How do Thai people diet?

[itsbecca]

I'm curious to learn what in Thailand is considered the popular ideas about eating healthy, or what to eat when trying to lose weight. I'm not really interested in a diet thread in general and I'm not looking for general diet advice. I'm specifically interested in cultural views on food in Thailand in relation to health and weight.

I've only spoken to a few people as of yet, and all I've noticed/heard so far is:
1) If you're overweight eating meat seems a bit looked down on. I'm not sure if seafood is viewed differently, I would guess it is, but we didn't speak about it specifically.
2) Despite the fact that it's in everything it seems like there's some acceptance that sugar should be avoided when you need to lose weight. I talked to a woman about that for awhile. Yet, maybe I'm crazy, but it seems like when you ask no sugar they still use it, just less?
3) I've seen different places listing certain fruits as good for weight loss, but it hasn't seemed to be the same everywhere. Once I was told dragon fruit/passion fruit was good. Another I think it was ginger/carrot... something else? So I don't know if there are any widely accepted ones on this front or if every place just makes their own "Good for the body" recipe.

[thrilled]

Most Thai's are on A seafood diet. They see food and then eat it.Have you ever been to A Thai wedding/ reception.

The one that I went to I couldn't believe the amount of food that was being served.I can't figure how some of them

Can eat that much.

[Jingthing]

I've heard Thais say papaya is good for that and it's true, papaya is a good choice.

But I think a lot of Thais go for the laxative coffee products when actually looking for weight loss. Not a good idea.

[konying]

I've heard Thais say papaya is good for that and it's true, papaya is a good choice.

But I think a lot of Thais go for the laxative coffee products when actually looking for weight loss. Not a good idea.

or Chinese made, illegally imported weight loss tablets, which either makes them sick or crazy

[coulson]

Som tam/ papaya salad. (no pla raa though)

[itsbecca]

I've heard Thais say papaya is good for that and it's true, papaya is a good choice.

But I think a lot of Thais go for the laxative coffee products when actually looking for weight loss. Not a good idea.

Yikes! Well I can see why I haven't seen any blog posts on that method.

[pinkpanther99]

Interesting question, thanks for posting.

In my experience, and I'm only talking about my Mrs and her friends, they have very little understanding of nutrition, especially with regards to weight loss. So much so that the first thing they would do is look at buying some kind of pill or gimmicky fitness gadget or even item of clothing, which promises the often elusive 6 pack abs, before they would ever consider cleaning up their diet or exercising.

Of course, a lack of nutritional understanding is something that a great number of people in the developed world suffers from too, so it's not only a problem here.

As for nutrition, my Mrs has finally come around to eating less sticky rice and more fresh fruit. Less deep fried stuff, which isn't easy as you think here, and more fish, less moo gob

Papaya salad of course remains a staple, and perhaps for good reason, it's spicy, boosts metabolism, is fairly low calorie (providing you don't add too much sugar) and papaya is packed full of good stuff.

I will also add that I think there is also a bit of a misconception that just because many Thais are generally much slimmer than people in the west that they are healthier.

There is a massive problem with diabetes in this country and an obesity epidemic is just around the corner too.

[kerrysum]

Most Thai's are on A seafood diet. They see food and then eat it.Have you ever been to A Thai wedding/ reception.

The one that I went to I couldn't believe the amount of food that was being served.I can't figure how some of them

Can eat that much.

They eat it because they can.... Never pass up an opportunity....

[Guest]

I can only speak from personal experience on this one.

My wife is Thai, and when I met her, in my opinion, she was really too thin. You could see her ribs.

I was happy when she "ballooned" up to 47 kilos. Even her friends told her she looked better.

She hit 50 kilos, and the look in her eye was clear, and she began to complain about "being fat." Now, i am American, and let me tell you ... we know what fat is ... and she ain't it.

Anyway, to answer your question:

She replaced her rice based lunches with salad, does not eat dessert, and does the treadmill for 30 minutes in the morning before work, and does leg lifts .. etc at home before bed time.

She is back to 48 kilos, and frankly ... she is fabulous.

Bottom line, there is nothing new under the sun ... less calories in .. more calories burned .. and a patient and pronged campaign to ensure you do not hurt yourself and the weight comes off .. and stays off.

The first and best exercise, and by far the most difficult, is the "push away" .. as in ... when someone puts a bowl of ice cream, a pint of beer, a piece of cake, a pizza pie in front of you .. take both hands and push it away.

Less in, burn more .. it is the only way ... there is no long term solution other than that ... even diet pills are a fail .. because the day you stop taking them, unless your behavior has changed, the pounds will come right back.

Edited June 23, 2015 by Guest

[pizzachang]

Somtam - green papaya salad is the diet food of choice - you feel full because of the chiles!

[msealey]

From what I've noticed Thais are very big on low carb diets, it's widely accepted reducing rice, noodles etc from dishes is the best way to lose weight.

[neeray]

There is some good advice here for you, especially from "Bangkok equity".

Grapefruit is plentiful in Thailand and a great fat cutter.

And look into pro biotics for improved digestion.

Best of luck.

[blazes]

There is some good advice here for you, especially from "Bangkok equity".

Grapefruit is plentiful in Thailand and a great fat cutter.

And look into pro biotics for improved digestion.

Best of luck.

I've never seen grapefruit. Or are you referring to pomelos?

[fred Kubasa]

I have a Thai wife who when "nothing fits" cuts down to 7 meals a day but complains

of hunger headaches !

[neeray]

There is some good advice here for you, especially from "Bangkok equity".

Grapefruit is plentiful in Thailand and a great fat cutter.

And look into pro biotics for improved digestion.

Best of luck.

I've never seen grapefruit. Or are you referring to pomelos?

Okay, you corrected my mistake. But it gave my fiancé a good laugh when I just now asked her for clarification of the many fruits that she feeds me. Of course you are right, it is pomelo. I guess I should sneak into the kitchen and see what she is peeling and preparing.

Thanks.

[1FinickyOne]

The only time i have ever heard about Thais on a diet - there seems to be some sort of miracle pill involved or one of the coffee drinks… I think once I did meet a lady who had lost a lot of weight and she said she stopped eating rice, which is near impossible for most Thai to even imagine...

[blazes]

There is some good advice here for you, especially from "Bangkok equity".

Grapefruit is plentiful in Thailand and a great fat cutter.

And look into pro biotics for improved digestion.

Best of luck.

I've never seen grapefruit. Or are you referring to pomelos?

Okay, you corrected my mistake. But it gave my fiancé a good laugh when I just now asked her for clarification of the many fruits that she feeds me. Of course you are right, it is pomelo. I guess I should sneak into the kitchen and see what she is peeling and preparing.

Thanks.

No, I wasn't correcting a mistake! I was genuinely interested to know if grapefruit was available in Thailand. Surely it is, but I have never seen one!

[Daniel Boon]

eat often, very spicy vegetables and fruit

[mikebell]

Somtam - green papaya salad is the diet food of choice - you feel full because of the chiles!

What's the point of being slim and beautiful if no one will come near you? I've lost count of the number of times I curtailed conversations with lovely ladies because of what they had eaten recently.

[timmyp]

Like so many others, this is just "in my experience".

I often talk with people about nutrition and dieting.

I notice that most people in Thailand just skip meals to diet. I have talked to people who fast, but I have never met someone who is fasting other than doing the equivalent of a 3 or 4 day detox (which is also common for weightloss).

I hear many people talk about low-carb diets, but I have never met anyone actually doing one (I'm sure there are people doing it). I hear people in Thailand saying that carbs should be avoided, but I have never seen anyone refuse a plate of rice or noodles, and then eat something else. It seems to me that people in Thailand just skip meals.

Food in Thailand is very social (like almost everywhere, of course). Because people are often snacking when they socialize, dieting is tough because it makes socializing very awkward. I have never heard anyone complain about this, but because I often diet myself, it is a challenge I often face when I am meeting people and their is a plate of snacks presented to me. Understandably, people get pissy when someone rejects the food being offered, and claiming you're on a diet doesn't reduce the pressure. I notice that if I claim I have diabetes or some type of strong food allergy, people stop saying, "Oh, just a bite won't hurt!" My point in saying this is that it's socially tough to diet in Thailand.

On a side note, I wonder if this constant snacking promotes bad eating habits. I've seen many Thai people who are always munching on something (particularly women). Of course it's not a problem if it's kept under control, but always feeling the urge to snack in combination with cheap processed food paves the way to metabolism-related problems.

I am from the U.S., the world center of fat people and unhealthy, gluttonous eating habits. What surprises me when I visit the U.S. is not how many people I see who require "Wide Load" signs, but how many people are incredibly fit and very diet conscious. There is such a wide range of healthy foods available in the U.S., despite the U.S.'s well-earned reputation for unhealthy eating. In Thailand and Japan (where I lived for about 15 years), I find little awareness of nutrition and beyond some simple pop-culture facts, and hardly anyone who gives priority diet and nutrition when making food selections.

[Friendly Stranger]

The thing the Thai's have going for them are the portions. You know guys, we have to eat at least 2 dishes at a restaurant to be somewhat satisfied. Yes, they have some healthy choices too but their downfall are the condiments. I'd say they consume more sodium than westerners, easily. And with the easy accessibility of food and the amount of sugary and alcohol that is consumed it is at the beginning of the alarming stages.

Yes, the Thai's are getting big and my observation is that there's a big need for real nutritional supplements and not the snake oil stuff that is available.

[mikemac]

Most Thai's are on A seafood diet. They see food and then eat it.Have you ever been to A Thai wedding/ reception.

The one that I went to I couldn't believe the amount of food that was being served.I can't figure how some of them

Can eat that much.

My wife weighs 60-63 kg on average and I would back her in an eating contest against a 130kg farang truck driver. Any day.

[realenglish1]

My Wife diets by eating much of what she wants during the day and for dinner just east Papaya Salad ( Som Tom)

Seems to work why fight it

Then once in a while I like to screw it up for her and get her a dognut for desert. I make her tea and give the dognut as well

She says " dont buy me dognuts" and then proceeds to eat it . Its fun to get a response like that

[Keesters]

Judging by the increasing amounts of overweight Thais (especially youngsters) I see I doubt any diet or even know the meaning of the word.

[timmyp]

The thing the Thai's have going for them are the portions. You know guys, we have to eat at least 2 dishes at a restaurant to be somewhat satisfied. Yes, they have some healthy choices too but their downfall are the condiments. I'd say they consume more sodium than westerners, easily. And with the easy accessibility of food and the amount of sugary and alcohol that is consumed it is at the beginning of the alarming stages.

Yes, the Thai's are getting big and my observation is that there's a big need for real nutritional supplements and not the snake oil stuff that is available.

I agree with you that portions are not large here, but I have also seen many Thai people therefore order extra portions. Usually not a plate of what would be considered a main dish (like many westerners ordering two plates of main dishes), but lots of smaller side dishes. Overeating is most definitely a problem here. I have seen many Thai people order so much and eat themselves so full that they don't want to finish what was ordered.

[itsbecca]

The thing the Thai's have going for them are the portions. You know guys, we have to eat at least 2 dishes at a restaurant to be somewhat satisfied. Yes, they have some healthy choices too but their downfall are the condiments. I'd say they consume more sodium than westerners, easily. And with the easy accessibility of food and the amount of sugary and alcohol that is consumed it is at the beginning of the alarming stages.

Yes, the Thai's are getting big and my observation is that there's a big need for real nutritional supplements and not the snake oil stuff that is available.

I agree with you that portions are not large here, but I have also seen many Thai people therefore order extra portions. Usually not a plate of what would be considered a main dish (like many westerners ordering two plates of main dishes), but lots of smaller side dishes. Overeating is most definitely a problem here. I have seen many Thai people order so much and eat themselves so full that they don't want to finish what was ordered.

That's interesting. I think me and my guy have benefited from the smaller portions since, though maybe it's because we aren't eating the way a Thai would. We don't snack, and we don't really eat family style since it's just the two of us. About all I consciously do is not eat a lot of fried food and I don't have any drinks other other than the occasional fruit shake with no sugar or condensed milk. Everything else is too sweet, turns me off.

After being here a few weeks we went to get a vaccination booster and found we'd both lost weight. So that was a nice surprise! And now when we try to eat other food, like an Indian meal for example, we find we get super full just from two entrees, no drinks or appetizers. I think next time we might try sharing an app and one entree instead.

(Although, my guy recently discovered a fried chicken place very close by, so his downward trend may be coming to an end. )

[Konini]

I can only speak from personal experience on this one.

My wife is Thai, and when I met her, in my opinion, she was really too thin. You could see her ribs.

I was happy when she "ballooned" up to 47 kilos. Even her friends told her she looked better.

She hit 50 kilos, and the look in her eye was clear, and she began to complain about "being fat." Now, i am American, and let me tell you ... we know what fat is ... and she ain't it.

Anyway, to answer your question:

She replaced her rice based lunches with salad, does not eat dessert, and does the treadmill for 30 minutes in the morning before work, and does leg lifts .. etc at home before bed time.

She is back to 48 kilos, and frankly ... she is fabulous.

Bottom line, there is nothing new under the sun ... less calories in .. more calories burned .. and a patient and pronged campaign to ensure you do not hurt yourself and the weight comes off .. and stays off.

The first and best exercise, and by far the most difficult, is the "push away" .. as in ... when someone puts a bowl of ice cream, a pint of beer, a piece of cake, a pizza pie in front of you .. take both hands and push it away.

Less in, burn more .. it is the only way ... there is no long term solution other than that ... even diet pills are a fail .. because the day you stop taking them, unless your behavior has changed, the pounds will come right back.

Although the eat less, move more theory seems to have been proven not so straight forward as it seems, the 30 minutes on the treadmill or a 30 minute brisk walk 3 or 4 times a week has a lot more benefits than just weight control.

I see very few Thai's exercising; I was quite surprised recently in Vietnam to see how many people were taking a brisk walk each morning.

[mikiea]

I've heard Thais say papaya is good for that and it's true, papaya is a good choice.

But I think a lot of Thais go for the laxative coffee products when actually looking for weight loss. Not a good idea.

you heard wrong , they take little speed pills 4-5 times a day , red, yellow , green, and blue . if you can accept the rolling crazzies , sleepless nights , mood swings and hand and leg tremors and the occasional urge to take a life ,... you might lose a couple k's .

[Jingthing]

I didn't hear wrong. I heard what I heard. Duh.

[dirtycash]

wife used to eat papaya salad, then more papaya salad and she lost heaps . then she came to uk and i think you can guess the rest.