Juice Fasting in Thailand
One of the nice things about juicing in Thailand is that fresh fruit and vegetables are easy to come by. The only problem I did find in the beginning was that most of the juicing recipes online are created for people who have access to a western grocery store. I’ve need to do a bit of experimenting in order to create tasty and nutritious juices for my fasts.
My Ingredients for Juice Fasting
Thai Cucumber (แตงกวา /dtaeeng-gwaa)
This is the ingredient that I use the most because it creates a lot of juice. The Thai cucumber tends to be much smaller than the ones found in stores in the west. This vegetable and antioxidant properties, and it is a good source of vitamins A and K – it is also contains a reasonable amount of potassium which is vital for many metabolic functions in the body.
Thai/Chinese Celery (ขึ้นฉ่าย /kheun Chai)
People who juice fast in the west seem to use a lot of celery. I didn’t find this to be practical here because the Thai celery doesn’t have much juice. I stink in a few stalks in every juice. It is sometimes claimed that celery is the world’s healthiest food because it is low-calorie and has anti-inflammatory properties. It is also a reasonably good source of vitamin C.
Carrots (แครอท /Khae rot)
I used tons of carrots the last time I did a juice fast, but I’ve since learned that this meant I was consuming an excessive amount of sugar in my juices in one hit. I’ve cut down to one carrot per liter of juice this time. Carrots are said to contain antioxidants benefits and they are a good source of Vitamin A.
Ginger (ขิง/king)
I add a slice of ginger to every juice. This is meant to be good for blood circulation, and it is meant to help the body fight off mild infections like the cold (very handy now during the Thai rainy season). Ginger is also good for upset stomach which is probably useful when you are drinking liters of juice each day.
Wing Bean (ตัวผู้/tua puu)
It was my wife’s suggestion to add tua puu to my juice. I’m not sure if it makes much difference to taste. Winged beans are said to be a good source of calcium as well as other minerals. I have often seen them on sale in Thai markets, but this is my first time trying them.
Chinese Cabbage (ผักกาดขาว Pak Gaat Khao)
I don’t get much juice out of this Chinese cabbage, but I’m working on the assumption that the more green stuff in there the better. Cabbage is meant to be good for lowering cholesterol and it has antioxidant properties.
Broccoli (บรอกโคลี/brawk-koh-lee)
Broccoli is expensive in Thailand, but I use about one head per batch of juices. This vegetable is packed with a wide range of vegetables and minerals, and it has plenty of great health benefits too.
Tomatoes (มะเขือเทศ /ma-kua-thet)
I read somewhere that it is a good idea to have a good mix of colors when choosing ingredients for a juice. Tomatoes are cheap in Thailand, so I always add a couple to every liter. Tomatoes have anti-inflammatory properties, and they are also said to reduce the risk of heart disease.
Apple (แอปเปิ้ล/aaep-peern)
During my last juice fast I used a lot of fruit, but this time I’m focusing mostly on vegetables. The only exception to this is apples. I already consume about a bag of apples a day, so I’d probably go into withdrawals if I didn’t add them to my juice.
Cost of Juice Fasting in Thailand
It came as a bit of a surprise to find that juicing is actually more expensive than eating standard food – or at least it is in Thailand. The first expense is the juicer. Last year I picked up the Philips HR1861 at Fashion Island in Bangkok for THB 3,600. It is very good at juicing, but the feeder tube breaks too easily. I had to pay an additional 700 THB for a replacement after just two months.
I am now on day six of my juice fast, and up until yesterday I spent 1,800 THB (about 42 Euros or US $56) on fruit and vegetables. I spent another 400 THB on vegetables today. This means that I’m spending about 360 THB (8.50 Euros or US $11) per day. My wife does most of the cooking, but I would say that my meals and snacks usually come to about 250 THB per day – so juicing is a bit more expensive but well worth it.
Other Juice Fasting Related Articles
Rewards of Juice Fasting
Fasting to Beat Food Cravings
From Intermittent Fasting to Juice Feasting
15 Days of Juice Fasting and the Gateway Experience
Almost One Week of Juice Fasting
Blowout on Day 10 of My Juice Fast
Fast Diet Review – Evaluating My Fasting Experience
Keep up the good work Paul. I’m sure you can make it. When I did my juice detox I aimed for 10 days but stopped when I reached a clean 2 weeks. Most people seem to do 7-10 days. For me it changed my life, though more to do with making me stop to think what I put in my mouth. I haven’t had fast food since. I managed to lose 15 kilos and more importantly kept it off. Thanks for all your blogs. They have been inspiring.
Thanks Richard, it is inspiring to hear that you have managed to keep the weight off. I quit my last fast at 10 days, I was aiming for 15, so you are a superhero in my eyes.
Great choice in ingredients! Wow, you are doing great. 🙂
May I recommend you switch from red apples to granny smiths or green apples, they are just as good but with a lower sugar index. If you can get celery, that also goes well with cucumber. Celery has vit. A, B, C and K, minerals, potassium, and magnesium, The star, is its phytonutrients,which is good for your heart.
Hi Angelina, the Thai celery is a bit different than what we get in the west. I should have no problem finding the green apples though.
Paul, you can buy the regular larger celery from Big C and Tesco for about 45 Baht. I use it together with cucumber to make the base and then add something like beetroot or kale.
Hi Richard, I had a look at the Big C here in Rayong, and I couldn’t find any. Maybe I’ll make a trip to Tesco to see if they have any there. I haven’t tried beetroot, I might give that a whirl as well.