Is Thai Food Healthy? Best Thai Dishes For Your Health
Thailand has become a tourist attraction in the past few years. It is not only popular for its natural beauty but also for human-made wonders. Tourists not only visit for the beauty of Thailand but also come to enjoy worldwide famous cuisines. Thai food is one of the most popular cuisines in the world. This food is rich in flavor and also has several health benefits.
You can eat Thai food from any corner of the street, in Thailand street food is very popular. It may not be as organic and healthy as compared to any big hyped restaurant. But still, you can satisfy your cravings. Although Thai food has a lot of health benefits, not all Thai dishes are healthy. You have to be very careful while choosing your meal.
Because some Thai dishes are prepared with healthy ingredients while others are not, they contain unhealthy fats and excessive oil. If you are trying Thai food for the first time, you must be aware of its pros and cons. In this article, you will learn everything about is Thai food healthy, from healthy Thai food options to the cons of some dishes.
Main components of Thai food:
First, we will learn what are the basic components of Thai food. It means that whenever you visit any Thai restaurant, you will see all of this on the menu. Without these dishes the Thai food menu is incomplete. Below are some basic Thai dishes:
- Noodles
In Thailand, noodles are the most favorite and common food. They love to eat it at lunch or as a snack. People love noodles with pan-fried vegetables, lean protein, herbs, and spices.
- Soups
Thai soup is often hot and spicy, filled with vegetables, noodles, and beef. Beef is used in most soup recipes in Thailand. Traditional Thai soup is served with rice.
- Rice
Rice is most prominent in Thai food. In Thailand, they treat rice with more respect and never waste it. Chefs cook rice with pan-fried vegetables and chicken. Thailand grows its own rice of different varieties.
- Curries
Thai curry is made of curry paste, vegetables, coconut milk, meat, and seafood. Green curry is the most delicious curry of Thai food.
- Bbq
In Thailand, bbq is people’s favorite. They love fried meat or in some dishes steamed also.
Flavors of Thai food - is thai food healthy
If you want to eat genuine Thai food then you must know how to create a balance in flavors. Because Thai food is very well-balanced in terms of flavors. Here are some basic Thai food flavors:
- Sweet
In Thai food, there is also a mildly sweet flavor. To add sweetness to food, they add different ingredients like palm sugar, coconut sugar, or dark soy sauce. Sometimes they also use Thai Basil to make their food flavorful.
- Salty
The first ingredient used in Thai food to make it salty is salt. They used salt in curry dishes to keep them flavorful even if they eat them the next day.
- Spicy
Spicy food is the favorite of Thai people, they often say that food without a spicy flavor is not edible. To add spices, they use Thai special Green or Red chilies, pepper, ginger, and garlic.
- Sour
To give a sour and bitter taste to Thai food, they use different ingredients such as lemon grass, kaffir lime, and tamarind. These ingredients also create a delicious aroma to food which attracts you to Thai food.
- Creamy
This ingredient is a multi-function ingredient. In Thai food, cream is added to balance extra spicy food and lessen spicy flavor, if someone does not like extra spicy food. Coconut is used widely to give Thai food a creamy texture and flavor. Anything from coconut milk or coconut cream can be used.
Common healthy Thai food ingredients:
Thai food is the healthiest cuisine, you can enjoy it without any fear of being sick. It has a lot of nutritional health benefits. The fresh and organic ingredients used in Thai food make them mouth-watering and everyone’s favorite. Below are some commonly used Thai ingredients along with their nutritional value:
1. Turmeric
Curcumin is an ingredient in Turmeric which has anti-inflammatory properties. It helps to reduce swelling or inflammation, to mitigate allergy symptoms, and helps to relieve arthritis. This active ingredient in Turmeric also has powerful antioxidant qualities which fight against toxins. It also improves blood circulation and maintains heart health.
Turmeric is proven to provide the following benefits:
- Helps patients suffering from arthritis
- A beneficial digestive aid
- Maintain cardiac health of the individual
- Safeguard against bacterial infections
- In animal studies, defends again skin and breast cancers
To increase Turmeric consumption in your diet, you should eat curry once a week at least.
2. Galangal
Galangal grows in South-East Asian countries. It is Thai ginger. In appearance, it is similar to ginger and also tastes like ginger. It has been used in many Thai dishes like curry pastes, soups, and sauces. Today, galangal is used highly in medicinal preparation and is proven to be more effective and advantageous than ginger. Its health benefits are:
- Relieves abdominal cramps and discomfort
- Powerful aid for digestion
- Regulates blood circulation in hands and feet
- Cure diarrhea
- Fights against inflammation
- Cure ulcers and swelling of the stomach
- Treat hiccups
3. Lemongrass
Lemon grass is used in Thai food to add a citrus flavor. It is also used in soups to enhance its flavor. It also has various health benefits, let’s look at them one by one:
- Prevents fever
- Cure flu and cold
- Headache
- Treats fungal infections
- Fights against arthritis
4. Thai holy Basil
Thai holy basil is the most distinctive ingredient used in Thai cuisine. It does not taste like common basil seeds, instead flavors like fennel seeds sometimes. Commonly used in fried rice, curries, and stir-rice. The following are the health benefits of Thai Holy Basil:
- Regulate blood and sugar levels in the blood
- Helps in stress management
- Have therapeutic effects
5. Coconut milk
Coconut milk is the commonly used ingredient in Thai food. It is used mostly in curry and soups. To give a creamy texture to food, chefs add coconut milk or cream. It is very healthy, it contains some fats but not bad fats. Coconut milk has many health benefits like:
- Boost the immunity of an individual
- Provides useful fatty acids
- Elevates good cholesterol and lowers bad cholesterol level
- Regulates metabolism
- Fights against aging
6. Tofu
Tofu is made of soybean curd. It is used in many Thai dishes like Pad Thai. Chefs mostly used it as an alternative to meat. Its health benefits are mentioned below:
- Mitigates the risk of diabetes
- Improves sugar and blood levels in the body
7. Chilies
This ingredient is used in many dishes to garnish or sometimes to give food a spicy and hot flavor. It is optional to use chilies, if you do not like spicy food you can ask the chef not to add it. Cayenne pepper has more health benefits than any other type of chili. Its surprising health benefits are:
- Elevates fat-burning process
- Regulates insulin levels
- A reliable source of vitamins A & C
Healthy Thai dishes - is thai food healthy
Thai dishes that are considered are healthy pan-fried, steamed, or grilled. It is said that in this way, the healthy fats and nutrients remain fresh in the food. Over-cooked food and food with excessive oil have many health hazardous effects, so it is better to eat food that is cooked properly but on low flame. Below are some healthy Thai dishes:
1. Pad Thai
It is a popular street food in Thailand made of noodles, eggs, bean sprouts, shrimp, and with different spices. It is served with vegetables which makes it more healthy. Reasons, why it is healthy, are given below:
- High in protein because of eggs, shrimp, and tofu
- Commonly cooked in healthy oils like vegetable oil or peanut oil
- Vegetables and bean sprouts hold fiber-rich properties
2. Stir-fries
Stir-fries are another healthy dish of Thai food. They are made of vegetables, lean meat, and healthy oils. It is healthy because:
- Made with healthy oils
- Made with lean protein that is low in calorie
- Has vegetables that are rich in fiber
3. Green-papaya salad
Ingredients used in this dish are green beans, crushed green papaya, and tomatoes. It is served with a topping of fish sauce, chilies, and lime. It has following health benefits :
- Source of vitamins A & C
- Contains ingredients with high fiber like green beans and green papaya
- Sauce topping is low calorie
4. Tom-yum soup
Popular soup in Thailand is made with kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, galangal, and fish sauce. In most restaurants, it is made with shrimp but can also be cooked with tofu or chicken. Healthy benefits of this dish are:
- Lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir leaves elevate the immune system
- This soup is low in calories
- This puree has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties
5. Jungle curry
It is made with vegetables, chicken, and different herbs and spices. This curry is made with water-based puree. Health benefits of jungle curry are:
- Herbs used in cooking have powerful medicinal properties
- Low in calories
- Also contains some vegetables and protein
6. Whole steamed fish:
In Thailand, fish is steamed with lime juice, ginger, and garlic. Vegetables are also served with fish. If we talk about the health benefits of this dish, here are some benefits:
- Because fish is steamed, it helps the nutrients to remain healthy in fish
- Fish is a superb source to provide us with protein and omega-3
- Also, it is low in calories
Tips to enjoy Healthy Thai food:
- Portion control:
While consuming carbs in food, you should ensure to control your portion of carbs. So that without disturbing your diet plan, you can also enjoy your Thai food.
- Choose lean meat:
Choose meat that is lean because it will be less in calories and will not be harmful. Like you can choose shrimp, boneless chicken, and seafood.
- High in protein:
By making your food protein-rich, you can satisfy your appetite even if you eat less. Also, it will be beneficial for health.
- Addition of vegetables:
The addition of vegetables cooked or raw with any Thai dish can be very healthy and in this way, you will also eat the main course.
Conclusion
Thailand is very popular for its delicious food. Thai food is very delicious in taste and also healthy for human health. Because Thai people add fresh ingredients, herbs, and spices in it with protein-rich ingredients. You can enjoy this food if you prepare it with original Thai ingredients in Thai style.
Now you clear about is Thai food healthy so Thai food offers a lot of health benefits, so eating Thai food won’t disturb your health. Even though you should choose mindful eating. Because an excess of everything is bad. Eating in small portions can be beneficial for your health.
