Is Thai Food Actually Healthy?

[slipperylobster]

If you look at Asian children now, you will see they are much fatter (and taller). This is due to the Western Diet.

No.

you put up a good argument.!

Food for your thoughts: This should be more than obvious !

The uptake of both processed food and fast food is being accelerated by 'cultural cringe': Many younger Thais are rejecting certain aspects of traditional Thai life as being decidedly 'un-cool' and old-fashioned, choosing instead to embrace available aspects of western culture/lifestyle. The implications of this include changes to earlier patterns of diet and exercise.

As in so many other countries, fast-food like KFC and McDonalds have been enthusiastically embraced in Thailand. Unlike in the West, however, fast foods are generally not cheaper or more convenient than the local fare ... demand appears to be driven more by its western cachet. Thais have not traditionally eaten things like ice cream, chocolate, and cakes/pastries. They have, however, had access to an extensive array of snack and convenience-type foods, most of which are based on staples like banana, rice, coconut, bean or tarot. Many children now however would be embarrassed to be seen with anything wrapped in a banana leaf, choosing instead products that are highly-processed, advertised on TV and wrapped in colorful foil or plastic. Further, where once water or coconut juice were seen as the beverages of choice, now flavoured (sweetened) milk and soft drinks like Coca-Cola are 'de rigeur'.^5,6

^{source> http://www.burning-bison.com/obesity.htm}

[Ulysses G.]

As in so many other countries, fast-food like KFC and McDonalds have been enthusiastically embraced in Thailand.

Nonsense. Thailand had fried chicken and many other fried foods long before KFC ever got here and very few Thais eat hamburgers more than once every blue moon. The great majority of Thai people love Thai food and only eat Western food occasionally. It is not the West that is making more Thais overweight. It is much less physical work, a lot more meat and relative affluence.

Edited October 18, 2013 by Ulysses G.

[Nautilus05]

I've managed to find a few dishes that are quite healthy. Unfortunately, most market stalls don't make them, so you have to hunt around a bit to find a place that makes them.

"ka naan aman hoi moo" -- Sliced pork, with a bunch of greens, and light soy based sauce.

"paak paad set gung" -- Veggie stir fry with shrimp

"paak paad rohm meet" -- Not sure, but mixed veggies with some chicken or something.

But no, I think the majority of market food at least is about the equivalent of eating McDonalds. Just look at it. Say "krapow moo sap" -- a bunch of minced pork fried up in tons of oil, with some garlic, chillis, basil, and soy sauce, thrown onto a bed of rice. How is that possibly healthy?

Aside from say BBQ or "jao-aawn", if you look at most of the food served around the markets, there's almost no vegetables served in them at all. And most of it is cooked in about 8 times the amount of oil that's actually needed.

Edited October 18, 2013 by Nautilus05

[francescoassisi]

Citing particular dishes is not reallybthe point. The difference is in the ingredients. How much industrial processes are involve d in the production of that food. A real burger from home produced meat and veggies etc is a totally different meal from McD's.

Any diet that had less additives and interference in the production process is likely to be better for you, regardless of whether it is "THAI" food or apple pie.

Sadly Thailand like any emerging country is rapidly consuming for and more processed foods whether it isfrom the supermarkets, KFC, MK, green curry or whatever. So like all industrialised nations where food becomes something we "sandwich" into our working hours, you see the signs in Thailand......food chain franchises, 7/11s and obesity, sadly increasingly prevalent in the children.

[slipperylobster]

As in so many other countries, fast-food like KFC and McDonalds have been enthusiastically embraced in Thailand.

Nonsense. Thailand had fried chicken and many other fried foods long before KFC ever got here and very few Thais eat hamburgers more than once every blue moon. The great majority of Thai people love Thai food and only eat Western food occasionally. It is not the West that is making more Thais overweight. It is much less physical work, a lot more meat and relative affluence.

Your logic is flawed.

1. As far as affluence....I suppose you much live in one of the few wealthy enclaves of Bangkok. I see only people working for less than 15000 baht a month and owing more than that in credit. A possible few exceptions. Thailand simply is not affluent !

2. Although working can burn some calories....(Running an hour burns 300 to 400), I just do not see where this fits in to the equation. A two piece fried chicken dinner negates that. What kind of work..? Agricultural jobs are not that popular..true. Their jobs are like western jobs now... service related. Westerners are fat.....no doubt. Look at your friends. Fatter than Thais. but it is equally out. Obviously, Western food contains vast amounts of calories, chemicals, additives, and processed grains (empty calories). Far worse than the tradional Thai food.

3. Wait outside a school and look what kids eat.... They are literally lined up at 7/11 early in the morning and after school..chowing down on western crap...sugar, candy, soda, processed western garbage.

[slipperylobster]

As in so many other countries, fast-food like KFC and McDonalds have been enthusiastically embraced in Thailand.

Nonsense. Thailand had fried chicken and many other fried foods long before KFC ever got here and very few Thais eat hamburgers more than once every blue moon. The great majority of Thai people love Thai food and only eat Western food occasionally. It is not the West that is making more Thais overweight. It is much less physical work, a lot more meat and relative affluence.

It mainly concerns school children and bad eating habits. I suggest a visit to a 7/11 just before school, and after. Try one across the street from a high school. You will begin to understand. Its the western crapola thats doing it. Same in western societies. Western food is crap.

[lastbastion]

As in so many other countries, fast-food like KFC and McDonalds have been enthusiastically embraced in Thailand.

Nonsense. Thailand had fried chicken and many other fried foods long before KFC ever got here and very few Thais eat hamburgers more than once every blue moon. The great majority of Thai people love Thai food and only eat Western food occasionally. It is not the West that is making more Thais overweight. It is much less physical work, a lot more meat and relative affluence.

It mainly concerns school children and bad eating habits. I suggest a visit to a 7/11 just before school, and after. Try one across the street from a high school. You will begin to understand. Its the western crapola thats doing it. Same in western societies. Western food is crap.

I have only noticed them buying stuff with Thai labels.

Western crap is too expensive.

[francescoassisi]

Thsiland is oerfectly cs PPP ablke of producing crap food - just the samne as any induystrialised nation.

KFC produced in Thailand from processed factory farmed chickjens, is not the sane as Thai grilled chicken or even Thai fired chicken.

As Thai people get richer, busier and more consumer orientated, the more junk and processed food they will eat. Unfortunately the state has no interest in advising its citizens on matters of health and let's every processed and junk food producer get on with it without hindrance.

All food can be healthy regardless of culture, it is the actual diet that is foirced on us that is the problem.