Healthy Thai Food

[Kerry]

I've been reading another thread (low carbs), and there was some helpful advice re which Thai foods to order.

I am NOT fat, but could stand to lose a couple of kilo's. I've been in LOS for 3 years, and have definitely gained some weight! I am actually far more active than I was (worked 15+ hours a day back home, so no time or energy). I go to the gym 3 - 4 times a week, cardio/weights combo. At the moment, it's more cardio than weights. I'm an all or nothing kind of person, so I don't just muddle along half heartedly either. I work hard!

I don't cook for myself, and eat Thai food 99% of the time. I can't remember when last I had a pizza, burger etc.

ANd yet I can't shake the weight - it's only 3- 4kg that I want to lose too! (To be honest, I enjoy beer over the weekend - but that's only 1 day a week. I find if I am too restrictive, I give up after a week!)

If it's not a lack of exercise, it must be my diet, and I'm obviously making the wrong choices!

Usually order pad pak ruam mid, ga prow gai, laab gai, namtok gai, som tam thai, pad siew .... trying to avoid pork - hard to do in Thailand!!!

Suggestions would be very very welcome :-) I didn't even think of sugar in pad pak ruam mid!!!!

[Zardoz]

I've been reading another thread (low carbs), and there was some helpful advice re which Thai foods to order.

I am NOT fat, but could stand to lose a couple of kilo's. I've been in LOS for 3 years, and have definitely gained some weight! I am actually far more active than I was (worked 15+ hours a day back home, so no time or energy). I go to the gym 3 - 4 times a week, cardio/weights combo. At the moment, it's more cardio than weights. I'm an all or nothing kind of person, so I don't just muddle along half heartedly either. I work hard!

I don't cook for myself, and eat Thai food 99% of the time. I can't remember when last I had a pizza, burger etc.

ANd yet I can't shake the weight - it's only 3- 4kg that I want to lose too! (To be honest, I enjoy beer over the weekend - but that's only 1 day a week. I find if I am too restrictive, I give up after a week!)

If it's not a lack of exercise, it must be my diet, and I'm obviously making the wrong choices!

Usually order pad pak ruam mid, ga prow gai, laab gai, namtok gai, som tam thai, pad siew .... trying to avoid pork - hard to do in Thailand!!!

Suggestions would be very very welcome :-) I didn't even think of sugar in pad pak ruam mid!!!!

Here's what I do..cut down or eliminate all rice or noodles.

Order meats like duck..with a little souce..YUM!

Organ meats like that dish with the kidney and fresh egg and inb a soup broth(Nana plaza has it

sold on the sidewalk)

Insects! fried silkworm ain't to bad for a quick treat ....

Fish!

and finally don't ignore low-carb Western food. A juicy rare steak with NO potato

or bread

(ask for no potato or ignore it) and a few low calory veggies is perfectly healthy.

[cathyy]

Kerry, if it's only 3 or 4 kilos you need to lose you should be able to do it without making any major changes in what you eat. Try eating the same as usual, but always not finishing the food. Leave 1/8 or so of it on the plate. It's called portion control, and after a few days you won't still be hungry when eating less. Did you know that a "serving" of rice is only 1/3 of a cup?

For another approach, I personally know a guy back in the US who lost 9 kilos by simply switching from soda/pop to diet soda/pop. You may want to try that, too, or if not diet soda, which is a bit hard to find in LOS, to plain water or unsweetened ice tea.

Edited February 13, 2007 by cathyy

[cathyy]

Back on topic:

The other day I had a Thai dish that consisted of very briefly cooked (possibly steamed) cauliflower and a little bit of thin sliced pork over rice. There seemed to be no sauce added, just a little juice from the cauliflower and pork and not much of that. It was delicious. Does this have a name? I got it this time by just pointing at it at a food stall, but I'd love to be able to order it someplace.

[Bellatrix]

Great topic!

A couple of things that might be helpful:

*If you're eating somtum, som tum lao has less sugar and also less fat (because it doesn't have peanuts)

*If you want to drink those fruit shakes, you can ask them not to add the sugar syrup by saying "mai ao nam tan", and they still taste sweet enough because there's heaps of sugar in fruit anyway

*Keep an eye on the amount of rice on your plate - some vendors give you a sensible serving, some give you heaps. Look at how much you've been given and push some aside if required *before* you start eating

*Lots of little shops (the kind that have curries, fried veggies etc in trays) sell boiled eggs - if you're like me and don't cook, these are a good option for a snack

*Grilled chicken breast (ok gai yang) is probably better for you than the other wings etc. Don't eat the skin. Khao man gai's not a bad option either

*Apparently a cup of sticky rice has less calories than a cup of normal white rice. I have no idea how this works, as sticky rice tastes a million times better, but every calorie website I've checked says this!

[Ulysses G.]

Khao man gai's not a bad option either

In Thai man means "fat". The reason this dish tastes so good is that they put natural chicken "gravy" on the rice.

[Bellatrix]

I didn't know that! I just thought it was steamed chicken and rice. Will not be eating that again! Thanks

[Ajarn]

I don't see any reason for you to change what you eat. Just change the amount of what you eat. I have done it for a long time now, and I never feel hungry. Getting the food info is important, but it really doesn't make a big difference, in my experience...

Edited April 1, 2007 by Ajarn

[Ijustwannateach]

There are certainly foods which are healthier, calorie for calorie, than others. A lot of research has shown, for instance, that so-called "transfats" lead to greater increase in fat deposits than other types of fats. It also explains why some of the poorest members of 1st world societies are the heaviest- they're getting high-carbohydrate, high-fat, low protein, low vitamin diets. Diet can matter a lot.

[Bellatrix]

Also, some foods are better at making you feel full and satisfied than others so can help you to reduce the amount of food you eat.

[noungning]

Khao man gai's not a bad option either

lol yes, it's quite bad. well not like someone said it's pour on... the way i see how it's done is: chicken fat is cut from the chicken, put in a wok, when the grease comes off the pieces of fat are taken out, the uncooked jasmine rice is then mixed in the fat to get flavor, strained and then put in the rice cooker to be cooked with chicken broth instead of plain water. so yes, it's tasty but i don't think it's low fat lol

*Apparently a cup of sticky rice has less calories than a cup of normal white rice. I have no idea how this works, as sticky rice tastes a million times better, but every calorie website I've checked says this!

Sticky Rice 169 calories

Jasmine Rice 160 calories

I agree, I've grown up eating lots of sticky rice and it's way better than jasmine! i think it's because it's a bit sweeter! and yeah i think that's why sticky rice is a bit more in calories.

[misterme]

Ask for your mixed vegetables, fish (like Neugn manao), eggs steamed.

When I aks for Laab, I always ask for no sugar. Same with fruit shakes, no sugar.

I love the pork in Thailand, but if you are trying to stay away from it, pop into any muslim area/restaurant. Great options. and delicious.

Here's a big one. Order your dish without meat, chicken, etc. and skip Juices, minimize sweet fruits.

Yam Pak, tastes as good as Yam Pla Meuk. Or ANY thai dish can be made as 'JAY' meaning vegetarian (often tofu is used but not necessarily)

[tominbkk]

Order what you do but only eat a small part of the rice that comes with it. I know if I eat too much rice I never lose weight. I just have a couple tablespoons of rice with my meal, that is, if any at all.

Sticky rice is very high on the GI too - about the same as sugar!