Thai Food

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lr773
lr773 Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been craving thai food and I just wanted to know what people thought about how unhealthy it was...I feel torn as to how bad for me I think it is.. I know that its oily but all that I get is chicken and broccoli and I am going to ask for the sauce on the side and just eat it with a little duck sauce... Do you think that seems like an awful dinner?

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  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
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    Foods are neither healthy nor unhealthy. They just are. Whether or not they are healthy in your diet depends on whether or not you're fulfilling your macro and micronutrient goals.
  • rjdunn87
    rjdunn87 Posts: 385 Member
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    I LOVE Thai food, and though I agree with the poster above, to answer your question I would say that no, that doesn't sound super unhealthy to me. Sure, you may be getting a bit more oil than you normally would, but that isn't going to derail you if it happens occasionally.
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
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    Oil is fat. Dietary fat is necessary.
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
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    Foods are neither healthy nor unhealthy. They just are. Whether or not they are healthy in your diet depends on whether or not you're fulfilling your macro and micronutrient goals.

    this.

    dont avoid things, just fit them into your dietary needs.

    and now i would love a bathtub full of spicy pad thai. :)
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    nothing wrong with thai food. every restaurant i've gone to the veggies are fresh. i'm allergic to wheat so thai food is a great option since they dont use soy sauce all that much.

    the one thing though is that it does tend to be high in sodium, just keep that in mind if you have issues with sodium like high blood pressure

    ETA: Duck sauce? are you sure that's just not a fake a%$ chicnese restaurant calling itself thai?!
  • Fishshtick
    Fishshtick Posts: 120 Member
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    Well that's not entirely true, because there are consumable items that probably aren't good for you, and thus unhealthy, even if you hit your macros. For example, some types of fats are probably not as good for you from a cardiovascular perspective (e.g., heavily hydrogenated oils). Some preservatives, flavor enhancers and artificial sweeteners are also probably not too good for you and may even be linked to metabolic issues. That said, most these things are not going to do much damage in moderation. Overall, however, calories in vs calories and watching the macros is a good approximation to healthy eating.
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
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    Well that's not entirely true, because there are consumable items that probably aren't good for you, and thus unhealthy, even if you hit your macros. For example, some types of fats are probably not as good for you from a cardiovascular perspective (e.g., heavily hydrogenated oils). Some preservatives, flavor enhancers and artificial sweeteners are also probably not too good for you and may even be linked to metabolic issues. That said, most these things are not going to do much damage in moderation. Overall, however, calories in vs calories and watching the macros is a good approximation to healthy eating.

    Trans fats I will agree with, but a lot of the preservatives, flavor enhancers, etc have not been proven.
  • Fishshtick
    Fishshtick Posts: 120 Member
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    Foods are neither healthy nor unhealthy. They just are. Whether or not they are healthy in your diet depends on whether or not you're fulfilling your macro and micronutrient goals.

    Well that's not entirely true, because there are consumable items that probably aren't good for you, and thus unhealthy, even if you hit your macros. For example, some types of fats are probably not as good for you from a cardiovascular perspective (e.g., heavily hydrogenated oils). Some preservatives, flavor enhancers and artificial sweeteners are also probably not too good for you and may even be linked to metabolic issues. That said, most these things are not going to do much damage in moderation. Overall, however, calories in vs calories and watching the macros is a good approximation to healthy eating.
  • Shuuma
    Shuuma Posts: 465 Member
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    I like the Thai food restaurant near my house, but I was pretty shocked that my favorite dish was 1,200 calories ... for just two cups! That's my daily allowance! (Orange chicken, btw.)

    A few things that helps you make the choices you want is to ask for steamed veggies, get the sauce on the side, treat rice as a side dish instead of as a bed for your dish, and as soon as you get it, cut it into two or three portions and put the others away.

    I would also do a little research and find out the ingredients in your favorite dish and log them all separately. You can then save that as "Thai" in your favorite meals and not have to input them all again.

    The other thing you could do is cut the portion to 2 cup size, skip the rice, and add a side salad.

    Then, plan that many calories for your meal. Don't worry about "healthy" or "unhealthy," just be aware of what is in your dish and plan accordingly. What your Thai dish lacks, you can make up elsewhere.
  • Booksandbeaches
    Booksandbeaches Posts: 1,791 Member
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    I have been craving thai food and I just wanted to know what people thought about how unhealthy it was...I feel torn as to how bad for me I think it is.. I know that its oily but all that I get is chicken and broccoli and I am going to ask for the sauce on the side and just eat it with a little duck sauce... Do you think that seems like an awful dinner?

    Duck sauce?

    I'm asian and I've gone to Thai restaurants all my life. I haven't seen 'duck sauce' at any of the authentic Thai places I've been to.

    Thai food can be healthy. It's a matter of choices. I've been to Thailand. You're not going to see as many obese people there compared to the USA. It's a matter of portion sizes and selection.
  • meghanner
    meghanner Posts: 180 Member
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    I usually stick to satay chicken or beef, salad rolls dipped in spicy fish sauce and then share an entree. Thai places usually have nice lemon grass grilled chicken or beef dishes. Stay away from pad thai and curries if you are looking to keep your cals low.
  • beachlover317
    beachlover317 Posts: 2,848 Member
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    Unless you are planning to eat it every day of the week - one time out? Enjoy the Thai food. Order what you like. Track your total calories for the week and make it work.

    This whole process of losing weight will be much easier if you can learn to fit in foods that you enjoy. If it's about denying yourself things, you will burn out fast.
  • gigglesinthesun
    gigglesinthesun Posts: 860 Member
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    I make my own Thai food and bulk it up with veggies. I am a little confused as to how it is quite oily too, but I wonder whether that just is a US thing. I mean yes quite a bit has coconut cream in it, so it might be a bit rich, but oily?

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