Thai restaurants offer an array of appetizers, entrees and desserts. While many popular Thai foods provide valuable amounts of nutrients, others are high in fat, sodium (salt) and calories. By making efforts to select dishes with healthy ingredients and preparation techniques, Thai restaurant patrons can promote digestive wellness, and prevent guilt and physical discomfort afterward. If healthy food options aren't obvious on a menu, healthy suggestions from servers or chefs may prove useful.
Fresh Spring Rolls
Spring rolls are popular Thai appetizers that look similar to egg rolls and deep-fried spring rolls. Rather than deep-frying the rolls in egg-roll fashion, fresh spring rolls are prepared by filling rice paper with a mixture of vegetables, such as cabbage, diced carrots, or sprouts. The wrapper is steamed shut and generally served fresh or chilled. Fresh spring rolls may also contain a lean source of protein as well, such as shrimp, while many deep-fried egg rolls contain pork. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends fresh Thai spring rolls as a healthy alternative to fried spring rolls. Depending upon the ingredients, fresh spring rolls may provide vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, little fat and modest amounts of lean protein. Modest amounts of sweet and sour dipping sauce, low-sodium teriyaki, or soy sauce can serve as a fat-free dip, as desired.
Stir-Fry Dishes
Thai-style stir-fry dishes generally contain ample amounts of vegetables, along with grilled white meat chicken, cubed tofu, or shrimp. Rather than being prepared in coconut milk, such as tom ka gai (coconut milk with chicken and mushrooms) and other Thai dishes, vegetable-based stir-fry dishes reap their flavor from natural herbs and spices and, in some cases, vegetable-based oils. Since coconut milk is rich in fat and calories, stir-fry dishes provide a lighter, yet flavorful alternative. Lighter amounts of oil may be available upon request.
Steamed Brown Rice
Numerous Thai restaurants offer steamed brown rice in place of steamed white rice or fried rice. Fried rice contains greater amounts of fat, sodium and calories than steamed rice. While steamed white rice is low in sodium and fat, brown rice provides these benefits, plus valuable amounts of dietary fiber, iron and other nutrients such as B vitamins. According to natural health expert, Andrew Weil, M.D., one-half cup of brown rice provides 1.5 grams of fiber, which is more than triple the amount of fiber found in white rice. Dishing reasonable amounts of rice onto a dinner plate, rather than consuming rice straight from the serving dish, may help prevent overeating. Adding plentiful amounts of steamed or stir-fried vegetables may also help.
Fruit Ice or Fruit Salad
Fruit ice is made by blending fresh fruit, a small amount of pure fruit juice and a touch of natural sweetener, such as honey. The concoction is frozen and served as a sort of frozen fruit salad. The AHA recommends fruit ice over other Thai desserts, such as coconut or green tea ice cream, which tend to contain dense amounts of sugar, calories and fat. Many Thai restaurants also offer fresh fruit salad as a dessert option. If fresh fruit is not listed on the menu, requesting it may prove helpful, as many restaurants provide fruit items upon request.
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