Thai foods are undoubtedly delicious and, but some of them can also be quite healthy for you.  The infamous Tom yum soup is packed with flavor from lime, chiles, galangal, and lemongrass. You can also add chicken or shrimp to the soup for extra protein. The sweet and sour SomTam ia fruit based and chilies are added to make it spicy!  You taste the heat or spice from the capsaicin contained chili peppers as well as gingerol contained in ginger. There has been many health benefits documented from eating foods with these ingredients.

Chili pepper is beneficial for our respiratory system because it helps to clear up congestion.  It also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.

Black peppercorn and chilies help to improve our stomach’s ability to digest foods and also promotes intestinal health. It discourages intestinal gas from forming, and as a bonus, the outer layer of the peppercorn aids in the break-down of fat cells.

Garlic is rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and Manganese. The active compounds in Garlic may reduce high blood pressure (hypertension). It can help to improves Cholesterol levels, which may lower the risk of heart disease. Many Thai foods use crushed or sliced or sometimes even whole Garlic cloves!

Ginger is can be useful to treat many forms of nausea and upset stomach. It is high in gingerol which can reduce inflammation and has antioxidant properties. Ginger is often diced or crushed before being added to Thai dishes.

Enjoy your delicious, spicy Thai dishes for a healthy and happy body.