While taste is important when you’re eating, most people also want to do their health a favor. Luckily, Thai food satisfies on both ends. It contains many important vitamins and minerals to satisfy your body’s nutrition requirements. At the same time, like most Asian cuisine, it doesn’t include a lot of dairy products, which can be difficult to digest.

Which Healthy Ingredients Are Found in Thai Food?

1. Immune-Boosting Herbs

Tumeric, specifically its active ingredient curcumin, has anti-inflammatory properties, which helps digestion and protects from bacterial infections. As an anti-oxidant, it also improves blood circulation. Lemongrass is another important ingredient in Thai cooking. This herb is found in Tom Yum Soup and is great for relieving symptoms of the cold and flu. Thai food is often very spicy, because it includes a variety of chilies, most notably cayenne peppers. These can help maintain insulin and glucose levels.

2. Coconut Milk

Some people still believe that coconut milk and oil are bad, because they contain fats. However, coconut oil contains good fatty acids, which are necessary for your body and often lacking in Western diets. These fats can lower bad cholesterol levels (LDL) and promote good cholesterol, improve metabolic function, and fight the signs of aging.

3. Raw & Cooked Vegetables

Thai dishes include a large portion of vegetables, often in their raw form. Raw vegetables are high in vitamins, minerals, fibers, and phytochemicals. Vegetables have cancer-fighting properties, and they can also help with weight loss. Raw vegetables have higher water content and are even lower in energy density than cooked vegetables. Raw and cooked vegetables will help with weight loss, because they have few calories and don’t contain a lot of fats or sugars.

Thai cuisine is both healthy and delicious. The Thai Chef Restaurant in Lahaina, Hi, has prepared authentic Thai food since 1985. They only use fresh ingredients, including homegrown herbs, for the variety of meals on their menu. The menu includes 20 different vegan options, too. Of course, you’ll also find that many dishes are prepared with coconut milk and include a healthy helping of vegetables—raw or cooked. Visit their website to browse their selection, or call the restaurant at (808) 667-2814 for more information.