This is the third installment so if you’ve missed the first two then please.. Part 1 (Watch Here) & Part 2  (Read Here) .



Thai food is more of a common thing in the United states then in the UK, so some of you may never of tried any Thai food before, but you should because it can be very healthy.



Traditional Thai food is made up of colourful vegetables, seafood & meats that are served with noodles or rice and topped off with Thai basil, lemongrass, turmeric and galangal (Which looks like ginger but does not taste like it)



Thai restaurants from the west have many of these authentic cuisines, but of course there are some differences.

For one the cuts of meat are not the same at all neither is how the veg is grown, so that’s the first thing you’ll notice, but that’s not to say that’s a bad thing.. it’s all healthy.




Something to keep an eye out for though is the portion sizes are a lot bigger in the west ( America & the UK etc), the food is fried a lot more, plus the high intake of sugar and salt on certain foods is off putting.




So this is really about how you can eat healthy via eating Thai food from the western restaurants or buying the ingredients yourself..

The choice is yours, but we can for sure lose weight via eating these & I’ll add some Thai foods to avoid too.

Common Thai Ingredients

Thai food has a lot of health benefits and I’m just going to break them down for you.. Here is a list of them and what health benefits they give you!


Galangal- Aka Thai Ginger it looks the same but the taste as I said above does not, is used often in sauces, Thai soups & curry pastes. It helps with inflammation and relieves pain.



Coconut Milk- Think Thai soups and curries, If you have coconut milk often this will lower your LDL (The bad cholesterol) & increase your HDL (The good cholesterol).



Turmeric- Turmeric helps with anti-inflammatory, enhances brain function, protects against diabetes and heart disease.



Thai Basil- Thai basil is a herb that taste just the other basils, it’s used in rice  and curries ect and it really helps with high blood pressure and aids weight loss.



Lemongrass- Lemongrass is  a fresh citrus flavored sauce that is used in Thai soups.

It protects you against stomach ulcers and lowers your blood cholesterol levels and lowers your chances of heart disease.
 



Papaya- Papaya is a fruit that looks like a pear but taste so much better! Green papaya salad is a famous Thai dish for you to try if you have not already.

It’s rich in antioxidants that fight off free radicals, protect the skin from damage and helps us lose weight..

A little tip for you to try is to start eating these as snacks, you’ll thank me in the end! 



 

Tofu– Tofu which you’ll find often in Thai dishes, helps improve blood sugar control, reduces the risk of diabetes and if you already have type 2 diabetes and are looking to kick it..

This a good food to start eating, it will aid your come back.

 

Seafood- White fish, prawns, shellfish are all seafood.

Now seafood is a great source of lean protein and provides minerals, healthy omega-3 fats and vitamins.


If you eat seafood often you’ll for sure lose weight and lower your chances of getting cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.



They’re so many more that I’ve missed!


I just  needed to let you know these foods are healthy and a go.. so you can  get a feel of what you would be eating/ what it can give you if you eat them 🙂

Healthy Thai Dishes To Try For Yourself

All of the healthy Thai food is around some sort of veg which is good because it’s low in calories, the lean proteins too with the Thai herbs and spices OMDZZZZZZ MAAAD!



Weight loss city here are some dishes for you to try below..



Papaya Salad– Pappaya cut up mixed with green beans, peanuts (If you got allergies allow it),fish sauce and chilies.




Spring Rolls– You knew this one had to be on here! Fresh veggies of your choice & then wrap it in rice paper.




Steamed Fish– White fish, veggies & spices.




Tom Yum Soup– This is a sour and hot soup, broth, lemongrass, chillies, galangal and coconut milk. 
 
   

Beef & Broccoli– Lean beef, broccoli & then any other veggies you want to put in to it too.
   

Many of these dishes are served with rice.. Make sure the rice you’re eating is healthy, so not fried that’s not good for you.



Also if you’re making this from home always go for brown rice or another healthy type of rice ahead of white rice..

White rice is dead  plus you can lose a lot more weight  via not eating white rice.



Noodles it’s the same thing too, and for anything you put in your mouth Thai or not always go for the healthiest choice. 

 Thai Pitfalls 

While many Thai dishes are wonderful and very healthy to eat, there are downsides to Thai food.



Fried rice for example are often made with white rice and noodles.

Which sucks because brown is just one of many sources they could use instead that  is  much better for us.



If we end up eating too much refine carbs such as white rice & noodles, this will lead to us gain weight and put us at a higher risk of getting a chronic disease.

Also the deep-fried foods.. just no! these cream cheesed wontons, egg rolls ect are no good for us. 

When you really think about it they’re not even traditional Thai food anyway damn (Why you do that Thai?) 




As we know already fried foods increase the chance of heart failure, high blood pressure and certain cancers.



The last one being added sugar YUK! You’ll find this a lot in the deserts and iced tea..

I mean if you really want to lose weight or just be healthy, you already know this will make you gain weight, mess up your teeth and loads more.




Don’t be silly to throw away your weight loss goals on a sugar rush now, if your deserts are still cake or ice cream based..

Over fruits then damn get rid of the s and add ed as you’ll be left deserted with extra weight to carry!




If we can change the mindset of deserts to more fruit being the base..

Bearing in mind it does not have to be just one fruit. 

You can have more than that mix it up you know, this will save a lot of lives and have you around a lot longer..

Which is what I want for everyone who reads this tbh.

I would like to just say too that these pitfalls are for the west, although  you could be in Thailand but eating in a westernized restaurant..

So my point is this if you stick to the traditional Thai cuisine you’ll find most of the food is healthy and based off veggies, lean proteins and fresh herbs & spices. 

THAT’S IT!

I really enjoyed sharing this with you guys. Please do let me know though…


Which Thai Dish Do You Like The Best?

How Often Do You Eat Thai Food ?

Will You Eat Out Or Cook In ?

 

Until We Meet Again, Ciao

 We  Look Up 大

Karim David

The Healthy One