Today I went to my usual freshly squeezed 100% orange juice vendor to get my morning dose of vitamin C goodness and he announced this time he'd added salt. It was gross. As if the Thai diet doesn't have enough salt in they're adding it to orange juice now? What next - fish sauce and chili? I'm sticking to TipCo juices from now on.

Its normal to add sugar and/or salt to drinks in hot countries. Something about replacing lost nutrients.

Ok, this it explains it better:

"People living in hot countries and those who use a great deal of energy, such as athletes, lose more salt than the average person. This is lost through sweat in such large amounts that they can suffer from muscle cramps and heat exhaustion. Some athletes replenish the body's supply with salt tablets" source: www.saltinfo.com

As if the Thai diet doesn't have enough salt in they're adding it to orange juice now?

They've been doing it for a little longer than the duration of your stay. You ain't in Kansas anymore, Dorothy.

Its normal to add sugar and/or salt to drinks in hot countries. Something about replacing lost nutrients.

Ok, this it explains it better:

"People living in hot countries and those who use a great deal of energy, such as athletes, lose more salt than the average person. This is lost through sweat in such large amounts that they can suffer from muscle cramps and heat exhaustion. Some athletes replenish the body's supply with salt tablets" source: www.saltinfo.com

Eating a normal Thai diet must give you at least double the recommended daily allowance of salt, even for a hot country. I think it's more to do with Thais having a "salty tongue" than the OJ vendors worrying about replacing their customers' lost nutrients.

Edited November 25, 200718 yr by edwardandtubs

Just ask him for no salt. Since its fresh squeezed it shouldn't be a problem.

It is, as samran points out, a very old practice.

The reason for adding salt in orange juice actually is to make the juice sweeter... since the little saltiness would help to accentuate the sweetness of the juice.. You can try it with Coke too. It works!

Edited November 25, 200718 yr by patri

Eating a normal Thai diet must give you at least double the recommended daily allowance of salt, even for a hot country. I think it's more to do with Thais having a "salty tongue" than the OJ vendors worrying about replacing their customers' lost nutrients.

How dare you cast such aspersions! All street vendors in Thailand are trained nutritionists with advanced degrees in organic chemistry and biosciences.

Why not ask the vendor?

I've been specifying "no salt please" when ordering fruit juices (esp. soury ones) for years. This might work for you too.

They add it to lessen the soury taste of certain juices, specifically lime & orange juice.

Similarly, they often serve salt (+sugar and/or chilli) with fruit. Same concept.

The salt is a minor problem compared to the sugar.

I think the reasoning behind the salt is one of balancing flavours.

Take a Thai cooking course and a great deal of the teaching addresses this need to balance sour/sweet/salty.

I think the reasoning behind the salt is one of balancing flavours.

Take a Thai cooking course and a great deal of the teaching addresses this need to balance sour/sweet/salty.

i like the taste when added to oj ,i eat pineapple with salt ,much more refreshing than sugar

you can say 'Mai sai greua' - not with salt

I've been specifying "no salt please" when ordering fruit juices (esp. soury ones) for years. This might work for you too.

They add it to lessen the soury taste of certain juices, specifically lime & orange juice.

Similarly, they often serve salt (+sugar and/or chilli) with fruit. Same concept.

Love that word ! May I use it?

As if the Thai diet doesn't have enough salt in they're adding it to orange juice now?

They've been doing it for a little longer than the duration of your stay. You ain't in Kansas anymore, Dorothy.

and definately....'mai sai pong su lot'........mai chai...mai chai.....

The salt is a minor problem compared to the sugar.

And my doctor wants me to go on a low salt, low sugar food plan..........somethings smacks of the devil here. I'll watch my back for the food police.

we sprinkle some salt in our coke too, to reduce the gas.

normal in asia, maybe not so in western tts why you're surprised

I often put a pinch of salt in coffee - it reduces the bitter taste.

Why so outraged? It has been a long standing custom here to add salt to all kind of fruit juices and dishes, from OJ to "nam ma nau" to salt and chillie mix for sour mango etc. etc.

After a while you get so much used to it that you don't want to miss it anymore; happened to me.

I asked my Missus why they add salt. She said, to make it sweet. Ok, whatever, I just prefer is with salt.

I think the reasoning behind the salt is one of balancing flavours.

Take a Thai cooking course and a great deal of the teaching addresses this need to balance sour/sweet/salty.

Which they do by adding a handfull of chilli and MSG

Naka.

hate it when they put salt (and sugar for that matter ) into juice . tastes awful ! I tried to ask about it before buying a bottle , but usually it doesn't help : poor vendor just tries to make a sell ... stopped buying orange juice from the street some time ago

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