Thailand street food!

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skinnyrunner2
skinnyrunner2 Posts: 31
in Food and Nutrition
Hi! I'm traveling to Thailand next week for about 10 days. I'll be in Bangkok for a few days, and am wondering what the healthiest food options would be - low calorie and little/no oil.

Thanks!

Replies

  • k8eekins
    k8eekins Posts: 2,264 Member
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    Hi! I'm traveling to Thailand next week for about 10 days. I'll be in Bangkok for a few days, and am wondering what the healthiest food options would be - low calorie and little/no oil.

    Thanks!

    :flowerforyou: How I envy you your days and your palate's chance of being terribly spoilt in Thailand. Their soups and salads are awesome. You may possibly consider the Tom Yum varieties ~ Goong and Kai and of course Poh Taik; And your salad options, which will fit your preference will most likely be Yum Woon Sen/Talay/Neau.
  • euniceling76
    euniceling76 Posts: 6
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    In general, Thai food are well flavour with spices n their portions are very small compare to western standard., so if u follow the portion u r quite safe. But who will stop at just 1 dish when there r so much good food to savour???

    Go for their tom yum clear soup instead of the one with coconut milk. Thai curry is very popular but thick with coconut milk which is high in calories n fat, so eat in moderation. Try their steamed or grilled seafood! Superb! Love those spicy sour sweet dip but beware as it is high in sugar! Yes Thais loooove sugar! They put loads in their drinks, dishes, desserts n sauces n if it is not enough there r sugar bowls on the table for u to add till u satisfied! So you may want to keep this in mind when u order the food. Personally, I won't ask the chef to reduce anything but instead I'll share it with my friends so that I can intake less... I'm a foodie so it has to b authentic or never!

    Hope this helps!
  • skinnyrunner2
    skinnyrunner2 Posts: 31
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    Thank you both so much! I doubt I'll be back to Thailand anytime soon so I might as well make the most of it and enjoy all of the delicious food while I'm there. Sorry mfp (but not really).
  • MissJanet55
    MissJanet55 Posts: 457 Member
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    I hope you have a wonderful trip. I agree about the soup - enjoy it. Look for busy restaurants.

    I had two really memorable dishes in Thailand. One was in the north, fried chicken. It came in a baggie tied at the top, with a dish of dipping sauce. i still dream about it. The other was with a friend from Bangkok and i dont' really know what it was - it was a bright green liquidy dessert. It also came in a baggy, with ice. Bright green. If you see it, try it! I got it at the Sunday market in Bangkok, which is well worth a visit.

    Cooks will adjust seasoning for you automatically, a little less spicy and a lot less fish sauce.

    I expect you will be doing a lot of walking, so I would encourage you to just try what you like and watch portion sizes. There is a lot of western food in Bangkok. I was really surprised how many Pizza Huts, Starbucks, 7-11s etc etc were there. Avoid like the plague, enjoy the beautiful Thai food. I've been cooking it ever since I came home, now nearly ten years ago.
  • PJ_73
    PJ_73 Posts: 331 Member
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    Aw, I am jealous! I got another 3 months before I go back!

    Thai food is pretty healthy and they don't tend to use much dairy, so food doesn't tend to have a lot of hidden fats!

    Som Tam, the payaya salad is good but can be very spicy, so beware!

    The fresh spring rolls are tasty too and not deep fried!

    I love Jim Jum, a hot pot style dish that served in a clay pot and you kind of add what you want to it!

    Have a wonderful time and enjoy!! ;-)
  • EnglishTeacher22
    EnglishTeacher22 Posts: 8
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    Have a blast! I'm going to be moving to Thailand to teach English for a year starting in October, so this is going to be a very helpful thread! :-)
  • emmaedwards7528610
    emmaedwards7528610 Posts: 38
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    I've been to Thailand many times and eaten whatever I've fancied and nearly always lost weight!!

    Thai food is very sweet, and highly flavoured and full of coconut milk and oil (which is actually a very beneficial fat), but portions are small (the food is rich you don't need a lot of it), bread is rare, and fresh fruit and fish are abundant!!!

    Stay away from the sugar and booze-loaded cocktails and all the Western-style 7/11s (which are full of the worst processed crap the west has to offer sweetened to Thai standards). You also get a lot of street sellers doing amazing pancakes, they are very thin and worth a try, but stick to banana or pineapple filling than nutella!

    Don't worry about dieting while out there, relax and have fun, with the hot humid climate you won't feel like overeating and you'll be sweating it all out anyway. Thailand is not a place to restrict yourself and the food is so full of healthy herbs and spices and fresh ingredients. There are loads of cookery schools out there too, where you can go and learn to make dishes, you'll end up as in love with the food as the country.
  • emmaedwards7528610
    emmaedwards7528610 Posts: 38
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    Sorry I did say to stay away from the Western-style processed food, but did any of you Thai travellers try the Seaweed Pringles?? Madness!! They're dark gree And yes, alas, as addictive as their Western counterparts, be warned!)
  • cw106
    cw106 Posts: 952 Member
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    currently planning a 90 day trip to thailand in oct 14 to continue my weight loss/ exercise journey.
    have had success in the past there with this plan.
    any mfpers still active in the land of smiles?
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,992 Member
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    The street food is fabulous. Do yourself a favor and eat all the food and worry about something else, like crossing the street.

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