What drink/brands in Thailand are 'good' for your health?

[simon43]

During the course of each day I drink:

- bottled water - 2 litres

- fresh orange juice - 2 glasses

- Lactasoy soymilk (chocolate flavour because soymilk tastes foul IMHO) - 500ml

- Oishi green tea - 1 bottle

- beer - 2 small bottles

- fresh coconut juice - 1 coconut

In fact, a major portion of my diet for many years has been liquids - I don't eat a great deal of solid foods.

I know that some of these drinks/brands contain added sugar or other additives that probably don't do my body much good.

Can posters suggest a range of drinks/brands that are perhaps a healthier alternative to the above?

[h90]

no coffee or tea in the morning?

[inbangkok]

The chocolate soymilk is full of an unaceptable amount of sugar. If I remember correct, the carton contains around 500 calories which is ridiculous. And unless you are drinking sugar free green tea, I would retire that one as well. Oishi drinks are loaded with sugar.

[simon43]

I forgot, one cup of coffee in the morning as well.

I drink soymilk because I thought it was more healthy than cows' milk?

I drink green tea because I thought it was a healthy drink, but I am aware that Oishi adds sugar.

This is my problem. I want to drink healthy drinks, but what is on offer in the shops are anything but healthy!

[inbangkok]

I forgot, one cup of coffee in the morning as well.

I drink soymilk because I thought it was more healthy than cows' milk?

I drink green tea because I thought it was a healthy drink, but I am aware that Oishi adds sugar.

This is my problem. I want to drink healthy drinks, but what is on offer in the shops are anything but healthy!

I agree soymilk is healthier than cows milk, but you must understand, the chocolate one tastes so good because of all the added sugar! I like it too!

Its tough sometimes because calories and sugar are not listed on the majority of beverages here. Anyway, it is tough to drink "healthy drinks" because most drinks are not really made to be healthy, but to taste good. Things in general taste good by adding fat and sugar.

What about Coke Zero or Pepsi Max? Those have no sugar and 0 calories. Not really healthy as they don't provide anything, but not unhealthy either.

Blended fruit smoothies are obviously a good choice. But most drinks, especially the ones at 7-11 are just diabetes waiting to happen......

[inzman]

I too went on a soy milk kick. Then I found out that soy milk is loaded with estrogen and it makes you grow tits. Is there nothing that is truly good for you?

[kkerry]

Look for the Oishi green tea with the white cap. No added sugar so might be the better choice.

[kkerry]

The trouble with Pepsi Max and Coke Zero is how easy it is to become addicted to them. I used to drink them a lot and I sure noticed it when I stopped. It was like giving up smoking, took a couple of weeks to stop the cravings and the headaches each morning. I still have a can once in a while when I go out but never at home.

Another point I've read about diet drinks is because they are are sweet tasting, they stimulate the desire to eat food so it's easy to still end up consuming the calories you're trying to avoid. Then of course there is the caffeine and all the artificial sweeteners etc. in diet drinks. Maybe they're harmless but differing opinions on that.

Juice also has quite a lot of sugar. Drinking two glasses of orange juice is a big direct sugar hit. If you instead ate all the oranges you needed to squeeze your juice, it would take a while making the sugar more slowly absorbed. Instead of two glasses of orange juice try and see if you can water it down a bit to half juice, half water. You will get used to the less sweet taste quickly enough.

[inbangkok]

The trouble with Pepsi Max and Coke Zero is how easy it is to become addicted to them. I used to drink them a lot and I sure noticed it when I stopped. It was like giving up smoking, took a couple of weeks to stop the cravings and the headaches each morning. I still have a can once in a while when I go out but never at home.

Another point I've read about diet drinks is because they are are sweet tasting, they stimulate the desire to eat food so it's easy to still end up consuming the calories you're trying to avoid. Then of course there is the caffeine and all the artificial sweeteners etc. in diet drinks. Maybe they're harmless but differing opinions on that.

Juice also has quite a lot of sugar. Drinking two glasses of orange juice is a big direct sugar hit. If you instead ate all the oranges you needed to squeeze your juice, it would take a while making the sugar more slowly absorbed. Instead of two glasses of orange juice try and see if you can water it down a bit to half juice, half water. You will get used to the less sweet taste quickly enough.

That was most likely caffeine withdrawal from the Coke and Pepsi.... Especially if you were drinking them all the time. As for them stimulating the appetite, I don't think I ever had that issue.

[inbangkok]

I too went on a soy milk kick. Then I found out that soy milk is loaded with estrogen and it makes you grow tits. Is there nothing that is truly good for you?

Having a glass of soy milk each day will not make you grow tits.

[lopburi3]

Suspect it is high in sugar but does taste good (compared with some good for you choices).

[h90]

I forgot, one cup of coffee in the morning as well.

I drink soymilk because I thought it was more healthy than cows' milk?

I drink green tea because I thought it was a healthy drink, but I am aware that Oishi adds sugar.

This is my problem. I want to drink healthy drinks, but what is on offer in the shops are anything but healthy!

I think most important cut out the sugar in the drinks in the soymilk and the tea.

I drink some zero fat milk with protein powder every day. But I don't want to start the cow milk vs. soymilk discussion. No matter what opinion which milk is more healthy the sugar is the bigger problem.

Green tea, I buy tea bags from "twinings" (spelling????) it needs a time to get used to it but after that I loved it. But it is something complete different than the sugar loaded drink.

[ATF]

All the diet sodas are poison and the regular ones are packed with sugar.

All I drink is a few litres of Minere and half a bottle of good scotch everyday.

I do have the occasional cup of tea and bottle of wine.

[Jessi]

WATER.........Its cheap and good for you.

[simon43]

soy milk is loaded with estrogen and it makes you grow tits.

Ah, that explains it......

I understand that making your own fruit drinks etc is preferred, but it takes so long and I am lazy - I just want to buy a ready-made drink in the shops.

Since so many people seem to want a drink that has no added sugar etc, why aren't these sold by the manufacturers?

I'll look out for the Oishi white cap tea.

I do have a liquidiser and tried liquidising carrots, but the resulting drink tasted truly terrible. I think there is a skill to making tasty fresh fruit drinks.

[cdmtdm]

I too went on a soy milk kick. Then I found out that soy milk is loaded with estrogen and it makes you grow tits. Is there nothing that is truly good for you?

Having a glass of soy milk each day will not make you grow tits.

99% of soy is GMO .... same as corn .... just dont consume it ...

[cdmtdm]

laziness = disease !! solution dont be lazy , educate yourself and change or up the medical cover .... metabolic syndrome is the next disaster humanity will face ( its begun already)

[inbangkok]

I too went on a soy milk kick. Then I found out that soy milk is loaded with estrogen and it makes you grow tits. Is there nothing that is truly good for you?

Having a glass of soy milk each day will not make you grow tits.

99% of soy is GMO .... same as corn .... just dont consume it ...

So what? GMO does not always correlate to unhealthy.

[h90]

laziness = disease !! solution dont be lazy , educate yourself and change or up the medical cover .... metabolic syndrome is the next disaster humanity will face ( its begun already)

Or if lazy just drink water.....

[cdmtdm]

I too went on a soy milk kick. Then I found out that soy milk is loaded with estrogen and it makes you grow tits. Is there nothing that is truly good for you?

Having a glass of soy mi

So what? GMO does not always correlate to unhealthy.

watch future generations for that result ... we are already seeing it with corn , soy will be next ...

[kkerry]

soy milk is loaded with estrogen and it makes you grow tits.

Since so many people seem to want a drink that has no added sugar etc, why aren't these sold by the manufacturers?

I'm not so sure many Thai people want the no added sugar alternatives. Putting aside the debate if NAS, low fat etc. are really any better for you, you only have to look at the choices in Asian supermarkets (not only in Thailand) compared to the US etc. to see how few alternatives are stocked. If I have anything in the fridge or pantry that is low salt, NAS or low fat then I know it will never be touched by anyone other than myself.

If I made my wife an iced coffee with skim milk and coffee, nothing else added like I drink myself, then she would think I am trying to poison her

If I read a package label (something few Thais ever do) and tell her what it says e.g. that the 'healthy' (it says so on the label so it must be true) box of 10x20gm banana snacks contain 180 calories and 3 teaspoons of sugar in each 20gm portion,then it only irritates her as she tells me I'm trying to stop her enjoying her food...

[rak sa_ngop]

How about Tomato Juice?

Low in sugar and fat and no additives or other sweet juices mixed in. I drink a large glass in the morning, not neat but mixed with water 50:50.

It is now available in 7-11's in small cartons, as well as in large tins in most supermarkets.

[cdmtdm]

7-11 is sugar central , its where the sugar junkies hangout ...once your hooked its hard to get off it ,,,, sugar is 8 times more addictive than cocaine , children are exposed at a young age hence addiction is far worse ,,,, feel sorry for the teachers here ....

So to answer the Op question , with a Fatty Liver you already know the answer ....anything that contains zero sugar , processed or unprocessed .

[kkerry]

How about Tomato Juice?

Low in sugar and fat and no additives or other sweet juices mixed in. I drink a large glass in the morning, not neat but mixed with water 50:50.

It is now available in 7-11's in small cartons, as well as in large tins in most supermarkets.

Check the sodium content. Tinned tomato juices (and V8) usually have a lot added to make them palatable. I'm usually okay with the taste of low fat or no added salt/sugar products but low sodium V8 is undrinkable, even for me.

[ATF]

7-11 is sugar central , its where the sugar junkies hangout ...once your hooked its hard to get off it ,,,, sugar is 8 times more addictive than cocaine , children are exposed at a young age hence addiction is far worse ,,,, feel sorry for the teachers here ....

So to answer the Op question , with a Fatty Liver you already know the answer ....anything that contains zero sugar , processed or unprocessed .

Yes stay away from sugar and carbs. If you have a fatty liver just eat protein. Meat and veg, eggs are good.

Artificial sweeteners are not only poisonous to your liver they also fool your pancreas into believing you are eating sugar.

Take all the bread, pasta, rice and other carbs out of your diet just eat a very small amount of potatoes if you must.

Remember even unsweetened natural fruit juice contains tons of fructose, a litre contains several kilos of fruit.

Drink good scotch whisky not beer. Beer is carb central so is red wine, stick with white.

[h90]

7-11 is sugar central , its where the sugar junkies hangout ...once your hooked its hard to get off it ,,,, sugar is 8 times more addictive than cocaine , children are exposed at a young age hence addiction is far worse ,,,, feel sorry for the teachers here ....

So to answer the Op question , with a Fatty Liver you already know the answer ....anything that contains zero sugar , processed or unprocessed .

Yes stay away from sugar and carbs. If you have a fatty liver just eat protein. Meat and veg, eggs are good.

Artificial sweeteners are not only poisonous to your liver they also fool your pancreas into believing you are eating sugar.

Take all the bread, pasta, rice and other carbs out of your diet just eat a very small amount of potatoes if you must.

Remember even unsweetened natural fruit juice contains tons of fructose, a litre contains several kilos of fruit.

Drink good scotch whisky not beer. Beer is carb central so is red wine, stick with white.

Are you sure on the red vs. white wine? I thought a dry red and a dry white wine are approx. the same in sugar content.

[burgerking]

Buy yourself a blender/juicer, with the cost of fruit so cheap over here, make your own juices.

[inbangkok]

Buy yourself a blender/juicer, with the cost of fruit so cheap over here, make your own juices.

Juicing never seemed like a good idea to me. You essentially drink all the sugar from the fruits without getting the pulp, fiber, etc. which is what is important.

[ATF]

Are you sure on the red vs. white wine? I thought a dry red and a dry white wine are approx. the same in sugar content.

I'm sure. If you think about it red grapes are ripe white grapes aren't. Ripe fruit has more sugar. There are sweet whites of course like Alsace and Sauternes.

Cheap wines however have all sorts of things added.

[purushanti]

Soy reputed by many to be dangerous. I would not touch it. Of course, if this is true, commercial interests may fund their own repies, even indirectly, overridng the alternative view, so that the consumer finds his logical mind confused. The truth can be found by aksing the intuition, or being assisted by such a methodology as kenesiology to see just what tjis particular body nees to imbibe, or to stay away from..

Beet root and carrot juice very healthy, and very cleansing for the system.