"War Against Sugar": Thais eating nearly FIVE TIMES recommended daily sugar intake

[webfact]

Picture: Daily News

 

Studies have shown that Thai people from an early age are eating way too much sugar, reported Daily News.

 

This is leading to an explosion in obesity, heart disease and diabetes.

 

A leading expert in the field has called it nothing short of a war against sugar. 

 

In a feature Daily News said that the WHO recommends that in one day people should not consume more than 24 grams of six teaspoonfuls of sugar. 

 

Yet a study showed that Thais on average were consuming a staggering 27 spoonfuls of sugar a day - nearly five times the WHO recommended limit.

 

Thai food is considered to be far too sweet and even dishes like noodles, not normally associated with sugar, see Thais spoon sugar in and take home sugar in plastic packets for later addition. 

 

Curries are sweet and anyone who has seen a roadside food seller will have seen copious amounts of sugar being thrown into quickly prepared meals.

 

You often have to ask not to have it as there is an assumption you want it.

 

Many Thais think it doesn't taste good enough without it.

 

Daily News said that sugar was causing "silent harm" to the Thai people as many still did not realise its devastating effects when consumed to excess. 

 

In further stats they said that more than 25% of 6 year olds and up were consuming sweet soda drinks EVERY day.

 

The average in Thailand is to consume 110 bottles of sweet carbonated drinks every year.

 

Studies have shown that many people are amazed when shown how many spoonfuls of sugar are in even small bottles of Coke, Fanta, Pepsi and the like. 

 

Picture: Daily News

 

Another study showed that children were getting half their maximum recommended daily dose of sugar in snacks alone. 

 

It is a common sight in Thailand to see unsupervised children in 7-Eleven buying sweet drinks and snacks after school.

 

Even when supervised parents think they are being kind by plying their youngsters with sugar treats. 

 

In reality some critics have called it nothing short of child abuse. 

 

Dr Phairot Saonuam of the Thai Health Promotion Foundation said that it was important to press on with the "battle against sugar" to prevent illness in Thais.

 

This includes measures to press for laws about limiting sugar in food products and education campaigns to the people warning about the dangers of eating too much sugar and how to limit its use. 

 

Sugar causes an increase in Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) leading to obesity and spikes in triglyceride levels.

 

This can lead to heart disease and diabetes. 

 

The authorities want to see Thais eating far fewer snacks and sweet laden food and adding much less to their regular diet through foods that do not need the addition of sugar.

 

Tastes need to change as well as attitudes to combat the peril from sugar. 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-04-02

 

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[ThailandRyan]

Who would have guessed they ate so much sugar, surprise surprise surprise as Gomer Pyle would have said.  So many Thai sweets are just loaded with it, same with the 3in1 coffee's, then add in what they add to the Food and it is no wonder there is a diabetic epidemic brewing.  Amazing when I watch the lady on the corner making the coffee's for the morning crowd, and the amount of sweetener she uses.  If I drank one my blood sugar levels would go into the stratosphere.

[PatOngo]

11 minutes ago, webfact said:

Studies have shown that Thai people from an early age are eating way too much sugar

Has it made them any sweeter? ????

[keith101]

My wife has coffee with her sugar .

[KhunBENQ]

It's so obvious what happened in this country.

Were people that obese some 20 or 30 years ago?

The tsunami of junk food and drinks has made them fat.

 

"battle against sugar"?

Who will fight the battle against the corporations that earn billions (of Dollars) with the cheap sugar loaded stuff?

 

[nikmar]

I usually have to say "mai wan" when ordering. Some dishes, somtam thai for example, are like a dessert when they get put in front of you. it wasnt like this when I first arrived in Thailand - 16 years ago - so quite a recent thing. 

 

All those iced teas with bubbles that people give their kids. Dentists are going to be in demand in the near future.

[KhunBENQ]

22 minutes ago, nikmar said:

Dentists are going to be in demand in the near future.

In the future?

Walk major malls, walk parts of Pattaya klang rd. (every 50m a dentist), walk Pattaya south rd. more dentists than convenience stores.

[Dmaxdan]

I'm have always been amazed at the amount of sugar Thais put on/in everything.

Pad Thai and noodle soup can't be consumed without adding a generous helping of extra sugar. 

 

Thai desserts, iced coffee, iced tea, and what passes for cake here are completely unpalatable to me, they are painfully sweet. So sweet in fact that they bring tears to my eyes.

 

 

 

[anchadian]

It's not only sugar but also salt which is way above their daily RDA.

Edited April 2, 2021 by anchadian

[JackGats]

I can't stomach Asian desserts. They're pure sugar. Fruit juices are called "smoothies". Of course sugar is addictive, that's why the industry doesn't let go. One thing that irked me during ASQ, the small fruit juices that came with each meal were sweetened. I had to poison myself with sugar to get my daily dose of vitamins.

[248900_1469958220]

I was surprised the other day to FINALLY see a canned ice coffee for sale in 7/11 with NO SUGAR. I tried the new 'reduced' sugar but it was still disgustingly sweet! 3 in 1 coffees are a joke......I have cut down my sugar a lot over the last 3 years. its hard to avoid it here though. 

 

......and they put tomato sauce on top of their pizza......Someone send help!

[rabas]

30 minutes ago, Dmaxdan said:

I'm have always been amazed at the amount of sugar Thais put on/in everything.

Pad Thai and noodle soup can't be consumed without adding a generous helping of extra sugar. 

 

Thai desserts, iced coffee, iced tea, and what passes for cake here are completely unpalatable to me, they are painfully sweet. So sweet in fact that they bring tears to my eyes.

 

30 odd years ago when I arrived, Thai people were almost universally slender. More so than many places. I doubt traditional Thai food is to blame, including their famous sweets.   Now search for images of Americans in the 50s and 60s, WW-II, etc.

 

Modern Western junk food and things like 7-11 are surely to blame.

 

[scubascuba3]

The problem is fatty junk foods, they've always eaten loads of sugar and carbs white rice and were stick thin

[NewGuy]

In Pattaya, Pattaya Tai, the Soi going south to Soi 17, across the street from Center Condo, there’s a place with terrific duck soup. I won’t go again because of the sweet liquid (I’m diabetic). The last time I was there a young woman got the same soup and added 12 teaspoons of sugar. Wow!

[Lingba]

it amazes me that they put sugar in everything including fruit juices..its ridiculous..I have learned that with most take out I order I have to ask no sugar

[samtab]

so funny ! if even war on drugs is lost, how can the idiots imagine to win the war on sugar ?

ridiculous is the only word to describe them !

 

[Justgrazing]

My Doc' told me my sugar was too high .. so I went home and put it on a lower shelf .. 

Seriously what do they expect when it's chucked in anything you eat .. in fact some are ambidextrose eating it with both hands .. 

and they best consult with the spirits at the little shrines as well as they are not averse to the odd bottle or dozen of Red Fanta .. 

[ChrisY1]

Sugar in bread...in butter in everything which is what the sugar moguls love. 

[overherebc]

2 hours ago, 248900_1469958220 said:

I was surprised the other day to FINALLY see a canned ice coffee for sale in 7/11 with NO SUGAR. I tried the new 'reduced' sugar but it was still disgustingly sweet! 3 in 1 coffees are a joke......I have cut down my sugar a lot over the last 3 years. its hard to avoid it here though. 

 

......and they put tomato sauce on top of their pizza......Someone send help!

 

Not just tomato ketchup but in addition I've often seen loads of sweet mayo' getting dolloped on as well.

[Ireland32]

Throwing sugar in soup who taught them that 

[Ireland32]

1 hour ago, Lingba said:

it amazes me that they put sugar in everything including fruit juices..its ridiculous..I have learned that with most take out I order I have to ask no sugar

Starbucks too , I say No sugar even want to add to Matcha green tea which is sweet already 

[CLW]

Tell me a country that has plain milk with sugar in its supermarkets? Guess that says all.

Also I'm wondering that this hype with bubble and milk tea is never ending. It was years ago in my home when those drinks were popular and lasted only a few months until people found out how unhealthy those drinks are. At least they were made with real milk and not this palm oil sugar mixture, that's in almost every Thai sweet drink or desert. 

[Cake Monster]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

It is a common sight in Thailand to see unsupervised children in 7-Eleven buying sweet drinks and snacks after school.

And right there is one of the major problems Thailand has.

Not the unsupervised Kids, but the absolutely horrendous number of 7/11 Shops that  there are now.

If all the product that 7/11 sold containing Sugar and Oil, were taken off the shelves, the shops would be almost barren of product..

And most of the " Sugar " you see being spooned into your Soup, is not Sugar at all- Its MSG

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

A leading expert in the field has called it nothing short of a war against sugar. 

As I watch my missus putting 3 spoons of sugar on her noodles.

[248900_1469958220]

1 hour ago, overherebc said:

 

Not just tomato ketchup but in addition I've often seen loads of sweet mayo' getting dolloped on as well.

I know.......believe me.....I know.....

[aussie11950]

My wife bought 4 snacks for her 3y grandson, yoghurt, 125ml juice, Tomato flavoured crackers and corn chips. 

Total sugar 55grams. 

Recommended max for 1y to 18y=24g. 

There is no public awareness. 

[mrfill]

1 hour ago, ChrisY1 said:

Sugar in bread...in butter in everything which is what the sugar moguls love. 

 

And what else should you use instead to react with the yeast to make the loaf actually rise?

[overherebc]

43 minutes ago, 248900_1469958220 said:

I know.......believe me.....I know.....

 

Spent some time making a really nice Beef Strogannof, best of Oz fillet steak, real beef stock etc etc. Last item was a tub of sour cream. Stirred in the 'sour' cream.

First mouthful both me and her looked at each other, one of those <deleted> moments.

Checked the sour cream tub, yep, 25grams of sugar in it.

Gave it all to the street dogs, wouldn't insult my dogs with it.

 

[greenmonkey]

This topic is making really angry. I am angry with the Thai parents feeding their kids kfc, mcdonalds and fizzy drinks all day every day. I even see them giving it to them for breakfast... its a disgrace. I go into school with my son and the younger kids are mostly fat or obese. They need educating.... and quick! They are wrecking their kids lives... sounds dramatic but its true and its very sad.

[superal]

1 hour ago, mrfill said:

 

And what else should you use instead to react with the yeast to make the loaf actually rise?

  3 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

Sugar in bread...in butter in everything which is what the sugar moguls love. 

 

That Thai  Farmhouse bread is too sweet , way over the top with sugar . Try making your own , recipe has to have sugar but not to the extreme that Thais have .