Prescription drugs are a surefire way to regain your health, but in Thailand, natural remedies are also an option for those in search of a quick-fix solution to minor health issues. What are your favourite foods that heal?
In a Southeast Asian country like Thailand, it’s easy to live off the land and lead a healthy lifestyle at the same time. Who needs a love affair with prescription drugs when nature does the healing? Call it folk medicine, traditional healing, or adopting a preventative diet – whatever you want to call it – but it’s no secret that tropical fruit and vegetables are an equally delicious way to enjoy nature’s bounty while taking care of your body at the same time.
Here are some local favourites.
Pennywort (Bai bua bok)
Also known as the Asian Pennywort, these small, rounded leaves are popular with Thais who crave a refreshing and tasty drink and still want to be able to say they “drank healthy”. Rich in vitamins A (good for the eyes), B1 and calcium, the bai bua bok leaves help to soothe allergies, internal bruising, urinary ailments and lower the blood pressure.
As food, the fresh leaves make a great accompaniment to dishes like laab or naam prik (chilli dip). They grow very easily at home and require minimal attention.
Gac Fruit (Fak Khao)
Known in Thai as fak khao, the gac fruit’s unique appearance usually draws intrepid foodies to try it out. Anyone who’s had a sip of gac fruit juice will agree, though, that it’s more than just a pretty (and prickly) face.
Harvested during the months of December and January, the fruit boasts numerous health benefits. It’s also high in beta-carotene and lycopene concentration – even more so than carrots or sweet potatoes. Studies also show that the fruit stops the growth of certain tumour cells. It’s far from being a cure for cancer for now, but it almost certainly helps to reduce the risk of some types of cancer. We’ll drink to that.
Ivy Gourd Leaves (Bai Tamleung)
Ask any Thai kid what their mother made for them when they were feeling under the weather and tom jued tamleung (young ivy gourd leaves in clear broth) would top the list. Like many herbs, spices, fruit and vegetables, the list of benefits of this perennial climber is endless. In the kitchen, the leaves, fruit and roots are consumed and are considered a good source of protein, calcium, fibre and beta-carotene. In some households, the leaves are also applied directly to the skin to heal minor wounds.