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[Jingthing]

I have recently decided that I want to eat some probiotic food everyday (adds beneficial bacteria to the gut).

However, so far I have found the availability of these foods limited locally.

I have just started looking, but perhaps others can help.

Here are some of those foods:

Yogurt with active culture without sugar (available at expat markets)

Kefir (haven't looked, haven't noticed it)

Natto (haven't looked, afraid it would be disgusting to eat, but curious if you can buy it here)

Tempeh (haven't looked but have never seen it locally, I have had in Indonesia etc. and I love it!). Tempeh I think might be a good microbusiness for someone to do locally.

Miso paste (so far found it in Villa in the refrigerated small Japanese section. I assume it is easily available other places.)

However, what I would really like to find is REDUCED SALT MISO. I assume you can't buy that here. Am I wrong?

Sauerkraut (easily available)

Kimchi (easily available)

The thing I want to find most is low salt miso paste. I don't expect to find tempeh but that would be great.

Edited November 4, 2012 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

Does anyone know of a Korean grocery store in town and if so, where? I think kimchi might be a good way to go for me, but the cost/variety I have seen so far in regular groceries isn't appealing.

[bob4you]

There is a Korean Restaurant behind the Shell station opposite Soi 1 on 2nd road. They sell real Korean cabbage kinchee for B200 per kilo, not the watered down stuff you get at the grocery store.

[londoedan]

Apparently, the Indonesian embassy in BKK sells some Indo foodstuffs, like tempeh.

Another one would be 'smelly' tofu or tahu. Can be quite hard to track down but some of the Chinese shops might know where to get it.

Plus what the Chinese call 1000 yr old eggs - I imagine they've got quite a high 'healthy' bacteria content.

Aged cheese ?

[Jimmyd]

The German sausage factory on Third road, south side a couple hundred meters before North Pattaya Road has very good homemade sauerkraut at about 100 baht a kilo if I recall correctly.

[AZwanderer]

I eat only healthy weird food also and find most of it at friendship. The grocery in the bottom of Central Festival has everything but you will pay for it. But better than paying a surgeon... Contrary to popular myth Thailand is not third world nor on the moon. But, I shudder to think if the rest of the world knew it had more than any fool hopes for! There is a kefir pusher on the board here if you fancy your own curdled milk to gulped down in the morn...

[jbrain]

I eat only healthy weird food also and find most of it at friendship. The grocery in the bottom of Central Festival has everything but you will pay for it. But better than paying a surgeon... Contrary to popular myth Thailand is not third world nor on the moon. But, I shudder to think if the rest of the world knew it had more than any fool hopes for! There is a kefir pusher on the board here if you fancy your own curdled milk to gulped down in the morn...

Unfortunately, Pattaya,Bangkok,Phuket and Chiangmai represent only a small part of Thailand, which is for the rest in fact third world.

Try to find a Kimchi,sauerkraut or any speciallity anywhere in Thailand apart from the places mentioned above

Edited November 5, 2012 by jbrain

[Jingthing]

Some good suggestions so far. I hadn't thought that restaurants would be the best sources for retail kimchi and sauerkraut but perhaps they are. These used to be a Korean grocery on 3rd near Klang but it's not there anymore. It seems to me there must be at least one Korean grocery in town though. Who is this kefir pusher? Is that local? I ain't going to Bangkok for tempeh ... looking for local sources.

Anyway. Thanks and please keep the ideas coming.

Edited November 5, 2012 by Jingthing

[ZZZ]

Unfortunately most of the "probiotic food" bought in supermarkets has been pasteurized and are therefore not probiotic anymore as this will kill the bacteria but it will probably taste the same.

If they make it on the premises, like the German sausage factory, it's probably good.

For the real stuff you can easily make it yourself, only takes a few days. There are plenty of recipes and instructions on the web.

[Jingthing]

OK, NATTO is available!

At Villa, there were about five choices.

But the thing is I don't know why I would/could eat that stuff!

Now I'm gonna whine a little bit.

Natto -- five kinds of it at Villa, and it really is something really smelly that Japanese people like because they grew up with it. You have to sauce it up to tolerate it, even Japanese do.

Now TEMPEH which is such a fantastic food from an Asean nation, much less stinky and gooey, that, you can't get.

I mentioned before I think TEMPEH would be a good micro business here. Yes it is an Indonesian food but in the U.S. it is also associated with health food stores. Is it similarly widely sold in other western countries that way?

Edited November 5, 2012 by Jingthing

[Jayman]

Yogurt, Kefir, and Kimchi could easily be made at home and would probably contain more of what you are looking for than what you could buy in the supermarket.

https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+make+kefir

https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+make+kimchi

https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+make+yogurt

those are the 3 I know are easy to make... the others might be equally as easy.

[just_another_guy]

Unfortunately most of the "probiotic food" bought in supermarkets has been pasteurized and are therefore not probiotic anymore as this will kill the bacteria but it will probably taste the same.

If they make it on the premises, like the German sausage factory, it's probably good.

For the real stuff you can easily make it yourself, only takes a few days. There are plenty of recipes and instructions on the web.

ZZZ, I cannot agree with you more. This health food tangled web subject is something folks need to research a little before spending your money.

Specifically the processed and/or pasteurization of so called health foods can be very confusing. Not sure about all the items Jingthing was referring to, but kefer is easily made at home.

I am not suggesting health foods labeled as "natural" are not what they imply, but I do know that homemade items (made in your home) are cheaper and most likely better for you---as usual I stand to be corrected.

cheers

Jayman...we posted at the same time....thanks for those links

Edited November 5, 2012 by just_another_guy

[Jingthing]

Well I'm pretty sure miso paste has probiotic qualities and that isn't made at home. I like it and it's so easy to make a little miso soup but it so so SALTY.

[Jayman]

Well I'm pretty sure miso paste has probiotic qualities and that isn't made at home. I like it and it's so easy to make a little miso soup but it so so SALTY.

http://www.soya.be/make-miso.php

https://www.google.c...so from scratch

The one thing that is a challenge when making probiotic foods is obtaining the cultures. Once you have some then you will be able to keep them growing and use your cultures for the next batch and so on. Yogurt cultures are the easy ones to get cause yogurt is so readily available here. Kefir cultures will be more of a trick to find here but worst come to worst you order some. You only have to do this once. As long as you don't let them die they will last and regenerate.

Here is an online book that is being sold with many recipes fro fermented foods that can be made at home

http://www.renegadehealth.com/cultured/

Edited November 5, 2012 by Jayman

[Jingthing]

Oh come on, does the typical Japanese family make their own miso paste? Of course not. Kimchi in Korea, much more common.

[Jayman]

Oh come on, does the typical Japanese family make their own miso paste? Of course not. Kimchi in Korea, much more common.

I have no idea what the typical Japanese family does? Are you trying to mimic that or gain some health benefit from eating probiotic and cultured foods?

I guess you just want some processed and packaged food that you can eat and think you are gaining some health benefit from. I will stop posting on this subject now.

Edited November 5, 2012 by Jayman

[Jingthing]

I didn't mean to offend and I am very sorry if I did so.

I think the OP was clear. I am looking for SHOPPING options. I found the idea of making some of this stuff interesting too but that wasn't in my mind to begin with. For example, I don't believe there is anything inferior about the house made kimchi from a local Korean restaurant compared to what I might make at home (the opposite actually), which is a fantasy, because I'm never going to make my own kimchi. I don't go for a purest meme that you have to grow it yourself or make it yourself to get anything healthy. Of course you do need to be conscious about what you're buying ...

Also just because I started the thread with SHOPPING in mind, doesn't mean other people with related interests, such as making the stuff at home, aren't welcome to share their ideas. Also definitely of interest is whether some store bought stuff that seem probiotic really are probiotic. I think in many but not all cases you can get some strong cues from the labeling. For example I was looking at some Sauerkraut in a bottle, it had a short shelf life, the ingredients showed no preservatives, I think it was a natural. not processed, product.

On the subject of yogurt, I want to learn more. There is a local Thai brand that says clearly in big font: "live and active cultures"

WebMD site says that's what to look for if you want a probiotic yogurt:

(Keep in mind that the only yogurts that contain probiotics are those that say "live and active cultures" on the label.)

http://www.webmd.com...efits-of-yogurt

So does this local yogurt have it or not? Am I naive to think it probably does?

Edited November 5, 2012 by Jingthing

[Tolley]

OK, NATTO is available!

At Villa, there were about five choices.

But the thing is I don't know why I would/could eat that stuff!

Now I'm gonna whine a little bit.

Natto -- five kinds of it at Villa, and it really is something really smelly that Japanese people like because they grew up with it. You have to sauce it up to tolerate it, even Japanese do.

Now TEMPEH which is such a fantastic food from an Asean nation, much less stinky and gooey, that, you can't get.

I mentioned before I think TEMPEH would be a good micro business here. Yes it is an Indonesian food but in the U.S. it is also associated with health food stores. Is it similarly widely sold in other western countries that way?

I love tempeh I used to make a tempeh roll every day for many years. Make a wrap with a base of tahini and pumkin seeds then slice the tempeh and put on the wrap. Put in the microwave for one minute and then bring out and add sliced carrot , cabbage and alfalfa sprouts and then add a soya bean dressing.

I used to buy it in the health food shop but even supermarkets in Oz stock it these days. There must be Asian supermarkets who stock it here surely?

[Tolley]

I didn't mean to offend and I am very sorry if I did so.

I think the OP was clear. I am looking for SHOPPING options. I found the idea of making some of this stuff interesting too but that wasn't in my mind to begin with. For example, I don't believe there is anything inferior about the house made kimchi from a local Korean restaurant compared to what I might make at home (the opposite actually), which is a fantasy, because I'm never going to make my own kimchi. I don't go for a purest meme that you have to grow it yourself or make it yourself to get anything healthy. Of course you do need to be conscious about what you're buying ...

Also just because I started the thread with SHOPPING in mind, doesn't mean other people with related interests, such as making the stuff at home, aren't welcome to share their ideas. Also definitely of interest is whether some store bought stuff that seem probiotic really are probiotic. I think in many but not all cases you can get some strong cues from the labeling. For example I was looking at some Sauerkraut in a bottle, it had a short shelf life, the ingredients showed no preservatives, I think it was a natural. not processed, product.

On the subject of yogurt, I want to learn more. There is a local Thai brand that says clearly in big font: "live and active cultures"

WebMD site says that's what to look for if you want a probiotic yogurt:

(Keep in mind that the only yogurts that contain probiotics are those that say "live and active cultures" on the label.)

http://www.webmd.com...efits-of-yogurt

So does this local yogurt have it or not? Am I naive to think it probably does?

Most of the yogurts you buy here are probably useless. They need to have live cultures and usually something like contains lactobillius acidopholos on the label.

If you really want something quick with live cultures just buy some yakult from 7/11.

[Woody1]

Does anyone know whether Rennet is available in Thailand / Pattaya?

[Jayman]

Does anyone know whether Rennet is available in Thailand / Pattaya?

I've never seen it being sold here in town. Are you trying to make cottage cheese by any chance? We make it without rennet without any issues.

For sure it's available in Thailand as it comes from cows and they have cows here. I'm sure you can buy it from a dairy farm like chokchai.

Edited November 6, 2012 by Jayman

[Jingthing]

OK, on the label of local Thai brand yogurt reasonably priced at Villa and I'm sure other places.

YOLIDA

Natural Yoghurt Flavor with Live Active Lactic Acid Bacteria Culture

It is plain yogurt. No added sugar. It tastes sour like yogurt should.

Am I a total sucker to believe the label? Because I do.

[Jayman]

OK, on the label of local Thai brand yogurt reasonably priced at Villa and I'm sure other places.

YOLIDA

Natural Yoghurt Flavor with Live Active Lactic Acid Bacteria Culture

It is plain yogurt. No added sugar. It tastes sour like yogurt should.

Am I a total sucker to believe the label? Because I do.

I think you'll prob be getting what you expect there JT. Again and I know you don't want to make your own but an easy way to know if it contains live bacteria is to try and grow it out. To make yogurt you use a spoon full of base yogurt (this brand you found would be what you use). Then you let the bacteria cultures do the work. It's actually quite easy and cost effective.

http://www.makeyourownyogurt.com/

Edited November 6, 2012 by Jayman

[Woody1]

Does anyone know whether Rennet is available in Thailand / Pattaya?

I've never seen it being sold here in town. Are you trying to make cottage cheese by any chance? We make it without rennet without any issues.

For sure it's available in Thailand as it comes from cows and they have cows here. I'm sure you can buy it from a dairy farm like chokchai.

Mozzarella.

There are many different types and sources, including alternative sources of Rennet, was just wondering whether anyone had come across any here.

[Jayman]

Does anyone know whether Rennet is available in Thailand / Pattaya?

I've never seen it being sold here in town. Are you trying to make cottage cheese by any chance? We make it without rennet without any issues.

For sure it's available in Thailand as it comes from cows and they have cows here. I'm sure you can buy it from a dairy farm like chokchai.

Mozzarella.

There are many different types and sources, including alternative sources of Rennet, was just wondering whether anyone had come across any here.

Rennet comes from the stomach of cows (all mammals actually). Yes, I have come across it here from dairy farms.

If you are looking for rennet from a certain animal other than cows then I don't know.

On a side note.. many times you can use another form of acid (citric acid)in cheese production instead of rennet.. like vinegar or lemon juice..

Edited November 6, 2012 by Jayman

[Woody1]

Does anyone know whether Rennet is available in Thailand / Pattaya?

I've never seen it being sold here in town. Are you trying to make cottage cheese by any chance? We make it without rennet without any issues.

For sure it's available in Thailand as it comes from cows and they have cows here. I'm sure you can buy it from a dairy farm like chokchai.

Mozzarella.

There are many different types and sources, including alternative sources of Rennet, was just wondering whether anyone had come across any here.

Rennet comes from the stomach of cows (all mammals actually). Yes, I have come across it here from dairy farms.

If you are looking for rennet from a certain animal other than cows then I don't know.

On a side note.. many times you can use another form of acid (citric acid)in cheese production instead of rennet.. like vinegar or lemon juice..

Thank You for the reply.

I'm not getting into an argument / discussion as to where Rennet originates, whether it's calves / cows, cows / buffalos, etc. I would be interested however if you could clarify your two replies, whether you're sure you can buy it from a dairy farm, "like Chokchai" or yes you have come across it here from dairy farms? The reason I ask is that, "like Chokchai" sounds like an educated guess, whereas, "Yes, I have come across it here" implies a definate response.

Was the dairy farm, "Chokchai" where you came across it?

[Jayman]

I've never seen it being sold here in town. Are you trying to make cottage cheese by any chance? We make it without rennet without any issues.

For sure it's available in Thailand as it comes from cows and they have cows here. I'm sure you can buy it from a dairy farm like chokchai.

Mozzarella.

There are many different types and sources, including alternative sources of Rennet, was just wondering whether anyone had come across any here.

Rennet comes from the stomach of cows (all mammals actually). Yes, I have come across it here from dairy farms.

If you are looking for rennet from a certain animal other than cows then I don't know.

On a side note.. many times you can use another form of acid (citric acid)in cheese production instead of rennet.. like vinegar or lemon juice..

Thank You for the reply.

I'm not getting into an argument / discussion as to where Rennet originates, whether it's calves / cows, cows / buffalos, etc. I would be interested however if you could clarify your two replies, whether you're sure you can buy it from a dairy farm, "like Chokchai" or yes you have come across it here from dairy farms? The reason I ask is that, "like Chokchai" sounds like an educated guess, whereas, "Yes, I have come across it here" implies a definate response.

Was the dairy farm, "Chokchai" where you came across it?

I came across it at a dairy farm up in Issarn. The exact name of the dairy farm escapes me. If you want the exact name and GPS coordinates I will ask the missus and get on google maps to find it for you.

No argument is needed. Rennet is an enzyme produced in the stomach of ALL mammals. Most rennet used in cheese production comes from cows. ALL dairy farms will have rennet. This is not an "educated guess" this is a fact. Whether they will sell it to you is the guess.

Go anywhere you see them killing cows and ask for "เยื่อบุผิวของกระเพาะที่สีของลูกวัว"

might be easier for you to just order some rennet tablets online and have them shipped to your doorstep

http://www.ebay.com/...=item46095c78d7

could also try calling these guys and see if they will sell you some

http://www.homemade-cheese.com/ they are in BKK

Edited November 6, 2012 by Jayman

[HeijoshinCool]

Natto, the Japanese breakfast, though even many Japanese abhor it. It's at all sushi bars. I love it, mix it with hot mustard and some soy sauce. High protein and good for you, unlike unfermanted soy products.

It's an aquired taste, like many things.

[HeijoshinCool]

Yes, it's easy to make, but where do you get the starter?

Like another poster said, all the yougurt here is highly pasteurized, boiled beyond recognition.

EDIT: Somehow the ghost in the machine dropped my quoting the poster who said, "yogurt is easy to make."

Edited November 8, 2012 by HeijoshinCool

[Jayman]

Yes, it's easy to make, but where do you get the starter?

Like another poster said, all the yougurt here is highly pasteurized, boiled beyond recognition.

EDIT: Somehow the ghost in the machine dropped my quoting the poster who said, "yogurt is easy to make."

Getting the starter for yogurt will be easy since there is local made yogurt available here. Sounds like jt already found some.