Somtam slowly killing many Thais, cancer center says

[watcharacters]

3 minutes ago, overherebc said:

From what I've read the whole Kampot pepper industry was destroyed on the orders of Pol Pot as it was run by the French.

A few years ago a French guy found a few surviving pepper plants/trees? and started farming it with his wife. It's got a really nice flavour and scent when cooking with it.

I found it on a break there and brought some back but it's nearly gone so might do a border/visa run to try and get more.

PS 

If you find it PM me before you put it on TV then I can buy before it all goes. ???

 

 

 

Happy to oblige

 

 

..

[xyznot]

53 minutes ago, overherebc said:

I have no interest in Thai food. I don't like the look, texture and taste of most of it. Why would I want to educate myself about it.

I love food with a lot of Kampot pepper which makes it spicy and a bit hot but has a flavour I like. Let's face it, Chilli ( gave it an upper case C for you ?) replaced pepper in the East when chilli arrived from the Indies, near USA by the way, it was just a spicier way of making mostly bland food have taste, eg the basic chicken and weeds. The vast majority of Thai restaurants you seem to love make Thai food and a lot of it is 'westernised' same as a lot of Indian food. I do like that, and not all of it is blistering spicy. One of the best Vindaloo dishes I've had was in India and it was really good and didn't burn the mouth off you. As a self proclaimed food expert you'll know that though, not all Indian food has chilli or masses of pepper obviously, quite a lot has none at all, but is for me really good.

You can rabbit on about street food in Thailand and lots of people do but picture the large quantities of doggie doo-doo that dry up and get blown around as doo-doo dust with all the other stuff in large cities here. Mind you, cover it in chilli and you won't notice it.

Pretty obvious you're a troll, but who cares.

Troll? You are commenting on a topic, "Thai food" that you don't know anything about and have no interest in.  Why?  You don't know where I eat and you take it upon yourself to tell me about the Thai restaurants where I dine.  Below is what I had for dinner at a Thai restaurant last night.  No peppers, no doggie  doo doo.  Grouper and scallops.  Why not save your comments for subjects that you have some familiarity with?  I have no interest in Haggis,  jellied eel, spotted dick, marmite or flies graveyard and would not comment about them one way or the other.  

[xyznot]

2 hours ago, plachon said:

If used repeatedly and in heavy doses on an already alcohol and fluke damaged liver, then I don't think it is going to do your liver any favours. Whether it is directly the cause of cancer, I have no idea, but I think it is a complex of factors that is adding to the high rates of liver cancer, not a single isolated cause, like the original article suggests. So pla ra + lao khao + mebendazole (or other similar anti-parasite drug) = raised risk of liver cancer, seems a more likely scenario to me.  

You wrote, "anti-parasite drugs used that also contribute to the destruction of their livers, and not just the somtam."  Is an outright lie and not supported by any scientific evidence. Unless you are a doctor or medical researcher I'd refrain from making wild assumptions without qualifying them as your own non medical opinion. 

[wgdanson]

On 5/5/2017 at 2:42 PM, impulse said:

scooping crabs and minnows out of the river and bashing them up guts, feathers and all.  

Crabs with feathers?

[wgdanson]

On 5/6/2017 at 11:47 AM, overherebc said:

Snap, but the black pudding has to be fried until crispy.

?

And come from Bury, Lancashire.

 

[overherebc]

10 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

And come from Bury, Lancashire.

 

If it doesn't have the big chunks of fat in it it's good.

Still got to be crispy though. ??

Mind you it would appear I'm not well travelled or educated so what do I know. ?????

Edited February 9, 2018 by overherebc

[xyznot]

3 minutes ago, overherebc said:

If it doesn't have the big chunks of fat in it it's good.

Still got to be crispy though. ??

Mind you it would appear I'm not well travelled or educated so what do I know. ?????

I would suspect you know a lot about food at home as that knowledge can be acquired with no travel and not venture far from what mommy taught you about what is good and bad about food.  Many people rely on what they were raised with and those standards they apply to all things like whether or not to seed tomatoes or how much pepper is required in seasoning fish.  Some of us who have worked in the food industry in many countries have developed an appreciation of other cultural traits in food preparation.  

Edited February 9, 2018 by xyznot

[norrska]

29 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

And come from Bury, Lancashire.

 

enjoy your deep fried mars bars!

[plachon]

42 minutes ago, xyznot said:

You wrote, "anti-parasite drugs used that also contribute to the destruction of their livers, and not just the somtam."  Is an outright lie and not supported by any scientific evidence. Unless you are a doctor or medical researcher I'd refrain from making wild assumptions without qualifying them as your own non medical opinion. 

An opinion is not a lie, as you seem to believe, but pure and simply an opinion. No I am not a medical expert, nor I doubt is anyone else offering their opinion on this thread. Can you categorically state that self-medication of a mixture of anti-parasitical drugs (some of which may not be licenced in Western countries or may be cheap rip-off drugs) by Isaan villagers is not having any impact on their livers, or possible other organs besides? Especially when taken repeatedly over many years on people with already serious liver damage by flukes and alcohol? This is a forum and anyone is allowed to state their opinion on a range of topics, without ad hominem attacks on their honesty. Next time I'll report you to the moderators, if you call me a liar again. 

[xyznot]

6 minutes ago, plachon said:

An opinion is not a lie, as you seem to believe, but pure and simply an opinion. No I am not a medical expert, nor I doubt is anyone else offering their opinion on this thread. Can you categorically state that self-medication of a mixture of anti-parasitical drugs (some of which may not be licenced in Western countries or may be cheap rip-off drugs) by Isaan villagers is not having any impact on their livers, or possible other organs besides? Especially when taken repeatedly over many years on people with already serious liver damage by flukes and alcohol? This is a forum and anyone is allowed to state their opinion on a range of topics, without ad hominem attacks on their honesty. Next time I'll report you to the moderators, if you call me a liar again. 

Report away.  You wrote, "anti-parasite drugs used that also contribute to the destruction of their livers" and that is not true.  You are wrong and at fault and should not post untrue statements with no basis in fact.  Starting rumors that might prevent people from taking legitimate prescription medications for parasites in a country where that is still a problem is dangerous and your post should have been removed and you reprimanded for distributing harmful health information.   

[jenny2017]

On 5/5/2017 at 11:48 AM, Somtamnication said:

My wife giving up somtam? Never!

The doctor in question must use a few security guards per 100 km, because he's just as insane as so many others of his kind. Making such a headline and statement, naming Somtham for all the deaths caused by other types of cancer that have nothing to do with Somtham just shows how well educated the doctor is. 

 

          It's clearly about "Pla Raa" which is causing deaths thru cancer and ( how could he not know, or mention?) the little "Poos", the tiny crabs that you can find on Thai rice fields. But it's not the crabs that kill people, it's the unhygienic way on how they're dealing with it and the use of Formalin. These crabs will be used again, even when they're already in a state of falling apart in bits and pieces.

 

   Why is there not one word about the deadly crabs in Somtham Lao and why is there nothing about the healthiness of ordinary Somtham Thai, with healthy ingredients, all fresh and good for anybody's body? I've made Somtham a couple of times and I think I know what healthy food means. 

 

The dangerous version is "Somtham Lao"with fermented fish sauce, often with almost fermented crabs bathed in Formalin, are the killers of this area. It's not just the nasty smell that's so disgusting for me. How can anybody put that stuff in his, or her mouth?

 

    fresh veggies in a well made Thai Somtham are healthy as hell and good for anybody's health. 

 

   

 

           

Edited February 9, 2018 by jenny2017

[overherebc]

1 hour ago, xyznot said:

I would suspect you know a lot about food at home as that knowledge can be acquired with no travel and not venture far from what mommy taught you about what is good and bad about food.  Many people rely on what they were raised with and those standards they apply to all things like whether or not to seed tomatoes or how much pepper is required in seasoning fish.  Some of us who have worked in the food industry in many countries have developed an appreciation of other cultural traits in food preparation.  

Considering I've been travelling the world since I was 19 and that was a long time ago there's a good chance your wrong on that one, and I don't mean on holidays but working and living in many countries.

Settle petal and try to take on board that different people like different things and different people dislike different things in the way of food. In the normal world it's called choice.

The fact that you 'worked in the food industry in many countries' doesn't give you the right to try and put down or insult anyone.

 

[chickenslegs]

1 hour ago, norrska said:

enjoy your deep fried mars bars!

He said Lancashire, not Lanarkshire.

[chickenslegs]

On 06/05/2017 at 11:47 AM, overherebc said:

Snap, but the black pudding has to be fried until crispy.

?

Black pudding is already cooked. Frying it just spoils the flavour and adds calories (IMHO).

Edited February 9, 2018 by chickenslegs
Oops! just noticed that the comment is 9 months old. Still, raw BP is definitely healthier and tastier.

[Jonah Tenner]

On 5.5.2017 at 7:59 AM, Salerno said:

Been there done that (blame it on alcohol and peer pressure!). Was hell eating it ... but eating it had nothing on excreting it! 

Gives "Ring of Fire" an entirely new meaning...

[plachon]

2 hours ago, xyznot said:

Report away.  You wrote, "anti-parasite drugs used that also contribute to the destruction of their livers" and that is not true.  You are wrong and at fault and should not post untrue statements with no basis in fact.  Starting rumors that might prevent people from taking legitimate prescription medications for parasites in a country where that is still a problem is dangerous and your post should have been removed and you reprimanded for distributing harmful health information.   

Dear me. You are living in cloud cuckoo land if you think that a/ most people in Isaan with liver disease are taking "legitimate prescription medications" and b/ those same people would be reading this this Forum and would form an opinion that prevented them from getting correct and safe treatment as a result of what they read here. When was the last time you saw an Isaan sao baan drinking lao khao and tucking into a large plate of dtam makhung lao with extra lashings of raw pla daek while reading Thaivisa and thinking "Hhhmmmm, I better not take any of that out-of-date triclabendazole my cousin who raises cattle gave me, cos this farang says it might screw up my rotten liver even more than it already is"? Get real dude!  

[Jonah Tenner]

On 5.5.2017 at 12:45 PM, overherebc said:

I've heard that many times and it's something I tend to agree with. As said before it used to be pepper corns that were used to make things hot and spicy. When chilli was brought to Asia from the West Indies it took over from pepper probably because it did a better job of killing the crap taste of local cheap peasant food at the time.

In large areas of the world they use garlic instead...

[Henrik Andersen]

Old news but Thais will never listen 

[sirineou]

On 5/5/2017 at 2:55 AM, Briggsy said:

The article is very poorly written.

 

There appear to be 2 unrelated points.

 

The first is the incidence of cases of liver cancer caused by long term liver fluke infection. This infection is caused by the eating of uncooked fish.

 

The second is the incidence of cervical cancer.

 

The headline is related to the first point only. I can see no link between som tam and cervical cancer. Even then the headline is significantly misleading. The author could have pointed to the more accurate reasons e.g.

 

Failure to pasteurise or cook fish/pla ra

Failure to detect and cure long term liver fluke infections

Failure to have a systemic public health policy in liver fluke areas

 

are slowly killing many Thais.

 

I eat som tam. I do not use pla ra. Most vendors use the pasteurised stuff. I suspect the infections stem from homemade fermented fish. Pla ra is used in many dishes.

 I have only read the first two pages in this tread so don't know about others but the above reply is spot on 

I also eat Som Tom all the time, never use pla ra , dont like the taste of it. Som Tom in itself is very healthy IMO

I agree poorly written article.

 

[chickenslegs]

Quote

Somtam slowly killing many Thais, cancer center says

We are all slowly dying.

May as well eat and drink what you enjoy.

 

On average, stopping smoking, wearing a crash helmet when you ride a m/c, or buying a car with multiple airbags, will add far more years to one's life.

[Number 6]

This is a horribly

On 5/5/2017 at 1:01 PM, overherebc said:

Not a ' my black cat ' story but I know a Kiwi 'hero' who did similar here and ended up in Bumrungrad for a night. Eating raw chillies and calling everyone else wimps.

Very quiet about it afterwards.

I have met a few older Thai people in the north east who were always complaining of stomach and gut problems after what I call years of chilli abuse.

It really can't be good for you.

Chilli has only been here for a couple of hundred years I think

, ( anyone know the dates) brought originally from West Indies and replaced pepper which I like, especially Kampot pepper

I can and do eat Thai chilli's all the time. No idea what the drama is here. Straight up raw as well, with cabbage, ginger and issan sausage.

 

Horribly written article.

Edited February 9, 2018 by Number 6

[Get Real]

Yeah, yeah! And what to do with this?

Whwn I was 9-10 years old, I heard a radio program telling that potato gives you cancer. Scared to death, my mother asked me why I did not eat potato for 1 week up. 

[xyznot]

7 hours ago, overherebc said:

Considering I've been travelling the world since I was 19 and that was a long time ago there's a good chance your wrong on that one, and I don't mean on holidays but working and living in many countries.

Settle petal and try to take on board that different people like different things and different people dislike different things in the way of food. In the normal world it's called choice.

The fact that you 'worked in the food industry in many countries' doesn't give you the right to try and put down or insult anyone.

 

You wrote the following comments.  "Thai food. I don't like the look, texture and taste of most of it.

street food in Thailand and lots of people do but picture the large quantities of doggie doo-doo that dry up and get blown around as doo-doo dust with all the other stuff in large cities here"

 

Don't you think your comments deserve a response especially on a Thai forum where posting overly negative comments directed towards Thailand is against forum rules. 

[xyznot]

6 hours ago, plachon said:

Dear me. You are living in cloud cuckoo land if you think that a/ most people in Isaan with liver disease are taking "legitimate prescription medications" and b/ those same people would be reading this this Forum and would form an opinion that prevented them from getting correct and safe treatment as a result of what they read here. When was the last time you saw an Isaan sao baan drinking lao khao and tucking into a large plate of dtam makhung lao with extra lashings of raw pla daek while reading Thaivisa and thinking "Hhhmmmm, I better not take any of that out-of-date triclabendazole my cousin who raises cattle gave me, cos this farang says it might screw up my rotten liver even more than it already is"? Get real dude!  

OK, real is, you posted, "anti-parasite drugs used that also contribute to the destruction of their livers" and that is not true.  That is all I wanted to say.  Stop posting misinformation that has no basis if fact.

[steven100]

so now it's somtam ......

so i ad that to the list already ... meat, chocolate, coffee, fish, peanut butter, bread, biscuits,... 

geeeeze .... can I eat anything  ??

[PatOngo]

8 minutes ago, steven100 said:

so now it's somtam ......

so i ad that to the list already ... meat, chocolate, coffee, fish, peanut butter, bread, biscuits,... 

geeeeze .... can I eat anything  ??

In time you'll eat your words concerning the PTB!

[newatthis]

20 minutes ago, steven100 said:

so now it's somtam ......

so i ad that to the list already ... meat, chocolate, coffee, fish, peanut butter, bread, biscuits,... 

geeeeze .... can I eat anything  ??

Vegemite!

[Essaybloke]

On 2/9/2018 at 2:14 PM, elgenon said:

I got mild food poisoning from samtom. Very be careful!!! Yikes!

What's your point?

[Sonhia]

Ten years ago, I meet a Thai, male Doctor, heart specialist. I asked him what is in his opinion, a comman complaint with his patients, he told me, THE STOMACH! HIs expressed that too many consumed chillies were the probable cause of the systems, and condition, and was very direct in his response.

 

Being from Italian descent, I've known for years that chillies are very bad for a person if consumed too much and too often. I keep warning people about their intake of chillies , which falls on deaf ears!

 

If I'm not mistaken, as like rubber trees, chillies are not indigenous to Thailand. Both where introduced by foreigners.

[overherebc]

9 minutes ago, Sonhia said:

Ten years ago, I meet a Thai, male Doctor, heart specialist. I asked him what is in his opinion, a comman complaint with his patients, he told me, THE STOMACH! HIs expressed that too many consumed chillies were the probable cause of the systems, and condition, and was very direct in his response.

 

Being from Italian descent, I've known for years that chillies are very bad for a person if consumed too much and too often. I keep warning people about their intake of chillies , which falls on deaf ears!

 

If I'm not mistaken, as like rubber trees, chillies are not indigenous to Thailand. Both where introduced by foreigners.

Same as India. I always thought Portuguese brought them from the West Indies.