Naming a word “Therapy” after everything seems to be a popular and inviting trend nowadays. Undeniably, the word “Food Therapy” is also a trendy term in 2019. Many people may wonder why do we need to be therapeutic with food? In fact. the food therapy is beyond just giving you a therapy to cope with hunger. This epistemology has been mentioned for over hundreds of years in the history but it’s now being spread on social media and more medical opinions are made these days about this term. Today, we would like to share with you about Food Therapy from many different sources in order for you to understand more about it.
Japan and its Miso
"Miso" is made by steamed soybeans. They are grinded and mixed with malt and salt and are left to be marinated in the end.
In ancient times, Miso was made in a form of dry cube to extend longer expiration. But now miso is often packaged and frozen in box as a way for food preservation. One cup of miso soup is rich in many useful nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, etc. It is confirmed by the medical community Miso has medicinal properties of providing full and high energy.
Due to fermentation that produces lactic microbes, miso is more than just a digestive element. During the fermentation process of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in rice and soybeans are broken down into amino acids, fatty acids and sugars that are easier to digest. For this reason, "Miso soup" is a great food for those with poor digestion.
Miso is also counted as a traditional antacid to alleviate sudden symptoms. When microbes found in light-colored and unsterilized Miso (mostly fermented for 2-8 weeks) in the intestine, these Microbes that are attracted to the acids will help to enhance health and strength of your body.
For those who smoke, Miso is believed to help remove nicotine quickly from the body. Japanese people in the countryside still use the boiled Miso water to clean the tar from the tobacco pipes. Furthermore, Miso is considered the most effective daily medical food while giving a good taste for aesthetic consumption.
China
Aphrodisiac is a food with a specific characteristic and therefore often has formulas or recipes that have been passed down since ancient times or originated from experts in Chinese nutrition therapy. The aphrodisiac foods that focus on health protection can often be cooked easily in the family as some examples below.
"Fried Pumpkin with Eggs" is made of salted egg yolk, steamed, cooked and then mash in hot oil. Peel the pumpkin, cut the strips and fry in the oil. Then scoop up and set aside. Put the egg yolks into the pan. Stir fry until fragrant, then add the fried pumpkin to stir fry together. With this, we can now have food that has can help drain the stomach, nourish the skin and solve night blindness.
"Beef fried in soy sauce" Fry the sliced beef in peanut oil at medium heat until it turns golden brown. Set that aside. Meanwhile, fry the chopped spring onion, ginger and garlic. Add whisky, vinegar, soy sauce, and salt. Then add water. Wait until it boiled and you can pour the soup over the fried sliced beef as a menu for enhancing blood circulation and nourishing the weak body.
Korea
Since it is a country that is known for beauty tips, therefore, in the diet of this nation tend to be an Anti-aging food, which is probably better known as Kimchi. This food is a made by a folk wisdom that brings a variety of vegetables such as Chinese cabbage, onions, spring onions, cucumbers, garlic, ginger, red chilies that are soaked in salted water before being mixed with the seasonings. Kimchi is being fermented for a period of time for consumption instead of fresh vegetables in the winter, which is considered a food preservation so that vegetables are available for consumption throughout the year.
Kimchi is not only a side dish to aid appetite, but it also helps the body to look younger. The Kimchi fermentation process results in the lactobacillus, the same bacteria found in curd, which is good for intestinal health and helps build vitamin B12 in the large intestine, which the body cannot create on its own. In addition, phytochemicals in Kimchi, such as capsaicin in red peppers, also help to burn fat. Allicin in onions and garlic help dissolve blood clots as well as helping to reduce cholesterol and triglycerides which are the cause of cardiovascular disease.
Thailand
It would be strange to not talk about our own country, Thailand. And of course, local ingredients grown in various regions are all naturally created for body repair. Let’s see how the 3 menus below can be useful as a food therapy.
"Kaeng Liang" is a very healthy menu because it contains many kinds of vegetables such as zucchini, pumpkin, corn, basil. Sometimes mushrooms and carrots can also be added, while meat can be shrimp or pork or chicken, depending on individual preference. Each raw material has all the medicinal properties. It also has a very pleasant smell such as basil leaves which can help treat the common cold and bronchitis as well as expelling the air from your body. Pumpkins nourish the body and maintain eyesight. Zucchini helps with the heart, while baby corn can help with the stomach.
"Neem" is a material that has been with Thai people for a long time. We started eating neem since the Ayutthaya period. Most of the time the central people tend to eat neem with sweet fish sauce because it helps to reduce the bitterness of neem and is paired with grilled catfish. The benefits of neem include: curing dizziness, relieving heat in the pituitary, expelling the air, improving digestion, as well as nourishing water and fire elements in the body.
"Miang Kham" a favorite snack menu for many people with many properties beyond description because Miang Kham's recipes are made from various kinds of herbs and topped with a sweet dipping sauce that can be consumed by everyone in the family. The benefits of it include helping to nourish the fire element with ginger and lemon peel. Lime and Chaplo leaves nourish the water element, while red chili peppers help nourish the wind. And coconut, dried shrimp, sugar, help nourish the soil element. Besides nourishing the four elements in the body, it also helps to nourish our body in many ways, such as resolving phlegm, expelling the wind, helping appetite and vanishing the parasite.
However, aside from using food as a medicine, please beware to not add more chemicals to the food. We can start by creating ideas to support safe agriculture and create both online and real spaces free of chemicals in cooking ingredients. In the end, we believe in change. We believe that food therapy and human thought must be treated and executed collaboratively.
Author
Nattaporn Pinpech
Creative / Story teller