When you eat at your local Thai restaurant, do you think about the health benefits of what you’re eating? The spices used in Thai cuisine have been linked to significant immune-boosting properties and other health benefits. If you’re wondering which seasonings are commonly used in your favorite dishes and how they’re improving your health, here are three of the most common ones.

Why Thai Seasonings Are Good for Your Health

1. Ginger

Ginger is used in different cuisines around the world. Thai food uses it as a garnish or an ingredient that brings out the flavors of other seasonings. Ginger has long been used to treat nausea, and its high concentration of gingerol can reduce inflammation in joints and muscles. As a bonus, the antioxidant properties of ginger can boost your immune system and help you fight off a cold, so consider ordering a dish with ginger the next time you eat at a Thai restaurant.

2. Garlic 

Many Thai dishes are infused with the soothing aroma of garlic. Not only is this popular ingredient full of vitamin B6, vitamin C, manganese, and fiber, but it’s also known to have anti-fungal properties and can help reduce cholesterol in the blood stream. In some cases, adding garlic to a dish has proven to reduce the length of a cold by 70%, making this an excellent choice for both flavor in your dishes and healing solutions when you’re sick.

3. Lemongrass

Native to Sri Lanka and South India, lemongrass is a common herb used in many Thai dishes and has many health benefits. Lemongrass is widely used to treat the flu, colds, headaches, arthritis, and abdominal pain. In addition to be being steeped with your favorite Thai soups, this herb makes a flavorful tea that can help reduce your anxiety and help prevent further infection from thrush or other bacteria that weaken the immune system because of its anti-fungal properties.

If you’re tired of your usual restaurant routine, try something off the menu from Mamasan’s in Rochester, NY. This Thai restaurant is famous for their combination of flavors from Thailand and Vietnam, and their menu is sure to please any palate. To order you next take-out dinner, call (585) 461-3290, or visit their website for a complete list of Asian-inspired noodle dishes, soups, and teas.