯的家人。而都市人生活節奏急速，無時間煲湯，便造就了一些專門賣湯的店舖。不過，老火湯可能一直被高估其營養價值。
  老火湯在長時間煲燉的過程中，很多維生素被破壞，而脂肪和嘌呤含量則會升高。其中，維生素C, B1, B2, 葉酸等，由於它們的水溶性特質，比油溶性維生素更活躍、更易於長時間煲燉的過程中大量流失。湯熬得時間越長，越多湯料中的脂肪被釋放於水中，多喝會提高患心腦血管疾病的風險。如果湯料中包括肉類和內臟，當中的嘌呤會被大量釋放於湯水中，長期飲用容易產生高尿酸血症，引起痛風、腎病等。根據最近的《廣州城市居民健康白皮書》，廣州居民約六成有尿酸過高問題，而愛喝老火靚湯是重要原因。長期喝老火湯隨時滋補變傷身。 其實，湯中的營養價值很大程度取決於湯料的選擇和煲燉的時間/溫度。兩者如果配搭得宜，湯中的營養價值便能達致最佳。以蕃茄薯仔牛肉湯為例，係鍋放入適量的水，放事先已去皮的薯仔煮10分鐘，再放已切粒的蕃茄再煮5分鐘，最後放入免治牛肉，以中至大火熬至見水再滾起即可熄火，加鹽調味即可。若果連湯帶渣一併吃掉的話，就能把湯中所有營養素都吸收殆盡。一般來說把煲湯時間控制在1個半至2小時以內為佳，過久不僅營養物質可能流失，長期喝濃湯還會傷腎！ 
 In fact, many people in Hong Kong are living busy lives and do not have enough time to prepare stewed soup. This brings up some chains of soup shops. However, the nutritional values of double-stewed soups are probably over-estimated by the commons. In the long stewing process, many vitamins are destroyed by the heat while the fat and purines contents increase. Water soluble nutrients like vitamin C, B1, B2 and folate are more susceptible to be lost in stewing than their fat soluble counterparts, owing to their water soluble property. The longer the stewing time, the more lipids are released into the soup. Having too much lipids in our diet will increase your risk of hyperlipidemia and other cardiovascular diseases.  Actually, nutritional values of soups depend heavily on the ingredients and the way we cooked. Most of the nutrients can be retained in the soup if we keep an eye on the ingredients, cooking temperature and time. Let’s take Minced beef Tomato and Potato Soup as an example. Firstly, put enough water into a soup pot; boil the sliced potato for 10 minutes and then tomato dices for 5 minutes. Finally add the minced beef and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Don’t forget adding the salt and other seasonings before serving. You can get the most nutrients from this soup if you have had the soup as well as the cooked potato, tomato and beef. Generally, stewing time is better controlled within one and a half to two hours. Not only does prolonged stewing reduce nutrient contents, but also causes various diseases.  我們現已登陸facebook！全新HK BioTek專頁將配合facebook全新打咭功能，為會員提供不同優惠。除此之外，HK BioTek將繼續透過本平台，提供不同健康資訊。關注健康的您絕對不容錯過，請按此獲得詳細資料。HK BioTek is now on facebook! Our new page will incorporate the new check-in function, providing more privilege for our members. In addition, we will keep you up-to-date on various health topics through this platform. Please click here for more detail. |
