– by Ewan MacDougal
Photo courtesy of Rituparna Choudhury via Flickr
With such a wide variety and high quality of fresh fruits available in Thailand’s tropical climate, it’s certainly not a surprise that smoothies and fruit shakes have become engrained in the country’s culture.
However it’s not just the incredible range of tastes that make smoothies so important to the Thais; many Thai people ascribe a number of health benefits to the fruits make up their smoothies. Discovering the joys of Thai fruit is a great way to keep your smoothies interesting and improve your quality of life.
Smoothie Culture in Thailand
In any town or village center, it is always really easy to find a smoothie. You never have to walk particularly far before you come across a stall or a cart filled with a delicious variety of fruit and a blender. It can be great fun trying to decide what your favourite fruit combinations are.
When you’re in the mood for a smoothie all you need to do is find a vendor and pick your fruits. They put them all in the blender with some sugar cane juice and ice then blend you something delicious (although not usually green… and, of course, the cane sugar might be iffy for you.) 😉
Picking your fruit blend might be a little more complicated than you realize though. While those of us from Western cultures usually estimate the health benefits of fruits in terms of vitamins and nutrients, Thai people believe (and there has been medical research that claims to back this up) that it is also very important to get the right balance between “hot” and “cold” fruits.
The belief is that all fruits either heat up or cool down your body. The internal climate of your body is thought to be affected by the day’s temperature, the foods you eat, and also your natural constitution. If the internal climate of your body is too cold, you are more susceptible to catching colds and flu. However, if your internal climate is too hot it is believed you are more likely to get heartburn, mouth ulcers or become constipated. It is, therefore, important to find a good combination that will balance out your internal climate.
Hot and Cold Fruits
Melon, bananas and kiwis are all considered cold fruits, whereas fruits like pineapple, peaches and cherries are thought of as hot. While fruits like these are commonly found in the west, there may be many Thai fruits on offer that you might not have previously come across.
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Durian, for example, is thought to be a very hot fruit. Durians are a very large fruit, often weighing over 3 kg. They have a thorny skin and when cut open they give off a very strong odour (but have a much better taste). - Other hot fruits include langsart which look a little bit like very tiny potato, but when peeled
the fruit is actually very sweet except for the stone in the middle which is quite bitter. - Cold fruits include dragon fruits which are white or purple on the inside with black seeds.
On the outside they are spiky and brightly coloured (a little like a dragon). Dragon fruit is thought to be very good for balancing blood sugar levels for diabetics and also is said to have properties which help prevent cancer.
Cancer-fighting properties are thought to be shared by the Jackfruit which looks like a durian only much smaller.
If you really get into this form of Thai medicine you could even try drinking smoothies the Thai way. Thais like their drinks served with plenty of ice. In fact, when you buy a drink you are often given a glass filled to the brim with crushed ice.
You should also be sure to drink through a straw as the action of sipping from a glass is associated with alcohol, and is thus a potential faux pas. Many street vendors do not serve the drinks in a glass but instead pour them straight into a small plastic bag; great for the environment (compared to plastic cups) but a pain if you want to put the drink down. The straw is essential.
Look out for these fruits next time you are near an Asian supermarket and maybe try mixing them into your next green smoothie to see if you notice any benefits to your internal body climate.
The Author
Ewan MacDougal lived and worked in Thailand for a year, he is now working for an online marketing company whose clients include Total Catering Equipment UK
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