Characterized By:

Hot, spicy, flavorful, along with some sweet and sour options. Usually is packed with lots of fresh ingredients.


Common Ingredients:

Chile peppers, rice, noodles, sugar, citrus fruits, fish, chicken, fresh vegetables. Often light on fats and meats, heavier on noodles and vegetables.


Hidden Dangers:

• Pad Thai. Noodles are stir-fried with a lot of oil, and often includes egg and peanuts.
• 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.
• 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.
• Avoid the heavy sauces.
• Avoid anything with full-fat coconut milk.

Healthy Finds:

• Thai Chicken. Sauteed chicken with lots of vegetables and pineapple.
• Poy Sian. Sauteed 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.
• Can often find a sweet, fat-free chile sauce.
• Try sauces that are made with basil, chiles 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.