Thai govt plans "sugar labels" on food packages to curb chronic diseases

[webfact]

HEALTH
"Sugar label" planned to curb chronic diseases
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Public Health Minister Pradit Sintavanarong said on Tuesday that the ministry is mulling the launch of sugar labels on food packages, as a way to control the growth of chronic diseases, diabetes in particular.

He said that in the labels, consumers will be educated the risks of developing the disease when consumption hits a certain level.

The Food and Drug Administration is studying the feasibility study of this plan. A discussion with food product manufacturers will follow, to ensure that the plan would not affect the cost.

There could also be a label to indicate sodium levels.

Snacks would be the main target of this campaign.

Sanga Damapong, a nutrition expert, said that snack consumption has been on the rise. Many of the available items are high in energy and no government unit has been trying to put control on the level or the level of carbohydrate, fat and sodium or to promote fruits as replacement.

He admitted that fruit prices are high but there should be a mechanism to promote fruit consumption.

He supported the ministry’s plan on sugar and sodium labels but suggested that the labels must be presented in an easy-to-understand pattern.


-- The Nation 2013-09-04

[clockman]

Do not buy any food things advertised on Thai tv.

[lee b]

And this will work like the smoking packets.? 80% showing horrible pictures of diffrent things that dont stop people smoking. Well all i can say is good luck as what i have just said does not work whatsoever. How about posting pictures on hotels / apartment doors showing that when you go outside your are killing yourself with pollution?? Oh Just ban cars, trains, planes, motorbikes etc so we can all live a better life...emmm not gunna happen

[daoyai]

White rice is basicly "sugar", I wonder if they will warn folks that it is the cause of many diabetes cases.

[retell]

think not a bad idea to put labels for that , while there at it let them put labels if it contains G.M.O. ingredients as well

side note from me , the way they put the Thai labels for imported products over the original English text is annoying specially when there is plenty of space to place it elsewhere on the product.

[ChrisY1]

The labels will need to be in cartoon format.....Thais might read them...!

[jaltsc]

This is going to be difficult for children, since parents are conditioned to buy these products by slick TV commercials. These commercial always seem to show a happy family, living in a beautiful modern home, and riding around in an expensive automobile. The message is: "Maybe I can't live like the rich, but I can sure eat like them." Plus, it is children who buy a large proportion of the sugar and chemical laden snacks, being oblivious to labeling. They want what tastes good to them, and high sugar and sodium products meet that desire.

Perhaps the schools can eliminate one song in the morning and use that time to educate students about proper nutrition, and that the fattest kid in class doesn't necessarily mean s/he is the best cared for at home.

Edited September 4, 2013 by jaltsc

[jackr]

White rice is basicly "sugar"

It has hardly any sugar, but is turned into glucose faster by the stomach. The real issue is white refined sugar in everything including that extra dollop on just about every Thai dish.

[boomerangutang]

hopefully, we'll get warning signs for MSG also.

As for fruit: Though Thailand has variety of fruits in some (not all markets), Thais don't do much with fruit. They don't have 'fruit leather' and very rarely have 'fruit juices' or 'dried fruit' available at regular/common markets. If they do have fruit juice, it's likely watered down, with sugar and salt added. If there is dried fruit, it's likely from China and has several additives including sulfur and MSG. Asians have trouble with serving ample amounts of fruits or vegetables. Most everything is in small amounts and must be adulterated with additives. Try ordering a fresh salad in a regular Thai restaurant. They probably won't even comprehend.

As for the myth that varieties of fresh fruit are available all over Thailand. Not true. Go to regular small markets which are in every town and village, and you may see 2, 3 or 4 types of fruit if you're lucky. You'll rarely see cavendish bananas (gluay hom), or pineapple, or avocados, other types of fruits that may be growing nearby. You won't see tomatoes larger than wax-like little romas. You'll almost never see berries or nuts in a common Thai fresh market. If you look closely, you'll see that the selection (of fruits and nuts and berries) is actually quite limited - despite the myth of abundance. the saddest part is all those fruits and nuts could be readily grown in Thailand. But because there's so much focus on the water-guzzling starch known as rice, there's not much concern for growing dozens of healthy items. I could write a list, but who would want to read it? Not Thais.

And the continued spraying of toxic chemicals everywhere, ......jeezo, that's another rant for another day. Let me say though, that I'm more sensitive to and aware of toxins than most people. If you care about what you and your children ingest, you should hire someone like me ($200/day) to test fruits and veges. I'm a toxin detector, but who cares? People reading this and Thais will go on eating toxin laden foods. Some of you will get cancer, but we'll all die some day, so who cares about silly things like ingesting toxins? It just becomes an added thing to worry about, and we've already got too many things to worry about.

Is it possible to train dogs to detect toxic spray residue in and on foods?

[Chris Lawrence]

good idea

[jaltsc]

"As for fruit: Though Thailand has variety of fruits in some (not all markets), Thais don't do much with fruit. They don't have 'fruit leather' and very rarely have 'fruit juices' or 'dried fruit' available at regular/common markets. "

Fruits were meant to be eaten in their natural forms. Processing of fruit, whether into juices fruit leather or just dried, concentrates their sugars and raises the blood's glycemic level rapidly upon ingestion. One can probably eat one or two apples, for example, and feel full due to the ingestion of the water and natural fiber. Plus, it takes a while to chew the fresh fruit, so the brain catches up with a full stomach. However, when made into juice or dried, it is quite easy to drink the product as one would a soft drink or eat it at the rate one would candy. Processing of food is not for the benefit of the consumer, but for the benefit of the manufactures being able to sell more of their product through convenience and a longer shelf life.

[AYJAYDEE]

how they gonna put labels on roadside gwittayow??

[rfukata]

same as;

"crap driving label" plan to curb chronic driving habits

[Always18]

Food content labelling (particularly sugar content) is all well and good but that should go hand-in-hand with choice!

What's the betting there will be no increase in the amount of "sugar-free" or "reduced sugar" products on offer? - well we don't want the big vested interests (sugar producers) to suffer any reduction in profits as a result of food labelling do we?!

[lostmebike]

same as;

"crap driving label" plan to curb chronic driving habits

Could place your 'crap driving' label next to the crap karaoke, DVD, air con stickers they like to stick on their cars here.

[hellodolly]

I have my wife read the label on products that I might want depending on the sugar in them. Most have it just Thais don't bother to read it.

Even a lot of the falongs who do read it when it is English forget that the ammount of sugar listed is per serving. Generally they are small servings also.

[Krataiboy]

Good idea. Irrespective of all other considerations, we all have a right to know what potentially harmful ingredients are in the food we are sold. That way, we can make sensible choices. Of course, kids should be taught this kind of stuff at school, but it doesn't happen. At my little girl's school there is a refreshment stall on the school playground which sells ice creams, heavily sweetened drinks and other such junk. In the mornings and evenings, as the kids arrive and depart, you can't park outside the school for the vendors selling similarrubbish. One sometimes wonders whether the Thai authorities really care a jot about educating their children about the dangers of unhealthy eating.

In the final analysis, it is up to parents to give their children the facts that can protect them. I have made sure my little girl only has sweeties and sweet drinks as an occasional treat. She is six, in good health and has never had to visit a dentist as her teeth are sound and white. She knows that a tin of Coke contains ten spoonfuls of sugar and never touches the stuff.

Knowledge is power!

[metice]

Food labelling won't change anything. Just look at the health-related diet problems in America. It's about education and choice. If you want to avoid an excess of sugar and salt, don't eat processed foods and learn to cook!

There's an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables available throughout the country. The biggest concern is the pesticides that are used liberally. Thais use chemicals that are banned in other countries food for export has to meet higher safety standards. Organic produce is still hard to find and too expensive.

[Robby nz]

As for fruit: Though Thailand has variety of fruits in some (not all markets), Thais don't do much with fruit. They don't have 'fruit leather' and very rarely have 'fruit juices' or 'dried fruit' available at regular/common markets. If they do have fruit juice, it's likely watered down, with sugar and salt added. If there is dried fruit, it's likely from China and has several additives including sulfur and MSG. Asians have trouble with serving ample amounts of fruits or vegetables. Most everything is in small amounts and must be adulterated with additives. Try ordering a fresh salad in a regular Thai restaurant. They probably won't even comprehend.

As for the myth that varieties of fresh fruit are available all over Thailand. Not true. Go to regular small markets which are in every town and village, and you may see 2, 3 or 4 types of fruit if you're lucky. You'll rarely see cavendish bananas (gluay hom), or pineapple, or avocados, other types of fruits that may be growing nearby. You won't see tomatoes larger than wax-like little romas. You'll almost never see berries or nuts in a common Thai fresh market. If you look closely, you'll see that the selection (of fruits and nuts and berries) is actually quite limited - despite the myth of abundance. the saddest part is all those fruits and nuts could be readily grown in Thailand. But because there's so much focus on the water-guzzling starch known as rice, there's not much concern for growing dozens of healthy items. I could write a list, but who would want to read it? Not Thais.

You cant get out much .

Everywhere I have been in Thailand from down south to up north and around Issan the markets are always full of fresh fruit of almost every kind.

For instance I took this photo yesterday to show the range of apples in one small part of the market :

Every day of the week here I can walk round the market in the morning and see every kind of fruit grown in this country including things like star fruit, dragon fruit and several different kinds of bananas including Gluai Hom a variety I don't normally buy because the go off to fast.

There are vendors selling fresh squeezed orange juice everywhere, including in BKK, they squeeze the oranges right in front of you, nothing added.

Vegies and herbs are the same there is a huge range including many I cant put a name to and plenty of larger tomatoes, I buy them all the time

Of course if you only go to markets in the afternoon the best will be gone for Thai people shop in the morning.

Incidentally, the word fruit has no plural.

As for labels, just another silly statement to try to keep important things out of the news and if the minister does what he says, it will be another stupid waste of money to make it look like he is doing something.

[SICHONSTEVE]

Do not buy any food things advertised on Thai tv.

Do not buy any foods that come out of a wrapper, tin, box, pack, carton (unless it is full fat milk) etc: In other words do not buy anything that comes from a food production factory where processing destroys all of the nutrients and has poisons such as high fructose corn syrup, sugar substitutes (stevia and xylitol are OK) and all sorts of exotic man made chemical additives dumped in it!!!

Edited September 4, 2013 by SICHONSTEVE

[spirit47]

White rice is basicly "sugar"

It has hardly any sugar, but is turned into glucose faster by the stomach. The real issue is white refined sugar in everything including that extra dollop on just about every Thai dish.

Basicly, both is pure energy and for burning it need Vitamins and Minerals. If you don't have enough healty food, your body go sick. And yes, the Thais put to much sugar into nearly every food.

But I happy to see, that some people here have a knowledge.

[Thai at Heart]

Sanga Damapong.....

Interesting surname. Can't keep thaksin out of these threads.

[TheWizardofRnR]

What really irks the hell out of me , is their lack of sugar-free products available, a few years back there was a Sugar-Free Sprite , which seemed to be selling well. There is a shortage on Pepsi Max

it seems regularly. The misses some times has to drive to 2 or 3 different store to find any SF sodas,which for some strange reason is only in the Cola flavor here . I have looked on-line over the years and the amount of SF products available has grown substantially over the years, as well as the number of People suffering from Diabetes, especially in Thailand. I admit that Reese's Peanut Butter cups were probably the biggest contributor for my havin' Diabetes 2! Yet ,there's a whole line of SF products in the Chocolate flavor of which Reese's PB Cups has a SF one which is quite tasty sans Sugar! Plus, great red Licorice and Log Cabin has a fine Pancake syrup in SF category.

I mean they already bring in most of these products with Sugar , why not promote the fact they will also be bringing in the SF versions of the products they have here. I mean they sell Dr. Pepper with sugar at a ridiculous price ,why not bring in Dr. Pepper SF too.

Smucker's has allot of SF flavors for sale here in their Jellies. If the government wants to help the people , get the companies exporting to Thailand to start bringing in their SF products and as a Public Service Announcement , let the Thai people know they have a choice.

I believe the USA had a strong Sugar Lobby too ,that tried to keep the SF products in the background, but the people made it happen. I remember a lawsuit against BABY FOOD companies for adding sugar to baby foods ,which was proved totally un-necessary and afterwards it was removed.Only reason it was in the baby food was to addict us to SUGAR and create a Sweet-tooth when we didn't even have a tooth!

[boomerangutang]

Every day of the week here I can walk round the market in the morning and see every kind of fruit grown in this country including things like star fruit, dragon fruit and several different kinds of bananas including Gluai Hom a variety I don't normally buy because the go off to fast.

There are vendors selling fresh squeezed orange juice everywhere, including in BKK, they squeeze the oranges right in front of you, nothing added.

Vegies and herbs are the same there is a huge range including many I cant put a name to and plenty of larger tomatoes, I buy them all the time

I know some larger markets carry variety, but I'm talking about the more common regular markets for fresh fruits and veges. Go to any outlying regular markets (where the majority of regular Thai people go) and you probably won't see more than 5 (out of 50 possible) types of fruit, and it's unlikely you'll see fresh squeezed oj or any other type of nat'l fruit juice. If you find a tomato in Thailand bigger than a baseball, please post a photo of it on ThaiVisa.

I'm not trying to put down Thai markets, but rather am saying that most village and town markets are functioning at a tiny fraction of their potential. Here's another example: I know a dozen markets near orchards which have hundreds of pineapple and gluay hom (cavendish banana) trees. The fruit is grown to go elsewhere, because the markets don't carry any of those fruits. However, a plethora of packaged snack foods are available everywhere. nearly all of it packed with sugar and/or salt and/or MSG. It's no surprise that there are more fat and out-of-shape Thai children, on average, as each year passes.

[boomerangutang]

I sometimes take groups for little treks up and down hills in my region. Sometimes there are scrambles over rocks and up steep ravines. I'm 61 years old and my fellow trekkers are all ages younger. With few exceptions, there is no Thai man or woman who can keep up with me. I'm not in great shape and neither do I like to boast, but the message here is; most Thai youngsters are in rather bad physical condition. Their skin is blanched and they're out of touch with nature. Many are afraid of being away from pavement, and they get much of that fear of nature from their parents. I've got dozens of stories to back that up, but it would take too much typing to fit in here.

p.s. only one hour of phys. ed. PER WEEK is officially required at Thai schools. Being out of shape is institutionalized in Thailand.

Edited September 4, 2013 by boomerangutang

[boomerangutang]

ok, why not. Here's one of my dozens of stories illustrating how Thai elders instill a fear of nature in youngsters:

I get a call from 2 British ladies, about 21 years old, who are visiting Thailand. They want to go on a trek in the country. I say, 'ok' I know some cool places to go. They show up, with 3 Thai men chaperoning them. I soon find out they're doing a home-stay thing. The girls also tell me the food they're given is crap, but that's another topic. Why there are 3 grown men accompanying them is a bit of a mystery, but maybe they're jazzed about hanging with 2 pretty young farang women, and maybe hoping they'll get lucky, I don't know. But as soon as they step out of the car, I can sense glitches. The 3 men don't want to get any soil on their nice city shoes. So they're tip-toeing around from the get-go.

I take my 5 guests to a nearby hill by the river where there's a cave. very scenic. One man won't go 2 steps from the where the car is parked. Ok, goodbye to him. The 2nd of the 3 men won't go up the path to the cave. Now I'm with the 2 ladies and the remaining man. We get to the entrance to the cave. The 3rd Thai man smell bat poo, and won't come closer than 6 yards from the cave entrance. His face gets a worried look and he pleads with the 2 girls not to go in the cave. They ask why. He says there are dangerous lizards, poisonous toads, snakes, and blood sucking bats in there. the girls look to me. I say I've been in that cave with hundreds of people (almost all of them farang) dozens of times, and everyone has had a lovely time. But I don't plead or try to convince them. I leave it up to the girls to decide. By this time, the Thai man is almost crying, while begging them not to proceed, so they give in to him, and don't go.

[Thai at Heart]

Are they going to write it on my mango and sticky rice foam box?

First thing. STOP SUBSIDISING SUGAR

[retell]

What really irks the hell out of me , is their lack of sugar-free products available, a few years back there was a Sugar-Free Sprite , which seemed to be selling well. There is a shortage on Pepsi Max

it seems regularly. The misses some times has to drive to 2 or 3 different store to find any SF sodas,which for some strange reason is only in the Cola flavor here . I have looked on-line over the years and the amount of SF products available has grown substantially over the years, as well as the number of People suffering from Diabetes, especially in Thailand. I admit that Reese's Peanut Butter cups were probably the biggest contributor for my havin' Diabetes 2! Yet ,there's a whole line of SF products in the Chocolate flavor of which Reese's PB Cups has a SF one which is quite tasty sans Sugar! Plus, great red Licorice and Log Cabin has a fine Pancake syrup in SF category.

I mean they already bring in most of these products with Sugar , why not promote the fact they will also be bringing in the SF versions of the products they have here. I mean they sell Dr. Pepper with sugar at a ridiculous price ,why not bring in Dr. Pepper SF too.

Smucker's has allot of SF flavors for sale here in their Jellies. If the government wants to help the people , get the companies exporting to Thailand to start bringing in their SF products and as a Public Service Announcement , let the Thai people know they have a choice.

I believe the USA had a strong Sugar Lobby too ,that tried to keep the SF products in the background, but the people made it happen. I remember a lawsuit against BABY FOOD companies for adding sugar to baby foods ,which was proved totally un-necessary and afterwards it was removed.Only reason it was in the baby food was to addict us to SUGAR and create a Sweet-tooth when we didn't even have a tooth!

th.jpg

th (1).jpg

fine im all in favour for sugar free products

but the sugar replacements they put instead of sugar are more damaging the body than actual sugar

[SICHONSTEVE]

What really irks the hell out of me , is their lack of sugar-free products available, a few years back there was a Sugar-Free Sprite , which seemed to be selling well. There is a shortage on Pepsi Max

it seems regularly. The misses some times has to drive to 2 or 3 different store to find any SF sodas,which for some strange reason is only in the Cola flavor here . I have looked on-line over the years and the amount of SF products available has grown substantially over the years, as well as the number of People suffering from Diabetes, especially in Thailand. I admit that Reese's Peanut Butter cups were probably the biggest contributor for my havin' Diabetes 2! Yet ,there's a whole line of SF products in the Chocolate flavor of which Reese's PB Cups has a SF one which is quite tasty sans Sugar! Plus, great red Licorice and Log Cabin has a fine Pancake syrup in SF category.

I mean they already bring in most of these products with Sugar , why not promote the fact they will also be bringing in the SF versions of the products they have here. I mean they sell Dr. Pepper with sugar at a ridiculous price ,why not bring in Dr. Pepper SF too.

Smucker's has allot of SF flavors for sale here in their Jellies. If the government wants to help the people , get the companies exporting to Thailand to start bringing in their SF products and as a Public Service Announcement , let the Thai people know they have a choice.

I believe the USA had a strong Sugar Lobby too ,that tried to keep the SF products in the background, but the people made it happen. I remember a lawsuit against BABY FOOD companies for adding sugar to baby foods ,which was proved totally un-necessary and afterwards it was removed.Only reason it was in the baby food was to addict us to SUGAR and create a Sweet-tooth when we didn't even have a tooth!

th.jpg

th (1).jpg

Oh dear!!! You have fallen into the food manufacturers trap big time. I don't know if you are aware (you obviously are not) that SF foods are far worse than sugar containing foods as they create cravings and are (apart from stevia and xylitol) toxic to the body.

I suggest you alter your searches away from seeking out SF foods to educating yourself on the subject!!

Try the Dr. Mercola website - it will be an eye opener for sure, and this guy (independant and science based advice) will put you right on the subject.

You may ignore this advice, but I can guarantee, that if you do check this website out you will change your opinions on this. By all means check out other health sites on the subject (make sure that they are not food manufacturers sites or sites sponsored by them) and they will all point to the same conclusion as to the TRUE case with sugar substitutes.

BTW, a simple bit of advice, do not buy any product that is processed, is fat free, sugar free or with health/healthy or diet written on the label as they will be a disaster for your health, guaranteed!!!

[Robby nz]

As you have asked, some photos of a small town fruit and Veg market, I only went out for some bread at about 9-30 so most of the main markets had packed up and gone home .

Most stall don't stock every type but if you look around you can get whatever you want.

I count 13 different types of fruit on there.

And several more different types on that one.

Some more types on the other side of the road, the one in the middle sells only one kind of banana.

More varieties of bananas including Hohm.

And Vege's.

Some more

And size of Tomatoes:

Not being a yank I wouldn't have a clue how big a baseball is but try a phone for comparison.

These are the biggest ones we have at home, usually eat the smaller ones first as these are a bit big for 2 tomato sandwiches but they are OK for cooking.