One of the healthiest and most balanced diets you can have is a Thai diet. Thai cuisine is also diverse and interesting with a number of influences from European and African nations which add to its cosmopolitan flavor.
Compared to other foods from Asia, Thai food typically contains less fat and is lighter and healthier. For example, a typical Indian dish that contains around fifty grams of fat only contains as little as quarter of this in its nearest Thai equivalent.
The ingredients used in Thai cooking are both healthy and tasty and have been used in local medicine throughout history. Following is an outline of some of the main ingredients used in Thai cuisine.
Chilies are especially common in Thai cuisine, especially the cayenne variety. Health experts in the west have in recent times discovered the health benefits of these and realized that they are beneficial for the cardio-vascular system and also help the body to produce insulin. Also, rather oddly, chilies have also been shown to help cure insomnia.
Another popular ingredient in Thai cooking is coconut milk which helps to lower a certain type of cholesterol that can be harmful to your body. It has also been shown to boost the immune system and has also been used for anti-aging creams etc. due to some of its unique characteristics.
Known across the continent of Asia, the coriander herb is also found frequently in diets across the region. It is good for the digestive system and helps to boost the immune system, research has suggested.
Related to ginger, galangal is another ingredient common in Thai cuisine. It helps to solve problems with the digestive system and is also believed by some to help lessen the symptoms of arthritis.
Kaffir lime leave are antioxidants found in Thai cooking which help to improve the blood and the digestive system as well as the health of the mouth and teeth. It is one of the most common flavors used in Thai cooking.
Lemongrass has been used in Chinese medicine for many centuries and provides a pleasant, fragrant addition to Thai food. It helps the digestive system and the treatment of various flu-like illnesses.
Turmeric, found in various Asian cuisines, is a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.
There is of course a lot more about Thai cuisine that makes it particularly healthy other than just the ingredients which are used. The ingredients are particular high quality and tend not to be dried or come in the form of extracts as they often are in some other Asian cuisines. With food typically being fresh and natural, it provides the maximum possible health benefits for you.
Thai cuisine also has a great deal of salads and seafood, so there are plenty of alternatives to meat. Thai food happily caters for just about everyone, with an abundance of red meat dishes as well as its vegetarian options.
Not many dieticians would disagree that Thai food is amongst the healthiest in the world, but as with anything it should be enjoyed with a degree of moderation to reap the maximum benefit from it.
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