Dining Out: Thai Cuisine
Characteristics:

Dishes are usually packed with lots of fresh ingredients, and have many hot, spicy, flavorful, along with some sweet and sour options.
Common Ingredients:

These foods feature chili peppers, rice, noodles, sugar, citrus fruits, fish, chicken, and fresh vegetables. They’re often light in fats and meats, and heavier in noodles and vegetables.
Hidden Dangers:
  • Pad Thai noodles are stir-fried with a lot of oil, and often include eggs and peanuts.
  • Nam Prik (spicy peanut sauce) and Sao Nam (coconut sauce) are very high in fat.
  • Nam Pla and soy sauce are both high in sodium.
  • Watch out for peanuts, cashews, coconut, and any nut oils or sauces, which can be high in fat.
  • Avoid deep fried noodles and entrees.
  • Say “no” to the heavy sauces.
  • Avoid anything with full-fat coconut milk.
  • Tom Ka Gai (chicken in coconut milk soup)
  • Gaeng Keow Wan Gai (curry chicken with eggplant)
  • Gaeng Ped Gai (red curry chicken)
  • Gluay Kaeg (fried banana slices)

Healthy Finds:
  • You can often find a sweet, fat-free chili sauce.
  • Try sauces that are made with basil, chilies and lime juice.
  • Ask for more veggies and less meat or nuts in a dish.
  • Make sure meat is sautéed, stir fried (with vegetable oil) or grilled.
  • Thai Chicken (sautéed chicken with lots of vegetables and pineapple)
  • Poy Sian (sautéed seafood with cabbage, beans, and mushrooms)
  • Gai Yang (grilled chicken on cabbage and rice)
  • Tom Yam Goong (hot and sour shrimp soup)
  • Nuea Pad Prik (pepper steak)
  • Khao Newo Kaew (sweet sticky rice)
The Big Tip:

 Watch out for Sator Beans! They’re very much an acquired taste, one that will stay with you for hours, tainting everything you eat with a pungent odor—not pleasant if you’re not prepared for it!
Substitution Ideas:

 Try This Skip That
Request vegetable oil  Food made in lard or coconut oil
Chicken Duck
Fresh Spring rolls Fried Spring rolls
Steamed rice Fried rice
Hot & sour soup Coconut-based soup
 Steamed rice noodles Fried noodles

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Member Comments

MUSICNUT
Thanks for the great article! :) Report
PATRICIAANN46
Thank You...……... Report
FISHGUT3
thanks Report
ELRIDDICK
Thanks for sharing Report
YMWONG22
Good article. Report
GEORGE815
Thanks Report
ELRIDDICK
Thanks for sharing Report
_CYNDY55_
Thanks, Delish! Report
4CONNIESHEALTH
This really is another case of too much of any one thing is not good. Many things mentioned on this menu is high in fat but they are good fats so just don't eat that much. Report
ASCIESZKA
Interesting Report
ALEPEQUIJADA
Interesting! Report
BABY_GIRL69
I'm so hungry and the suggestions sound simply delicious...... Report
WALKZWDOGZ
Thom Ka Gai is necessary for my mental health. :-) Love the stuff. No oftener than I get to go out for Thai food, I'm going for it & will watch fat grams elsewhere. Moderation, remember? Report
FREESPIRITME
This is not the first time SP has offered advice that is contrary to good sense. What intelligent person would ask a chef to replace coconut oil with vegetable oil, when vegetable oil is usually sourced from GMO ingredients (corn, canola, soy).

I am once again appalled by the author's lack of good sense. Where is the quality control? This is not the first time I've found information on this site that is contrary to current medical knowledge. Report
ALLISON150
Lard or coconut oil (natural, good fats) is MUCH healthier for you than over-processed vegetable oil (full of bad fats). Don't be fooled by Spark's recommendations..
. Report

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