Horwath Spa Consulting

For New Year celebrations the world over (or for that matter, any major celebration) champagne is the drink of choice.  Legally only able to be produced in the Champagne region of France, the sparkling wines and methode champenoise (produced using the Champagne method) which are produced across the rest of the world can be equally as good in taste even if often perceived of being slightly lower down the social scale.

Champagne first produced by Dom Pẻrignon way back in the 17th Century has become the celebration staple.  As with red and white wine, Champagne has virtually no nutritional value except that which is gained from its calorific content, as it contains only insignificant levels of carbohydrates (usually not more than 3grams) and some very small quantities of minerals such as iron and sodium.

However this does not mean to say that these alcoholic beverages have no health values.  As with most studies done with food and wine, you can get them to say almost anything, but consuming a glass of red wine a day has been shown to reduce the incidence of coronary heart disease and ischemic strokes by lowering the total cholesterol count while raising the so called ‘good cholesterol’ or HDL levels and keeping the blood vessels clean.

Consume from one to three glasses a day on a regular basis and you will be healthier that someone who drinks none or more than three glasses per day.

Drinking a glass of wine a day can reduce your chances of suffering from an ulcer even if it is only by reducing the appropriate ulcer causing bacteria by a little as 7%.  Increase you consumption to three glasses a day and you reduce the offending bacteria by as much as 33%.  Red wine also has bioflavonoids well documented for their antioxidant properties which can help in the prevention of cancer.  A glass or two of wine may also assist those who suffer from stress related problems as it is a proven relaxant.  This calming influence can assist with the mental transition from work to play or party time.

As with all things in life, if consumed to excess then there are obvious negative effects not least of which is the embarrassment that may be caused by an intoxicated persons uncontrolled actions.  Any health benefits which are possible may be limited if not completely negated if the person is also taking medications of any kind.  Doctors always warn against the consumption of alcohol with medications.  Other issues which can be of concern to some drinkers are the presence of sulfites and tannins.

Sulfites are a naturally occurring compound found on grapes, onions, garlic and other foods.  Additional sulfites may be added in the wine production as they prevent microbial growth in the wine.  If you have an allergy to sulfites, then you may well suffer from severe headaches if you consume ‘a glass or two’.  Sulfite-free wines are available from some suppliers but these wines must be drunk usually within 18 months of manufacture or they will spoil.  Organic wines can also contain sulfites so if this is a problem for you, you may well  need to do some research.

Tannins are also a natural part of the plant kingdom.  Produced by plants to prevent them being eaten, the bitter taste can result in the plant being ‘safe’ from consumption by all except the most enthusiastic predators.  People are the exception here as we have found the presence of tannins to be pleasurable.  Present in a variety of foods including nuts, cheeses and tea, the bitter taste while desirable in taste can cause headaches, despite the positive health claims of being able to lower your total cholesterol levels.

So providing I am consuming in moderate levels, do not have a problem with sulfites or tannins and realize that the only real nutritional benefit is from calories, how do I know how many calories I am consuming?

A simple calculation of 1.6 multiplied by the alcohol percentage of the champagne or wine multiplied by the number of fluid ounces (30ml = 1 oz).
I.e. a 120ml glass of champagne at 10% alcohol content will give you 64 calories.  (1.6 x 10 x 4 = 64)

“There comes a time in every woman’s life when the only thing that helps is a glass of champagne” Bette Davis

Spa Cuisine is not a complicated style of cooking.  It is a simple healthy style of cookery that your body will thank you for.  It encompasses three basic considerations.

1. low fat
2. low salt and
3. low sugar

This is not to say that fat, salt and/or sugar must be eliminated, but just that should be reduced.  We over consume these elements in our ‘normal’ diets and we would be a lot healthier if we took the effort to review and subsequently reduce the quantity that we consume.  From these basic three elements you can expand with organic, regional and cultural elements and even expand into allergy cookery if desired, but the three fundamentals of the Cuisine must remain constant.

Thai Cuisine demands that only the freshness of ingredients be used, coupled with the tradition of a high level of intensity in flavors means that it is relatively simple to adjust many of the so called traditional recipes so that they do conform to the guidelines required of Spa Cuisine.

So with the elimination of fat as a cooking medium, all deep fried foods become taboo, but rather than eliminate these dishes, adjust your cooking technique and try cooking them in the oven instead.  For stir frying, use vegetable stock or water, just adjust the technique, and this is where it all begins – with the technique.  Look at your cooking methods differently, do not add all that extra salt and reduce your dependence on sugar and you will quickly see how easy it is to follow the principles of Spa Cuisine.

As the overall health consciousness of our society develops, so too the need to provide a more universal cuisine that is suited to today’s modern fast paced, yet all too often, inactive world.  A cuisine that will supplement and support other cuisines, yet due to the selection and treatment of ingredients shall remain unique.  Simple things like the use of the coriander roots, something that is not done in any other cuisine will ensure that Thai Spa Cuisine remains unique.