#FoodAsMedicine

As more Thais grapple with the impact of chronic stress—from sleepless nights to lingering anxiety—scientific evidence is growing that certain foods can play a role in calming the body’s stress signals. Newly highlighted by researchers and nutritionists, a list of nine easily accessible foods offers a natural and nutritious way to help reduce the body’s production of cortisol, the so-called “stress hormone,” and support mental and physical wellbeing. This insight comes as part of a wider global push toward holistic health, with food and lifestyle choices taking centre stage in stress management strategies.

A new wave of global research points to a simple, powerful idea: the foods you choose every day can shape how long you live and how well you age. For Thai readers navigating fast food and sugary drinks, this guidance offers practical, culturally familiar steps toward healthier aging.

Interest in health span — the years lived in good health — is rising worldwide, including in Thailand with its aging population and increasing chronic diseases. Studies highlight that plant-rich, minimally processed diets support longer, healthier lives. Research looking at regions famous for longevity, sometimes called Blue Zones, emphasizes how everyday foods help people thrive into old age.

If you dream of blowing out 100 candles on your birthday cake, you may want to take a closer look at what’s on your plate. New research and expert consensus are converging on a remarkably simple yet powerful message: the foods you choose each day can have a profound impact on not just how long you live, but how well you age. For Thai readers navigating the abundance of modern (and often unhealthy) food choices, these findings offer both a wake-up call and practical guidance.

A small everyday addition could sharpen the mind from morning light to evening fatigue. New research from the University of Reading suggests that including a handful of walnuts in a breakfast can measurably enhance mental performance across the day. The study, published in Food & Function, followed 32 healthy adults aged 18 to 30 who ate a walnut-rich breakfast on some days and a calorie-matched, nut-free breakfast on others. Over six hours, participants underwent cognitive testing and brain activity measurements, revealing meaningful differences in performance.

Could the humble walnut hold the secret to keeping your mind sharp from breakfast until dusk? Recent findings by researchers at the University of Reading strongly suggest so, with evidence now showing that simply adding a handful of walnuts to your morning meal can measurably improve mental performance throughout the day. The study, published in the scientific journal Food & Function and widely reported by reputable news outlets including The Independent (source: The Independent), tracked 32 healthy young adults, aged 18 to 30, who consumed either a walnut-rich breakfast or a calorie-matched breakfast without nuts on different occasions. Their subsequent six hours were filled with cognitive testing and brain activity measurements—yielding results with significant implications for anyone seeking a mental edge in daily life.

Anise seeds, known in Thai as เทียนสัตตบุษย์ (Thian Sattabut), have flavored meals, soothed ailments, and shaped rituals across the world. Today, growing interest in traditional remedies meets modern science, which is quietly validating some older claims while uncovering new possibilities. This feature examines เทียนสัตตบุษย์, its long history in Thai and global medicine, the chemistry behind its effects, and what current research suggests for safe, practical use.

Across ancient civilizations, the sweet aroma of anise filled kitchens and healing spaces alike. From Egypt to Greece, Iran to Southeast Asia, the seeds—referred to as “ผล” or fruit in Thai herbal texts—have long aided digestion, calmed coughs, freshened breath, and symbolized purification in ceremonies. In Thai traditional medicine, เทียนสัตตบุษย์ is a staple in households and classical pharmacopeias, often prescribed for bloating, gas, mild digestive upset, and as part of polyherbal blends. The name appears in ancient treatises and in markets in northern and central Thailand, underscoring its popularity as a gentle digestive aid and stimulant, particularly for children.

Coriander, known in Thai as ผักชีลา, is a familiar scent in kitchens and herbal shops across Thailand. Beyond its role as a garnish, this herb—Coriandrum sativum—has a long history in Thai traditional medicine. Its journey from folklore to modern science reflects local wisdom, global exchange, and growing evidence of real health benefits.

For many Thai households, ผักชีลา is more than flavor. Generations of traditional healers have used its seeds, leaves, and roots to ease digestion, calm nerves, and support general well-being. Today, clinical research is starting to illuminate how these traditional practices may align with scientific findings, while Thai consumers continue to value the plant’s everyday practicality and therapeutic promise.

For millennia, the humble seeds of Pimpinella anisum—known in Thailand as “เทียนสัตตบุษย์” (Thian Sattabut), sometimes called anise or aniseed in English—have flavored foods, soothed countless ailments, and occupied a special niche in cultures from the Mediterranean to Southeast Asia. Today, as the world rediscovers the potential of traditional herbal remedies, modern science is shining new light on this ancient remedy, confirming some traditional claims and revealing promising new benefits. This article journeys into the fascinating world of เทียนสัตตบุษย์, exploring its rich history, traditional uses in Thai and global medicine, the chemistry that gives it power, and what current research says about its practical and safe use.

Across Thai kitchens and herbal pharmacies, few names resonate with more familiarity than ผักชีลา (also known as coriander or cilantro globally, and Coriandrum sativum in scientific circles). This humble herb, instantly recognizable from the aroma wafting from “tom yum” soup or sprinkled over spicy salads, is more than a culinary afterthought. In Thai traditional medicine, ผักชีลา holds a time-honoured place as a herbal remedy—its journey through folklore and modern science is a compelling saga of local wisdom, global exchange, and increasing scientific validation.

For centuries, the humble dill—known in Thai as เทียนตาตั๊กแตน, or by culinary names like ผักชีลาว and มะแหลม—has played a quiet but significant role in traditional Thai herbal medicine. Far more than a flavorful addition to soup or salad, dill fruit and seeds have been utilized across Asian healing systems for their soothing effects on the stomach, their diuretic actions, and as a natural remedy for a range of everyday ailments. With renewed interest in natural therapies now echoing across Thailand and the world, researchers are turning their attention to this aromatic member of the Apiaceae family, seeking to confirm its time-honored benefits with modern scientific rigor. What emerges is a story that bridges ancient wisdom and twenty-first century science, offering health-conscious readers a fascinating window into the legacy and future promise of dill.

Dill, known in Thai as เทียนตาตั๊กแตน and commonly cooked as ผักชีลาว or มะแหลม, has long held a quiet yet meaningful place in traditional Thai healing. Beyond flavor, dill seeds and fruits have been used to calm the stomach, support diuresis, and address everyday ailments. As interest in natural therapies grows in Thailand and around the world, researchers are examining this aromatic herb through rigorous science, seeking to confirm its time-honored benefits. The result is a dialogue between ancient wisdom and modern medicine that resonates with health-conscious readers.

In Thailand’s lush landscapes, the scarlet hue of kham ngeo—also known as annatto or Bixa orellana—has colored foods, fabrics, and healing practices for generations. Today, researchers and health-minded Thais are revisiting kham ngeo to explore its true potential, weaving ancestral knowledge with contemporary science.

As natural remedies gain traction, kham ngells dual roles as a dye and folk medicine gain renewed relevance. Thai consumers increasingly seek safe, plant-based options, and kham ngeo sits at the crossroads of culture and innovation. What science reveals about its traditional uses offers practical insights for daily well-being.

For generations, lemongrass—locally known as ตะไคร้แกง or ตะไคร้บ้าน—has enjoyed a treasured status in kitchens and clinics across Thailand. Its unmistakable citrus fragrance infuses classic Thai curries, soups, and teas, while ancient healers and modern folk alike have praised its medicinal powers. Today, scientific studies are beginning to unlock the reasons behind the enduring reverence for this remarkable plant, illuminating the complex chemistry underpinning its traditional uses and raising fresh questions about its future role in natural health.

Lemongrass, known in Thai as ตะไคร้แกง or ตะไคร้บ้าน, has long flavored Thai kitchens and informed traditional healing practices. Its bright, citrus aroma graces curries, soups, and teas, while healers and contemporary herbalists alike have praised its medicinal potential. Today, scientists are clarifying why this plant has earned enduring respect, examining the chemistry behind its traditional uses and exploring its future role in natural health.

Cymbopogon citratus is more than a culinary symbol. It serves as a bridge between ancestral knowledge and modern inquiry. Grounding new findings in Thailand’s cultural and medical roots helps promote responsible, evidence-informed use that respects the nation’s heritage and keeps lemongrass relevant for younger generations seeking holistic wellness.

Celebrated as the “golden spice” of Southeast Asia, Curcuma longa—known to Thais as ขมิ้นชัน (khamin chan)—has long woven itself into the tapestry of daily life, traditional healing, and culinary delights across Thailand. But in recent years, this humble root, revered in ancient wisdom, has caught the gaze of modern researchers eager to investigate its true medicinal value. Today, ขมิ้นชัน stands at the intriguing intersection of ancient practice and present-day science, offering both a bridge to Thailand’s rich heritage and a potential path to future wellness.

Thai households cherish Curcuma longa, known locally as ขมิ้นชัน (khamin chan), as the golden thread through everyday cooking, healing rituals, and traditional pharmacy. Today, researchers are exploring its real health benefits, placing this familiar root at the crossroads of heritage and modern science. For Thai readers, the story of turmeric offers both cultural pride and practical health insights.

Thai kitchens and villages have long relied on ขมิ้นชัน for flavor, color, and healing. The root’s bright yellow hue signals its presence in curries, herbal compresses, and rituals. Ethnobotanical records and local texts describe ขมิ้นชัน as a carminative to ease digestion, a topical antiseptic, and a skin-enhancer in rural communities. Spa traditions across the region also feature turmeric compresses for muscle strains, reflecting shared Southeast Asian heritage.

Tucked into countless Thai kitchens and integral to the country’s healing archives, cardamom—or กระวานเทศ (Elettaria cardamomum)—sits at the bustling crossroads of culinary delight and age-old medicine. As more health-conscious Thais seek natural solutions, cardamom’s reputation is more than spice rack ornamentation: it is revered as a traditional remedy passed down through generations and now increasingly illuminated by modern research. But what does the science say about this fragrant pod, and how does its story intertwine with Thailand’s cultural and medical heritage?

Cardamom, known in Thai as กระวานเทศ, sits at the crossroads of flavor and traditional medicine in Thailand. Once a staple in everyday kitchens, it is now being revisited by health-minded Thais and researchers alike. The question is what modern science really says about this fragrant pod, and how its story sits within Thailand’s medical heritage.

For centuries, cardamom has graced Thai kitchens and healing chests for its bright aroma and rumored remedies. Thai traditional practitioners have used it to ease indigestion, freshen breath, and calm nausea. In Thai medical manuscripts and family recipes, cardamom often appears in blends aimed at stomach discomfort, respiratory congestion, and other common ailments. This reflects a broader Asian tradition where cardamom serves as both a flavoring agent and a medicinal aid.

In the lush, biodiverse forests and rural village gardens across Thailand, the Kradom plant—known scientifically as Gymnopetalum chinensis (กะดอม), and by many regional names such as ขี้กาดง in Saraburi, มะนอยหก in Mae Hong Son, and ผักขาว in Chiang Mai—has been quietly woven into local healing practices for generations. Today, as interest in traditional remedies surges and scientific curiosity deepens, Kradom stands at the captivating crossroads of ancient Thai wisdom and 21st-century phytochemical research. What can this lesser-known plant reveal about the enduring relationship between people and the natural pharmacy around them?

In Thailand’s rural villages and diverse forests, the Kradom plant, scientifically known as Gymnopetalum chinensis and known locally by many names, has long woven itself into daily life. Across provinces like Saraburi, Mae Hong Son, and Chiang Mai, Kradom appears in home kitchens and herbal practices. Today, it sits at the crossroads of traditional wisdom and contemporary phytochemical research, inviting Thai readers to consider what this plant reveals about the bond between people and nature’s pharmacy.