Thai food

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Replies

  • Not sure about what's healthiest but I'd avoid Thai curries, they're typically made with coconut milk. Maybe Tom Yum Soup or Pad Thai but watch the portions and sodium.

    What's wrong with coconut milk?
  • Elainejk21
    Elainejk21 Posts: 121 Member
    Usually there's a cucumber salad on the menu - cucumbers, rice wine vinegar, maybe some sweetener - I love this take on cucumbers! This, the chicken satay appetizer, and a couple shrimp summer rolls (not deep fried). Steamed vegetables with peanut sauce on the side is a good alternative, too.
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
    Not sure about what's healthiest but I'd avoid Thai curries, they're typically made with coconut milk. Maybe Tom Yum Soup or Pad Thai but watch the portions and sodium.

    What's wrong with coconut milk?

    550 calories in a cup of it, which is often the amount that goes into one order of curry. As a food, nutritionally, there's nothing "wrong" with it. Yes it is a healthy and natural source of fat. But if you're trying to order a lower-calorie option on a menu, it isn't going to be the dish made with coconut milk.
  • carriempls
    carriempls Posts: 326 Member
    Som tam! One of my faves. Made w/green papaya, maybe carrot, tomato, bean sprouts (the veggies can vary) and dressed w/chilis, lime, fish sauce, palm sugar and often dried shrimp.

    These days I ask for it to be made vegan but it's sooooooooooooooo yummy.
  • What's wrong with pad thai? I thought it was a healthier option, no sauces and the noodles are low calorie? I'm vegetarian and this is one of the choices I thought was good. Please advise. Thx.
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
    What's wrong with pad thai? I thought it was a healthier option, no sauces and the noodles are low calorie? I'm vegetarian and this is one of the choices I thought was good. Please advise. Thx.

    Noodles aren't low calorie. Even rice noodles. Pad thai noodles are cooked in sauce, is often oily, and doesn't have a lot of nutritional value. Pretty common for an order of pad thai to be 900 calories or more.
  • Thanks SecretLobster. They don't tase oily (I hate oil), and I thought rice noodes were a much better choice. I usually divide a take out order of pad thai into 2 or 3 servings. I will try the steamed veggies w/ peanut sauce ordering off the menu instead.
  • zaph0d
    zaph0d Posts: 1,172 Member
    I had Thai today. Showering Rama (chicken with peanut sauce over spinach), Pad Thai, and Rice. Yummmmmm!
  • AmyP619
    AmyP619 Posts: 1,137 Member
    My favorite meal is Pra Ram Long Song w/ chicken!! It's veggies and chicken in a peanut sauce... a cup is less than 300 calories, and it's deeeelicious!!!
  • Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I went out for lunch to a Thai restaurant and had garden spring rolls and the beef salad that someone recommended. There were so many options though and I agree, I think if you stay away from the noodles and anything fried you can find a good low calorie option. I'll definitely be going there again. (Although I have to say I was tempted to get the Pad Thai - but then I read the comment here that they can run 900 calories and I'm glad I didn't. :smile: )
  • essjay76
    essjay76 Posts: 465 Member
    Depends on what you're watching. If sodium is an issue for you, stay away from Thai food or most asian food because of the soy or fish sauce used.

    Otherwise, I second beef salad. There is very little added fat, you get protein, a bunch of veggies, and awesome flavor. (The fish sauce used can make up almost half a person's daily sodium intake though!)

    Pad thai is usually swimming in satay sauce which can have a lot of fat or sugar.