Where To Get Certain Products (See List)?

[thaitar]

I'm new here and missing certain products. Please, if you know where to get them, chime in:

• Stevia (natural sweetener)
• Grass fed, pasture raised beef without hormones and antibiotics
• Raw milk
• Eggs from a trusted farmer that can be consumed raw

Also, nothing specific yet, but is there a good supplement store with a good range of products?

Thank you!

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Baan Suan Pak Health food store has most of that but not always at the same time.

---Stevia (natural sweetener) Yes BSP

---Grass fed, pasture raised beef without hormones and antibiotics

not exactly... the animal products at BSP, pork, chicken, fish and sometimes beef tend to have less of those. Beef that is certified like that is rare. It's kind of hit or miss.

Rimping will have some Aussie and NZ products that might be without hormones and antibiotics but not certified. A lot of beef is grass fed but finished on some grains toward the very end.

---Raw milk

Goats milk at BSP and Aden Health food store is unpasteurized. A few other places like Rimping might carry the same product which is from Hamza's farm. Fairly small containers and not exactly a bargain but worthwhile.

---Eggs from a trusted farmer that can be consumed raw

BSP and Aden sell eggs. I would trust BSP more because she does some more checking and testing. You have to look at the egg closely because the raw organic ones tend to spoil easier... Salmonella is rare in any egg really. 1 in 22,000 eggs in the US. Probably similar in Thailand.. Have to inspect them for defects before consuming but I have never had a problem

---Also, nothing specific yet, but is there a good supplement store with a good range of products?

Supplements are the sore point of Thailand. If you can find it then it overpriced. A lot of us order things from the US and ship them USPS for better deals. The basics can be obtained at the various pharmacies but fairly primitive in comparison to some places.

Chinese Herbs are fairly easy and a number of threads you can search on here when you are looking for something in particular.

You might be able to source a few things directly with a small farmer or hobby operation...

If anyone knows of such then please share because I am looking also

Aden Store is on Nimmanhemin next to the Warm up Club

Baan Suan Pak store is harder to explain.... In between north east corner of moat and US Consulate in little shopping center.

Good luck adjusting... It's slim pickens for that list

Also a single Chiropractor in town and a small handful of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine practioners.

Lot of cheap massage which is nice

[thaitar]

CobraSnakeNecktie, thank you for this lengthy reply! I will def check out the BSP asap. I miss my local health food store

Any recommended US online supp stores that take Paypal? I'm from Canada, and wouldn't dare to order online from Canada -> Thailand. First of all our online presence in Canada isn't very good, and shipping is extremely overpriced.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

CobraSnakeNecktie, thank you for this lengthy reply! I will def check out the BSP asap. I miss my local health food store

Any recommended US online supp stores that take Paypal? I'm from Canada, and wouldn't dare to order online from Canada -> Thailand. First of all our online presence in Canada isn't very good, and shipping is extremely overpriced.

there are two ways to go.

If you order from a vendor in the US like for example Puritans Pride. Puritan.com then it will DHL, FEDEX etc and will be hit with about a significant import duty... Not sure on the amount... 50% or more depending on various factors and that method of shipping is pricey also. More or less works out to doubling the price on a lot of things...

The other option is have it shipped to a friend, family member or shipping service in the states. They can pack it up in a USPS airmail registered which costs maybe $35 for a basic package and has a good chance of making it to you without a duty tax.

I would not be greedy and ship to much however because they probably image the packages and if it looks like your reselling it then bad news and might get sent back. Also if its an non OTC in Thailand supplement then technically you need a prescription of some sort to receive if challenge.

My experience is if its a small package and not pushing any envelopes then should not be a problem.

I know a guy who orders the import duty way and usually get the price doubled but just recently he had a larger order and they flagged it as being "too much" and they shipped it back.... They company gave him a credit but he lost the round trip shipping costs.

It's a minefield. If you have a friend coming over then bringing some supps over in luggage is solid also... I often stock up when I visit and deal with shipping in when I need to.

People definitely get things in with export/import carriers by greasing the skids. Those products show up on the gray or black market depending on how you view it... You will pay for their trouble but saves some hassle.. The difficulty of that route is finding those sources because they are on the down low.

A lot of people just over pay for the basics which can be obtained in pharmacies like Q10, Fish oil, Basic vitamins, Melatonin, DHEA, Amino Acids, protein powders and that sort of Thailand OTC stuff. Costs more but less hassle.

Can also try to use herbal stuff from chinese or thai alternative sources but takes some learning curve to figure out what is what.

Sorry to break the news to you on that one.... Not a great picture.

[thaitar]

Well it's kinda a similar story ordering stuff from USA -> Canada. I'm used to being hassled by the customs and overpaying the customs fee. Many times I had customs fee + brokerage fee by DHL/Fedex turn out to be higher than the product itself. Such is life outside USA

[jaideeguy]

Would like to expand on a couple of comments.....

re: Thai beef.......100% of the beef that you see in the public markets is grass fed. I'm surrounded bu cows in the fields around my house and know from the cowboys that they couldn't afford to fatten up or suppliment their beef.....so you get grass fed tough brahma beef.....tasty, but tough.

The egg issue.....very hard to find 'free range organic eggs that are fresh'.....I tried the ones labled organic free range in Rimping and they were as bad as regular market eggs, so I grew my own because I know what goes into them and they are fresh.

Vitamins......I order online fron swanson's vitamins [google it] and they send to my sister and she resends it via US priority mail and their big box [unlimited weight] @$55. big box 12X12X8in. Never had a problem with customs [knock on wood] with full boxes of vitamins. You'll be impressed with the prices and offerings with swanson's. they have it all, and then more and their low prices offset the postage.

If you don't have a friend to re-mail, then there are services [usendit and others.....google 'reshippers] and they will consolidate and send to you via any way you want.

I've heard to avoid the biggies UPS, DHL, etc, as they are almost sure to be hit by the custom's man.

Hope this helps.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

J.Guy -- That's interesting about the local leather beef. Makes sense about it being natural.

One thing I can't wrap my head around is how grass fed beef from Canada, US, Aus etc can have a great texture and relatively good taste. Do some cows just have less collagen or connective tissue?

Is it the breeds of cow? Pure grass fed is going to have less fat so of course less taste but texture is deciding factor for me..

If someone could impart this knowledge on Thai farmers then how good would that be?

The supermarkets like Tops and Rimping have Thai beef products that are better tasting and softer but I suspect they come from more commercial farms who are probably using some enhanced feeds and tricks to get more fat and flavor into them.

It's an interesting subject and frustration. I suppose some local lamb, goat or other grass fed animals might be a better choice. Any theories?

[jaideeguy]

J.Guy -- That's interesting about the local leather beef. Makes sense about it being natural.

One thing I can't wrap my head around is how grass fed beef from Canada, US, Aus etc can have a great texture and relatively good taste. Do some cows just have less collagen or connective tissue?

Is it the breeds of cow? Pure grass fed is going to have less fat so of course less taste but texture is deciding factor for me..

If someone could impart this knowledge on Thai farmers then how good would that be?

The supermarkets like Tops and Rimping have Thai beef products that are better tasting and softer but I suspect they come from more commercial farms who are probably using some enhanced feeds and tricks to get more fat and flavor into them.

It's an interesting subject and frustration. I suppose some local lamb, goat or other grass fed animals might be a better choice. Any theories?

I've wondered that as well and think that it must be the breed of cows that they use for local consumption. not being a cowboy, I think and have heard from some local cowboys that they are trying to breed into the local stock 'brahma' [sp?] which is a hardy breed that requires little maintenance and can survive the long dry season.

I've wondered if you could raise a brahma on grass then finish it off on a corn diet and get less tough meat? But, where would you cure it?? and where would you store it??

I've got plenty of pasture grass around my house and could easily raise a cow.

Can anyone add to this??

[uptheos]

Can I just butt in please, anyone seen Black Walnut Tincture in CM?

Thanks

Or any place in Thailand that it can be ordered from?

Edited December 22, 2010 by uptheos

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Can I just butt in please, anyone seen Black Walnut Tincture in CM?

Thanks

Or any place in Thailand that it can be ordered from?

I get mine from the states and often wished to find a local source. It's a really helpful herb for cleaning out the liver.

One way you could go is to use some similar chinese herbs like Gold Coin Grass from the Chinese pharmacy at Gat Luang.

Dr. Wang over there could prescribe a blend of stinky herbs that you would boil into tea and drink the bitter result.

Costs about 200 baht for a 5 days of tea. Can be very helpful to increase bile flow and soften liver and gallstones. The liver gallbladder mixtures are customized but have about 6 or so ingredients to help the liver get back to better operation. Liver and gallbladder are so key to health..

B.W.T is considered the only way to go to really kills liver parasites like flukes. Good stuff.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

JDG

That's an interesting idea. Unless your an expert in cow deconstruction then would need to take them to a rendering facility and age in a cold storage room. From there you could have it butchered and freeze, smoke, cure, dry etc. You could sell half of it to someone after rendering and then process the other half for yourself. Especially the first time so it not's overwhelming.

Have you tried that sun dried beef from Hamza's farm? They sell it frozen at Rimping. The sun drying gives it a really nice sweetness and softer texture...

Might make more sense to raise smaller critters like Lamb, Goat, Sheep, Rabbit, Duck etc. Well raised Lamb or Goat has some nice taste and nutritional qualities. It's a lot easier to process one of them yourself. Doesn't require hoists etc.

Knowing your affinity for eggs have you considered raising Ducks? When I have found them I thought the taste was quite good. Just a hint of wild game flavor but very pleasant.

Edited December 22, 2010 by CobraSnakeNecktie

[uptheos]

Can I just butt in please, anyone seen Black Walnut Tincture in CM?

Thanks

Or any place in Thailand that it can be ordered from?

I get mine from the states and often wished to find a local source. It's a really helpful herb for cleaning out the liver.

One way you could go is to use some similar chinese herbs like Gold Coin Grass from the Chinese pharmacy at Gat Luang.

Dr. Wang over there could prescribe a blend of stinky herbs that you would boil into tea and drink the bitter result.

Costs about 200 baht for a 5 days of tea. Can be very helpful to increase bile flow and soften liver and gallstones. The liver gallbladder mixtures are customized but have about 6 or so ingredients to help the liver get back to better operation. Liver and gallbladder are so key to health..

B.W.T is considered the only way to go to really kills liver parasites like flukes. Good stuff.

Thanks a lot, have been learning lots of good things about B W T and apparently it's really effectivestuff, so might as well order it from USA. Any chance of telling me via pm where you order it from please?

[jaideeguy]

JDG

That's an interesting idea. Unless your an expert in cow deconstruction then would need to take them to a rendering facility and age in a cold storage room. From there you could have it butchered and freeze, smoke, cure, dry etc. You could sell half of it to someone after rendering and then process the other half for yourself. Especially the first time so it not's overwhelming.

Have you tried that sun dried beef from Hamza's farm? They sell it frozen at Rimping. The sun drying gives it a really nice sweetness and softer texture...

Might make more sense to raise smaller critters like Lamb, Goat, Sheep, Rabbit, Duck etc. Well raised Lamb or Goat has some nice taste and nutritional qualities. It's a lot easier to process one of them yourself. Doesn't require hoists etc.

Knowing your affinity for eggs have you considered raising Ducks? When I have found them I thought the taste was quite good. Just a hint of wild game flavor but very pleasant.

I apologize for me and CST sidetracking this topic, so maybe I'll post our questions on the farming forum.....where the cowboys are.

But first, let's figure the logistics of dealing with a cow/beef here in CM. I did it once in partnership with a neighbor in Hawaii and there it was easy.

after raising and fattening up the cow....

1st, you need a slaughterhouse [rendering facility?] with cold storage to properly cure the meat in quarters or halves.

2nd, you need a proper butcher to cut, lablel and wrap the pieces

3rd, you would need some storage for the frozen beef...unless you have a big freezer to dedicate to beef.

4th, then you cook and eat your home grown beef

Let's find answers to #'s 1,2,&3 here in CM.......

The only place that comes to mind would be 'Northern Farms', who could deal with #'s 1 & 2.

#3 would be solved by buying a large freezer

Speaking from my past experience in partnership raising a cow for slaghter, after all is done, then you are left with a LOT of beef......maybe only 20% choice cuts and the rest is best used as hamburger or stew meat. Maybe not worth the work and $$, unless you can sell off the 'bulk'??

Smaller animals....IMHO, lamb and goat is too gamey for me. Wife and I have chickens and ducks at home, but I buy my eating chicken and no one likes the duck eggs......we have a refergerator door full of them. The chicken eggs are great, but small bantam eggs that take 3 to = 1 regular egg.

I am still curious if you can tenderize and sweeten the local beef by corn feeding before the end?

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

JDG

Sounds like Waimea on the Big island. One of the largest head of cattle in the US.

The farmer forums would know more or other farm resources on the net.

If you can increase the inter muscle fat on your cow then its going to taste and cook better. Because fat is not collagen then its going to be softer also. Grains will fatten up animal or human.

The cold storage might be the hardest. Lots of rendering places like north of Mae Rim on the main road... A couple of them up there near San Pong I think.

Might also have people who will show up at your place. In the US can hire a crew who show up in a special truck and they take the Cow from living to primal cuts in several hours.

If you go for it then have a big BBQ and invite us.

[jaideeguy]

JDG

Sounds like Waimea on the Big island. One of the largest head of cattle in the US.

The farmer forums would know more or other farm resources on the net.

If you can increase the inter muscle fat on your cow then its going to taste and cook better. Because fat is not collagen then its going to be softer also. Grains will fatten up animal or human.

The cold storage might be the hardest. Lots of rendering places like north of Mae Rim on the main road... A couple of them up there near San Pong I think.

Might also have people who will show up at your place. In the US can hire a crew who show up in a special truck and they take the Cow from living to primal cuts in several hours.

If you go for it then have a big BBQ and invite us.

CSN.....I did post on the farming forum last night and woke up this morning to a few informative replies. Check it out.....and maybe we can discuss the possibility more with knowlegable cowboys. Wonder if they have a miniature cow?? Then you could do it so much easier.

Oh, they do......it's called a calf and you can get them cheap here as I recall.....even bar-b-qued and delivered.

[thaitar]

Can anyone please point out where the Baan Suan Pak is located? The street it is one is huge, and given the address Google cannot find the exact location. Do you know the intersection, or anything big nearby?

Thank you!

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Can anyone please point out where the Baan Suan Pak is located? The street it is one is huge, and given the address Google cannot find the exact location. Do you know the intersection, or anything big nearby?

Thank you!

From the North East Corner of the Moat. Head east toward US Consulate.

Pass the President hotel on the left and before the next traffic light then little strip shopping area is on the right.

Vegetarian restaurant is near the street and BSP is toward the rear.

Only one stop light between the moat and the US Consulate.

[thaitar]

Thank you once again, CobraSnake

[markinthailand]

Most of you probably are aware of this, but finishing grass-fed beef on grains negates all the health benefits (omega-3/omega-6 balance) of grass-fed beef. That is a separate issue from taste/texture, of course, but if health is what you're interested in, then 100% grass-fed is the way to go.

For the antibiotics, hormones, etc, there is a lot of it in Thai beef and often in the feed as well.

Good suggestions on goat meat. Marinated and tenderized it can be great.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Most of you probably are aware of this, but finishing grass-fed beef on grains negates all the health benefits (omega-3/omega-6 balance) of grass-fed beef. That is a separate issue from taste/texture, of course, but if health is what you're interested in, then 100% grass-fed is the way to go.

For the antibiotics, hormones, etc, there is a lot of it in Thai beef and often in the feed as well.

Good suggestions on goat meat. Marinated and tenderized it can be great.

it's a gradual depletion of Omega 3's. In the first few weeks it's not much but by 3 months the Omega 3's are supposed to be mostly gone but the studies I have seen are put forward by Grass Fed producers. So if one took the grass fed marketing info at face value then it would depend on how long the cattle was finished on grain. I have a feeling they are trying to produce the most extreme result in their favor by measuring cattle that is only given grain at the end while in reality cows like a variety of things to keep them eating and that would often include grass and dried grasses.

There is probably an optimal mixture of grass and grain at the end that produces the best of both worlds. Taste and Omega 3's.

Has anyone seen any reference about the level of use of hormones or antibiotics in the Thai beef industry? I hear things but we all know how accurate Thai gossip can be.

The owner of B.S.P. says yes but I don't think she has a way to test it.. I really like her shop and products but she also believes some nutty things and puts out a few idea's I think might be wishful thinking and beneficial of her business and products.

[thaitar]

Anyways, I prefer to eat cows that eat what they were meant to eat by mother nature. I don't want my cow meat to eat grains. I've had grass fed, grass fed and grain finished, and all kinds of variations in between. Nothing beats grass fed beef. I've had a steak chef try the meat I was getting from a local farmer in Canada, and he was amazed at the quality and tenderness. Beforehand, when he saw the raw meat, he said that it was not marbled and will probably not be that great, but when he actually tried the meat, he took all of that back and said that it was one of the most delicious meats he has ever tried.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Anyways, I prefer to eat cows that eat what they were meant to eat by mother nature. I don't want my cow meat to eat grains. I've had grass fed, grass fed and grain finished, and all kinds of variations in between. Nothing beats grass fed beef. I've had a steak chef try the meat I was getting from a local farmer in Canada, and he was amazed at the quality and tenderness. Beforehand, when he saw the raw meat, he said that it was not marbled and will probably not be that great, but when he actually tried the meat, he took all of that back and said that it was one of the most delicious meats he has ever tried.

I have had some of the best beef ever from Uruguay and some of the worst from Montana... Both claiming to be grass fed.

I like pasture grazed beef. I think people kind of get misled by marketing campaigns and think some cows only eat grass. Having participated in cattle raising that practice would be cruel, unusual and largely impractical. Cattle need a variety of foods just like humans and other animals. Pasture raised grass fed just means mostly grass while feedlot means mostly grain feeds. It's never one or the other.

Cows will jump fences and stage mutiny to get at some variety. I would not ethically be able to live with myself if I restricted a cow to only grass. Would be like torture and cows need to be happy.

I don't like factory style feedlots either but in reality a lot of consumers are kind of clueless about the basics of raising cattle.

This is a good place to start

Cattle Feeding Wiki

Edited January 2, 2011 by CobraSnakeNecktie

[thaitar]

Anyways, I prefer to eat cows that eat what they were meant to eat by mother nature. I don't want my cow meat to eat grains. I've had grass fed, grass fed and grain finished, and all kinds of variations in between. Nothing beats grass fed beef. I've had a steak chef try the meat I was getting from a local farmer in Canada, and he was amazed at the quality and tenderness. Beforehand, when he saw the raw meat, he said that it was not marbled and will probably not be that great, but when he actually tried the meat, he took all of that back and said that it was one of the most delicious meats he has ever tried.

I have had some of the best beef ever from Uruguay and some of the worst from Montana... Both claiming to be grass fed.

I like pasture grazed beef. I think people kind of get misled by marketing campaigns and think some cows only eat grass. Having participated in cattle raising that practice would be cruel, unusual and largely impractical. Cattle need a variety of foods just like humans and other animals. Pasture raised grass fed just means mostly grass while feedlot means mostly grain feeds. It's never one or the other.

Cows will jump fences and stage mutiny to get at some variety. I would not ethically be able to live with myself if I restricted a cow to only grass. Would be like torture and cows need to be happy.

I don't like factory style feedlots either but in reality a lot of consumers are kind of clueless about the basics of raising cattle.

This is a good place to start

Cattle Feeding Wiki

Well, yes, I exaggerated. I've seen how cows are raised. My grandma had all sorts of animals and I went to pasture them with her when I was a kid. However, she didn't feed them grain, and grain didn't grow anywhere in the wild. But they do eat a variety of of plants for sure. They loved chamomile plants I remember (when they are yellow).

[thaitar]

Checked out Baan Suan Pak today. Nice sweet shop. To my surprise some produce was cheaper there than buying at the Tanin market. However, I am still looking for these two things. Any ideas?

1. Brazil nuts
2. Fermented cod liver oil

Thank you!

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Checked out Baan Suan Pak today. Nice sweet shop. To my surprise some produce was cheaper there than buying at the Tanin market. However, I am still looking for these two things. Any ideas?

1. Brazil nuts
2. Fermented cod liver oil

Thank you!

Brazil nuts can be purchased at Tops, Rimping and Kasem stores.

Never seen fermented cod liver oil. Regular cod liver oil is fairly obtainable at various pharmacies.

I have only really heard about the Nebraska company Green Pasteur's Blue Ice brand producing Fermented C.L.O. Would have to mailorder it... seriously doubt if anyone would stock it. Vitamin D is free from the sun in Thailand.

[thaitar]

Brazil nuts can be purchased at Tops, Rimping and Kasem stores.

Never seen fermented cod liver oil. Regular cod liver oil is fairly obtainable at various pharmacies.

I have only really heard about the Nebraska company Green Pasteur's Blue Ice brand producing Fermented C.L.O. Would have to mailorder it... seriously doubt if anyone would stock it. Vitamin D is free from the sun in Thailand.

I checked Tops, and they didn't have brazil nuts. Will check other stores too.

I found regular oil, but it was of questionable nature Are there any trusted brands here or trusted stores?

Thank you!

[czGLoRy]

KERRYGOLD butter? Grass fed beef?

[Fishenough]

Good thread, learned more this morning about cattle feed then I'd have thought.

Local farm milk can be purchased in most outlying areas of Chiang Mai, though the taste is still different then Canadian milk from the same cows. Just before the Mae On hotsprings market there is a small farm selling Holstein milk.

[Ulysses G.]

CobraSnakeNecktie's posts on health are always great!