Health Food Store Bangkok

[robhudd]

Can someone point me in the direction of a good health food store in BKK idealy around Siam area. Also does anyone know where to get a good juicer from.

Ta

[DesiredLoginUsername]

Can someone point me in the direction of a good health food store in BKK idealy around Siam area. Also does anyone know where to get a good juicer from.

Ta

Sorry for replying 3 years late, but there are none. No real health food stores in Bangkok. I've spent 2 years searching for one (living here 2 whole years) and I didn't find a single one yet. There are some stores selling what I'd call "faddish (allegedly) healthy products", but they are rubbish and overpriced. There's no real health food store chain along the lines of Whole Foods Market (USA), Holland & Barrett (UK) or even Healthy Options (Philippines). There are not even any individual health food stores selling a good range of quality products. The Thai concept of "health food" equates to vegetarian Thai food. However, Tops Market now sells quite a good range of cooked vegetarian products resembling various types of meat and packaged in yellow packets, available in the chilled section next to the real cooked packaged meats.

There is a juicer store (selling only juicers) on Sukhumvit on the left-hand side driving down Sukhumvit towards On Nut (i.e. heading towards the city centre if you're coming from Bangna), about Sukhumvit 90 or thereabouts. You can see many juicers in the window. Next to the new Skytrain station which is about to open in December (the Udom Suk station, I think).

[prighas]

Mission Health Foods located at Mission Hospital Yommarat.

[BigBadSeattleLad]

Mission Health Foods located at Mission Hospital Yommarat.

The "health foods" that Mission sells is limited to milk powder and peanut butter [ http://www.mission.co.th/eng/products.htm ] -hardly any better than you could do at your nearest 7-11.

Your best hope is to google GNC to locate the nearest branch for common supps or, if you have time for some back and forth between regional manufacturers, go to alibaba.com and key in the 'health food' you desire...

[MisterMan]

so sad but true. Villa has flax seed and a few other things. But in Thailand no one has gotten "it" yet. and vegetarian slathered in MSG is just not healthy.

[BugJackBaron]

I'm just curious as to what specific things you need from a health food store.

The ones I remember in Canada were expensive and had stuff like flax seeds, herbs and maybe some goat milk.

Some tofu burgers too. Perhaps that is what you are looking for?

But I have found good Thai herbs in pharmacies and goat milk and flax seeds can be found in the better Supermarkets like at the top of Emporium. Almond milk for example.

I am also curious if the more "hippy-friendly" Chiang Mai has health food stores though even there the closest I saw was a cool juice joint/vegetarian place.

Edited September 27, 2009 by BugJackBaron

[mauiguy90]

There are a few branches of the health food company Lemon Farm, which are located in Bangkok. One of the branches in located in Sukhumvit 39, behind the 7-11, ironically located on the backside of a gas station. Its not a big store but it has a fair amount of fresh foods. It has a sushi shop, which also sells different varieties of soup.

There is another branch of Lemon Farm, located at Chaengwattana area. Check the website by the same name for details.

There also used to be a shop close to the BTS Ari station, however, think it has relocated, possibly closeby since there is also a vegetarian center, closer to Ari Samphan (Phahonyotin 5), on the opposite side of the street.

[Latindancer]

If you're in Mo Chit, there is a vegetarian restaurant run by Chamlong Srimuang ( ex-mayor or governor of BKK) near the Chatuchak markets. Open every day except Monday. They have a small shop there too, which sells dry goods. THe restaurant is excellent, and very reasonably priced.....Thai people go there.

It's a bit hard to find, so PM me if the directions you get from Google don't make it clear.

[femi fan]

I am also curious if the more "hippy-friendly" Chiang Mai has health food stores though even there the closest I saw was a cool juice joint/vegetarian place.

Yes it does. Quite a few. And dozens of vegetarian restaurants, and quite a few markets selling organic produce. In fact chiang mai is most excellent place for health-conscious eaters!

Interestingly one of the health food stores is run by a woman who used to be in the pharmacy business, but the more she found out about mainstream 'health care' the more she decided to change her line of work.

And there is also khun churns vegetarian restaurant which is heaven for healthy eaters, including their amazing lunchtime buffet. They do now have two branches in bangkok i believe, but not sure where they are. If the OP goes to one of them, i'm sure the people there will know of any decent health food stores in bangkok.

[femi fan]

so sad but true. Villa has flax seed and a few other things. But in Thailand no one has gotten "it" yet. and vegetarian slathered in MSG is just not healthy.

Just a gentle reminder to you that bankgok does not mean thailand.

I know chiang mai is a very decent place, as i've just mentioned in my post above this, but i think there's quite a flourishing scene in healthy eating in thailand. There's certainly a lot more awareness with many thai people these days, and they have responded with their own businesses.

And bangkok is vast, i'm it's just a matter of looking and researching.

[Tolley]

I have never seen in Thailand what we would call a health food shop like we have in Australian eg Macro Health Foods which has a vast array of certified organic produce eg meats, vegetables, grains, dairy etc and also stock a vast array of vitamins at reasonable prices.

It is overdue in Thailand and I think it is a market waiting to be exploited.

[femi fan]

I have never seen in Thailand what we would call a health food shop like we have in Australian eg Macro Health Foods which has a vast array of certified organic produce eg meats, vegetables, grains, dairy etc and also stock a vast array of vitamins at reasonable prices.

It is overdue in Thailand and I think it is a market waiting to be exploited.

The thing about western countries is that they really do need health food stores because of the mainstream methods in food production and supply. Thailand still operates very much through local markets, so produce is naturally healthier and more nutritional than in developed countries.

But as we slowly get the western system imposed on this country, so the need for health food stores and more organic produce will materialise.

[Tolley]

I have never seen in Thailand what we would call a health food shop like we have in Australian eg Macro Health Foods which has a vast array of certified organic produce eg meats, vegetables, grains, dairy etc and also stock a vast array of vitamins at reasonable prices.

It is overdue in Thailand and I think it is a market waiting to be exploited.

The thing about western countries is that they really do need health food stores because of the mainstream methods in food production and supply. Thailand still operates very much through local markets, so produce is naturally healthier and more nutritional than in developed countries.

But as we slowly get the western system imposed on this country, so the need for health food stores and more organic produce will materialise.

I dont know abou that. You may well be getting better produce in some cases but in other cases you may be getting heavily pesticided produce. Who is to know in Thailand unless you actually know the growers and what they are using.

[mausplan]

There is a good Health Food Store located in the Shell Service Station between Sukhumvit Soi 47 and Soi 49. The web address is <www.lemonfarm.com> They have supplements and all organic food and very reasonably priced veggies etc, cheaper than Villa.

[femi fan]

I have never seen in Thailand what we would call a health food shop like we have in Australian eg Macro Health Foods which has a vast array of certified organic produce eg meats, vegetables, grains, dairy etc and also stock a vast array of vitamins at reasonable prices.

It is overdue in Thailand and I think it is a market waiting to be exploited.

The thing about western countries is that they really do need health food stores because of the mainstream methods in food production and supply. Thailand still operates very much through local markets, so produce is naturally healthier and more nutritional than in developed countries.

But as we slowly get the western system imposed on this country, so the need for health food stores and more organic produce will materialise.

I dont know abou that. You may well be getting better produce in some cases but in other cases you may be getting heavily pesticided produce. Who is to know in Thailand unless you actually know the growers and what they are using.

My australian brother-in-law loved the taste of the watermelons over here, and realised that was how they used to taste like when he was younger, ie about 20 years ago.

I went over there a couple of years back and thoroughly looked forward to cooking and eating my bacon and eggs. Seriously when i ate the egg it could have been the bacon, when i ate the bacon it could have been the egg.

Two states on oz now grow GM foods, and of course wind and insects will spread the genes to other places despite what the likes of monsanto say.

Pesticides are the western way, and were basically brought into thailand and other developing countries.

If oz is like britain, then animals are transported large distances to the abbatoir - britain used to have loads of them, now there's only a few huge ones in the country. The animals are fed copious quantities of antibiotics and hormones.

Pork in thailand is way way tastier than pork in britain.

In britain the veggies and fruits come from all over europe now, all in the name of the 'free' market, and that means less nutrients for the consumer.

It goes on and on. Western food policies these days are a detriment to most people's health, and one reason for the large increase in cancers and heart diseases, and the increased demand for pills.

But have no fear, the western way is slowly bringing the likes of thailand up to scratch! 20 years ago you'd have to hunt around to find an overweight person here, now they're becoming more and more common. Just look at all the processed foods now here, and all those soft drinks and so on.

What saves thailand for now, and i hope will be protection for the future is the central role of the market in thai society. Produce does not cover much distance at all, and there are still many abbatoirs, and i don't think the animals are so badly fed and lived and killed.

[Latindancer]

Yes, I've lived in Thailand twice before, for 6 months each time. Once 22 years ago, and once 11 years ago. I saw a couple of fat kids 11 years ago, but THIS time ? QUITE a few ! And fat adults too.....the change is remarkable.

[femi fan]

Yes, I've lived in Thailand twice before, for 6 months each time. Once 22 years ago, and once 11 years ago. I saw a couple of fat kids 11 years ago, but THIS time ? QUITE a few ! And fat adults too.....the change is remarkable.

Until you see what they're eating and drinking!

Still, more profit for the food companies.

[jfchandler]

The OP in this case is presumably long-gone. So he's not here to answer what he meant by "health foods"...which can be quite varied depending on the person speaking.

Some people mean the term to be vitamins and supplements. Others natural produce. Others maybe sugar free or gluten-free foods... Non GMO dairy. Non antibioticed meats... and on and on...

Indeed, in BKK, there isn't a single comprehensive outlet that I'm aware of comparable to the Whole Foods chain in the U.S., which stocks all of the above and more in a single store setting.

Instead, in BKK, such things are scattered about and have to be sourced here and there, and sometimes cannot be found at all.

I'll check out the Lemon place mentioned above. Never heard of it before. But very curious to see what they have.

I'll add another resource and suggestion in BKK for gluten-free products:

Sense of World Taste on Sukhumvit Soi 19 near Asoke BTS...

[jfchandler]

Wow... the Lemon web site, albeit in Thai, looks pretty interesting... It has a list of their various stores around BKK, quite spread out, and they also appear to have an online newsletter in Thai that's quite interesting in terms of showing the various kinds of products they stock...

Here's a link to one of their more recent online newsletters... It's quite high quality and well-done. Whomever is behind this chain has some resources and seems to know what they're doing.

[mauiguy90]

There is a good Health Food Store located in the Shell Service Station between Sukhumvit Soi 47 and Soi 49. The web address is <www.lemonfarm.com> They have supplements and all organic food and very reasonably priced veggies etc, cheaper than Villa.

The listed address for Lemon Farm is Sukhumvit 39. It is located in the middle of Suk 39, at the only intersection in the soi which has a traffic light. Turn right immediately after the intersection and you will see a gas station. Lemon Farm is located at the back of the property.

[jfchandler]

I popped by the Sukhumvit Soi 39 Lemon Farm shop the other day.... Easy to find... Just a 5-10 minute walk up Soi 39 from the Phrom Phong BTS Station.

However, on arrival, I was a bit disappointed. This particular store, although located in a larger building, is pretty small in terms of its stock space. And the entire second story of the building is not used at all.

A lot of the store items were things I've seen elsewhere at more mainstream stores. In general, their signage and product labeling is not very English friendly.

And the one thing I was particularly looking for -- brown rice bread that they had advertised on their web site -- was nowhere to be found. Checked with store staff, including one who spoke a bit of English. She said they don't carry that bread at their location, though they did have a few very small loafs of carrot and sunflower varieties.

And instead, she advised to check at their larger stores in Chaeng Wattana and Srinakharin, neither of which is particularly convenient for me, especially for routine shopping.

The list of their various store locations is located here...

[Kanlayanee]

i bought my new juicer from a shop on line in samui

thaiorganiclife.com

there price was better than I found in Bangkok even

its a healthy slow speed juicer made in Korea

[Hokie1200]

Throughout Bangkok you will see petro stations called Lemon Farm. Surprisingly some of them also operate a Health Foods Shop that has everything from fresh organic vegetables to various "green" type of products. I often go to the one off of Sukhumvit 39, however there is also another one near to the end of Soi Ekamai closer to Petchuburi site. A good site to visit is ThaiOrganicFood dotcom

[troysantos]

HIYA!

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned the Santi Asoke shops. There is one in BKK, at Nawamin Rd, though admittedly it's not very conveniently located for many people. The place that someone mentioned, run by Chamlong, is actually also run by the Asoke people. that's at the Jatujak weekend market. Asoke also has restaurants in Nakhon Pathom, Ubon Ratchathani, Chiang Mai, and I think at least one other province where they also sell foods a cut above the rest. Asoke also sells organic produce, which is one of the few places around the country where you can be sure it's organic, even though probably not certified. In fact, wherever in the country there are Asoke people operating veg restaurants, you can be pretty sure they also have produce and / or packaged foods. They don't sell things that health food stores sell in the US though. Things like bulk / loose nuts and seeds and dried fruits though. I've always liked bulk sections in health food stores in the US. I used to live at a couple of Asoke temples. I once tried to convince the people working at one of the stores at the temple in Nakhon Pathom to try selling stuff in bulk bins. I didn't do a very good job of it though.

[rockchick]

I just came across this thread as I was looking for vegetarian restaurant reccomendations. I would like to say that that a small online health food store in Thailand has been launched. They have a good selection of items i have not seen elsewhere including some that can be found at villa. however it is worth a look as I have finally been able to find many things I never could before such as Vanilla extract with NO corn syrup. (even the all natural on at Villa has that in it). Also sun-dried tomatoes, yum, some organic soy sauce, and chemical free body care products. (as in really natural with NO sodium lauryl sulfate) and some natural mosquito coils too.

Perhaps someone has finally tapped into the market. http://www.goodkarmathailand.com

Thanks for the vegetarian restaurant reccomendations. Will look for the one by the weekend market. Do you know the exact name? I googled it and there seems to be a chain of them. I will be there this month and would really like to find it.

[Travelish]

I just came across this thread as I was looking for vegetarian restaurant reccomendations. I would like to say that that a small online health food store in Thailand has been launched. They have a good selection of items i have not seen elsewhere including some that can be found at villa. however it is worth a look as I have finally been able to find many things I never could before such as Vanilla extract with NO corn syrup. (even the all natural on at Villa has that in it). Also sun-dried tomatoes, yum, some organic soy sauce, and chemical free body care products. (as in really natural with NO sodium lauryl sulfate) and some natural mosquito coils too.

Perhaps someone has finally tapped into the market. http://www.goodkarmathailand.com

Thanks for the vegetarian restaurant reccomendations. Will look for the one by the weekend market. Do you know the exact name? I googled it and there seems to be a chain of them. I will be there this month and would really like to find it.

and dont forget http://www.orgathai.com/

[Beechboy]

I don't necessarily equate heath food shops with vegetarianism.

You can go into any store and avoid meaty things.

I think more nuts and seeds and vitamins, multis or just vitamin E.

Meat substitutes yes, but more green tea and even weight loss products containing chromium.

Not forgetting Milk Thistle to repair the liver after boozing.

Pulses, nuts and seeds are healthy , plenty of selenenium and not forgetting cholesterol busting oats and walnuts.

AND: omega 3 fish oils for the heart.

Buy online.

Edited March 17, 2011 by Beechboy

[jfchandler]

Apparently I got unsubscribed from this thread during one of its quiet periods... Glad to find my way back...

Was out at Queen Sirikit today for one of their shows/fairs...and came across a couple of interesting things I'd never heard or of seen before... one a healthy foods market in BKK near Siriraj Hospital, and the other a healthy foods restaurant in the Lumpini area...

See the images I've scanned below....

The Cheewajit shop had their own good sized mini market set up at QSNCC the past few days for the fair...and I could see that had a pretty broad range of a lot of different products.... rices, grains, beans, drinks, packaged food, juices, etc etc.. The prices were quite reasonable, and as you can see from the image above, they're doing some foods under their own brand labeling.... I talked with their store manager, a Thai who speaks quite good English.... It's a bit out of the way, but would seem well worth a visit...

Meanwhile, I only saw the brochure for this restaurant below...but it looks quite interesting... I wanna try it soon...and I'm presuming it's near the Saladang BTS and/or Lumpini MRT stations.

BTW, though I'm not a vegetarian, there's what looks to be quite a decent vegetarian restaurant... yes... a real restaurant... in the basement of the Ekamai Mediplex complex just adjacent to the Ekamai BTS station... Haven't tried it yet, though.... They looked to be heavy on soy substitutes for meat, which isn't a good thing for me....

[epicsessions]

curious as to why soy is not good for you? i would love to find such a product in los for my homemade pizzas

http://www.yvesveggie.com/products/detail.php/meatless-pepperoni

[glbv]

Some say soy increases estrogen levels, although I have never seen a study to 100% back this claim.