Isaan Food - The World's Healthiest?

**Cujo** · 19-10-2011, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by Airportwo

Originally Posted by alwarner

the teeth could be down to fluoride in the water maybe?

Maybe she was lucky enough to have had NO fluoride in water?

Originally Posted by Airportwo

"Is the water your drinking killing you? It is if it's fluoridated! Drink Natural spring water instead. You can usually buy a gallon for under a dollar. Make sure there is no fluoride in it! Also, don't use regular toothpaste (it contains around 1,000 ppm of fluoride). They even tell you on the side of the toothpaste tube to "contact a poison control center immediately" if you swallow your toothpaste."

What a load or paranoid conspiracy nonsense.

They even tell you on the side of the toothpaste tube to "contact a poison control center immediately" if you swallow your toothpaste."

Um, I just looked and guess what.
No they don't..

**ltnt** · 19-10-2011, 02:33 PM

Keep up the history and cultural lesson by all means. Good stuff.

Originally Posted by Borey the Bald

(May be continued – if there is interest)

**ltnt** · 19-10-2011, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by Latindancer

#3 (permalink) Latindancer 3 Pagoda Pass Latindancer's Avatar Last Online: Yesterday 09:17 PM Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Australia/Thailand Posts: 594 Latindancer Thailand ExpatLatindancer Thailand ExpatLatindancer Thailand ExpatLatindancer Thailand ExpatLatindancer Thailand ExpatLatindancer Thailand ExpatLatindancer Thailand ExpatLatindancer Thailand ExpatLatindancer Thailand ExpatLatindancer Thailand ExpatLatindancer Thailand Expat The wife and I just took a big avocado to Isaan but her parents didn't like it

Try adding chilies and Tabasco sauce, onions and perhaps some salt and pepper. If you're really trying to impress, Nam pla will wake them up.

**ltnt** · 19-10-2011, 02:50 PM

Originally Posted by Borey the Bald

Having just finished a two-year-long camping trip to Vietnam,

Perhaps the "five star rating," was due to the lack of black PJ's and beetle mouthed old ladies squatting along the rows of shade trees. Issan, RVN not to much different in 72 I suspect.

**Borey the Bald** · 19-10-2011, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by BugginOut

Originally Posted by Borey the Bald

I have to wonder why, after all these years together and eating similar diets, she is still a fine looking 115 lbs, and I am a rather typical overweight pile of blubber.

How much beer do you drink? I've lost 10 kilos since I cut it out.

Like to drink a glass of beer with my meals, but that's about it. Cutting back hasn't effected my weight.
I do keep a bottle of quality Nicaraguan rum on hand for medicinal uses.

**Cujo** · 19-10-2011, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by Borey the Bald

Originally Posted by BugginOut

Originally Posted by Borey the Bald

I have to wonder why, after all these years together and eating similar diets, she is still a fine looking 115 lbs, and I am a rather typical overweight pile of blubber.

How much beer do you drink? I've lost 10 kilos since I cut it out.

Like to drink a glass of beer with my meals,

**Borey the Bald** · 19-10-2011, 03:57 PM

Originally Posted by alwarner

^although.....

Fluoride in Drinking Water

Fluoride, a naturally occurring element, exists in combination with other elements as a fluoride compound and is found as a constituent of minerals in rocks and soil. When water passes through and over the soil and rock formations containing fluoride it dissolves these compounds, resulting in the small amounts of soluble fluoride present in virtually all water sources.

not sure on levels occurring in water with regards to pimping teeth.

About the only water used for drinking was rain water. A possible source of fluoride would be from their salt, which was locally produced and known to contain many elements beside salt.

**kmart** · 19-10-2011, 04:12 PM

Dunno about Esarn food being the world's healthiest. The region has the rep of having some of the world's highest incidents of liver flukes / cancers, due to the raw fish and meat consumed there.
I know of this because 2 of my staff at work have unfortunately died of liver failure recently (within the last three years). They did have lovely teeth though.

http://www.healthysexuallife.com/News/view/id-566

**aging one** · 19-10-2011, 04:33 PM

Lots of small kids, lots of small people. You got lucky with your wife and her health mate.
Dont get me wrong I love grilled chicken, the lahbs, the nam toks, the som toms but draw the line at fermented fish mixed with chilies and other shit and then eaten with leaves and stems of unidentifiable trees and plants.

I am happy they can survive and be among the happiest people I have ever met. But could not live on their diet. the last word I do prefer sticky rice to the plain old white rice.

**Bettyboo** · 19-10-2011, 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by Borey the Bald

Isaan Food - The World's Healthiest?

Very far from the truth I'm afraid...

A friend of mine (not too close as he's a PAD nutter...) is the head stomach doctor (yes, he has a fancy name which I cannot remember...) at Sirriraj - he tells me that Issan food is extremely unhealthy and the mortality rate (due to cancer) is some of the highest in the world; reasons: pesticides mostly (he doesn't eat Thai fruit at all unless he knows the organic farm it comes from...), and the river crabs and shrimp that eat all the pesticides at the bottom of the river before being put into Somtam. There are no end of Issanites dying in their early thirties (sometimes younger) from stomach cancers brought on from their diet.

Healthy 30+ years ago? Maybe. Now? Certainly not...

**alwarner** · 19-10-2011, 05:04 PM

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

Originally Posted by Borey the Bald

Isaan Food - The World's Healthiest?

Very far from the truth I'm afraid...

A friend of mine (not too close as he's a PAD nutter...) is the head stomach doctor (yes, he has a fancy name which I cannot remember...) at Sirriraj - he tells me that Issan food is extremely unhealthy and the mortality rate (due to cancer) is some of the highest in the world; reasons: pesticides mostly (he doesn't eat Thai fruit at all unless he knows the organic farm it comes from...), and the river crabs and shrimp that eat all the pesticides at the bottom of the river before being put into Somtam. There are no end of Issanites dying in their early thirties (sometimes younger) from stomach cancers brought on from their diet.

Healthy 30+ years ago? Maybe. Now? Certainly not...

Not to mention the alcohol.

**Borey the Bald** · 19-10-2011, 05:09 PM

Originally Posted by sabang

Originally Posted by Aussie Tigger

copious amounts of sugar in most of their daily intake.

Sadly, that is something that has changed in Isaan too. We have a tiny shop, and sweet things for the kids (usually) are our biggest 'line', besides lao khao and beer.

The traditional isaan style of eating is basically very healthy- a meal comes with a selection of veges, usually raw. As far as meat goes, it's anything and everything- an isaanite is just as happy munching on offal or fat as what we would term prime steak, just as happy with paddy rat as pork. They like the seasonal variety too- early rainy season is mushroom time, after the rice harvest paddy rat, insects are one of the healthiest sources of protein- "Meng gi noon' a particularly relished beetle, as dry season approaches ponds are drained, and are a rich source of fish and frogs. I doubt that vile fermented plah raa is healthy though.

Party time in the village.

Years ago, sweets were a rarity (a real treat). Normally just a mixture of sweet rice, palm sugar and coconut milk.
The increased drinking is, to me, the most depressing and unhealthy change. It reminds me of the American Indians - my grandmother was an Ojibwa Indian from northern Minnesota - and their increasing use of alcohol is easily the biggest problem in their communities. Their cultures (American Indian and Isaan), have many similarities, and their reactions to modern life appears to be similar. Years ago, people worked hard for long hours just to put food on the table. After work was done, they could party hard. Now, there is a large segment of the population that start the day with a glass of lao khao, and continue throughout the day.

**Borey the Bald** · 19-10-2011, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

Originally Posted by Borey the Bald

Isaan Food - The World's Healthiest?

Very far from the truth I'm afraid...

A friend of mine (not too close as he's a PAD nutter...) is the head stomach doctor (yes, he has a fancy name which I cannot remember...) at Sirriraj - he tells me that Issan food is extremely unhealthy and the mortality rate (due to cancer) is some of the highest in the world; reasons: pesticides mostly (he doesn't eat Thai fruit at all unless he knows the organic farm it comes from...), and the river crabs and shrimp that eat all the pesticides at the bottom of the river before being put into Somtam. There are no end of Issanites dying in their early thirties (sometimes younger) from stomach cancers brought on from their diet.

Healthy 30+ years ago? Maybe. Now? Certainly not...

I agree that Isaan farmers' "what you can't see won't hurt you" technique for using pesticides is extremely dangerous. My hope, when I move back next year, is to set up a small organic farming operation. That's the direction we must move or our kids and grandkids will end up living less healthy and far shorter lives. Even here in the US I mostly eat organic fruits and vegetables. It is clear to me that the US Food and Drug Administration and Department of Agriculture have made the decision that cheap food is more important than safe food. They allow a whole range of chemical additives and preservatives to be put on foods, with no disclosure required.
As an example, if I eat mushrooms (even Campbell's mushroom soup) here in the US, I develop symptoms like a severe asthma attack. But I have no reaction to mushrooms when in Europe or Asia.

**Borey the Bald** · 19-10-2011, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by superman

Originally Posted by Borey the Bald

is still in better condition than the typical 25 year old American female

Well that wouldn't be hard, would it ?

Yesterday, I was hanging around the mall waiting for the wife, ogling the passing females. A couple were stunning, but most, even those apparently under 20 years old, looked chunky and unhealthy. If I were a young man, I would be most depressed at the prospects.

**Borey the Bald** · 19-10-2011, 06:05 PM

Originally Posted by Latindancer

The wife and I just took a big avocado to Isaan but her parents didn't like it, despite our serving it on tasty rice crackers and with pesto garnishing. I then realized they are not used to eating fatty food so have never developed the taste for it.
Strangely, the wife loves avocado .....especially in slices of capsicum.

Also strangely, considering what she is capable of eating, my wifes thinks avocados are disgusting. I personally love them, on toast with some sardines.

**aging one** · 19-10-2011, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by Borey the Bald

avocados

Guacamole would change her mind, Mexican nam prick eaten with corn tortilla chips, having some tonight. God know why by they were on sale at Foodland for 30 baht each. Tacos and that for dinner.

**Borey the Bald** · 19-10-2011, 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by kmart

Dunno about Esarn food being the world's healthiest. The region has the rep of having some of the world's highest incidents of liver flukes / cancers, due to the raw fish and meat consumed there.
I know of this because 2 of my staff at work have unfortunately died of liver failure recently (within the last three years). They did have lovely teeth though.

Udon Thani has highest rate of liver-fluke cancer in world- healthysexuallife.com

When that study was published (last year?) about fish parasites causing cancer, I asked the wife about eating raw fish, as I couldn't remember ever eating it. She said some people did, but not her family.
I don't consider fermented fish to be raw. Besides, no organism can survive in the stuff, as can be shown by the dead cockroaches and ants floating in it.

**sabang** · 19-10-2011, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by kmart

some of the world's highest incidents of liver flukes / cancers

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

reasons: pesticides mostly

I think the high incidence of liver & stomach cancer in Isaan is more a result of copious amounts of lao khao and plah raa than pesticides.

**Borey the Bald** · 19-10-2011, 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by aging one

Originally Posted by Borey the Bald

avocados

Guacamole would change her mind, Mexican nam prick eaten with corn tortilla chips, having some tonight. God know why by they were on sale at Foodland for 30 baht each. Tacos and that for dinner.

Unfortunately, after taking the Old Lady to a few Mexican restaurants, she has decided "no more Mexican food!". The problem is, I believe, the Mexican love affair with cheese and beans. I do occasionally sneak out for a taco fix.

**Borey the Bald** · 19-10-2011, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by sabang

Originally Posted by kmart

some of the world's highest incidents of liver flukes / cancers

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

reasons: pesticides mostly

I think the high incidence of liver & stomach cancer in Isaan is more a result of copious amounts of lao khao and plah raa than pesticides.

It certainly would be interesting to get a chemical analysis of lao khao, considering the volume that is consumed. But I assume there are many local distilleries, so what you get is a "crap shoot".

**pescator** · 19-10-2011, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by kmart

Dunno about Esarn food being the world's healthiest. The region has the rep of having some of the world's highest incidents of liver flukes / cancers, due to the raw fish and meat consumed there.
I know of this because 2 of my staff at work have unfortunately died of liver failure recently (within the last three years). They did have lovely teeth though.

Udon Thani has highest rate of liver-fluke cancer in world- healthysexuallife.com

True, the lake in Sakon the Nong Han is infested with liver flukes.

When I first visited Sakon in 1992, I noticed large billboards with the text: Khon Isan mai gin aharn dip.

Isan people dont eat raw fish.

In a government led attemp to discourage the locals from eating raw fish.

The local term for liver flukes is not exactly very accurate and could defintely be misunderstood: หอยคัน

**Rural Surin** · 19-10-2011, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by sabang

Originally Posted by kmart

some of the world's highest incidents of liver flukes / cancers

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

reasons: pesticides mostly

I think the high incidence of liver & stomach cancer in Isaan is more a result of copious amounts of lao khao and plah raa than pesticides.

Yes, I would take this stand of agreement.
Certainly, the modern commercial lao khao is quite destructive to one's health.

**Borey the Bald** · 19-10-2011, 07:22 PM

The harsh environment dictated how foods were prepared. There was no electricity in the town yet, so no refrigeration or lights. Coleman style lanterns were used for light, but this was a luxury because of the cost of the fuel. About 8 PM, when the sun went down, they went to bed and made babies. Then by about 4 AM in the cool of the morning, men were out in the dark working, and women were making breakfast. The charcoal fire was started to cook the rice that had been soaking overnight. Even use of charcoal, though, was kept to a minimum, because it was time consuming and labor intensive to make the charcoal. Rice had to be cooked on it, but other foods were only cooked if absolutely necessary, and then only minimally.

Locally produced salt was used to preserve food, not necessarily to add flavor. Interestingly, the salt is pumped out of the ground as a mineral rich brine solution, then dried in the same manner as sea salt. The biggest use of salt was the production of pla dek (fish fermented in salt brine). This mixture, which is left to ferment months before using, has a shelf life of eternity. My wife has been using the same jar for years. After each use (of the juice) she tops the jar off with nam pla (fish sauce). I suppose a true connoisseur (perhaps like Monsieur Som Tam Slap) would label the jar with vintage year and variety (of fish). I would like to point out to skeptics that 40 years of eating her ferment fish hasn't killed me, yet.

As sunshine is plentiful and free, drying fish or meat was the most often used method of preservation. Fish tend to be caught in large quantities over short periods of time, so consuming them all fresh was not an option. Some excess fish were bartered, but most needed to be preserved, and they had only a limited number of containers for fermenting fish. Drying them in the sun was the best they could do, so they could be eaten over the dry season.

Beef tended to be sun-dried for similar reasons. If a buffalo needed to be slaughtered, (ie, it had dropped dead in the field from old age), some of the meat would be used fresh or bartered. But with 1000 lbs of flesh laying there rotting, the obvious solution was to make jerky.

**Lorenzo** · 19-10-2011, 10:31 PM

Originally Posted by Borey the Bald

Isaan Food – The Healthiest in the World?

All fried Thai food is unhealthy, about the same as eating McDonalds french fries maybe worse. Some soups are healthy (i.e. low mai) depending on how they are made.

As a very large percentage of Thai food is fried it is unhealthy. It tastes dam good but is not healthy food to eat. Indian food and Japanese food are 100 times more healthy than Thai food.

**Borey the Bald** · 20-10-2011, 12:42 AM

^Isaan food is really not at all similar to Thai food. It is rarely fried or deep fried. Stir fried meals are not part of traditional Isaan cuisine. You would have a better chance of being served meat "cooked" in lime juice than fried with oil.

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