Thais overdosing on sodium
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- THAIS consume sodium at a rate two to three times the World Health Organisation's suggested level of 2,400 milligrams per day.

Wantanee Kriengsinyos, a lecturer at Mahidol University's Institute of Nutrition, said more people were turning to healthy cooking instead of buying takeouts.

But many still use too much flavour-enhancing seasoning powder, which is 20-50 per cent sodium. This is a contributing factor to sodium overdoses.

Wantanee urged people to study labels and choose food with care - or to adopt a traditional cooking method of using sugar, sauce and spices that would be easier to control and reveal the actual amount put into food.

She also suggested the use of broth, from boiling chicken or pork bones for one to two hours, to give a pleasant savoury taste instead of using sodium-laced powder.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Thais-overdosing-on-sodium-30274685.html


-- The Nation 2015-12-11

So here we have a lecturer at Mahidol telling students about the over ingestion of sodium and he is actually recommending them to use more sugar instead. I guess this guy didn't read the news or study about the over consumption of sugars in Thai society which already exists. What an idiot!

"Wantanee urged people to study labels and choose food with care - or to adopt a traditional cooking method of using sugar..."

Yes, because Type 2 diabetes is so much better for you than hypertension.

You can't make the s--- up.

Edited December 10, 201510 yr by jaltsc

A nutritionist wants the Thai people to eat even more sugar, when there's a type-2 diabetes epidemic underway ?

Salt and sugar! The two essential ingredients of Thai food, and readily pushed by your nearest 7-eleven store.

I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and assume the sugar thing may have been a lost in translation type thing. I think the gist might be cook for yourself, make things from scratch using traditional home cooking methods rather than processed foods like soup powders and you'll be better off.

But it's not really realistic is it for most modern Thais?

Thailand has become a toxic food environment and that's why there is a food spike in bad diet related diseases here.

Edited December 10, 201510 yr by Jingthing

So here we have a lecturer at Mahidol telling students about the over ingestion of sodium and he is actually recommending them to use more sugar instead. I guess this guy didn't read the news or study about the over consumption of sugars in Thai society which already exists. What an idiot!

What she said is "to adopt a traditional cooking method of using sugar, sauce and spices that would be easier to control and reveal the actual amount put into food."

I don't know who the real idiots are here. You just focus on one word when the real point is to control what you put in your food. Sugar or sodium are not bad per se, it's the excess consumption that is.

Shouldn't people be required to take a reading test before posting ?

Anyone with properly functioning kidneys need not worry about salt. As others have pointed out sugar is far more damaging.

"She also suggested the use of broth, from boiling chicken or pork bones for one to two hours, to give a pleasant savoury taste instead of using sodium-laced powder."

Yeah, I'm not sure most people have the time to do that these days and I'm fairly sure 7-11 doesn't sell it.

Could be wrong though...

A Few interesting facts about sugar

http://www.healingcancernaturally.com/sugar-health-effects-risks.html

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/04/20/sugar-dangers.aspx#!

Much of this problem is with the iover use of MSG in just about every type of Thai cooking......

Ever wonder why you're so thirsty after a great Thai meal??

That's why i like Indonesian food, they use naturals herbs who give great flavour and are healthy as well.

So here we have a lecturer at Mahidol telling students about the over ingestion of sodium and he is actually recommending them to use more sugar instead. I guess this guy didn't read the news or study about the over consumption of sugars in Thai society which already exists. What an idiot!

What she said is "to adopt a traditional cooking method of using sugar, sauce and spices that would be easier to control and reveal the actual amount put into food."

I don't know who the real idiots are here. You just focus on one word when the real point is to control what you put in your food. Sugar or sodium are not bad per se, it's the excess consumption that is.

Shouldn't people be required to take a reading test before posting ?

Agreed! Common sense and relevance should also be used. His recommendation as well as your input are both idiotic statements as, if you knew anything about thais, they have an all or nothing attitude and would never count the calories of the sugar they ate. Most can't even cook anyway and would take this article to mean exactly what I commented about. But then, you are more intelligent than I am and know more about the whole topic and the Thai interpretation than I do. So you are correct in your reply.

The average Thai consumes 26 spoons of sugar a day, in food and drinks.

"She also suggested the use of broth, from boiling chicken or pork bones for one to two hours, to give a pleasant savoury taste instead of using sodium-laced powder."

Yeah, I'm not sure most people have the time to do that these days and I'm fairly sure 7-11 doesn't sell it.

Could be wrong though...

Doesn't say you have to do it yourself - can get proper broth at our local market.

"She also suggested the use of broth, from boiling chicken or pork bones for one to two hours, to give a pleasant savoury taste instead of using sodium-laced powder."

Yeah, I'm not sure most people have the time to do that these days and I'm fairly sure 7-11 doesn't sell it.

Could be wrong though...

Doesn't say you have to do it yourself - can get proper broth at our local market.

Go and watch the preparation process of the broth at your local market. Near the start of the process, the vendor will empty a 500 gram bag of salt or Ajinamoto into the vat.

I think the key message here is for consumers to, one way or another, get control over the ingredients of the food they eat.

So here we have a lecturer at Mahidol telling students about the over ingestion of sodium and he is actually recommending them to use more sugar instead. I guess this guy didn't read the news or study about the over consumption of sugars in Thai society which already exists. What an idiot!

What she said is "to adopt a traditional cooking method of using sugar, sauce and spices that would be easier to control and reveal the actual amount put into food."

I don't know who the real idiots are here. You just focus on one word when the real point is to control what you put in your food. Sugar or sodium are not bad per se, it's the excess consumption that is.

Shouldn't people be required to take a reading test before posting ?

Unfortunately, people who do not look at facts and live an unhealthy lifestyle will hear only what they want to hear. I am sure many, if not most of this audience only heard "Sugar is healthy", and attribute that "fact" to a nutritionist. I remember an acquaintance, who was a heavy alcoholic, reading an article that stated beer was like liquid bread. He used that to justify his 12 bottle a day habit.

Controlling oneself takes a lot of self-discipline. Let's face, the audience for this lecture comes from a culture (youth) that overall is not known for a lot of discipline and denies its mortality, no matter what country one is talking about.

Processed sugar is already traditional here?

Before, Thai food had a great reputation and image. But by now..... I reduced already the consumption of Thaifood.

Too much MSG. Too much sugar. Too much salt. .....

I cook Thai dishes by myself. Its better and far cleaner as using a plate washed in a klong. (Have seen this many times).

You cannot tell a Thai anything because if they like it then they will continue with it…….

SMOKING

JUNK FOOD

FRIED FOOD

RICE/NOODLES

SALT

FISH SAUCE !!!!

MSG!!!!

If Granny did it I do it.

The usual answer when you advise them is "I LIKE"

You cannot tell a Thai anything because if they like it then they will continue with it.

SMOKING

JUNK FOOD

FRIED FOOD

RICE/NOODLES

SALT

FISH SAUCE !!!!

MSG!!!!

If Granny did it I do it.

The usual answer when you advise them is "I LIKE"

The result of a big Id and very small superego... A common trait in both rich and poor!

Edited December 11, 201510 yr by trogers

Isnt diabetes a huge problem here , thanks but no thanks on using more sugar the guys an idiot first class

Anyone with properly functioning kidneys need not worry about salt. As others have pointed out sugar is far more damaging.

It is one main reason for high blood pressure and can cause therefore strokes, heart attacks etc.

Us Farangs are guest in Thailand and if they want to eat sugar and salt it is their right

Who are we to tell what to eat

I am glad to say to Thai People have some more fish sauce and more sugar

I understand their culture

Edited December 11, 201510 yr by HenryB

I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and assume the sugar thing may have been a lost in translation type thing. I think the gist might be cook for yourself, make things from scratch using traditional home cooking methods rather than processed foods like soup powders and you'll be better off.

But it's not really realistic is it for most modern Thais?

Thailand has become a toxic food environment and that's why there is a food spike in bad diet related diseases here.

1. The OP says "she" not "he". This gender pronoun thing is important these days

2. Are we really at such a low level now? Having to give a benefit of doubt, to work out what the author really meant? Laughable journalism.

The problem is that Thai cuisine is based on a balance of 4 tastes: sweet, salty, sour and chili spice. There needs to be a readjustment so that palates get used to much less sugar and salt.

WOW! Even a minute amoung of Sodium will Kill you. Did you know that Sodium Combusts when it comes in contact with Water? How is it even possible to overdose with Sodium? See that attached video below? THAT my young padawan is SODIUM (Na). Not many with Chemistry background in this forum - it seems...

Edited December 11, 201510 yr by toybits

Don't they mean: Sodium chloride ??? (SALT)

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_chloride

Sodium is very explosive and dangerous. I don't like to get caught in a Western Country bording an airplane with 2,400 milligram !!! Means life imprisonment.

Look what a bit of sodium can do:

Edited December 11, 201510 yr by FredNL

I totally agree with Khun Wantanee - I hope more people will turn to healthy cooking.

I am also limiting my intake of Thai food in general. Too much MSG and sugar in general, but it is difficult especially at lunchtime at the office - luckily there is an option of at least organic food nearby.

I have colleagues with constant inflammation of the bowel, colleagues who are diabetic, severely overweight colleagues. One trait for them all at lunchtime is they pour with a very generous hand sugar, chilis, sugar, vinegar and the some sugar on their food. Then it is topped with a heavy splash of fish sauce.

They all complain of "jeb thong" all the time, but look at me with disbelief when I suggest to cut down on sugar and salt - and actually try to taste the food first before adding condiments.

With a lot of fat kids around and with a poor diet, Thailand has a health bomb ticking.

The stuff should be forbidden. Effects of overdosing with MSG (an excitotoxin, which means it overexcites your cells to the point of damage or death) are not mild. It can cause brain damage to varying degrees -- and potentially even triggering or worsening learning disabilities, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Lou Gehrig's disease and more.