Specific Foods

[TomTom55]

Hey all, I have another random request. I have not checked the villa market personally and I have yet to see them in Tesco, but do any of you guys know where one could purchase some blueberries? On top of that watercress? I am starting to change up my diet and I have been eating your standard pat-pak gai or pid-geng moo for 3 years now, I do eat fruit from time to time. I was wondering where some of these items could be bought. I ask about blueberries and watercress because most people do not know the amount of goodness they actually contain, they are super foods. Any advice fellow expats?

[Dannie Boy]

Hey all, I have another random request. I have not checked the villa market personally and I have yet to see them in Tesco, but do any of you guys know where one could purchase some blueberries? On top of that watercress? I am starting to change up my diet and I have been eating your standard pat-pak gai or pid-geng moo for 3 years now, I do eat fruit from time to time. I was wondering where some of these items could be bought. I ask about blueberries and watercress because most people do not know the amount of goodness they actually contain, they are super foods. Any advice fellow expats?

I have seen blueberries in VM before and whilst I can't remember the price, it did strike me as very expensive - even for a super food!! Not sure about watercress, but worth giving VM a look if you go there for the blueberries. Obviously not quite as good, but you can buy frozen blueberries at Makro and no doubt elsewhere.

[TomTom55]

Cheers Dannie, I would have expected that blueberries would be expensive, I have never seen watercress in Thailand though. I know this isn't on all of our minds, but any tips on things to eat and changing up your diet to accommodate for such things? I don't wish to take multivitamins as I do not like the idea of it being not natural, I will still eat at least one rice meal a day though because if I don't I literally feel as if I have been sapped of all energy.

[Dannie Boy]

I don't think it's any different here in Thailand as it is anywhere else and the basic principle of eating a varied and balanced diet is the "secret". I always start the day with fresh fruit, normally a mixture of pineapple and pomelo and sometimes some grapes. Keep it cold in the fridge and add a bit of fresh orange juice to moisten it up. It's also easy to eat lots of vegetables either in stir fries or steamed with meat and potatoes. No problem with eating rice or pasta on a regular basis, but add some salads into your diet and you shouldn't go far wrong!!

[TomTom55]

I don't think it's any different here in Thailand as it is anywhere else and the basic principle of eating a varied and balanced diet is the "secret". I always start the day with fresh fruit, normally a mixture of pineapple and pomelo and sometimes some grapes. Keep it cold in the fridge and add a bit of fresh orange juice to moisten it up. It's also easy to eat lots of vegetables either in stir fries or steamed with meat and potatoes. No problem with eating rice or pasta on a regular basis, but add some salads into your diet and you shouldn't go far wrong!!

Yea I have been meaning to get more fruit into my diet, the vegetable side of things is ok as I normally eat pat-pak gai daily, you know steamed rice with fried vegetables and chicken. You soak your fruit in orange juice in the fridge? I have never heard of that being done before, thanks for the tip. I was also considering grains, I know sunflower seeds and things like that are sold in 7/11 really cheaply, but that is all I know at the moment tbh.

[Dannie Boy]

Re the fruit, what I do is cut it up into bite size pieces, put it into a covered container (glass or plastic) and add some orange juice to keep it moist. Kept in a fridge it will last 4-5 days and still be good to eat.

[margaretcarnes]

If you can find the seed it should be easy to grow your own watercress. There's a couple of seed shops on Chomsin Rd between Petkasem and the rail crossing, on the same side as ChatChai Market.
Blueberries are expensive in the UK as well, probably on account of their 'superfood' status. What HH does have is a huge range of fruit and vegetable juices (although I've never checked the sugar/sodium contents) and of course some great fresh fruits.
Asparagus is very cheap, and mooli (Chinese radish) very good eaten raw in salads.
As well as Villa it might be worth taking a look in Golden Place for more 'farang' type fruit etc and perhaps also the mixed edible seeds.

[JW]

You can buy Goji berries in macro along with some other bits that might be what your looking for. Macro also has micro biotic yoghurt which is great stuff, like Kefir but without the hassle of harvesting it every 12hrs1

[TomTom55]

If you can find the seed it should be easy to grow your own watercress. There's a couple of seed shops on Chomsin Rd between Petkasem and the rail crossing, on the same side as ChatChai Market.
Blueberries are expensive in the UK as well, probably on account of their 'superfood' status. What HH does have is a huge range of fruit and vegetable juices (although I've never checked the sugar/sodium contents) and of course some great fresh fruits.
Asparagus is very cheap, and mooli (Chinese radish) very good eaten raw in salads.
As well as Villa it might be worth taking a look in Golden Place for more 'farang' type fruit etc and perhaps also the mixed edible seeds.

Thanks for the replies so far people, much appreciated. If anybody happens to be stopping by in the Villa Market could they do a check on the price of blueberries if they wouldn't mind ^^
I probably won't grow watercress myself as I would need a lot to grow to consume, the stuff grows quickly though (thank you primary school days), but I probably would need to grow a lot. The asparagus idea is a good one though

[TomTom55]

You can buy Goji berries in macro along with some other bits that might be what your looking for. Macro also has micro biotic yoghurt which is great stuff, like Kefir but without the hassle of harvesting it every 12hrs1

Looks like I may have to take a trip down to soi 4 and see what macro has to offer, I haven't actually ever been to that place, I have been to the hospital just off of soi 10 a few times though

[Gregjam]

Bought some blue berries in Villa this morning. Small tray was 150 baht. Didn't see any watercress but was not looking and they may well have had them as there was a large selection of local and imported fresh fruit and veg.

[TomTom55]

Bought some blue berries in Villa this morning. Small tray was 150 baht. Didn't see any watercress but was not looking and they may well have had them as there was a large selection of local and imported fresh fruit and veg.

Oh cool thank you very much Gregjam, can you take a photograph of this small tray or describe what kind of portion it would serve? I am asking a lot I know, do they have other size trays or just the ones you came across?

[MrPlum]

My first question would be, what are you trying to achieve? Do you have a specific health issue? Is it just weight loss? Do you have any mineral or vitamin deficiencies or are you just seeking to clean up your diet?

It is always best to eat fresh, local fruits that are in season, rather than imported fruits that may have been picked a week or more before they reach Villa Market. There is no need to be paying for imported fruits when local is freely available and highly nutritious. Mangosteen, Pineapple, Papaya, oranges, banana. Nearly-ripe mango and papaya are highly nutritious. Noni is available locally and I'd argue much better for you than blueberries.

Sprouts are 5 baht a bag, in most markets, or sprout your own grains. It is easy to do.

Anything the supermarkets offer needs to be checked. Fruit imported from US or China are, IMO, only fit to feed pigs. Apples are cheap, over-sprayed, tasteless pulp, grown in deficient soil.

When changing your diet you need to understand what metabolic type you are, then eat accordingly. Doing it in an uninformed manner may not produce the benefits you seek. The idea that you can just buy one or two 'superfoods' and it's 'job done' is seductive but unrealistic. It can take 3 months before the effects of dietary changes kick in and if you are still eating a lot of garbage, you are undermining your efforts, so you must rid yourself of the rubbish first. A chip butty in one hand and a stick of celery in the other, doesn't work.

Forget the blueberries and invest in a decent juicer, then juice a variety of fruits and vegetables and you will have all the nutrients you need in abundance.

I'm not suggesting you follow it but this is my morning shake...

1 Tblspn Almond powder
1 Tblspn cold-pressed, organic coconut oil
1 Tblspn Flax seeds
1 lb fresh Papaya
1 Tblspn Unsweetened Yoghurt
Fresh ginger water

The almond powder is packed with minerals. The oils contain linoeic acid and omega 3. The yoghurt has beneficial bacteria. The ginger adds a nice taste and has a warming energy, helping move the nutrients around the body. The Papaya is high in Vit C and is packed with digestive enzymes.

Mango and Banana or Banana and Pineapple, also taste great. Take out the flax seeds if you want to impress visitors.

Just as important as nutrition is exercise.

If you rest, you rust!

[TomTom55]

My first question would be, what are you trying to achieve? Do you have a specific health issue? Is it just weight loss? Do you have any mineral or vitamin deficiencies or are you just seeking to clean up your diet?

It is always best to eat fresh, local fruits that are in season, rather than imported fruits that may have been picked a week or more before they reach Villa Market. There is no need to be paying for imported fruits when local is freely available and highly nutritious. Mangosteen, Pineapple, Papaya, oranges, banana. Nearly-ripe mango and papaya are highly nutritious. Noni is available locally and I'd argue much better for you than blueberries.

Sprouts are 5 baht a bag, in most markets, or sprout your own grains. It is easy to do.

Anything the supermarkets offer needs to be checked. Fruit imported from US or China are, IMO, only fit to feed pigs. Apples are cheap, over-sprayed, tasteless pulp, grown in deficient soil.

When changing your diet you need to understand what metabolic type you are, then eat accordingly. Doing it in an uninformed manner may not produce the benefits you seek. The idea that you can just buy one or two 'superfoods' and it's 'job done' is seductive but unrealistic. It can take 3 months before the effects of dietary changes kick in and if you are still eating a lot of garbage, you are undermining your efforts, so you must rid yourself of the rubbish first. A chip butty in one hand and a stick of celery in the other, doesn't work.

Forget the blueberries and invest in a decent juicer, then juice a variety of fruits and vegetables and you will have all the nutrients you need in abundance.

I'm not suggesting you follow it but this is my morning shake...

1 Tblspn Almond powder
1 Tblspn cold-pressed, organic coconut oil
1 Tblspn Flax seeds
1 lb fresh Papaya
1 Tblspn Unsweetened Yoghurt
Fresh ginger water

The almond powder is packed with minerals. The oils contain linoeic acid and omega 3. The yoghurt has beneficial bacteria. The ginger adds a nice taste and has a warming energy, helping move the nutrients around the body. The Papaya is high in Vit C and is packed with digestive enzymes.

Mango and Banana or Banana and Pineapple, also taste great. Take out the flax seeds if you want to impress visitors.

Just as important as nutrition is exercise.

If you rest, you rust!

Well I am just wanting to improve on my diet basically, maybe try to lose a little weight. I am 181cm tall and weigh in at 78KG last time I checked. I have cut alcohol right down to special occasions whereas before I would be consuming maybe 40-50units a week. I am not too sure about my metabolism, I don't seem to put on weight easily.

I am aware about exercise and routines, pre workout meal and post workout meal etc because before I have worked out to get rid of a little beer belly that I had obtained. I don't seem to put on weight anywhere else apart from my belly and a little on my face. It took three months of 15 minutes cardio and 45 minutes weight lifting 3 times a week to get a toned body which is what I would ultimately like to have.

I have just noticed that my diet is not balanced, I don't eat garbage but the main source of my problem was alcohol, so that is the first to be cut right down. I need to start eating more fruit again and get everything balanced out diet wise.

Thanks for your input, I may invest in a juicer and make myself some shakes. What is wrong with ripe mango's by the way? I don't like the taste of unripe mango's, bleh.

[Dannie Boy]

I don't know what age you are but at 181 cms and 76 kg, I would doubt that you need to lose any weight.

You asked one of the posters to take a photo of a tray of blueberries - are you joking? Why don't you get down to VM and see what they have on offer.