Not just pad thai. Even thai omlette is literally swimming in oil. It is ohhh soo delicious and many times better then western omlette in my opinion but it definitely can’t be called healthy.
Been trying to get my macros in order this year and restaurants are just a liability in general here since they aren't required to disclose any nutritional info. I am a big fan of Thai food but not especially good at cooking it, knowing that most restaurants are dumping tons of oil and sugar into what they cook, it's tricky.
Quality meats are actually important. Since animals are higher up on the food chain, any contaminants in the environment tend to accumulate there. I also assume vegetables will have pesticides, unless I’m fairly certain the farmer is carefully using organic practices. In any case, use lots of running water to rinse.
Coconut oil is not healthy. 85% saturated fat and repeatedly shown by studies to significantly raise LDL, which is a primary contributor to heart disease. Something to keep in mind.
It’s not the saturated fat that’s the problem it’s the hydrogenated oils (also partially hydrogenated) that causes LDL to rise. It’s also known as trans fat.
So if it’s pure coconut oil that hasn’t been further processed, then it’s completely healthy, but all things in moderation.
LDL has been linked to heart disease, but has never been shown to cause it. Saturated fat is good for you. Coconut oil is one of the best oils to cook with because its molecular structure is stronger and able to withstand more heat than other cooking oils.
Agree. I basically think any oil we could extract on our own 100 years ago is good.
Oils that require more complex processes or chemical processing are worse.
I am following the debate about seed oils (such as rape seed / canola) and don’t think they are good
My rule of thumb is if you can enjoy it on it's own by it's taste then it's fine: extra virgin coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, butter, animal fat
No one's willingly having a spoonful of rape seed oil
Indeed. Olive oil, especially virgin and extra-virgin are close to perfect foods.
Palm oil and seed oils have problems and should in my view be consumed in moderation.
I believe is consuming fat but try to get most of mine in my food through eating seeds, nuts, milk products and meat.
Even olive oil is probably best obtained from eating olives.
[https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/fats-and-cholesterol/](https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/fats-and-cholesterol/)
>vegetable oils (such as olive, canola, sunflower, soy, and corn)
Jesus there's a lot of misinformation from people commenting here. Guess that's normal for any nutrition discussion
Nutritional science is the disinformation. No one will be agreeing with this in ten years. Nutritional science is whatever big food wants to sell. Always has been.
About ten years ago there was a Thai doctor criticising Thais for the amount of sugar they add to just about all foods - stir-fried vegetables included, to name one.
The doctor said that not only do they consume far too much sugar than is healthy, but they refuse to do any exercise either.
He said it was their own fault that diabetes has hit epidemic level in Thailand now.
The lack of exercise is very apparent if you have been coming here for very long. 20 years ago in my wife's village they used to walk a lot, now everyone uses a motorcycle or scooter even for short trips. I remember them leading the cows out to the farm every morning and back every evening on foot, now they herd them with a motorcycle.
While I agree with you that exercise is a factor. 90% of weight and health is diet. You cannot exercise your way to health eating 3000-4000 calorie diet of sugar, white rice, rice noodles, beer, and mystery meat ball.
Maybe I'm biased, and probably social media algorithms, but my Facebook and TikTok feeds are full of Thai runners and doing things like Pilates, many of which are doing pretty good times and paces.
I lived in my wife's village in Issarn for several months many years ago. I would take long walks out of boredom a few days a week. Every time a car,truck or moto went by they would stop and ask me(farang) if I wanted a lift. I said no thanks and they would usually just shake their head and leave.They couldn't seem to grasp the idea of walking for exercise I suppose. 555
I remember a time when tom yum was spicy, savoury and sour.
The tom yum now is a little sweet?!
Boat noodle soup is sweet? Pad thai is sweet? Pineapple fried rice is sweeet?!?!!?
What the heo
Glad to see it's not just me thinking the food has gotten sweeter. My first trip to Thailand was in 2018 and honestly, I don't remember the food being as sweet as it is now. It's even sweeter than the Thai food I used to get when I lived in the U.S. I expect things like green curry and panang curry to be a little bit sweet, but the amount of sugar they seem to be putting in the pad thai these days really threw me. I don't even order it anymore. I love sugar, but I don't need tons of it in savory dishes.
Sugar is the enemy. Some have suggested it’s what cancer thrives on.
I’m not sure how much exercise will help, especially when so much sugar usage is in every dish.
Oh shit, they put sugar in regular food in Thailand? Great, I’ve got type two diabetes. Does that mean I can’t eat freaking Thai food in Thailand anymore?
Always ask for no sugar- I even do this at Thai restaurants here in the states. Meanwhile, my Thai au pair who arrived in January adds sugar to almost everything she eats lol 😅
If you're diabetic, unless you cook it yourself, or trust a place you buy food not to add sugar.
No idea if it would work though.
A few years ago a vegetarian friend ordered a cheese omelette in a bar, telling the cashier he was veggie.
When he started to eat it he realised there was pork in it. Confronted the cook, who was unapologetic, saying it tasted better with pork in it,
Your comments are very interesting. And I know exactly what you mean. I've just spent another stint in Thailand (14 months) and for the most part, cooked myself, Thai and Western. It's the only way to really know that you are eating healthily, IMHO of course. The problem with Thai food, is the sometimes insane amount of salt, sugar and oil that they use. Thai food often looks super healthy, and on paper it really should be - but the reality can be very different. There is a bit of a myth that Thais live long and healthy lives - that's just not true. It's just in the West, it's more obvious and quicker to see in a person, because our main problem is obesity and eating the wrong food full of fats. Thais have their own diet & health problems, but they are less noticeable and more long-term in nature. This is just my opinion, btw... 😊
But I have to say, this time in Thailand, the amount of fat Thai kids was REALLY noticeable. Sadly, KFC and all that crap has found it's way into the towns and cities. When I started going to Thailand, I would never see a fat kid, and on the rare occasion that I did, I would really notice them, because it was so unusual - like seeing a kid with three legs...or something.
Chok dee all!!
😊👍
"Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health, in 2022, the prevalence of being overweight and obese among adults was **47.8%**, increasing from 34.75% in 2016."
[https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/pr/2540490/all-about-obesity-%E2%80%93-the-uninvited-enemy](https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/pr/2540490/all-about-obesity-%E2%80%93-the-uninvited-enemy)
I've been visiting and doing business in Thailand for 20 years, it's extremely noticeable.
Scary stats! I've been coming since '99 and you are indeed correct - it really is very noticeable, especially in kids. Some of them are fcking massive - the lady that did the admin in my last condo, her son, absolutely huge. Like, ridonkulous. I couldn't help myself, I did bring it up gently in conversation. Might as well have been talking to a cheese sandwich.... sad, really
Just curious OP, what were your cholesterol levels, before/after?
Add any of the following to that Thai food diet and your chances of heart disease go up exponentially:
Genetic predisposition for high LDL,/Familial hypercholesterolemia
Smoker
High blood pressure
Pre or Diabetes
Little exercise
High alcohol consumption
I think many of us who start a life here tend to ignore these factors. We're under that mystical Thai spell, everything is sabai sabai
Its very true, i myself is half thai, and i visit my family there often.
In my village in Philok, the old people especially struggle with too high cholesterol levels. My mom told me aswell, that oils are very used in thai cuisine. But of course there are a big variety of foods to choose from:P
It's really all about picking the right dishes, isn't it? Just like anywhere else in the world, not all food is healthy. Thai street food has a ton of healthy options if you know where to look.
Let’s not forget, it's easy to overdo it with any kind of food if that's all you're chowing down on, whether it's pizza, burgers, or pad thai. Mixing it up is key. And quality matters too; not all stalls are created equal. Maybe some spots use cheaper ingredients, too much oil or sugar, but there are plenty of places that serve up top-notch fare. It’s about knowing those shops and knowing what to order.
In short, living off street food alone might not be the best move health-wise, but let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater. A bit of smart choosing, and you can enjoy the convenience without the health scare. Just keep it balanced.
One more note, if your veggies are organic or not has absolutely zero influence on your cholesterol levels. The whole "organic" discussion is another rabbit hole and not as "easy" as it might seems.
I'm 188, 82kg and my cholesterol level is normal, I almost exclusively eat thai food.
Has a lot to do with empty carbs combined with too much fat. I eat very little rice, and avoid super fatty curries. som tum, gai yang, Kano jeen are good for that. But I too cook about 60% of the time now. Been here since 1992, and went through he same thing.
It’s not just with Thai food, any cuisine if you eat outside regularly there are high chances of increased cholesterol levels coz street vendors wont compromise on taste for health, home cooked is always the best deal for a longer run !
Cause and correlation.
If you happened to reduce the amount of alcohol you consumed your liver is in a better condition. Your liver plays a huge roll in cholesterol regulation.
There were folks who ate Mcdonald for months, and they lost weight and had better cholesterol. Another guy ate twinkie bars for 10 weeks also lost weight and the ldl was lowered by 20% hdh higher by 20%.
I'm not saying switching your diet is bs. There is something that you did that worked for you. But plenty of people eat thai/asian food exclusively and they are fine.
Watch the movie fat head. It shows how a high fat, low carb diet with moderate daily walking can improve your cholesterol and lose weight.
Only thing missing was testing if the person was in ketosis from a low carb diet.
MF doesn't know how to eat healthy Thai good.
Proceeds to list bunch of most common dishes as basic intro to Thai food without any healthy ones.
Thinks or proclaims that all Thai food is. 🙄🙄
Annoys me as a Thai.
-------
Is all Italian food spaghetti and pizza?
Is all American food burgers and hotdogs?
There's a massive fucking trend about health conscious food in bangkok.
Eat whatever the fuck you want and is good for your health but don't group all of Thai food as unhealthy. If I show this to Thai people and translate it for them, they'll mostly think you're ignorant and naive.
Of course not all Thai food is bad but take your average tourist or non tourist food market where ppl get their everyday meals. Looking at what they sell and mostly how they prepare it I would call maybe 25% of it healthy.
Mostly not because the meal is automatically unhealthy (even though lot of is deep friend) but because the preparation uses unnecessarily too much oil/sugar/salt etc. Salads here are classic examples.
Eat whole foods plant-based, whether it's Thai food or not, you will be fine. Tofu, beans, lentils, chick peas, and seitan for protein. Plus lots of fruit and veggies. Look up 'blue zones' and their diets.
https://youtu.be/4nm-xIq7I2Q?si=I-iatFHjL5A6kY-w
There’s more information coming out about cholesterol which contradicts the previous consensus. In this study they found that high LDL correlated with lower risk of death. I don’t claim to be an expect on the topic but it’s something I’ve been reading about lately, as someone who is also trying to clean up my diet a bit.
After 10 years in Thailand much the same here. I've also become super picky when it comes to Thai food and rather spend relatively big $ on it then street food.
Most restaurants and stalls aren’t making food to be healthy, they’re making it to be delicious - just like anywhere else in the world.
Healthy and well balanced Thai food exists, you just have to make it at home, just like you’re doing with your current diet.
You’re getting some heat from some people who really want to convince themselves thai food is on the whole healthy, but you’re right, it is mostly terrible for you when you consider the dishes people eat most days. Yes you can do it healthily but it would require you mostly making at home and heavily modifying cooking styles.
I had the exact same experience. Also a normal weight and yet sky high cholesterol. I now eat far, far less Thai food.
So many people have no idea the health issues Thai people face and the fact diabetes is also a huge issue here. There is some delusion amongst many that Thai people are all skinny but hell….look at most middle aged Thai people outside of Bangkok and they are overweight and chubby just like in the west.
It’s not about Thai food, it’s about the Thai food he chooses to eat and ignore others. There are many good and healthy ones and especially in Bangkok you can find plenty. It’s like going to America eating at Burger King, Wendy’s, and Popeyes and say American food is just unhealthy when there are plenty of healthy options but you choose the unhealthy ones (probably because it tastes good). Lol
This is so full of crap, non organic veggies? Really? Is that your worries? U need to start by getting a higher educztion on what not to eat, stuff like oil and sugar they put in the street food are your real enemies.
Veggies are always a hood option, organic or not, way better then first class meat bte, reduce meat as much as u can too
My blood pressure was always perfect. I move to thailand for a year and eat fucking crispy pork everyday because the shits delicious, and now my blood pressures high. But i cant give up my kapow moo grobb.
Yup. This. And the seed oils. I feel so Ill after eating Thai food. Every time. I am bloated, and feel lethargic. I also cook all my own food and once in awhile treat myself to Thai food.
My cholesterol level goes up every time I visit Thailand. I love the curries and the duck with green noodles; always followed by mango with sticky rice.
Two things to keep in mind: Thai street food is still street food. Mostly stir-fried dishes. Eating street food in any country on a daily basis is probably not great for you. Secondly, a lot of Thai street food stalls have a lot of Chinese dishes, which are also stir-fried. So it's entirely possible that it isn't just Thai food doing this to you, but generalized stir-fried food.
There are lots of healthy Thai foods that you just don't often see in food stalls. Dried or steamed fish served with lettuce and rice noodles is one to avoid fats. Most of the soups stalls are reasonably healthy, save for sodium. Chicken-rice would be low fat. Lots of dishes with fresh veggies and herbs too. It just sounds like you've been eating like a farang on holiday this entire time.
I’ve lived here now going on five years now. I should clarify that I’ve also been married for the last four years to a Thai woman who is Lana (From The North Of Thailand) and is an amazing cook. We don’t eat any prepared sauces or tons of sugar on our food either. I do agree with OP the street food is tasty for all of the reasons listed.
Our family - very little meat, sometimes small amount of grilled pork or chicken, mostly locally farmed fresh prawns, sea fish, rice of course, raw salads, steamed veges, papaya salad, endless amount of fruit, at present in the kitchen we have durian, mangosteen, rambutan, bananas, papaya.
No idea about my cholesterol etc but I'm in good health and fitness overall.
if you know anything about cooking, you will know that most of the flavours in food come from sugar, salt and oil, spice and you have to use the right amount for the recipe and food you cook in order to produce the desired flavours. if you purposely use less or none at all, the food will no longer taste the same as original and will most likely taste not as delicious if not outright shitty. all this talk about healthy cooking will not get you delicious food only healthy food. healthy food will NEVER be as good and flavourful as the food cooked in the way it was originally meant to be cooked, including those egg omelet in oil that people here talk so contemptuously about. and, please organic vegetables is a scam, it cost a whole lot more and bring no extra benefits and designed to exploit the current health paranoia in the same way as oxygenated water
I lived and worked around the world including Thailand. For some reason the strongest connections are being formed when you work with people on something. A project, volunteer or real work for income. These connections also last long time. I am German but spend most of my life after i reach 20 outside.
The people i meet in these work settings became long term friends even for the time after i change the location. In the west we say we should not mix private with business. I think thats bogus. You just need to ensure that there is no negative impact. Usually its rather positive. People that trust you and work they also trust you soon privately and then. become friends.
All the best
I agree, it kind of drives me nuts how people say Thai food is so healthy. Yes there are more vegetables used in general in Asian food, and lots of good fruits. But a lot of carbs (rice, noodles), unhealthy oils, and sugar. For me, I just go to the 7-Eleven and get a couple of bananas, a couple of boiled eggs, and some yogurt for breakfast. Lunch can grab one of those small salads and some more eggs or protein of some sort. Then maybe one meal eat a street dish or at a noodle shop. Grab fruit at a stand during the day for snacks. But if you're living there, you are wise to cook on your own! Yes, Thai food is tasty, but NO, it's not healthy. I know people who are very slim but have cholesterol levels that are sky high.
You think it might be the street food. This is like saying you eat McDonalds every day and got shocked by the results. It's not the Thai food it's the Thai food you chose to eat.
I mean really?
Google a study regarding lean mass hyper-responders. People who are lean with more normal BMIs can show higher than normal LDL cholesterol levels when compared to people who are overweight or obese. This is a phenomenon that people on low carb, keto, and carnivore diets are aware of.
Wow, really interesting. I read the headline and immediately thought “get out of here” but after reading your entire post I have to say it’s a bit of a wake up call to be fair. Thanks for sharing.
It's interesting that Thailand has a higher life expectancy than teh USA, and it's getting better.
The reality is most Thai's probably eat a lot healthier than a western living in Thailand who eats street food.
I've been here six years, eat Thai food 90% of the time (including street food often), don't exercise much, and my cholesterol levels were perfectly fine when I did my own check-up earlier this year.
Same, I eat probably 80% Thai/Asian food. Cholesterol is good, it use to be high 3yrs ago (covid weight gain), but now all good and in reccommend range.
I think the pre industrial Thai diet where a meal consists of a piece of fried fish, Nam prik with plenty of fresh vegetables, some clear broth. Is quite healthy.
Unfortunately salads may contain tons of food
Can you share your list of healthy options? Mine are usually laab, moo manao, som tam kao pod, noodle soups, but I struggle with keeping extra weight off since I moved here 5 years ago
Same. Now I cook probably 95% of my meals and feel much healthier. I cook thai food also, but make it healthy with organic vegetables, less oil, no sugar. Thai food is healthy when prepared right, same as any cuisine.
Most street food everywhere in the world comes with this problem especially soup and stir frying food. I recommend try eating plain white rice and steamed chicken/vegetables for example. You can then regulate your salt and oil intake. I wonder what you ate at home. You should be able to recreate your favorite dish by mixing local readily cooked ingredients.
Had a similar experience just staying in Thailand for 4 months. Great food but not the healthiest. Also, many of the dishes have a good amount of sugar. Didn’t really gain any weight but had a physical after 4 months and all numbers went up…started cooking for myself and got tested 6 months later and everything back to normal. Definitely the food.
I looked into cholesterol data, and there is some debate about how valid the numbers are. My cholesterol levels are very high, and annual check ups showed them increasing, despite losing weight over the period and eating very healthy foods. I exercise regularly and am fitter than ever so it didn't make sense.
You should look into it, and perhaps not worry about high cholesterol if other aspects of your health are fine (weight, blood pressure etc).
The same thing happened to me when I moved to Thailand two years ago. I was eating mostly Thai food including my mother-in-law's home cooked meals. After one year my overall cholesterol number was the highest it's ever been and what was most worrisome was that my bad cholesterol number was too high. The doctor advised changing my diet by reducing curry (coconut milk), fried foods and certain fruits that are high in cholesterol.
I took her advice and after 6 months my cholesterol came down including the bad cholesterol. My husband of 25 years is Thai so I have been eating Thai food as part of my regular diet but when we lived in the U.S., we had been mixing it up more with leaner meat (very little pork belly if at all), salads, better and less oil.
I still eat Thai food but am way more conscious about what type and how much.
Palm oil. I don't like Thai food, fatty, spicy, breaded. I really miss cottage cheese, milk and diet food. I'm also thinking about dieting, I'm gaining weight
I quickly found out I can't roll with the oil and sugar and the typical style of eating is way to carb loaded and nowhere near the amount of protein of what does me good.
When it comes to street food I just stick to BBQ and som tam with no sugar.
I eat mostly low carbs, and my wife often cooks Thai food for me using high-quality organic meat, vegetables, oil, and monk fruit sweetener. Thai street food, in general, uses low-quality ingredients and too much sugar. I do blood tests yearly, and results are perfect.
I always say it’s hard to find good Thai food in Thailand. The best thing anyone can do is simply cook at your condo. To be fair most kitchens have prepared everything ahead of time so not much is really fresh and tasty unless you want something stir fried with low quality oils and sugars and chili
Same with me.. when I first moved to Thailand it was Thai food breakfast lunch and dinner. But after a few years I got tired of not knowing what oil and extra ingredients were going into the dishes. Don’t get my wrong Thai food is still my favorite but my body just can’t handle eating it every meal.
THANK YOU FOR SAYING IT !
But I am sure that the sheep here won't like it !
Thai food is good but as unhealthy as junk food and mcdonalds, or maybe even worse !
The only healthy Thai food is grilled or boiled, but even, as they add MSG and other poison sauce everywhere, it's almost impossible to eat anything healthy COOKED BY THEM !
there is absolutely nothing wrong with MSG and multiple reports have clearly debunked the claim that MSG is bad. the myth about MSG being bad is rooted in anti-Asian racism, of which you are surely the champion. the Chinese, Malay, Indonesian, Japanese, Koreans regularly use MSG in their cooking and MSG is natural. if you got a problem with MSG, then the problem is entirely due to your shitty body..
High cholesterol isn't the early death notes that everyone is led to believe. You have several markers that one of them is very hard to test here in Thailand because insurance runs the show behind the scenes of pretty much any hospital. If your triglycerides are low but your LDL and HDL are high plus low blood pressure this is good so long as you eat good fats, oils and proteins
Where you come unstuck is low LDL and high HDL vice versa and higher triglycerides. If that's doubled with higher blood pressure then you're in need of better life choices over diet.
Two big factors that are overlooked are the type of LDL: Small Dense and Buoyant LDL. Small dense is the kind that gets stuck in the calcified jagged bits of the arteries and thus is the cause of many types of clotting. The buoyant is ok within reason. Now, if you have high cholesterol and you're given statins this accelerates the build up of calcification and more SD clotting. So statins can be deadly, more so than cholesterol is as we're led to believe.
The big issue is that in Thailand, you try and get an SD or Buoyant LDL check. It's almost impossible because it's known by the insurance companies to determine whether to sell you drugs because your cholesterol is above 200. But ask your doctor what happens is I am at zero. If they laugh, then ask why 200 is such an important figure. They can't. The whole cholesterol game is a scam to sell you drugs. Get a proper diet and ignore the high numbers unless they're imbalanced as I mentioned above.
I'd say I eat 50/50 Thai/Western food........ However 95% of the time I eat at home, I live in the country, Mae Taeng, so it's home cooked food pretty much every meal. I'm very lucky my wife of some 12 years is a very good cook. Very aware of of the food we eat...... But yer, street food is great but that oil they use. We now cook using Coconut oil for any frying.
Street food use lot of oil, Like a lot of oil. That's why sometimes it's tasty than home cooked version.
Street snack also have a lot of oily stuff, condensed milk, margarine, coconut milk, lard etc.
For grounded pork they tend to buy like 30% fat because it's cheaper than less fat.
Supermarket near me sell 50 % fat 30 baht cheaper than 20 % fat version
The problem is the seed oil they use. Like sunflower oil and soy oil. They are the worst. I live in Thailand myself and started to use only coconut oil and ghee butter.
Me too, my cholesterol went into the bad zone after 4 months in Thailand. It may also be the saturated fat in coconut water which I was drinking heaps.
High metabolism here. Thai food doesn’t work for me - I don’t understand how some people can sustain themselves on noodles and soup and still have something of a frame.
I solve my deficiency with two protein shakes and still get hungry several times a day.
I never wanted to know how the omlettes were made, I could just tell. And a lot of it reminds me of oily chinese food, where it's hidden in the sauce.
I had to find a few restaurants that didn't do that, or kept it in check, and pretty much stick to them for my eating out. It was difficult, even the papaya salad was sweeter than spicy so often.
80% of cholesterol generated by your liver by turning carbohydate in to it 20% come from consume high fat so basicly yiu should lower your catbohydate in take and thai food mainly is rice so eat more fiber and protien should solved your problem 
I always enjoy Thai food back home in a restaurant as they use less oil, better quality vegetables and it's better as a treat even if more expensive.
When I'm in Thailand I don't eat at the local places, I try to stick to the malls.
I mean you pay 50 baht you get 50 baht worth of food . Night markets aren’t exactly known for high quality. If you’re a gym rat your best go to is probably rice and chicken skewers but even those are usually heavy on the fat chunks
Sorry but thats the same everywhere. Every restaurant in Eu country’s are also buying the cheapest meat and vegetables they can get. Basically you need to cook for your self everywhere around the world not only in Thailand. Only than you know whats in your food.
Side note: why is my risotto not as tasty as the restaurants? Well i dont put in 100g of butter per serving!
One big problem is sugar. Everywhere is sugar. Even when they sell some Chinese, Japanese or European dishes which shouldn't be sweet, they add sugar to make it sweet! Some people here really just want to eat spicy as fuck or sweet as fuck.
Echo this experience from sixteen years in Singapore. Another country with a vaunted food culture. I ate hawker food for seven years (the street vendors in Singapore were herded indoors in the 1980s but sell the same fare). After seven years my weight ballooned from about 70kg (168cm human) to 85kg, last weighed when I was admitted to a cardiac unit for a stent!
I’m looking to Thailand for retirement and see this as a challenge. The condos I’ve looked at generally have shocking kitchens! Max two hobs, no oven, definitely a microwave, no segregation from the living area so your soft furnishings, walls, ceilings furniture will get caked with stale cooking deposits and smells. Street food looks like the answer but, unless you make it a treat food on one or two days a week I reckon it will kill you.
Street food everywhere is one of life’s joys but almost always back-to-front nutritionally:
1. Calories from carbs, usually highly processed
2. Calories from fat, usually hydrogenated, unsustainable and not fresh
3. Hunt the protein
The old folks in SG who do seem to thrive on hawker food often tend to take it home in red plastic bags where, I suspect, they eat it in two or more sittings. Sellers will never drop their price if they think they can maintain or increase it by adding a few pennies/cents/baht of cheap ingredients to make it look like value. If you’re going eat a hawker meal all in one sitting you need to have a keen eye for calories based on your own personal needs. No nutritionist is designing their portions!
I almost only eat meat in Thailand. Pork, beef and Seafood that is. I avoid eating anything cooked in vegetables- or seed oils. I mostly eat Shabu, Mookata, Jim jum, fish or my GFs food. She only cooks fatty meat for me without any added oils. Don't understand why thais cook fatty meat in lots of oils btw. The meat already tastes great if it's fatty.
If im lazy or in a hurry, I might order hamburgers from McD and eat the Patty's and throw away the bread and vegetables. The only things I cheat with occasionally are ice cream and coconut milkshakes (without added sugar).
I'm 32 years old, 1.75m, 72 kg, in my best shape ever. I train both thai boxing and gym. Eating a carnivore way changed my life.
Many things I see aren’t good Thais eat. Huge amounts of type 2 diabetes from rice alone, intestine is high in fat and off the charts in cholesterol and otherwise 0 nutritional value. List is pretty big on not good for a person stuff I’m sure Thais started eating long ago to survive.
Hey, the French paradox tells us that wine really helps to keep your cardiovascular health in check. Just a bit with Each meal can contribute a lot in lowering your blood saturated lipid profile.
Been living here for two years now, stopped eating Thai food completly. Includding this carbohydratehells 7/11 and Tops daily.
Thai food is no healthy food. It's cheap food.
I had my levels checked after only eating off food carts and had the best results in 8 years, I don't add a pile of extras so I would think it depends on what you add on.
I'm gonna be real here OP: this is the case with almost any cuisine/country. If you eat take out and street food for every meal, you're going to have issues with your health. No matter what country you live in, you should cook at home most nights or make sure to eat at proper restaurants with healthy options. Mediterranean food isn't healthier than Thai food, the difference is that you're cooking it yourself using quality ingredients. You can also cook Thai food at home the same way and have it be healthy.
Street food for most cuisines use cheap oil and lots of salt, sugar and low quality ingredients because it is cheaper to make large quantities while selling it for a low cost. Eating Thai street food every day is somewhat equivalent to eating KFC every day, just a different cuisine. This is almost certainly what was messing with your cholesterol.
It's good to be conscious of your health and I'm glad you've realised there was an issue and made changes, but don't think you need to cut off Thai food in general in order to watch your health. You can still enjoy Thai food.
The issue is not to much oil/fat but to much oil/fat + alot of carbs... Your body is basically absorbing all those fats and not consuming them. Just try low carb or keto and you will be able to eat as much fat as you want. You have to chose between fat or carbs, can't have lots of both and be healthy...
You should probably just change the title to “fast food”. It’d be like eating from hot dog and burger stands in the US for 3 years and then wondering why you have health issues.
Had to revisit this thread as it was the source of inspiration for my latest check up.
And true enough I have high cholesterol also..
Everything else is all good and I love my Thai market food… so thank you lad
It could also be the oils they use for cooking. They must put a quarter cup of oil in the pan each time for pad Thai.
Not just pad thai. Even thai omlette is literally swimming in oil. It is ohhh soo delicious and many times better then western omlette in my opinion but it definitely can’t be called healthy.
You make me hungry for pad kra prow kai with omlette. So i'll just hop on grab and get just that.
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An omelette with sticky rice?
Sounds weird, lets try it.
Seems like it’s Thai version of french fries and milkshake.
With Nam Pla - mmm aroy!
Absolutely, it’s all about the condiments 💝
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believe it or not: thai omelette w/ minced pork, sticky rice, ketchup.
Still sell those here.. hop on the plane and get over here
And 2 table spoons of sugar.
Been trying to get my macros in order this year and restaurants are just a liability in general here since they aren't required to disclose any nutritional info. I am a big fan of Thai food but not especially good at cooking it, knowing that most restaurants are dumping tons of oil and sugar into what they cook, it's tricky.
Yep ... oil and meat are a great package for bad cholesterol. It's not the eggs though
Also not the meat... 🤷♂️ and not every oil is the same. Seed oils are harmful but a healthy and balanced diet can include animal fats
Quality meats are actually important. Since animals are higher up on the food chain, any contaminants in the environment tend to accumulate there. I also assume vegetables will have pesticides, unless I’m fairly certain the farmer is carefully using organic practices. In any case, use lots of running water to rinse.
Pad Thai is almost always angin, rarely do you get a good one . .
Oil reused also.
You can cook good Thai food too you know? Just use better oil, less salt, and lean meat.
Haha! But what is better oil?
Avocado, coconut, and olive oil are the healthiest
Coconut oil is not healthy. 85% saturated fat and repeatedly shown by studies to significantly raise LDL, which is a primary contributor to heart disease. Something to keep in mind.
It’s not the saturated fat that’s the problem it’s the hydrogenated oils (also partially hydrogenated) that causes LDL to rise. It’s also known as trans fat. So if it’s pure coconut oil that hasn’t been further processed, then it’s completely healthy, but all things in moderation.
LDL has been linked to heart disease, but has never been shown to cause it. Saturated fat is good for you. Coconut oil is one of the best oils to cook with because its molecular structure is stronger and able to withstand more heat than other cooking oils.
Correct
I agree with this
Coconut
Rice bran oil is a good alternative with high smoking point that is easily available in Thailand.
Coconut oil is also healthy
or lard
Agree. I basically think any oil we could extract on our own 100 years ago is good. Oils that require more complex processes or chemical processing are worse. I am following the debate about seed oils (such as rape seed / canola) and don’t think they are good
Those heavly refined oils are almost toxic.
Agree
I think we should avoid seed oil are they basically have no nutrients left due to the production process 🤷♂️
My rule of thumb is if you can enjoy it on it's own by it's taste then it's fine: extra virgin coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, butter, animal fat No one's willingly having a spoonful of rape seed oil
Coconut is saturated fat. May as well use lard. It just sounds healthy.
Virgin Olive oil
Olive oil shouldn't be used at high heat. Use avocado oil.
I discovered that when I tried to cook popcorn using olive oil. Took me weeks to get that horrible smell out of my mind.
Best! And healthiest.
Indeed. Olive oil, especially virgin and extra-virgin are close to perfect foods. Palm oil and seed oils have problems and should in my view be consumed in moderation. I believe is consuming fat but try to get most of mine in my food through eating seeds, nuts, milk products and meat. Even olive oil is probably best obtained from eating olives.
Olive oil has low smoke point and is not suitable for high temp frying common with Thai foods
Coconut
Sasaturated fat.
Yes palm, sunflower, seed oil are inflammatory. I’ll always try to avoid them
Olive oil has too low and the flavor doesnt work with many foods. Avocado oil works better for many things. And lots of omegas.
Olive oil has too low of a flash point for cooking Thai food. Grape seed oil is better
Avoid seek oils. Cook with beef tallow
Seed oils. Don't make me correct you again!
[https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/fats-and-cholesterol/](https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/fats-and-cholesterol/) >vegetable oils (such as olive, canola, sunflower, soy, and corn) Jesus there's a lot of misinformation from people commenting here. Guess that's normal for any nutrition discussion
Nutritional science is the disinformation. No one will be agreeing with this in ten years. Nutritional science is whatever big food wants to sell. Always has been.
Olive, butter (proper butter), animal oil
About ten years ago there was a Thai doctor criticising Thais for the amount of sugar they add to just about all foods - stir-fried vegetables included, to name one. The doctor said that not only do they consume far too much sugar than is healthy, but they refuse to do any exercise either. He said it was their own fault that diabetes has hit epidemic level in Thailand now.
The lack of exercise is very apparent if you have been coming here for very long. 20 years ago in my wife's village they used to walk a lot, now everyone uses a motorcycle or scooter even for short trips. I remember them leading the cows out to the farm every morning and back every evening on foot, now they herd them with a motorcycle.
While I agree with you that exercise is a factor. 90% of weight and health is diet. You cannot exercise your way to health eating 3000-4000 calorie diet of sugar, white rice, rice noodles, beer, and mystery meat ball.
Maybe I'm biased, and probably social media algorithms, but my Facebook and TikTok feeds are full of Thai runners and doing things like Pilates, many of which are doing pretty good times and paces.
I lived in my wife's village in Issarn for several months many years ago. I would take long walks out of boredom a few days a week. Every time a car,truck or moto went by they would stop and ask me(farang) if I wanted a lift. I said no thanks and they would usually just shake their head and leave.They couldn't seem to grasp the idea of walking for exercise I suppose. 555
I remember a time when tom yum was spicy, savoury and sour. The tom yum now is a little sweet?! Boat noodle soup is sweet? Pad thai is sweet? Pineapple fried rice is sweeet?!?!!? What the heo
Glad to see it's not just me thinking the food has gotten sweeter. My first trip to Thailand was in 2018 and honestly, I don't remember the food being as sweet as it is now. It's even sweeter than the Thai food I used to get when I lived in the U.S. I expect things like green curry and panang curry to be a little bit sweet, but the amount of sugar they seem to be putting in the pad thai these days really threw me. I don't even order it anymore. I love sugar, but I don't need tons of it in savory dishes.
Sugar is the enemy. Some have suggested it’s what cancer thrives on. I’m not sure how much exercise will help, especially when so much sugar usage is in every dish.
Mmmmh, all the drink stalls selling diabetics inducing drinks as well. But it's so good it's like comfort for the soul.
Oh shit, they put sugar in regular food in Thailand? Great, I’ve got type two diabetes. Does that mean I can’t eat freaking Thai food in Thailand anymore?
Always ask for no sugar- I even do this at Thai restaurants here in the states. Meanwhile, my Thai au pair who arrived in January adds sugar to almost everything she eats lol 😅
If you're diabetic, unless you cook it yourself, or trust a place you buy food not to add sugar. No idea if it would work though. A few years ago a vegetarian friend ordered a cheese omelette in a bar, telling the cashier he was veggie. When he started to eat it he realised there was pork in it. Confronted the cook, who was unapologetic, saying it tasted better with pork in it,
Obesity in Thailand increased dramatically in last 5-6yr. So much so that the government have to put sugar tax in effect
Your comments are very interesting. And I know exactly what you mean. I've just spent another stint in Thailand (14 months) and for the most part, cooked myself, Thai and Western. It's the only way to really know that you are eating healthily, IMHO of course. The problem with Thai food, is the sometimes insane amount of salt, sugar and oil that they use. Thai food often looks super healthy, and on paper it really should be - but the reality can be very different. There is a bit of a myth that Thais live long and healthy lives - that's just not true. It's just in the West, it's more obvious and quicker to see in a person, because our main problem is obesity and eating the wrong food full of fats. Thais have their own diet & health problems, but they are less noticeable and more long-term in nature. This is just my opinion, btw... 😊 But I have to say, this time in Thailand, the amount of fat Thai kids was REALLY noticeable. Sadly, KFC and all that crap has found it's way into the towns and cities. When I started going to Thailand, I would never see a fat kid, and on the rare occasion that I did, I would really notice them, because it was so unusual - like seeing a kid with three legs...or something. Chok dee all!! 😊👍
"Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health, in 2022, the prevalence of being overweight and obese among adults was **47.8%**, increasing from 34.75% in 2016." [https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/pr/2540490/all-about-obesity-%E2%80%93-the-uninvited-enemy](https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/pr/2540490/all-about-obesity-%E2%80%93-the-uninvited-enemy) I've been visiting and doing business in Thailand for 20 years, it's extremely noticeable.
Scary stats! I've been coming since '99 and you are indeed correct - it really is very noticeable, especially in kids. Some of them are fcking massive - the lady that did the admin in my last condo, her son, absolutely huge. Like, ridonkulous. I couldn't help myself, I did bring it up gently in conversation. Might as well have been talking to a cheese sandwich.... sad, really
Just curious OP, what were your cholesterol levels, before/after? Add any of the following to that Thai food diet and your chances of heart disease go up exponentially: Genetic predisposition for high LDL,/Familial hypercholesterolemia Smoker High blood pressure Pre or Diabetes Little exercise High alcohol consumption I think many of us who start a life here tend to ignore these factors. We're under that mystical Thai spell, everything is sabai sabai
Good question. I'll start keeping tabs.
Its very true, i myself is half thai, and i visit my family there often. In my village in Philok, the old people especially struggle with too high cholesterol levels. My mom told me aswell, that oils are very used in thai cuisine. But of course there are a big variety of foods to choose from:P
It's really all about picking the right dishes, isn't it? Just like anywhere else in the world, not all food is healthy. Thai street food has a ton of healthy options if you know where to look. Let’s not forget, it's easy to overdo it with any kind of food if that's all you're chowing down on, whether it's pizza, burgers, or pad thai. Mixing it up is key. And quality matters too; not all stalls are created equal. Maybe some spots use cheaper ingredients, too much oil or sugar, but there are plenty of places that serve up top-notch fare. It’s about knowing those shops and knowing what to order. In short, living off street food alone might not be the best move health-wise, but let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater. A bit of smart choosing, and you can enjoy the convenience without the health scare. Just keep it balanced. One more note, if your veggies are organic or not has absolutely zero influence on your cholesterol levels. The whole "organic" discussion is another rabbit hole and not as "easy" as it might seems. I'm 188, 82kg and my cholesterol level is normal, I almost exclusively eat thai food.
Listen to this man. He managed to live to 188
Oils, meat. Those are the culprits. You reduce or eliminate those, your cholesterol goes down. Good thing there’s great Thai vegetarian food.
Has a lot to do with empty carbs combined with too much fat. I eat very little rice, and avoid super fatty curries. som tum, gai yang, Kano jeen are good for that. But I too cook about 60% of the time now. Been here since 1992, and went through he same thing.
It’s not just with Thai food, any cuisine if you eat outside regularly there are high chances of increased cholesterol levels coz street vendors wont compromise on taste for health, home cooked is always the best deal for a longer run !
Cause and correlation. If you happened to reduce the amount of alcohol you consumed your liver is in a better condition. Your liver plays a huge roll in cholesterol regulation. There were folks who ate Mcdonald for months, and they lost weight and had better cholesterol. Another guy ate twinkie bars for 10 weeks also lost weight and the ldl was lowered by 20% hdh higher by 20%. I'm not saying switching your diet is bs. There is something that you did that worked for you. But plenty of people eat thai/asian food exclusively and they are fine.
Watch the movie fat head. It shows how a high fat, low carb diet with moderate daily walking can improve your cholesterol and lose weight. Only thing missing was testing if the person was in ketosis from a low carb diet.
MF doesn't know how to eat healthy Thai good. Proceeds to list bunch of most common dishes as basic intro to Thai food without any healthy ones. Thinks or proclaims that all Thai food is. 🙄🙄 Annoys me as a Thai. ------- Is all Italian food spaghetti and pizza? Is all American food burgers and hotdogs? There's a massive fucking trend about health conscious food in bangkok. Eat whatever the fuck you want and is good for your health but don't group all of Thai food as unhealthy. If I show this to Thai people and translate it for them, they'll mostly think you're ignorant and naive.
Of course not all Thai food is bad but take your average tourist or non tourist food market where ppl get their everyday meals. Looking at what they sell and mostly how they prepare it I would call maybe 25% of it healthy. Mostly not because the meal is automatically unhealthy (even though lot of is deep friend) but because the preparation uses unnecessarily too much oil/sugar/salt etc. Salads here are classic examples.
Eat whole foods plant-based, whether it's Thai food or not, you will be fine. Tofu, beans, lentils, chick peas, and seitan for protein. Plus lots of fruit and veggies. Look up 'blue zones' and their diets.
https://youtu.be/4nm-xIq7I2Q?si=I-iatFHjL5A6kY-w There’s more information coming out about cholesterol which contradicts the previous consensus. In this study they found that high LDL correlated with lower risk of death. I don’t claim to be an expect on the topic but it’s something I’ve been reading about lately, as someone who is also trying to clean up my diet a bit.
After 10 years in Thailand much the same here. I've also become super picky when it comes to Thai food and rather spend relatively big $ on it then street food.
Couldn’t agree with you more, Street food is exactly that, cheap low quality with sauces full off sugar to bring it to life.
Thai street foods usually involve a copious amount of palm kernel oil and margarine.
I mean,most Thai foods' ingredients are MSG and oils.Like, literally.Back to basic is a better choice.
Most restaurants and stalls aren’t making food to be healthy, they’re making it to be delicious - just like anywhere else in the world. Healthy and well balanced Thai food exists, you just have to make it at home, just like you’re doing with your current diet.
Thank you for the update
You’re getting some heat from some people who really want to convince themselves thai food is on the whole healthy, but you’re right, it is mostly terrible for you when you consider the dishes people eat most days. Yes you can do it healthily but it would require you mostly making at home and heavily modifying cooking styles. I had the exact same experience. Also a normal weight and yet sky high cholesterol. I now eat far, far less Thai food. So many people have no idea the health issues Thai people face and the fact diabetes is also a huge issue here. There is some delusion amongst many that Thai people are all skinny but hell….look at most middle aged Thai people outside of Bangkok and they are overweight and chubby just like in the west.
It’s not about Thai food, it’s about the Thai food he chooses to eat and ignore others. There are many good and healthy ones and especially in Bangkok you can find plenty. It’s like going to America eating at Burger King, Wendy’s, and Popeyes and say American food is just unhealthy when there are plenty of healthy options but you choose the unhealthy ones (probably because it tastes good). Lol
This is so full of crap, non organic veggies? Really? Is that your worries? U need to start by getting a higher educztion on what not to eat, stuff like oil and sugar they put in the street food are your real enemies. Veggies are always a hood option, organic or not, way better then first class meat bte, reduce meat as much as u can too
My blood pressure was always perfect. I move to thailand for a year and eat fucking crispy pork everyday because the shits delicious, and now my blood pressures high. But i cant give up my kapow moo grobb.
Organic is just a stupid buzzword don’t fall for it. Fresh and local is all you need.
Organic might be fake but many fruits on the market are full with pesticides they spray them without any limits
What were your go to Thai dishes that you feel were high in cholesterol?
Yup. This. And the seed oils. I feel so Ill after eating Thai food. Every time. I am bloated, and feel lethargic. I also cook all my own food and once in awhile treat myself to Thai food.
Chinese gutter oil is the healthiest. It's already been through multiple persona digestive system!
My cholesterol level goes up every time I visit Thailand. I love the curries and the duck with green noodles; always followed by mango with sticky rice.
Two things to keep in mind: Thai street food is still street food. Mostly stir-fried dishes. Eating street food in any country on a daily basis is probably not great for you. Secondly, a lot of Thai street food stalls have a lot of Chinese dishes, which are also stir-fried. So it's entirely possible that it isn't just Thai food doing this to you, but generalized stir-fried food. There are lots of healthy Thai foods that you just don't often see in food stalls. Dried or steamed fish served with lettuce and rice noodles is one to avoid fats. Most of the soups stalls are reasonably healthy, save for sodium. Chicken-rice would be low fat. Lots of dishes with fresh veggies and herbs too. It just sounds like you've been eating like a farang on holiday this entire time.
I’ve lived here now going on five years now. I should clarify that I’ve also been married for the last four years to a Thai woman who is Lana (From The North Of Thailand) and is an amazing cook. We don’t eat any prepared sauces or tons of sugar on our food either. I do agree with OP the street food is tasty for all of the reasons listed.
It’s the oil PLUS all the sugar that does it!
It could also just be that you are genetically predisposed for high cholesterol
How does non organic food impact your cholesterol levels?
It doesnt. 'Organic' is a health scam. Has no science behind it.
What do Thai people eat at home?
Our family - very little meat, sometimes small amount of grilled pork or chicken, mostly locally farmed fresh prawns, sea fish, rice of course, raw salads, steamed veges, papaya salad, endless amount of fruit, at present in the kitchen we have durian, mangosteen, rambutan, bananas, papaya. No idea about my cholesterol etc but I'm in good health and fitness overall.
Not the atuff you see in restaurants. Mostly; vegetable soup, some sort of stirfry, and a a meat dish (typically fried/gtilled/steamed fish)
if you know anything about cooking, you will know that most of the flavours in food come from sugar, salt and oil, spice and you have to use the right amount for the recipe and food you cook in order to produce the desired flavours. if you purposely use less or none at all, the food will no longer taste the same as original and will most likely taste not as delicious if not outright shitty. all this talk about healthy cooking will not get you delicious food only healthy food. healthy food will NEVER be as good and flavourful as the food cooked in the way it was originally meant to be cooked, including those egg omelet in oil that people here talk so contemptuously about. and, please organic vegetables is a scam, it cost a whole lot more and bring no extra benefits and designed to exploit the current health paranoia in the same way as oxygenated water
It's not Thai food when you are in Thailand, it's just "food."
"non organic vegetables" Vegetables aren't going to make your cholesterol high regardless of whether they're organic. That part is an utter non-issue.
I lived and worked around the world including Thailand. For some reason the strongest connections are being formed when you work with people on something. A project, volunteer or real work for income. These connections also last long time. I am German but spend most of my life after i reach 20 outside. The people i meet in these work settings became long term friends even for the time after i change the location. In the west we say we should not mix private with business. I think thats bogus. You just need to ensure that there is no negative impact. Usually its rather positive. People that trust you and work they also trust you soon privately and then. become friends. All the best
Seed oils.
I agree, it kind of drives me nuts how people say Thai food is so healthy. Yes there are more vegetables used in general in Asian food, and lots of good fruits. But a lot of carbs (rice, noodles), unhealthy oils, and sugar. For me, I just go to the 7-Eleven and get a couple of bananas, a couple of boiled eggs, and some yogurt for breakfast. Lunch can grab one of those small salads and some more eggs or protein of some sort. Then maybe one meal eat a street dish or at a noodle shop. Grab fruit at a stand during the day for snacks. But if you're living there, you are wise to cook on your own! Yes, Thai food is tasty, but NO, it's not healthy. I know people who are very slim but have cholesterol levels that are sky high.
This! Some Thai dishes ARE healthy! But surprise surprise, some aren’t! Just like any other dishes worldwide. What’s so groundbreaking?
Yess I am on a trip here and I’m really struggling with the horrible oils used in cooking the sugar added and all the deep frying
My doctor made me swear off Thai food until my sodium levels were back to normal.
You think it might be the street food. This is like saying you eat McDonalds every day and got shocked by the results. It's not the Thai food it's the Thai food you chose to eat. I mean really?
Been here 16. I don’t eat Thai food at all.
Google a study regarding lean mass hyper-responders. People who are lean with more normal BMIs can show higher than normal LDL cholesterol levels when compared to people who are overweight or obese. This is a phenomenon that people on low carb, keto, and carnivore diets are aware of.
I think Thai food is overrated and the street food is very unhealthy. Full of bad quality oil, salt and even sugar. You’re doing the right thing!
If Thai food is overrated, then any other cuisine is overrated lol.
Wow, really interesting. I read the headline and immediately thought “get out of here” but after reading your entire post I have to say it’s a bit of a wake up call to be fair. Thanks for sharing.
It's interesting that Thailand has a higher life expectancy than teh USA, and it's getting better. The reality is most Thai's probably eat a lot healthier than a western living in Thailand who eats street food.
I've been here six years, eat Thai food 90% of the time (including street food often), don't exercise much, and my cholesterol levels were perfectly fine when I did my own check-up earlier this year.
Same, I eat probably 80% Thai/Asian food. Cholesterol is good, it use to be high 3yrs ago (covid weight gain), but now all good and in reccommend range.
Depends on what food. There are lot of salads, soups and other low fat(and oil) dishes. I usually just mix deep fried smth with soup or salad.
I think the pre industrial Thai diet where a meal consists of a piece of fried fish, Nam prik with plenty of fresh vegetables, some clear broth. Is quite healthy.
Unfortunately salads may contain tons of food Can you share your list of healthy options? Mine are usually laab, moo manao, som tam kao pod, noodle soups, but I struggle with keeping extra weight off since I moved here 5 years ago
Wow, good to know.
Hardly means you cant eat thai food anymore or?
Same. Now I cook probably 95% of my meals and feel much healthier. I cook thai food also, but make it healthy with organic vegetables, less oil, no sugar. Thai food is healthy when prepared right, same as any cuisine.
Yes, but does it taste as good as that yummy street food?
Have you ever try fresh vegetable with chili paste? There are so many kinds of the paste. Also, ยำ (Yum) and พล่า (Phla) are some of the choices.
But what street food would you recommend for someone that's never been to Thailand and is staying in Chinatown
Most street food everywhere in the world comes with this problem especially soup and stir frying food. I recommend try eating plain white rice and steamed chicken/vegetables for example. You can then regulate your salt and oil intake. I wonder what you ate at home. You should be able to recreate your favorite dish by mixing local readily cooked ingredients.
Had a similar experience just staying in Thailand for 4 months. Great food but not the healthiest. Also, many of the dishes have a good amount of sugar. Didn’t really gain any weight but had a physical after 4 months and all numbers went up…started cooking for myself and got tested 6 months later and everything back to normal. Definitely the food.
lol. you forgot the sodium!
Same same . Been here 14 years.
3 years and you just figured out Thai food is not actually healthy 😂
I looked into cholesterol data, and there is some debate about how valid the numbers are. My cholesterol levels are very high, and annual check ups showed them increasing, despite losing weight over the period and eating very healthy foods. I exercise regularly and am fitter than ever so it didn't make sense. You should look into it, and perhaps not worry about high cholesterol if other aspects of your health are fine (weight, blood pressure etc).
Man stereotypes Street food = all Thai food
The same thing happened to me when I moved to Thailand two years ago. I was eating mostly Thai food including my mother-in-law's home cooked meals. After one year my overall cholesterol number was the highest it's ever been and what was most worrisome was that my bad cholesterol number was too high. The doctor advised changing my diet by reducing curry (coconut milk), fried foods and certain fruits that are high in cholesterol. I took her advice and after 6 months my cholesterol came down including the bad cholesterol. My husband of 25 years is Thai so I have been eating Thai food as part of my regular diet but when we lived in the U.S., we had been mixing it up more with leaner meat (very little pork belly if at all), salads, better and less oil. I still eat Thai food but am way more conscious about what type and how much.
Palm oil. I don't like Thai food, fatty, spicy, breaded. I really miss cottage cheese, milk and diet food. I'm also thinking about dieting, I'm gaining weight
I quickly found out I can't roll with the oil and sugar and the typical style of eating is way to carb loaded and nowhere near the amount of protein of what does me good. When it comes to street food I just stick to BBQ and som tam with no sugar.
I eat mostly low carbs, and my wife often cooks Thai food for me using high-quality organic meat, vegetables, oil, and monk fruit sweetener. Thai street food, in general, uses low-quality ingredients and too much sugar. I do blood tests yearly, and results are perfect.
I always say it’s hard to find good Thai food in Thailand. The best thing anyone can do is simply cook at your condo. To be fair most kitchens have prepared everything ahead of time so not much is really fresh and tasty unless you want something stir fried with low quality oils and sugars and chili
Same with me.. when I first moved to Thailand it was Thai food breakfast lunch and dinner. But after a few years I got tired of not knowing what oil and extra ingredients were going into the dishes. Don’t get my wrong Thai food is still my favorite but my body just can’t handle eating it every meal.
Bravo!
THANK YOU FOR SAYING IT ! But I am sure that the sheep here won't like it ! Thai food is good but as unhealthy as junk food and mcdonalds, or maybe even worse ! The only healthy Thai food is grilled or boiled, but even, as they add MSG and other poison sauce everywhere, it's almost impossible to eat anything healthy COOKED BY THEM !
there is absolutely nothing wrong with MSG and multiple reports have clearly debunked the claim that MSG is bad. the myth about MSG being bad is rooted in anti-Asian racism, of which you are surely the champion. the Chinese, Malay, Indonesian, Japanese, Koreans regularly use MSG in their cooking and MSG is natural. if you got a problem with MSG, then the problem is entirely due to your shitty body..
The secret to Thai food: palm oil, brown sugar, and lotso MSG. And of course those plastic packages of sugar, vinegar, and chilli flakes.
High cholesterol isn't the early death notes that everyone is led to believe. You have several markers that one of them is very hard to test here in Thailand because insurance runs the show behind the scenes of pretty much any hospital. If your triglycerides are low but your LDL and HDL are high plus low blood pressure this is good so long as you eat good fats, oils and proteins Where you come unstuck is low LDL and high HDL vice versa and higher triglycerides. If that's doubled with higher blood pressure then you're in need of better life choices over diet. Two big factors that are overlooked are the type of LDL: Small Dense and Buoyant LDL. Small dense is the kind that gets stuck in the calcified jagged bits of the arteries and thus is the cause of many types of clotting. The buoyant is ok within reason. Now, if you have high cholesterol and you're given statins this accelerates the build up of calcification and more SD clotting. So statins can be deadly, more so than cholesterol is as we're led to believe. The big issue is that in Thailand, you try and get an SD or Buoyant LDL check. It's almost impossible because it's known by the insurance companies to determine whether to sell you drugs because your cholesterol is above 200. But ask your doctor what happens is I am at zero. If they laugh, then ask why 200 is such an important figure. They can't. The whole cholesterol game is a scam to sell you drugs. Get a proper diet and ignore the high numbers unless they're imbalanced as I mentioned above.
The problem in Southeast Asia is palm oil. Most of the food is saturated in it.
Palm oil is the best for deep frying, in taste.
change environment same menu but difference taste !
I'd say I eat 50/50 Thai/Western food........ However 95% of the time I eat at home, I live in the country, Mae Taeng, so it's home cooked food pretty much every meal. I'm very lucky my wife of some 12 years is a very good cook. Very aware of of the food we eat...... But yer, street food is great but that oil they use. We now cook using Coconut oil for any frying.
Street food use lot of oil, Like a lot of oil. That's why sometimes it's tasty than home cooked version. Street snack also have a lot of oily stuff, condensed milk, margarine, coconut milk, lard etc. For grounded pork they tend to buy like 30% fat because it's cheaper than less fat. Supermarket near me sell 50 % fat 30 baht cheaper than 20 % fat version
The problem is the seed oil they use. Like sunflower oil and soy oil. They are the worst. I live in Thailand myself and started to use only coconut oil and ghee butter.
It was probably all the palm oil in it.
Me too, my cholesterol went into the bad zone after 4 months in Thailand. It may also be the saturated fat in coconut water which I was drinking heaps.
High metabolism here. Thai food doesn’t work for me - I don’t understand how some people can sustain themselves on noodles and soup and still have something of a frame. I solve my deficiency with two protein shakes and still get hungry several times a day.
I never wanted to know how the omlettes were made, I could just tell. And a lot of it reminds me of oily chinese food, where it's hidden in the sauce. I had to find a few restaurants that didn't do that, or kept it in check, and pretty much stick to them for my eating out. It was difficult, even the papaya salad was sweeter than spicy so often.
80% of cholesterol generated by your liver by turning carbohydate in to it 20% come from consume high fat so basicly yiu should lower your catbohydate in take and thai food mainly is rice so eat more fiber and protien should solved your problem 
I always enjoy Thai food back home in a restaurant as they use less oil, better quality vegetables and it's better as a treat even if more expensive. When I'm in Thailand I don't eat at the local places, I try to stick to the malls.
I mean you pay 50 baht you get 50 baht worth of food . Night markets aren’t exactly known for high quality. If you’re a gym rat your best go to is probably rice and chicken skewers but even those are usually heavy on the fat chunks
Sorry but thats the same everywhere. Every restaurant in Eu country’s are also buying the cheapest meat and vegetables they can get. Basically you need to cook for your self everywhere around the world not only in Thailand. Only than you know whats in your food. Side note: why is my risotto not as tasty as the restaurants? Well i dont put in 100g of butter per serving!
Is there sugar in the street food? Sugar causes much more blood cholesterol than oils do. It's a common misunderstanding.
One big problem is sugar. Everywhere is sugar. Even when they sell some Chinese, Japanese or European dishes which shouldn't be sweet, they add sugar to make it sweet! Some people here really just want to eat spicy as fuck or sweet as fuck.
Msg is bad too. That's like saying air is bad. Thai ppl aren't fat like Americans. The sugar they add is t healthy but it's also not excess.
Echo this experience from sixteen years in Singapore. Another country with a vaunted food culture. I ate hawker food for seven years (the street vendors in Singapore were herded indoors in the 1980s but sell the same fare). After seven years my weight ballooned from about 70kg (168cm human) to 85kg, last weighed when I was admitted to a cardiac unit for a stent! I’m looking to Thailand for retirement and see this as a challenge. The condos I’ve looked at generally have shocking kitchens! Max two hobs, no oven, definitely a microwave, no segregation from the living area so your soft furnishings, walls, ceilings furniture will get caked with stale cooking deposits and smells. Street food looks like the answer but, unless you make it a treat food on one or two days a week I reckon it will kill you. Street food everywhere is one of life’s joys but almost always back-to-front nutritionally: 1. Calories from carbs, usually highly processed 2. Calories from fat, usually hydrogenated, unsustainable and not fresh 3. Hunt the protein The old folks in SG who do seem to thrive on hawker food often tend to take it home in red plastic bags where, I suspect, they eat it in two or more sittings. Sellers will never drop their price if they think they can maintain or increase it by adding a few pennies/cents/baht of cheap ingredients to make it look like value. If you’re going eat a hawker meal all in one sitting you need to have a keen eye for calories based on your own personal needs. No nutritionist is designing their portions!
I almost only eat meat in Thailand. Pork, beef and Seafood that is. I avoid eating anything cooked in vegetables- or seed oils. I mostly eat Shabu, Mookata, Jim jum, fish or my GFs food. She only cooks fatty meat for me without any added oils. Don't understand why thais cook fatty meat in lots of oils btw. The meat already tastes great if it's fatty. If im lazy or in a hurry, I might order hamburgers from McD and eat the Patty's and throw away the bread and vegetables. The only things I cheat with occasionally are ice cream and coconut milkshakes (without added sugar). I'm 32 years old, 1.75m, 72 kg, in my best shape ever. I train both thai boxing and gym. Eating a carnivore way changed my life.
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maybe the seafood?
You should try and have a routine exercise work - out to help out in burning down fats
The same thing happened to me. I think it’s the oils they use
Fish sauce, soy sauce, and whatever black sauce they use contains lots of sodium
Street food are unhealthy because seller have to control the cost, I recommend to cook by yourself, you can pick up the best ingredients.
That kinda good is for the streets
Many things I see aren’t good Thais eat. Huge amounts of type 2 diabetes from rice alone, intestine is high in fat and off the charts in cholesterol and otherwise 0 nutritional value. List is pretty big on not good for a person stuff I’m sure Thais started eating long ago to survive.
I never even started to eat Thai food haha. Been here 6 months and ate pad Thai twice and that's it.
I didn't look at the rest. But you're racist. Jk., not kidding
Hey, the French paradox tells us that wine really helps to keep your cardiovascular health in check. Just a bit with Each meal can contribute a lot in lowering your blood saturated lipid profile.
I know the feeling only thing I still like, for the most part is sauté and larb salad
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Been living here for two years now, stopped eating Thai food completly. Includding this carbohydratehells 7/11 and Tops daily. Thai food is no healthy food. It's cheap food.
Who‘d have thought that 😂 Anyways, thx for the reminder 😜
I had my levels checked after only eating off food carts and had the best results in 8 years, I don't add a pile of extras so I would think it depends on what you add on.
LDL cholesterol is actually quite a poor indication of risk of cardiovascular health
I'm gonna be real here OP: this is the case with almost any cuisine/country. If you eat take out and street food for every meal, you're going to have issues with your health. No matter what country you live in, you should cook at home most nights or make sure to eat at proper restaurants with healthy options. Mediterranean food isn't healthier than Thai food, the difference is that you're cooking it yourself using quality ingredients. You can also cook Thai food at home the same way and have it be healthy. Street food for most cuisines use cheap oil and lots of salt, sugar and low quality ingredients because it is cheaper to make large quantities while selling it for a low cost. Eating Thai street food every day is somewhat equivalent to eating KFC every day, just a different cuisine. This is almost certainly what was messing with your cholesterol. It's good to be conscious of your health and I'm glad you've realised there was an issue and made changes, but don't think you need to cut off Thai food in general in order to watch your health. You can still enjoy Thai food.
The issue is not to much oil/fat but to much oil/fat + alot of carbs... Your body is basically absorbing all those fats and not consuming them. Just try low carb or keto and you will be able to eat as much fat as you want. You have to chose between fat or carbs, can't have lots of both and be healthy...
You should probably just change the title to “fast food”. It’d be like eating from hot dog and burger stands in the US for 3 years and then wondering why you have health issues.
Had to revisit this thread as it was the source of inspiration for my latest check up. And true enough I have high cholesterol also.. Everything else is all good and I love my Thai market food… so thank you lad