SURVEY: Is the food in Thailand healthy?

[SteveK]

Everyone in my village seems to live well into their nineties - and they all eat exactly the same stuff every day. Som tam, khanom jeen, plain drinking water.

[Saltire]

1 hour ago, malibukid said:

avocados have gotten pretty good here, and i am from Cal.

If I could buy avocados I would eat them every day but I have never seen them anywhere outside Bangkok and I live 5 hours from there! So many ways to eat avocado.

[Bluespunk]

4 hours ago, FredGallaher said:

You guys done know good Thai food. There is a lot of good stuff out there but you must be willing to try. The problem with western diet is much worse and contains a lot of sugary drink and fat food. Thai who adapt to it also get fat. Many Thais are better off than ExPats and are not fat. 

Rice, potatoes, pasta, and bread are only sources of carbohydrates, but adding butter or gravy etc is much worse than plain rice. 

Western diners finish off a meal with cake or pie, whereas Thais take fresh fruit. Which is healthier.

 

 

Not sure where you are from when it comes to dietary habits, but I add neither butter nor gravy to the foods I eat.

 

Don't eat any desert/cake of any type and only drink coffee [black, no sugar] and water.

 

Don't eat fast food and cook everything, from fresh ingredients, I eat myself.

 

The problem is not whether the diet is western or thai, but the choices we make or are forced to make due to personal finances.

[Hanuman2547]

The easy answer is "NO"!  Thai food in Thailand is NOT healthy at all.  It has a lot to do with the way Thai food is produced.  First off, the water in Thailand is polluted to a higher degree than what we find in the west. Whether it is white or brown rice, vegetables, fruits, etc. it still grows in fields that use water that is contaminated.  Then you add in sub-standard soil, poor air quality, the over use of pesticides, many of which are outlawed in the west due to their cancer causing agents, and you have a very unhealthy base just to begin with.  Then we have the way livestock are raised in Thailand.  Naturally they are consuming everything that is just as unhealthy as those fruits, vegetables, and orchards are using so they are just as unhealthy.  Given that they are fed steroids to bulk up their weight this too is unhealthy to consume.  

 

For these reasons, the healthiest Thai food to eat is Thai food consumed in first world nations due to better quality and regulation of the entire food industry.

[seasia]

I think that average Thai food is amongst the worst in the world.

Rules and standards are overlooked.

All about money, as with everything.

[balo]

No I do not trust the labels, if it's organic or not. So I buy lots of vegs and fruits at Big C , and prepare the food at home.  

Eat oat porridge , imported from Germany for breakfast, buy frozen blueberries and blackberries from New Zealand (plenty of antioxidants). brazil nuts from S-America, Salmon from Norway etc,  try to find the best selected food and hope for the best when it comes to the locally produced food. 
Avoid processed food, eat less , eat healthy and exercise regularly. A balanced diet is all you need.  I feel just fine. My BMI is normal. 

 

Edited June 23, 2019 by balo

[robblok]

12 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

Not sure where you are from when it comes to dietary habits, but I add neither butter nor gravy to the foods I eat.

 

Don't eat any desert/cake of any type and only drink coffee [black, no sugar] and water.

 

Don't eat fast food and cook everything, from fresh ingredients, I eat myself.

 

The problem is not whether the diet is western or thai, but the choices we make or are forced to make due to personal finances.

This is one of the better answers, it does not matter Thai food or foreign food both can be healthy or health destroying it really depends what you eat. 

 

If you cut out most processed foods and moderate your carb intake you can improve on your health.

 

I would not trust food labels here, too much cheating going around. For me its not just about organic or not. I am ok with non organic but pesticides within limits. Problem is that I don't trust the testing agencies in this country. 

[Orton Rd]

17 hours ago, malibukid said:

went to the hospital for my semi-annual check up.  what a  wake up call.  LDL out of control.  the food here can literally kill you if the pollution does not get you first.   the Thai's love their palm oil.  back to salmon and steamed veggies. 

Medical tests cannot always be trusted here, I had the same went home a few weeks later and when tested again no problem.

[jobsworth]

the survey is misleading.

there can be only two answers. yes or no.

but neither answer is available.

instead the options are all about the cost of food which is a separate issue.

 

[shaurene]

Well your survey is a waste of time. Many health checks by departments checking the amount of poison land chemicals in the air, are well over the international safety allowences, in the food and water. Even bottled water.

And your Organic stuff. Last year a university did a test. They pur chest organic registered products from supermarkets they were all over the readings, NOT ORGANIC. They did markets also.

go onto YouTube type in your problem so many natural cures for breathing, diabetes, cleaning you arteries. I have been on one for 6 weeks and feel such a difference. My feet are not as cold and sore, I got more circulating, my Diebitis count is right down, now 5.6 -7.5 every morning.

[lannarebirth]

37 minutes ago, jobsworth said:

the survey is misleading.

there can be only two answers. yes or no.

but neither answer is available.

instead the options are all about the cost of food which is a separate issue.

 

That is often the case with surveys here on this website. The choices bear no relation to the topic.

[1FinickyOne]

19 hours ago, at15 said:

they simply just cannot afford to eat enough

you're kidding right? There is no hunger here... I live in the countryside and pretty much everyone can afford to eat and the rare one who can't will be fed by the monks at the temple... 

[travelling wilbury]

21 hours ago, FredGallaher said:

In my opinion Thai food is much healthier than western food. There are a lot of fresh fruits, vegetables and protein available. The trick is knowing how to buy and what to look for. When buying green leafy stuff look to see minor insect holes to see it pesticides were used (in excess). If buying fish or meet in the fresh market look for vendors that must keep flies at bay. I not saying to buy fish covered with flies (no way) but insects know if pesticides are present. 

Western food is frequently deep fried or butter added. Thai food not so much. Except for "fried rice" rice is eaten without added oils or fats. In the west we add butter or sour cream to potatoes. 

At Big C or Makro there are "Royal Project Vegetables" that are very good.

Healthier maybe but hygenic.....im sure a nice meal that has had a million insects crawling on it all day would never make you ill

[Saltire]

5 hours ago, shaurene said:

Well your survey is a waste of time. Many health checks by departments checking the amount of poison land chemicals in the air, are well over the international safety allowences, in the food and water. Even bottled water.

And your Organic stuff. Last year a university did a test. They pur chest organic registered products from supermarkets they were all over the readings, NOT ORGANIC. They did markets also.

go onto YouTube type in your problem so many natural cures for breathing, diabetes, cleaning you arteries. I have been on one for 6 weeks and feel such a difference. My feet are not as cold and sore, I got more circulating, my Diebitis count is right down, now 5.6 -7.5 every morning.

Can I ask what 6 week programme you are following please? Low Carb High Fat?

[attrayant]

22 hours ago, RobboR said:

Various reports in Singapore media have said that Chinese companies are mass producing fake rice made, in part, out of plastic, according to one online publication Very Vietnam

 

"One online publication"  Enough said.

 

Once again - just be a TINY bit skeptical and think about how much effort would be required to cut plastic stock down to the size of rice grains, individually machine each grain to give them the right granular shape, apply color so they'll blend in, and then set up that entire production line alongside the one for genuine rice, nearly doubling your operating costs.  Then realize that the base price for plastic is higher than that for rice. Right from the beginning you're losing money - and that's before you spend all that effort on machining and coloring and mixing in resins 

 

22 hours ago, RobboR said:

The “rice” is made by mixing potatoes, sweet potatoes and plastic. The potatoes are first formed into the shape of rice grains. Industrial synthetic resins are then added to the mix.

 

 

Sweet potatoes are going for around $500-$600 per ton at the moment.

 

Why go through all that effort and expense?  And imagine the ire of your customers marching back to your shop with plastic rice stuck in their teeth, wielding meat cleavers at your staff. 

 

22 hours ago, RobboR said:

Don't know how widespread it is but it doesn't surprise me

 

 

That's the problem.  It should surprise you because there are too many obvious reasons why this idea is pure nonsense, and NO reasons as to why anyone would ever want to do it.  Just the economics alone makes it a losing venture:

 

Cost of rice: $300-$500 per ton:
 

 

Cost of synthetic resins: a few thousand dollars per ton:

 

 

Cost of recycled PVC: $500-$1200 per ton

 

[emptypockets]

On ‎6‎/‎23‎/‎2019 at 5:24 PM, Quack said:

As a diabetic I struggle to find any Thai food at all that doesn't make me ill. I also stick to meat and veg as much as I can

There is no such thing as Thai food.....food is food. Manage your condition ….don't apportion blame where it is not due.

[emptypockets]

On ‎6‎/‎23‎/‎2019 at 5:34 PM, Kurtf said:

Hahaha. Before you jump onto that diet I suggest you do a little investigation into that salmon you think is so great. 99% of the salmon sold in Thailand is farm raised and contains unbelievable amounts of toxins. Soaking your veggies in a dilute solution of white vinegar will help clean off some of the pesticides used on the farms.

Where are the salmon farms in Thailand? Plenty of fish farms sure...but salmon? Educate me.

[myjawe]

On 6/23/2019 at 12:50 PM, sawadee1947 said:

If you spend some money you can buy healthy food same as in every country. 

But for Average Thai people food is not healthy 

 

Money or not you can only dream, organic or not, any food that you will buy is toxic, full of pesticides.

Even in EU organic food is poisoned, so no need to even think about healthy food in Thailand.

 

 

 

 

[Pique Dard]

I don't trust that food would be honestly labeled. in europe,  i've seen too many  television reports filmed  with secret cameras exposing farmers who claim they produce organic fruits and vegetables,  yet using  chemical fertilizers on the quiet. i doubt thai farmers would behave differently

[attrayant]

7 hours ago, Pique Dard said:

i've seen too many  television reports filmed  with secret cameras exposing farmers who claim they produce organic fruits and vegetables,  yet using  chemical fertilizers on the quiet.

 

That's because - everybody say it with me - so-called organic farming is totally allowed to use pesticides.  And what's with the phrase "chemical pesticides"?  Is there some kind of magical pesticide that's not made from any sort of chemical?  Is it made from thoughts & prayers?

 

Here's a list of pesticides that are allowed in organic farming: 

 

Ethanol, isopropanol, calcium hypochlorite, chlorine dioxide, cypochlorous acid, sodium hypochlorite, copper sulfate, hydrogen peroxide, ozone gas, peracetic acid, soap-based algicides/demossers, sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate, mulches derived from composted newspaper or other recycled paper, plastic mulch and covers (petroleum-based other than polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ammonium carbonate, aqueous potassium silicate, boric acid, elemental sulfur, lime sulfur, horticultural oils, insecticidal soaps, sucrose octanoate esters, insect pheromones, vitamin D3 (a rodenticide), ferric phosphate, copper hydroxide, copper oxide, copper oxychloride, hydrated lime, lignin sulfonate, magnesium oxide, sulfates, carbonates, oxides, or silicates of zinc, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, and cobalt, sulfuric, citric or phosphoric acid (to adjust pH in aquaculture), vitamins, B1, C, and E, sulfurous acid, ethylene gas, hydrogen chloride.

 

Nope, no chemicals there!

 

And some of these have specific use requirements. For example copper sulfate used as tadpole shrimp control in aquatic rice production is limited to one application per field during any 24-month period. Why is that?  Because copper is a heavy metal and it builds up in the environment.  It's toxic at certain levels, too.  Wait - why are we doing this "organic" farming thing again?

[unblocktheplanet]

My biggest concern is all the imported veg from China, no doubt laced with pesticide & fertiliser residue. A good place to start is for Thai FDA to test imports as in Europe.

 

What we're seeing is exponential growth in hydroponically grown veg. Nutritional quality, of course, depends on the growth medium.

 

Always pick brown jasmine rice. I put a handful of red rice in each pot. Now that's prison food!

 

Almost all salmon here, and most of the rest of the world, is farmed Atlantic salmon from Norway, Scotland, or Canada. (That's the species not the location!) Farmed salmon create dead zones under their pens. They're fed waste animal meal from the meat industry, laced with antibiotics, and colour. First Nations have banned salmon farms in their territories and Washington state  had a major escape endangering wild salmon stocks.

 

Those white lines of fat are the dead giveaway for lazy salmon swimming circles in their prison yards. Real salmon are bright orange muscle. For the record, Alaska doesn't allow farmed salmon. Buy Alaska salmon wherever possible; they deserve support. Maybe other places will get the message! 

 

[wisperone]

On 6/23/2019 at 10:09 PM, FredGallaher said:

In the US they only test LDL as part of a cholesterol or lipid panel. Just trying to help.

Not true... I get tested...Total, HDL, LDL, breakdown along with ratio.

[GroupA]

You misunderstood. Lipid panel is total cholesterol, LDL and calculated HDL , the ratio is a calculation but is usually included. Lipid panel will include Triglycerides but a cholesterol panel probably won't.  The LDL level is of limited value without knowing the total cholesterol.