There are some nutritional guidelines that I believe are well supported by science.

Getting enough Omega 3's preferably from fatty fish is one of them.

I've got that one well sorted.

But I'm having an issue with the well supported recommendation to eat leafy greens daily, preferably three times a day. 

That simply does not fit at all well with the my eating style.

It doesn't fit into my breakfast routine which otherwise I'm very happy with.

I don't drink smoothies and I don't want to have to constantly make smoothies and add the calories from that as they've got more than just the greens.

I only rarely cook omelets and sometimes cook pasta and add veg like brocolli or asparagus so I guess in those cases I could use spinach instead. But again, not very often. 

Rarely I will get some leafy greens in a western restaurant meal, like in a salad or side spinach.

I do eat broccoli very often which is very good but not a leafy green.

Thai food is the easiest way for me to get it but I don't eat Thai food daily. Maybe one meal every three days. With that sometimes the greens are already added to a noodle dish but not very much or I can order a side of stir fried morning glory which is excellent and is one of my favorites.

But that's not daily, and certainly not three times a day.

I do have only one idea which I might try, but otherwise I'm really at a loss. with this.

Here is my one idea.

Order three orders of stir fried morning glory (not spicy to keep it simple and mixing with any other meal) from a Thai restaurant that does it well and cheapy.

Stick in fridge. Warm up a half order six times a week with other food. It wouldn't meet the ideal level but much more than I'm doing now.

Would the already cooked greens still have nutritional value sitting in the fridge for a week

Any other ideas? Please don't say make smoothies because that's not gonna happen.

OK, just had another more spartan idea.

Buy my own greens, boil them lightly, smash them up in a food processor, and just hold my nose and dose the mush like medicine. Cheaper and as no oil healthier. Doesn't sound very appealing though. 

This is a great and healthy topic.

I have the solution:

 

SPINACH 

 

For one, I happen to love the taste of bitter spinach, when uncooked.

When cooked, I find it repulsive.

 

Therefore, if it is better uncooked, from a nutritional perspective, and it also tastes better uncooked...then...

This is a WIN-WIN vegetable.

 

If you must have it cooked, then the ONLY tolerable cooking method is to fry it in a wok with garlic, lightly salted, and nothing else.

Or, you might add a dash of sesame oil, I suppose.

 

Just keep a bowl of fresh spinach by your desktop, covered to keep it hydrated, and munch away.

 

 

 

Maybe you could easily plant some yourself, if you have the time.

 

There must be a few growers in your neighborhood you can contact for a steady supply.

Or, you could pay someone with a green thumb to grow the variety you prefer.

 

I am not sure if it is necessary or advantageous for me, personally, to eat leafy greens.

But since I enjoy the taste, I might soon begin following my own advice.

 

It all depends upon how many hours you spend seated at your computer.

The more hours at your keyboard, then the more leafy-green spinach you will eat.

 

This is the perfect solution.

 

 

 

55 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

This is a great and healthy topic.

I have the solution:

 

SPINACH 

 

For one, I happen to love the taste of bitter spinach, when uncooked.

When cooked, I find it repulsive.

 

Therefore, if it is better uncooked, from a nutritional perspective, and it also tastes better uncooked...then...

This is a WIN-WIN vegetable.

 

If you must have it cooked, then the ONLY tolerable cooking method is to fry it in a wok with garlic, lightly salted, and nothing else.

Or, you might add a dash of sesame oil, I suppose.

 

Just keep a bowl of fresh spinach by your desktop, covered to keep it hydrated, and munch away.

 

 

 

Maybe you could easily plant some yourself, if you have the time.

 

There must be a few growers in your neighborhood you can contact for a steady supply.

Or, you could pay someone with a green thumb to grow the variety you prefer.

 

I am not sure if it is necessary or advantageous for me, personally, to eat leafy greens.

But since I enjoy the taste, I might soon begin following my own advice.

 

It all depends upon how many hours you spend seated at your computer.

The more hours at your keyboard, then the more leafy-green spinach you will eat.

 

This is the perfect solution.

 

 

 

Well morning glory is called water spinach and I suppose other kinds of spinach are available here. A quick googly-goo tells me eating such things raw is not good for nutrient absorption and is associated with digestive problems. But perhaps suggesting another idea. Lightly cooking and snacking on the leaves cold as snacks. More appealing than the mush I suppose. Something I can experiment with unless someone has more specific advice.

Salads look like they would fit with your diet, whether as standalone meals with a bit of something in them to interest them up a bit, or as a side-salad to your pasta dishes. That curly flat lettuce seems to be easily available at local markets, along with watercress, cilantro, and iceberg lettuces (maybe more at supermarkets). Also, market pickles like mustard greens (pak dorn?) and it can be worth having a big jar of home-made kimchi on the go at all times as it goes well with a lot of different dishes.

 

And "three times a day" seems to be on the high side of a random selection of recommendations (3 portions a day maybe?). But if that's what you're aiming for, a big bowl salad might be the easiest way to do it.

18 minutes ago, markwhite said:

Salads look like they would fit with your diet, whether as standalone meals with a bit of something in them to interest them up a bit, or as a side-salad to your pasta dishes. That curly flat lettuce seems to be easily available at local markets, along with watercress, cilantro, and iceberg lettuces (maybe more at supermarkets). Also, market pickles like mustard greens (pak dorn?) and it can be worth having a big jar of home-made kimchi on the go at all times as it goes well with a lot of different dishes.

 

And "three times a day" seems to be on the high side of a random selection of recommendations (3 portions a day maybe?). But if that's what you're aiming for, a big bowl salad might be the easiest way to do it.

Yeah I agree three times a day is over the top. I think they do mean three small portions though.

I guess salads are a possibility. I'll need to have a closer look at what's sold in markets here. A simple side salad dressed with health enhancing EVOO and wine vinegar sounds doable at least sometimes.

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

Well morning glory is called water spinach and I suppose other kinds of spinach are available here. A quick googly-goo tells me eating such things raw is not good for nutrient absorption and is associated with digestive problems. But perhaps suggesting another idea. Lightly cooking and snacking on the leaves cold as snacks. More appealing than the mush I suppose. Something I can experiment with unless someone has more specific advice.

 

Somebody?

In fact, I have more specific advice if you prefer leafy-green vegetables cooked.

Stay away from spinach, in this case.

 

Instead, you will need to opt for Chinese JieLanCai...

(Also, outside of GuangDong, properly prepared JieLanCai is difficult to find, unless you cook it yourself. And for that, you will need to refer to YouTube, and experienced Cantonese chefs. I guess anywhere in GuagDong you will find the same thing.  So, you must use a wok. And you must stir-fry on highest heat, with super-hot peanut oil, for a very short time, then partially cover with lid, after adding a very small amount of water, to steam an additional 2 minutes, approximately.  I doubt you will get it right if you don't find the right video, and the cook MUST be Chinese.)

 

Here is an image of COMPLETE SUCCESS.

 

You will see that the flowers are there.

Without the flowers, then it is total failure.

 

If you think you need even more specific advice than this, then why?

 

18 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

Somebody?

In fact, I have more specific advice if you prefer leafy-green vegetables cooked.

Stay away from spinach, in this case.

 

Instead, you will need to opt for Chinese JieLanCai...

(Also, outside of GuangDong, properly prepared JieLanCai is difficult to find, unless you cook it yourself. And for that, you will need to refer to YouTube, and experienced Cantonese chefs. I guess anywhere in GuagDong you will find the same thing.  So, you must use a wok. And you must stir-fry on highest heat, with super-hot peanut oil, for a very short time, then partially cover with lid, after adding a very small amount of water, to steam an additional 2 minutes, approximately.  I doubt you will get it right if you don't find the right video, and the cook MUST be Chinese.)

 

Here is an image of COMPLETE SUCCESS.

 

You will see that the flowers are there.

Without the flowers, then it is total failure.

 

If you think you need even more specific advice than this, then why?

 

Too much work but thanks.

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Yeah I agree three times a day is over the top. I think they do mean three small portions though.

I guess salads are a possibility. I'll need to have a closer look at what's sold in markets here. A simple side salad dressed with health enhancing EVOO and wine vinegar sounds doable at least sometimes.

In my house everybody loves iceberg lettuce. My grandchildren are all tasked with getting meals ready, small tasks: setting the table, putting various condiments on the table, etc., and ripping up probably half an iceberg lettuce into small pieces and with some small cucumbers slices longways added, gets devoured by my Thai son, his wife and the 4 kids (incl. my 2.5 yrs old Thai grandson) and me.

10 hours ago, Jingthing said:

There are some nutritional guidelines that I believe are well supported by science.

Getting enough Omega 3's preferably from fatty fish is one of them.

I've got that one well sorted.

But I'm having an issue with the well supported recommendation to eat leafy greens daily, preferably three times a day. 

 

Leafy greens are a powerhouse of nutrition. Vitamins, minerals, fiber, etc., all the good stuff we need for maintaining proper health.

But... who says we need to eat this three times a day?
We don't 'store' minerals or most vitamins. The body uses what it needs and excretes the rest. There are a few that do get stored, but you won't get too much of them by over-eating.  You don't take vitamin tablets three times a day, or mineral supplements (unless working out and sweating out the electrolytes,) so why would one think we need to eat leafy greens three times a day? Once a day will provide an adequate supply of nutrients.

I regularly eat at Sizzler. They have the best self-serve salad salad bar I know of in Thailand. If you join their Line membership you even get a discount on weekdays. The quality of the leafy greens varies branch to branch but typically tends to be pretty good and includes spinach, broccoli and beets among other vegetables.

8 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Too much work but thanks.

 

For the gourmand, when it comes to decent food, no amount of food preparation can ever be considered "too much work".

 

In addition, might I point out that you seem to prioritize leafy-green vegetable consumption below almost everything else in your life.

 

Therefore, is it surprising that you would post such a topic as this?

 

Your headline uses the phrase "how the heck", as if you are asking in exasperation.

What exasperation?

 

Where is this exasperation for most people in Thailand, I would ask in return.

 

Here is what is happening in your mind, and this is the dynamic you find exasperating.

 

a. You don't like green vegetables.

b. You are a meat and starch eater.

c. But, now you are on a health kick.

d. You see others recommending intake of vegetables as some magic wand which will help you live to 100.

e. These recommendations, by the way, are not proven, and there is no evidence that supports their claims. They are guided by emotion and not science.

f. So now, you think to yourself:  How the HECK can I even consume, on a daily basis, that which I detest.

g. And you come to me for advice. I give you the advice. You state:  Too Much Work.

h. I have supplied you with uncooked solutions. But you say you will not be able to assimilate the nutrients if not cooked.

i. I supply you with the greatest and most healthy cooked solution: You say Too Much Work.

j. My best advice, my updated advice, given your constraints, real or imagined, is to take your nutrients in PILL FORM. This is the least painful way for you, IMHO.

k. Or, along with this advice, I would question the entire thinking that eating green-leafy vegetables will affect your health or longevity, much, if at all...and..in fact...

If you were to eat too many raw vegetables, this would wear down your teeth, leading to undue expense and more "CAVITIES".

 

Just do what the Eskimos do.

Do they eat leafy-green vegetables on a plate with their whale blubber sitting like a cake of fat, on top?

No. They do not bother with this.

They love fat. And they eat fat.

And, they die happy, and far less neurotically.

 

Yes.

I do question this vegetable myth.

I want to see better studies conducted.

And, i want to see more evidence which is not affected by poor experimental design and BIAS....

 

I eat what I like:

Canned Tuna

5-Egg Omelettes

Chicken (white meat only, ...NO BONES.

Because...Eating chicken with bones, at least for me, is TOO MUCH WORK.

 

I do like JieLanCai.

I love it when cooked properly by a CHINESE cook.

But, the variety I like, the type in HongKong, GuangDong, and around the PearlDelta, ...I can't find here...but...

I do not sweat the small stuff.

 

 

 

 

 

Cold Press Juicer.

 

Mostly Kale, Spinach along with other fruit and veg.

 

 

Chop spinach and steam quickly otherwise it’s lump of stodge

thai basil is on cafe tables for free in issan 

pennywort is growing everywhere where there’s water

Pennywort (

Asiatic Pennywort, Centella asiatica) is a nutrient-rich leafy green packed with vitamins (B, C, K, E), minerals (calcium, zinc, magnesium, iron, potassium), and beneficial phytochemicals like triterpenoids (asiaticoside, madecassoside) and flavonoids, offering energy, bone support, antioxidant effects, and aiding digestion and cognitive function, though traditionally used for many medicinal purposes. 

Sizzler all you can eat salad bar.  200b.  Also includes a couple soups, spaghetti with sauce, and some dessert.  I know one guy who eat there several times a week.

 

Lotus's salad bar every time I shop there to bring home, 29b/100g, Big C has it too but Lotus's is better.

 

SaladStop and Jones Salad restaurants once in awhile.

 

When in Bangkok I go to Gourmet Market.  That is the best salad bar I have found anywhere in Thailand.  Usually includes some chicken and fish options as well.  There are several locations including T21, Emsphere, and Siam Paragon.  I think the one in Siam Paragon is a little better than the others. Pattaya doesn't have one, unfortunately.  No Jones Salad either.  Maybe some day.

 

I eat more salad in Thailand than I do back home.

There are Thai collard and mustard greens. Personally, I've missed the canned (Sunshine or Glory) collards and mustard greens since I got here.

On 12/22/2025 at 9:03 PM, Jingthing said:

I do eat broccoli very often which is very good but not a leafy green.

Botanically, broccoli is not a leafy green, but nutritionally it is considered equivalent.

On 12/23/2025 at 1:35 AM, GammaGlobulin said:

Instead, you will need to opt for Chinese JieLanCai...

I think that vegetable is generally referred to as Chinese broccoli.  It is still great without the flowers.

 

My Thai (5/8 Chinese) wife calls it gai lan or in Thai pug kanaa.

I've eaten it thousands of times stir fried in both Chinese and Thai styles.  I much prefer Thai style.  My wife cooks it perfectly by separating the prepared vegetable into three piles.  She starts cooking the thicker stems 1st, the thinner stems 2nd and then finally the leafy portions.  Unbelievably delicious with lots of garlic, a touch of oyster sauce and fish sauce while cooking (NO chilis!).

 

A warning!  There are Thai and Hong Kong varieties of this vegetable.  The Thai version has tougher stems but if you peel off the outer layer of the stems, it is just as enjoyable as the Hong Kong variety.

 

Other stir fried green vegetables that are my favorites are: pug yod mallah (tender shoots of the bitter melon plant) and pug kenang (looks somewhat like baby bok choy but tastes much better).

 

If you're really well assimilated into the Thai diet and adventurous... try pug gashed!  Sometimes eaten stir fried but more often in a Thai curry called gang somme.

30 minutes ago, gamb00ler said:

gai lan

 

Cantonese

Maybe MinNanYu....

I forget.

 

JieLan is "Mandarin", ZhongWen, or HanYu, etc.  This I do not forget.

 

49 minutes ago, gamb00ler said:

Botanically, broccoli is not a leafy green, but nutritionally it is considered equivalent.

Not what I've found online which says it doesn't count as a leafy green. Instead in the cauliflower family).

Chinese brocolli (which I love) perhaps does. Not the same plant.

I have another idea for convenience and I'm really looking for convenience.

For example, the way I do broccoli as a side dish is cut into pieces, microwave covered with a little water for 2.5 minutes at 80 percent power. Works as a side veg for Chinese or western.

I'm not going to be doing Chinese stir fries of veg.
Frozen spinach!

4 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I have another idea for convenience and I'm really looking for convenience.

For example, the way I do broccoli as a side dish is cut into pieces, microwave covered with a little water for 2.5 minutes at 80 percent power. Works as a side veg for Chinese or western.

I'm not going to be doing Chinese stir fries of veg.
Frozen spinach!

I live 5 minutes from a good local Thai restaurant that do stir fry very well.  It's worth the 10 minutes round trip on my scooter and wait time to get great side dishes.  No need to eat the mushy result from frozen spinach.  You can't undo the impact freezing has on spinach.  You can disguise it in lasagna or casseroles... but if you're going to cook anyway... just cook the veggies yourself.

Go to the local market

I noticed that Thai Basel was good for my gut health ,and easy to grow in the garden with lemon grass and mangoes

Sizzler Salad Bar

2 hours ago, Taco said:

Sizzler Salad Ba

Fur what, and where?? 

On 12/22/2025 at 9:03 PM, Jingthing said:

There are some nutritional guidelines that I believe are well supported by science.

Getting enough Omega 3's preferably from fatty fish is one of them.

I've got that one well sorted.

But I'm having an issue with the well supported recommendation to eat leafy greens daily, preferably three times a day. 

That simply does not fit at all well with the my eating style.

It doesn't fit into my breakfast routine which otherwise I'm very happy with.

I don't drink smoothies and I don't want to have to constantly make smoothies and add the calories from that as they've got more than just the greens.

I only rarely cook omelets and sometimes cook pasta and add veg like brocolli or asparagus so I guess in those cases I could use spinach instead. But again, not very often. 

Rarely I will get some leafy greens in a western restaurant meal, like in a salad or side spinach.

I do eat broccoli very often which is very good but not a leafy green.

Thai food is the easiest way for me to get it but I don't eat Thai food daily. Maybe one meal every three days. With that sometimes the greens are already added to a noodle dish but not very much or I can order a side of stir fried morning glory which is excellent and is one of my favorites.

But that's not daily, and certainly not three times a day.

I do have only one idea which I might try, but otherwise I'm really at a loss. with this.

Here is my one idea.

Order three orders of stir fried morning glory (not spicy to keep it simple and mixing with any other meal) from a Thai restaurant that does it well and cheapy.

Stick in fridge. Warm up a half order six times a week with other food. It wouldn't meet the ideal level but much more than I'm doing now.

Would the already cooked greens still have nutritional value sitting in the fridge for a week

Any other ideas? Please don't say make smoothies because that's not gonna happen.

OK, just had another more spartan idea.

Buy my own greens, boil them lightly, smash them up in a food processor, and just hold my nose and dose the mush like medicine. Cheaper and as no oil healthier. Doesn't sound very appealing though. 

Give "Easy Health" restaurant a look.  Located in Pattaya and Bangkok.  I go there usually a couple of times a week just for a salad and soup. 

On 12/22/2025 at 9:03 PM, Jingthing said:

There are some nutritional guidelines that I believe are well supported by science.

Getting enough Omega 3's preferably from fatty fish is one of them.

I've got that one well sorted.

But I'm having an issue with the well supported recommendation to eat leafy greens daily, preferably three times a day. 

That simply does not fit at all well with the my eating style.

It doesn't fit into my breakfast routine which otherwise I'm very happy with.

I don't drink smoothies and I don't want to have to constantly make smoothies and add the calories from that as they've got more than just the greens.

I only rarely cook omelets and sometimes cook pasta and add veg like brocolli or asparagus so I guess in those cases I could use spinach instead. But again, not very often. 

Rarely I will get some leafy greens in a western restaurant meal, like in a salad or side spinach.

I do eat broccoli very often which is very good but not a leafy green.

Thai food is the easiest way for me to get it but I don't eat Thai food daily. Maybe one meal every three days. With that sometimes the greens are already added to a noodle dish but not very much or I can order a side of stir fried morning glory which is excellent and is one of my favorites.

But that's not daily, and certainly not three times a day.

I do have only one idea which I might try, but otherwise I'm really at a loss. with this.

Here is my one idea.

Order three orders of stir fried morning glory (not spicy to keep it simple and mixing with any other meal) from a Thai restaurant that does it well and cheapy.

Stick in fridge. Warm up a half order six times a week with other food. It wouldn't meet the ideal level but much more than I'm doing now.

Would the already cooked greens still have nutritional value sitting in the fridge for a week

Any other ideas? Please don't say make smoothies because that's not gonna happen.

OK, just had another more spartan idea.

Buy my own greens, boil them lightly, smash them up in a food processor, and just hold my nose and dose the mush like medicine. Cheaper and as no oil healthier. Doesn't sound very appealing though. 

Buy your leafy greens at a produce market then take them to your favorite restaurant and have them cook for you and then you take them home to eat at your convenience.]

11 minutes ago, pchansmorn said:

Buy your leafy greens at a produce market then take them to your favorite restaurant and have them cook for you and then you take them home to eat at your convenience.]

Interesting idea but restaurants generally want to sell dishes from their menu rather than act as cooking service. 

Some specialized places do that with fish, etc.

Originally I had the idea of buying three orders of stir fried morning glory for home and eat portions throughout the week.

On 12/22/2025 at 9:03 PM, Jingthing said:

There are some nutritional guidelines that I believe are well supported by science.

Getting enough Omega 3's preferably from fatty fish is one of them.

I've got that one well sorted.

But I'm having an issue with the well supported recommendation to eat leafy greens daily, preferably three times a day. 

 

Definitely a challenge, and why a take 1/2 a multi vit daily, to fill in the blanks, as I know I don't eat enough.