Low
in fat, gluten-free and jam-packed with vitamins and minerals, it is the
perfect food to boost your immune system, aid weight loss and give your energy.
(And it’s pretty good at soaking up a hangover.)
We
caught up with health-conscious restaurant Pho to find out seven reasons why we
should all be eating more Vietnamese food.
1. To keep you
looking young...
With
antioxidants that delay ageing. Vietnamese salads and soups are full of
Vitamins E and A, thanks to fresh herbs, spices, plenty of veg and lean
protein.
Vitamin
E works to fight free radicals in your body (one of the major causes of pre
mature ageing) and Vitamin A is essential for healing scrapes and scars, and
keeping wrinkles at bay.
2. To boost your
immune system and fight fatigue...
With
a loads of your daily Vitamins and minerals, in one bowl. Authentic Vietnamese
stocks take 10+ hours to prepare, and are a great source of 10 of your vitamins
and minerals including vitamins C, B3, B6, folate, iron and magnesium –
nutrients which all contribute to the reduction of tiredness.
Vietnamese
salads stack up as well: The Prawn Papaya Salad at Pho contains more than 50%
of your daily recommended intake of Vitamin C as well as Vitamins B1, B6, B3,
folate, biotin, zinc, copper, magnesium and potassium. With only 200 calories
and less than 2g of fat per serving, that’s what we call it a “superfood”
salad.
3. To regulate blood
sugar...
By
eating less wheat. Refined grain products get digested quickly, which can lead
to a large spike in blood sugar, followed by an even larger drop, making you
hungrier, faster.
Vietnamese
food is almost always naturally gluten-free, as many of the dishes are made
with rice noodles, rice papers and rice flour instead of wheat. A small amount
of Vietnamese food is made with soy sauce, but even that can be substituted
with a gluten-free option.
4. To improve your
digestion...
With
restorative herbs like coriander and mint. Not only are most Vietnamese dishes
flavoured with fresh herbs, but each bowl of authentic pho comes with a massive
side plate of herbs to add to your soup as you wish. On every classic pho herb plate,
you’ll find coriander and fresh mint – two herbs that are known to promote
healthy functioning of the liver as well as relief from indigestion and nausea
(and headaches!).
5. For strong,
healthy hair...
From
iron, protein and Vitamin C. Eating plenty of iron and lean protein is
pertinent to hair growth and maintaining strong, healthy locks. What’s more?
Vitamin C aids the absorption of iron, so eating dishes like Vietnamese stir-
fries
or bun noodles (packed with lean protein and plenty of veggies) will double the
pleasure.
6. To avoid sugar…
Health
experts warned us that sugar is just as dangerous as alcohol and tobacco. Many
Vietnamese soups and starters like fresh spring and summer rolls are low in
sugar (less than 5g per serving). Eating Vietnamese food often will certainly
help cut the intake of sugar each week.
7. To lose weight...
By
cutting calories and eating less fat. Because Vietnamese food is flavoured with
herbs and spices (instead of oil or dairy) and is packed full of fresh fruit
and vegetables, most authentic dishes, dressings and sauces you’ll find in
restaurants are low in calories and fat. Giant bowls of pho noodle soups have
between 300 and 600 calories each, and less than 3g of fat per serving, which
means you could eat one every day for lunch or dinner as part of a calorie
controlled, low-fat diet.
By The
Huffington Post UK