Famous Thailand Food

Lemongrass, or citronella root, is the reason Thai and Vietnamese dishes often have a compelling flavor that's not exactly lemon, but a subtle lemon perfume. It is sold by the stalk which resembles a green onion. Serving tips: Use the portion of the white base up to where the leaves begin to branch. If slightly dry, soak in warm water to rehydrate. Shred or finely slice and add to soups, curry dishes, and sauces for seafood.Get a nice large quantity for generous use, 2 lbs is about 12 stalks. Will keep for weeks in the fridge, or cut into 4 inch pieces and freeze in a ziplock.We are pleased to offer a special deal on select fresh produce essential for Thai cooking. We pack the produce carefully and ship every Mon/Tues/Wed via USPS Priority Mail (2 day delivery) to ensure freshness, and orders may not ship until Wed due to Mother Nature & harvest conditions. We also offer Fresh Kaffir Lime Leaves separately in addition to Thai basil, green papaya, whole fresh tamarind and Thai eggplant. Additional images, recipes and detailed description at ImportFood.com.

Many believe that a nice hot cup of tea is a good alternative to coffee or those sugar-laced soft drinks. Unfortunately, what most people don't know is that tea also has a dark side.

"Tea contains oxalate, over consumption of which can cause kidney damage, as well as soak up free calcium in the body; other minerals could be soaked up as well," according to the editors of Wikipedia.

Some people don't seem to be affected by this drug but others may find it difficult to sleep and have jittery nerves as well as headaches. The fatal dose of caffeine is about 10 grams or about 80 to 100 cups of coffee taken in a single dose.

"Dr P.C Roy, the father of modern chemistry in India, has equated tea drinking to drinking poison. He claims that it slows the digestion process, creates gas, diarrhea and constipation. Caffeine increases urine by 400 to 500 percent. Excessive tea drinking can also damage the kidneys. Caffeine even affects respiratory and heart function. The blood sugar level is also known to surge. All this goes to prove that too much tea causes indigestion, over excites the nervous system and causes palpitations," said D.M.P.B. Dissanayake in LankaNewspapers.Com.

The Bad Side of Tea

These adverse effects should make you think twice about downing lots of tea.

Although an ordinary cup of tea may have less caffeine than coffee, it has enough stimulants to keep you awake the same way coffee does.

Tea also contains theine, an alkaloid which acts like caffeine. It has a lot of tannic acid and tannin, which can irritate your stomach. This is why people with ulcers or stomach disorders shouldn't take tea or coffee. In fact, drinking up to eight or nine cups of tea a day can duplicate the symptoms of ulcer.

Tea leaves have twice as much caffeine as coffee beans, more so if the mixture is brewed over a long period or steeped. A cup of tea may have about 1/4 grains of caffeine which stimulate the heart, nerves and kidneys.

Like coffee, some people rely on tea to give them that "get up and go" feeling in the morning or at the end of a hard day. The stimulating effect of this drug, however, only hides fatigue and does not really give the body the energy it needs.