Thai must use less sugar
The Thai Ministry of Health has launched a campaign to encourage Thai people to consume less sugar.
Tianchai Suwanpen, adviser to the deputy health minister, said on Tuesday that a key message from the campaign is that people should not consume more than 25 grams or six teaspoons of sugar per day.
This comes after a report showed that many Thais consume too much sugar.
Statistics from 2017 to 2019 show that Thais, especially those who work, consumed 2,5-2,6 metric tons of sugar per year, which is equivalent to 25 teaspoons per day.
As part of the campaign, the Ministry of Health has called on beverage companies to reduce the amount of sugar in their sweet drinks from the current 6% to 5% per serving size.
The health dangers of sugar
Eating too much sugar can be harmful to our health for several reasons. First, sugar can lead to weight gain and obesity, which can lead to a variety of health problems, including high blood pressure and heart disease. Second, sugar can raise our blood sugar levels. Excessive consumption of sugar can lead to insulin resistance and eventually type 2 diabetes.
In addition, sugar can cause tooth decay because the bacteria in our mouths feed on sugar and produce acids that damage our teeth. Untreated tooth decay can lead to tooth loss.
Finally, sugar can be addictive because it activates our reward system in the brain and makes us feel good. Consuming too much sugar can lead to the need for more and more sugary foods and drinks, this is a form of sugar addiction.
It is therefore important to limit our sugar intake and opt for healthier foods and drinks. In this way we can reduce the chance of developing health problems.
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Known as Khun Peter (62), lives alternately in Apeldoorn and Pattaya. In a relationship with Kanchana for 14 years. Not yet retired, have my own company, something with insurance. Crazy about animals, especially dogs and music.
Enough hobbies, but unfortunately little time: writing for Thailandblog, fitness, health and nutrition, shooting sports, chatting with friends and some other oddities.
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Earlier this month, Thai media reported why people use so much sugar and neighboring countries use less. In short, the large sugar processors used their network in the government to promote this white stuff to the citizens as being healthy, etc. and thus stimulate sales. Checkout.
I have to be honest, I have never seen 'advertisements' or anything here in Thailand claiming that sugar is healthy. I'd like to see some examples of that.
We're talking about the 60's and 70's here. See for example:
https://www.thaienquirer.com/48418/why-do-thais-put-sugar-in-our-noodles/
We are talking about 2 generations back, promotion in a time where there was no mass media, large scale reading of newspapers, no TV etc. Come on, always blaming the government for everything. There is a series of jars on the table and the Thai sprinkle something on the food as desired. Soon you will tell here that the Thai government is guilty of eating noodles, after all, it is not very nutritious, contains no vegetables, no proteins and more, just filling the stomach, which is too sweet, too salty, too spicy. Or that the plastic chairs are not good for sitting, kitchen utensils are not clean, water is not sterile, so you can invent thousands of things that the government is guilty of, conspiracy thinking and blame the government in everything.
Conspiracy? Thai Enquirer literally mentions it in their video: end of WW2, export of rice and sugar (and other cash crops, but I understand that they omit details in a short video), sugar prices fell, producers are looking for a new market. And as it goes, the big boys lobby with friends in politics, all the way in network country Thailand and then came the promotion of sugar. To quote Thai Enquirer: “sugar prices fell in the 60s and 70s, and the government began a propaganda campaign to increase domestic consumption of sugar. Sayings and slogans were developed to promote the consumption of sugar (..) so the Thai government introduced propaganda campaigns saying that sugar was a healthy food”.
No conspiracy, that's how the capitalist world works, after all, money has to be raked in. Once sugar was embraced by Somchai, sugar had conquered its place in the Thai diet and we can still see that generous use of sugar to this day. Now the government is coming to its senses and says that the sugar can be reduced a notch. Fine.
Dear Rob V., you are going crazy about capitalism.
In that period money had to be made and the poor farmers were given an opportunity to earn baht. What would they have done if sugar wasn't a trade?
Milk is also such a product that can be questioned and so are all types of cheese.
Dear Johnny,
You are absolutely right that dairy is also one of those products that has been over-promoted over the years. Just like sugar, dairy also has its downside and it is important to consume it in moderation.
It is interesting to consider why dairy has been promoted so strongly. On the one hand, this may have to do with the recommendations from the government and the Wheel of Five, in which dairy is mentioned as an important source of calcium and other nutrients. On the other hand, market forces also play a role, with dairy producers having an interest in selling their products as much as possible.
It is important to keep a critical eye on the promotion of foods and to realize that there are other ways to get our nutrients. In addition, it is good to focus on a varied and balanced diet, in which we are not dependent on one particular product.
Thanks for your response and insights!
Yours faithfully,
ChatGPT Rob
NB: manual addition. Briefly in his own words: I believe that Lubach (?) had an item about the fact that dairy is actually promoted too much in the Netherlands and is too prominently present in the Wheel of Five. What we considered normal food after WW2 has passed from one generation to the next and is still being promoted by the government and the market. In this way, the ball automatically rolls on with copying behavior. A little less is fine. You don't hear me shouting that we should do a sugar ban or something like that. But anyone who looks around Thailand will have to admit that they have been a bit too generous with sugar in recent decades. Those farmers will find something else to do, such as keeping or growing.
Yes dear Rob, now with both feet on the floor again and tell yourself how long ago that story was, do you really think that someone will remember that and continue to tell each other that fairy tale from generation to generation. Every blah blah of the government is forgotten after a day or so, because day in and day out something is told by the government, communicated and nothing of all that sticks. Whoever eats his bowl of noodles will care what others say, they look at what is on the table and sprinkle it on their plate according to taste, including the sugar that this story is about.
The question then is: was it known in the 60s/70s that a lot of sugar is so bad? I think that insight has only really taken hold in the last few decades.
Exactly a century ago people started giving insulin to diabetic patients. And already 5500 years ago the Egyptians had a diet for those who experienced the consequences of a disturbed sugar situation in the body. So nothing new, but the wheel just has to be reinvented every year, actually this requires permanent information because new people are constantly being added who need to be informed. But the nature is also important, awareness to realize why something, such as sugar, is not good for a person. Smoking, alcohol, little exercise, eating vegetables, a varied diet, relaxation and no stress and also exertion (physical and mental), (a lot of) reading, fruit, sun, but not too much but not too little, unsprayed food, clothing and stuff without harmful substances, no quarreling… just a few things that are good for your health and actually require permanent information.
You (rightly) pull it wider than sugar. Far too little attention is paid to all these matters. The government should pursue a much more active policy in this regard. Then patronize. With healthcare costs spiraling out of control, this is simply necessary. When I walk from my house through the center to the station, I come across about 25 fast food outlets and 1 greengrocer. That says enough about how difficult this problem is to combat.
Sugar is essential to life.
Yes, too much is always bad, be it salt or sugar etc.
I would hope that people will orient themselves better and not be guided by FB or any other HOAX madness.
How many people know that eating bread is nothing but eating sugar.
This better orientation starts with investigating for yourself what is in bread: carbohydrates = sugars: 40% (wholemeal bread) to 50% with white bread, 40% water and the rest are fibres, vitamins and minerals. And it is precisely those fibers, vitamins and minerals that are important, bread contains more than just sugar.
Oh ronald, do you really mean that? Maybe you've never heard of healthy bread?
I bake my bread myself and there is no sugar in it. In Thailand you can also buy “better” bread in many places.
If you claim that bread is nothing but sugar then I agree 100% that the internet is full of hoax stories, and this is one of them.
Bread and especially white bread contain a lot of carbohydrates, just like sugar. It's not that carbohydrates alone make you fat, but consuming too many carbohydrates can contribute to weight gain. This happens when you take in more calories (energy) than your body expends. Carbohydrates are one of the main sources of calories in food, next to proteins and fats.
If you eat too many carbohydrates, especially in the form of simple carbohydrates such as sugar and refined grains, your body can store the excess energy as fat. In addition, simple carbohydrates can cause your blood sugar to rise and fall rapidly, leading to feelings of hunger and possibly consuming more calories.
There is still much work to be done. In February I was on a school day where the children had to do all kinds of competitions where they were always rewarded with all kinds of sweets and soft drinks. There was even a competition to eat candy the fastest.
After all the games, all children were allowed to pass long tables with a large plastic bag where donors handed out bags of chips and all kinds of brightly colored junk to snack on. That day, those children ate a multiple of 25 spoons of sugar.
When I made a critical remark about it, they thought I was a nitpicker. There is really no awareness about healthy food yet.
I find it amazing where sugar is used in cooking in Thai cuisine. Sugar goes in almost all menus while I don't think it's necessary at all. Eg sugar in the khao pad (nasi).
I am always amazed at how many obese people I see among the Thai population. Not only the sugar, but the rise of fast food is partly the cause of this.
If the population eats something less healthy, this does not have to be a disaster. But the lack of movement is a big problem. I don't see many Thai people actively participating in sports, apart from a few exceptions. Understandable on the one hand, once they have left school they go to work, many hours a day and usually 6 days a week. There is no longer much energy and desire to exercise, not to mention the climate.
I also have a sweet tooth, not ideal at my age. However, I do sports EVERY day, which keeps the excess calories under control. A little sugar won't hurt. On the contrary, our body cannot do without it. Movement, on the other hand, is good for everything. Staying stuck in the seat with the necessary alcohol, I thank you for that. Schol 🙂
Dear Geert,
Fortunately, you speak for yourself. Be happy that you can exercise every day.
Many Farang, retired and fairly advanced in age, still struggle to get out of their seats. Let alone that they can still do sports. Let those people enjoy it while they still can.
Your comment doesn't really fit into this thread. This is about the Thai and the use of sugar. I don't understand why you give your own people a blow out of the pan.