I know this might sound slightly heretical for somebody with a physical connection to Thailand, but I do not actually eat Thai food very often.

Before anybody accuses me of rejecting Thai culture or disrespecting one of the world’s great cuisines, that is not really the issue.

I think a lot of Thai food tastes fantastic. My only request is that the chilli content remains below the threshold where my tongue becomes a crime scene and I can still identify at least some of the other ingredients.

The real issue is nutritional value. Over the years I have become far more interested in macros than flavor alone. These days I tend to build most of my meals around protein, followed by healthy fats, fibre, and nutrient density. I generally avoid simple carbohydrates and pure starches with empty calories, whenever possible.

That is where my relationship with a lot of Thai food starts becoming complicated. Take a typical meal. You might get a mountain of rice or noodles, a relatively modest amount of vegetables, and a surprisingly small portion of meat. Quite often the meat itself is also a fatty cut of pork rather than something particularly protein rich.

It tastes great. That is not the problem. The problem is that I can easily look at the plate and see a huge carb load, modest protein, and not much else that fits particularly well with how I prefer to eat.

I am not somebody who counts calories obsessively. I am more interested in what those calories consist of.

Two very different meals can contain exactly the same number of calories and leave me feeling completely different about what I just put into my body.

As a result, most of my day to day meals are fairly boring by comparison. Lots of eggs. Chicken. Vegetables. Nuts. Some fruit.

The sort of food that nutritionists applaud and food photographers might immediately lose interest in.

So I am curious what others choose to eat, and are you mainly thinking about taste and enjoyment, or do you also pay strong attention to the nutritional value of what is on the plate?

8 minutes ago, Kyoto Kyle said:

The real issue is nutritional value. ,,, These days I tend to build most of my meals around protein, followed by healthy fats, fibre, and nutrient density. I generally avoid simple carbohydrates and pure starches with empty calories, whenever possible. ,,, You might get a mountain of rice or noodles, a relatively modest amount of vegetables, and a surprisingly small portion of meat. ,,,The problem is that I can easily look at the plate and see a huge carb load

Agree, and why we rarely eat out, when at home. Only when O&A, and try to be as picky as possible.

If I'm going to eat empty carbs, it's going to be something I enjoy, pastry, instead of rice or rice noodles with little to no nutritional value. A tastier trade off for me.

Edited June 21Jun 21 by KhunLA

4 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Agree, and why we rarely eat out, when at home. Only when O&A, and try to be as picky as possible.

If I'm going to eat empty carbs, it's going to be something I enjoy, pastry, instead of rice or rice noodles with little to no nutritional value. A tastier trade off for me.

I rarely eat out for the same reason, and also because I generally have sanitary concerns.

I’m the same when it comes to cheat meals. I much prefer pasta, pizza, or even egg noodles over anything rice-based. I do eat locally grown sweet potatoes regularly, though, and don’t put those in the same empty, simple-carb category.

I also recently discovered that you can buy a kilo of either pea or soy protein isolate in Thailand for between 400 and 500 baht from many online sellers. It works out to half the price of whey protein, or even less. I generally avoid dairy anyway, so these plant-based protein supplements have become a very good and inexpensive alternative to whey for me and no digestion issues. I often mix a scoop of each into a shake to make sure I’m getting a complete amino acid profile.

You also don’t need to be into bodybuilding or heavy into fitness to use protein supplements. As we age, I think it’s important to make sure we’re getting enough protein to support functional strength and bone density.

4 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Agree, and why we rarely eat out, when at home. Only when O&A, and try to be as picky as possible.

If I'm going to eat empty carbs, it's going to be something I enjoy, pastry, instead of rice or rice noodles with little to no nutritional value. A tastier trade off for me.

Now I don't live in Thailand full-time, and I don't like Thai food at all, but when I am in Thailand, which is very often because my wife is Thai, I also like pastries. I do like pasta or potatoes, but I hate rice. At home. I mostly cook for myself.

5 minutes ago, Kyoto Kyle said:

I rarely eat out for the same reason, and also because I generally have sanitary concerns.

I’m the same when it comes to cheat meals. I much prefer pasta, pizza, or even egg noodles over anything rice-based. I do eat locally grown sweet potatoes regularly, though, and don’t put those in the same empty, simple-carb category.

I also recently discovered that you can buy a kilo of either pea or soy protein isolate in Thailand for between 400 and 500 baht from many online sellers. It works out to half the price of whey protein, or even less. I generally avoid dairy anyway, so these plant-based protein supplements have become a very good and inexpensive alternative to whey for me and no digestion issues. I often mix a scoop of each into a shake to make sure I’m getting a complete amino acid profile.

You also don’t need to be into bodybuilding or heavy into fitness to use protein supplements. As we age, I think it’s important to make sure we’re getting enough protein to support functional strength and bone density.

I replaced pasta with egg noodles, almost exclusively. Pizza is almost healthy food for me, and only eat it a couple times a month.

I love Thai food, you can replace the non nutritional white rice with brown or red. For every chicken fish or meat dish there is a matching vegetable dish. The lemon grass soups have proven to help prevent esophageal cancers.

Funny story regarding food and longevity. Some years back a study came out that for every American hot dog you eat, you lose a day or two of life considering all the cancer causing unhealthy nitrates. My stepfather loved his hot dogs, ate them regularly, lunch dinner, snack. He lived to be 93.

12 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I replaced pasta with egg noodles, almost exclusively. Pizza is almost healthy food for me, and only eat it a couple times a month.

Another concern with a lot of Thai food is the deep fried issue and the fact that almost all stir fried Thai food is cooked in some form of vegetable oil that is high in unhealthy omega 6.

We eat out quite often and we've been able to find some really extraordinary Thai restaurants, that serve absolutely gorgeous Thai food at very reasonable prices.

6 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

We eat out quite often and we've been able to find some really extraordinary Thai restaurants, that serve absolutely gorgeous Thai food at very reasonable prices.

My wife is Thai, but we have only been to a Thai restaurant twice in about 20 years. We do prefer Indian cuisine, but we live in the West.

5 minutes ago, still kicking said:

My wife is Thai, but we have only been to a Thai restaurant twice in about 20 years. We do prefer Indian cuisine, but we live in the West.

No wonder. We spend a lot of time in California and there is a huge Thai community here, we can't find Thai food that even compares to average Thai restaurants in Thailand. And that's at $40 to $50 per person for lunch or dinner. In my opinion you're missing out on one of the great pleasures in life. But that's just one of the many many sacrifices you're making by living in the West.

3 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

No wonder. We spend a lot of time in California and there is a huge Thai community here, we can't find Thai food that even compares to average Thai restaurants in Thailand. And that's at $40 to $50 per person for lunch or dinner. In my opinion you're missing out on one of the great pleasures in life. But that's just one of the many many sacrifices you're making by living in the West.

Not really, we love it here. My wife has been here for over 20 years. She is a head nurse who makes over 65 $ per hour and pay minimal rent get free healthcare. I could not afford health insurance in Thailand, but that is beside the point.

I cook at home most days because Thais use the cheapest ingredients, meat, rice, oil etc. I also like a lot of vegetables, 500g for my thai meals

Most of the time my daughter and I eat western food, but Thai when we go to my girlfriend's, as she's a good cook and makes it healthy also.

At home mostly chicken, fish, pasta, oatmeal, eggs, tuns, sardines, whole grain bread, salads, corn flakes, soy, oat or almond milk, occasional pizza, veggies, fruits, no sugar jellies, sauerkraut with chicken hot dogs, yogurt, kimchi, mixed nuts, popcorn, cheese, whole grain potato and egg or ground chicken burritos, and Pad Krapow Gai with rice maybe twice a month.

Much the same back home with beef added and more fresh fish, sushi, BBQ, cereals and cheese. The Thai restaurants in the San Antonio area have Thai food as good or better than any I've tried here to this day, much better than most street food, so that's a few times a month when I'm there. Actually more rice back home, but brown and white.

We'll occasionally eat Thai here for lunch while in town, mostly Pad Krapow Gai light chili.

7 hours ago, Kyoto Kyle said:

The real issue is nutritional value. Over the years I have become far more interested in macros than flavor alone. These days I tend to build most of my meals around protein, followed by healthy fats, fibre, and nutrient density. I generally avoid simple carbohydrates and pure starches with empty calories, whenever possible.

Same as me.

I cook most of the time.

I eat low carb and most Thai dishes have high carbs.

Plus cooking oils in restaurants are not healthy.

It's an occasional cheat meal.

Although I am thinking of bringing my own cooking oil to restaurants and asking them to cook up some shrimp or sth ... minus the rice or noodles.

I don't need to eat Thai food to respect "Thai culture". I respect Thai people and am nice to them.

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

I cook at home most days because Thais use the cheapest ingredients, meat, rice, oil etc. I also like a lot of vegetables, 500g for my thai meals

Depends on where you eat. Know some good seafood restaurants who use the freshest squid, with some amazing curries, for 200 baht. That is $6, with no mandatory tip, nor taxes. Amazing Thailand.

Edited June 21Jun 21 by spidermike007

7 hours ago, Kyoto Kyle said:

I rarely eat out for the same reason, and also because I generally have sanitary concerns.

I’m the same when it comes to cheat meals. I much prefer pasta, pizza, or even egg noodles over anything rice-based. I do eat locally grown sweet potatoes regularly, though, and don’t put those in the same empty, simple-carb category.

I also recently discovered that you can buy a kilo of either pea or soy protein isolate in Thailand for between 400 and 500 baht from many online sellers. It works out to half the price of whey protein, or even less. I generally avoid dairy anyway, so these plant-based protein supplements have become a very good and inexpensive alternative to whey for me and no digestion issues. I often mix a scoop of each into a shake to make sure I’m getting a complete amino acid profile.

You also don’t need to be into bodybuilding or heavy into fitness to use protein supplements. As we age, I think it’s important to make sure we’re getting enough protein to support functional strength and bone density.

Tinned tuna has lots of protein as does soy milk. You don't even need powders. Pea protein tastes awful.

7 hours ago, Priorexpat said:

I love Thai food, you can replace the non nutritional white rice with brown or red. For every chicken fish or meat dish there is a matching vegetable dish. The lemon grass soups have proven to help prevent esophageal cancers.

Funny story regarding food and longevity. Some years back a study came out that for every American hot dog you eat, you lose a day or two of life considering all the cancer causing unhealthy nitrates. My stepfather loved his hot dogs, ate them regularly, lunch dinner, snack. He lived to be 93.

Those nitrate studies are flawed. The problem with most studies is it is hard to isolate independent variables away from alcohol, tobacco and other things.

8 hours ago, Kyoto Kyle said:

empty calories

Funny you should mention this.

I love empty calories.

It is just these empty calories which help me to avoid weight gain.

It is the non-empty calories which I abhor.

If you don't eat Thai food, then you still must eat SOME food.

I would say that you are overly obsessive concerning your diet.

What I like best is some sort of very fatty pork.....

k

I can eat one for breakfast, and not even break a sweat.

Also, I really doubt that you know much about nutrition,

From a science-based perspective.

13 minutes ago, Rockyroad said:

Those nitrate studies are flawed. The problem with most studies is it is hard to isolate independent variables away from alcohol, tobacco and other things.

Nitrates are not the problem, and most come from the body producing, along with majority of the rest, coming naturally in vegetables.

The added nitrates in cured meats, becomes an issue when heated at high temps, and charred instead of just a nice 'crust'. The charring is considered carcinogenic, and believed linked to colon cancer.

Why you need to keep your immune system primed and them Lymphocyte cells at high level, Why knowing your body and getting blood work done every so often is important.

o

I follow roughly the same dietary guidelines as the OP, but perhaps even more stringently, as I follow the Keto lifestyle and have for the past seven years. No rice, no noodles, no potatoes, no bread!
I eat lunch in a restaurant every day of the year. Mostly Thai food, but balanced with Western foods, too. I haven't found it difficult to eat Keto-style, avoiding all empty carbs, and eating veggies as a small part of the meal. Chicken, pork, seafood, stir-fried or roasted, high in fats and oils every day.
Certainly, eating from a vendor cart when the oil hasn't been changed since God's dog was a puppy is NOT a healthy choice. But nothing wrong with a plate of Khanna Moo Krub. Healthy protein, healthy fats, and just a bit of green vegetable for flavor balance, prepared in a decent restaurant. Pad Grapow Gai or Moo with a fried egg? Almost pure protein. Shrimp with asparagus? Oyster omelets? There are dozens of Thai dishes that can be high-protein while being low in carbs, when you keep in mind that the amount of Dietary Fiber gets subtracted from the amount of carbs.
No one forces you to eat the rice.

1 hour ago, Rockyroad said:

Tinned tuna has lots of protein as does soy milk. You don't even need powders. Pea protein tastes awful.

Soy milk causes man boobs

13 minutes ago, FolkGuitar said:

No one forces you to eat the rice.

No, but I ordered butter chicken in an Indian restaurant and the owner acted like I was transgressing their religious beliefs by refusing rice.

Not even sure if they strictly use butter or put cheap oils in there, or I would eat it more often.

Edited June 22Jun 22 by save the frogs

Interesting thread and I like that it is looking at the diet side of health and not exercise. I too am starting to pay attention to a few nutrients that I have ignored in the past but for the most part eat a high carb, protein, fruit ( bananas mostly), and not enough vegies meals. I enjoy Thai food but when at restaurants the mix of nutrients is not to my liking so the wife cooks my one main meal a day which is lunch and it is huge.

I find it odd how many at the health clubs I used to go to looked terrible. They were carrying too much fat and to complicate their metabolic health, they were adding excess muscle. Not a healthy mix and would have been better focussing on what they were consuming and taking a few mile walk every evening.

Just eat about what you burn and weigh yourself every morning. Do 20 minutes of weight lifting or push ups, pullups, etc every few days and take walks. Stop worrying about nutrients or whatever until you figure out how to this consistently. Not fun or a fad health plan but really the only thing that works for poor health.

37 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

No, but I ordered butter chicken in an Indian restaurant and the owner acted like I was transgressing their religious beliefs by refusing rice.

Not even sure if they strictly use butter or put cheap oils in there, or I would eat it more often.

Rice soaks up the curry sauce. If you eat omad rice isnt bad for you. People stress over carbs too much. Daily bread eaters have lived to 110.

44 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

Soy milk causes man boobs

Soy milk does not. Debunked. Main thing with diet is only 1 big meal a day. Even if you eat 3-4 meals only have 1 big one. More than one big meal harms digestion and damages your organs long term. Like driving a car at top speed too often the engine will faulter.

3 minutes ago, Rockyroad said:

Soy milk does not. Debunked. Main thing with diet is only 1 big meal a day. Even if you eat 3-4 meals only have 1 big one. More than one big meal harms digestion and damages your organs long term. Like driving a car at top speed too often the engine will faulter.

I tried OMAD. I didn't like it. I feel too stuffed after one big meal.

And maybe older adults have a hard time processing 100 grams of protein in one meal.

Some days I eat NOTHING to reduce my calorie intake and bring my insulin down.

NADA. Zilch ... except coffee and miso soup.

Otherwise, I'm sticking to 3 meals.

Edited June 22Jun 22 by save the frogs

6 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

I tried OMAD. I didn't like it. I feel too stuffed after one big meal.

And maybe older adults have a hard time processing 100 grams of protein in one meal.

Some days I eat NOTHING to reduce my calorie intake and bring my insulin down.

NADA. Zilch ... except coffee and miso soup.

Otherwise, I'm sticking to 3 meals.

You can go 20g, 20g and 60g. Light meals during the day stop too much blood going to stomach which makes you tired.

10 minutes ago, Rockyroad said:

Rice soaks up the curry sauce. If you eat omad rice isnt bad for you. People stress over carbs too much. Daily bread eaters have lived to 110.

Personally, I don't avoid bread or any wheat products, for that matter, for longevity or weight-loss.

I've discovered that when I don't eat wheat products, all those little niggling aches and pains in our joints disappear completely! Completely! I'm not referring to pain from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or a missing knee meniscus. I'm talking about those little pains we wake up with, or discover when we try to move a shoulder a certain way, or grip a heavy pan. They disappear. Even knee pain ameliorates to a large degree!
When I break my diet (which I do for a few days every 5-6 months) and eat bread, noodles, battered fried foods, etc., etc., the joint pain comes back in just 3-4 days. It becomes very noticeable. When I get back into Keto and stop eating wheat products, the aches and pains disappear. I prefer pain-free to pain-au-chocolate!

1 hour ago, save the frogs said:

Soy milk causes man boobs

Yes, soy milk has lots of issues. I normally avoid it.

The soy protein powder I use is a soy isolate though. That means the components of soy that can contribute to gas, indigestion, or potential estrogenic effects have been removed, leaving essentially pure protein. It comes in a variety of flavors, and you can also buy it unflavored if you prefer.

The flavored versions contain no added sugar and are sweetened with stevia. One scoop typically provides about 30 grams of protein and contains roughly 120 to 150 calories when mixed with water.

It’s an excellent, cost effective source of supplemental (complete amino acid chain) protein.

I also got one soy isolate powder brand with a dark chocolate flavor that contains no added sweetener at all. I mix it with a small amount of natural monk fruit syrup, which is zero calorie, along with water. It ends up tasting very good and stays simple in terms of ingredients.

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Depends on where you eat. Know some good seafood restaurants who use the freshest squid, with some amazing curries, for 200 baht. That is $6, with no mandatory tip, nor taxes. Amazing Thailand.

Yep and i eat a kg of mussels 79 baht from a stall, but on the whole the cooked food is the cheapest they can buy, they've told me, they have to to compete

Edited June 22Jun 22 by scubascuba3