The use of medicinal herbs has been an intrinsic culture throughout the world. The variety of juices and beverages available in Thai markets, street stalls and restaurants seemingly endless.
Traditional herbal beverages have played an important role, not only in quenching the thirst, but also in providing therapy for common ailments.
Thai traditional herbal beverages can be categorized in six different groups:
*herbal teas,
*herbal drinks,
*herbal juices,
*herbal milks,
*toddies, and
*coconut water.
Herbal teas are obtained by infusion of fresh or dry plant material. Popular Thai traditional herbal teas are made from Roselle, chrysanthemum, safflower, and bael fruit. Herbal teas are given for a variety of reasons including preventing colic, and nourishing the mother and also been used both internally and topically to reduce cramping.
Herbal drinks are obtained by decoction or concoction from flowers, fruits, leaves, and roots/rhizomes; popular traditional herbal drinks are made from roselle, pomegranate, sugar apple, tamarind, lime, carambola, longan, mulberry, native apricot, and bael fruit.
For example Thais use both the young and mature ginger rhizome of ginger in beverages. Taken the herbal drinks, it helps reduce gas and aids digestion.
Both beverages made from roselle and bael fruit boast a long list of healthy enhancing properties and can be rendered as tea if brewed with hot water.
Herbal juices are obtained by expression from fruits (e.g. mandarin, orange, and pineapple), and stem of sugarcane.
Herbal milks are obtained by expression of plant materials; most popular ones are soybean and young-rice milks. Soya bean milk is said to maintain health of intestines.
Toddy, a special kind of herbal beverage, is a sweet aromatic sap exuded out through root pressure from cut surface of the inflorescence of the coconut and sugar palms. For hot toddy, it is traditionally made with hot water lemon, sugar or honey.
Coconut water is unique in that it is the only beverage in which the water is obtained by decanting from fruit cavity of the coconut.
It is widely credited with having marked diuretic qualities, besides acting as a blood purifier.
Coconut water is positioned as a healthy alternative to sport drinks. One reason is that it is packed with 15 times the amount of potassium as the leading sport drink, plus it contains no fat, dyes, or added sugar.
Through the use of traditional and local wisdom and knowledge of local plants, the Thais since ancient times have developed effective methods of preparing traditional beverages with healthy and refreshing properties.
Traditional Thai herbal drinks
