Thai food is extremely popular in many countries because of its distinctive and extraordinary flavors. Not surprisingly, if you plan to visit Thailand, your vacation won’t be complete if you don’t try every single authentic, famous Thai dish! But then again, trying out these hearty, high-calorie meals might make you worried about potential weight gain.
However, there’s one thing tourists rarely understand: Thai food might contain a lot of ingredients but they’re usually healthier than what people expect. After all, Thai food is full of fresh herbs, lean proteins, and plenty of vegetables.
If you’re looking for specific healthy options, here are 5 Thai dishes that are absolutely worth trying.
1. Fresh Spring Rolls
When people think of Thai cuisine, spring rolls are usually at the top of the list. While the fried spring rolls don’t sound healthy, the fresh Thai version is an entirely different thing. The vegetables and shrimp in spring rolls give them their important nutritional value and a low-calorie consistency.
Considering this, Thai spring rolls are considered a nice snack for travelers who work or study along the way. Even though many people think, “Maybe I’ll use professional help and write my research paper for cheap to save energy," you should know that trying these healthy spring rolls will probably boost your energy levels and activate brain function.
Thai fresh spring rolls are quite similar to Vietnamese spring rolls. However, the Thai version has coriander and fresh Thai holy basil, along with shrimp, bean sprouts, rice vermicelli, and, of course, rice paper to wrap the ingredients in. You can also use tofu or different fish to swipe with shrimp.
2. Papaya Salad (Som Tum)
While papaya is usually eaten like regular fruit, in the case of papaya salad it is more like a cucumber-like addition. Papaya salad is one of the most fresh appetizers you can try in Thailand. Usually, this dish includes green papayas, which are combined with shrimp, garlic, red chillis, and peanuts. As for the dressing, lime juice, fish sauce, or tamarind sauce are used, making the dish even tastier and rich with tastes.
As you can see, this salad is full of nutrients. Specifically, papaya provides antioxidants like beta-carotene and lycopene, which improve the immune system by producing vitamin A. Vitamin A is great for skin health as well and contains a small amount of calories.
3. Coconut Lemongrass Clams (Hoi Lai Tom Ka)
It is acknowledged that coconut milk is often used in Thai dishes. If you’d like to try a good example of this kind of dish, coconut lemongrass clams are one of the best options for it. To prepare this meal, you have to cook clams with lemongrass, shallots, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves and add coconut milk mixed with chicken broth and Thai chillis.
This flavorful food is super healthy, as clams provide nutrients like vitamin B12, along with selenium. While vitamin B12 is necessary for blood cell production, as well as nerve function and DNA synthesis, selenium supports the thyroid gland and protects the immune system cells from damage.
4. Hainanese Chicken with Rice (Khao Mai Gai)
As chicken is one of the best sources of protein, Hainanese chicken with rice is an amazing healthy food option you can get from Thai cuisine. This dish is also very popular around southeastern Asia. The Thai version of Hainanese chicken with rice involves rice, which is cooked with garlic and chicken broth and when it’s served, you also get chicken broth on the side as a soup.
Considering the protein in chicken, which is crucial for maintaining body health and producing the most important nutrients, Hainanese chicken with rice is the dish to try to stay in shape and taste the Thai flavors as well.
5. Clear Spicy Thai Soup (Tom Yum Goog Nam Sai)
If you’re craving something spicy with seafood flavors, clear spicy Thai soup is the dish to go for. The ingredient for spiciness is chili. However, this soup also has a nice sour taste, which is because of the lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and galangal inside.
In the traditional version of clear spicy Thai soup, shrimp is the main ingredient to use, along with vegetables like tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, and cilantro. In total, this soup is a mix of high levels of protein and astaxanthin provided by shrimp, which reduces several chronic diseases and inflammation.
Bottom Line
It might come as a surprise that many Thai dishes are loaded with healthy ingredients. But hopefully, after reading this article, you are sure that Thai cuisine can be a great way to maintain a balanced diet. Even though it is crucial to control the amount of food you receive in a day if you’re aiming not to lose shape, tasting these 5 meals, one at a time, is a great way to enjoy the traditional Thai tastes and stay healthy at the same time.
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