Increasing in popularity all over the world by leaps and bounds in recent years, with numerous restaurants popping up in major and even not so major cities in various countries, Vietnamese cuisine is flavorful, colorful, and very healthy. Furthermore, Vietnam is an agricultural country within which there are significant variations depending on the region - north, central and south - where geographical, cultural, and climatic differences reflects in their cuisine. The country has also over the centuries absorbed the influences of neighbors Korea, Japan, and China, along with French and other European cultures to create new dishes as well as new ways of cooking and preparation. Using distinctive incredients include lemongrass, ginger, mint, coriander, cinnamon, chili, soy sauce, oyster sauce, lime, and basil, Vietnamese cuisine tends to be low-fat, low-sugar, and gluten-free, relying on fresh ingredients, mainly vegetables, tubers, fruits, and much less so on meat - very much in line with the healthful food trends of today´s world.  

Read more in Tripatini contributor Orient Skyline Travel´s post The Delights of Vietnamese Cuisine.