Thai keto guide
Navigable
Keto friendliness
Adapting Thai cuisine for keto is possible but requires constant vigilance for hidden sugars and starches in sauces, and necessitates specific modification requests.
Top ingredients
Excellent traditional keto ingredients include coconut milk, various meats and seafood, non-starchy vegetables, and fresh herbs like basil and cilantro.
Danger zones
The primary carb traps are pervasive added sugar in almost all sauces and curries, rice, noodles, and starchy thickeners found in many popular dishes like Pad Thai and curries.
Best for
This cuisine is best suited for experienced keto dieters who are adept at custom ordering and understand ingredient sourcing, or for home cooks.
What to drink
Drinks you will see at Thai restaurants, cafés and stalls, rated the same way as the food.
Order these
- KetoHot Black Coffee กาแฟดำร้อน (kafae dam ron) · 1g net carbs as usually served
- Ask firstFresh Young Coconut มะพร้าวน้ำหอม (maprao nam hom) · 8g net carbs as usually servedDrink half and eat the soft flesh with a spoon.
- Ask firstOliang (Thai Black Iced Coffee) โอเลี้ยง (oliang) · 20g net carbs as usually servedSay 'mai sai nam tan' (no sugar) or 'mai wan' (not sweet). 'Wan noi' only means less sweet.
- Ask firstLemongrass Pandan Drink น้ำตะไคร้ใบเตย (nam takrai bai toey) · 20g net carbs as usually servedSay 'mai sai nam tan' (no sugar) or 'mai wan' (not sweet). 'Wan noi' only means less sweet. Often premade sweet, so check first.
- Ask firstIced Black Tea ชาดำเย็น (cha dam yen) · 25g net carbs as usually servedSay 'mai sai nam tan' (no sugar) or 'mai wan' (not sweet). 'Wan noi' only means less sweet.
- Ask firstLimeade น้ำมะนาว (nam manao) · 25g net carbs as usually servedSay 'mai sai nam tan' (no sugar) or 'mai wan' (not sweet). 'Wan noi' only means less sweet. Or ask for soda water with fresh lime (soda manao mai sai nam tan).
- Ask firstButterfly Pea Lemonade น้ำอัญชันมะนาว (nam anchan manao) · 25g net carbs as usually servedSay 'mai sai nam tan' (no sugar) or 'mai wan' (not sweet). 'Wan noi' only means less sweet.
- Ask firstLime Iced Tea ชามะนาว (cha manao) · 30g net carbs as usually servedSay 'mai sai nam tan' (no sugar) or 'mai wan' (not sweet). 'Wan noi' only means less sweet. Some stalls premix it, so it may not be possible.
Skip these
- SkipThai Energy Drink (small bottle) เครื่องดื่มชูกำลัง (kreung deum chu kamlang) · 15g net carbs as usually servedSkip this, order sugar-free energy drink instead.
- SkipBael Fruit Drink น้ำมะตูม (nam matoom) · 25g net carbs as usually servedSkip this, order hot tea, no sugar instead.
- SkipRoselle Juice น้ำกระเจี๊ยบ (nam krajiap) · 28g net carbs as usually servedSkip this, order iced black tea, no sugar instead.
- SkipThai Iced Green Tea ชาเขียวเย็น (cha khiao yen) · 35g net carbs as usually servedSkip this, order hot or iced green tea with no sugar instead.
- SkipThai Iced Coffee กาแฟเย็น (kafae yen) · 35g net carbs as usually servedSkip this, order Oliang with no sugar, or an Americano instead.
- SkipLongan Drink น้ำลำไย (nam lamyai) · 35g net carbs as usually servedSkip this, order water or tea, no sugar instead.
- SkipThai Iced Tea ชาเย็น (cha yen) · 40g net carbs as usually servedSkip this, order iced black tea, no sugar (cha dam yen mai sai nam tan) instead.
- SkipFruit Shake น้ำปั่น (nam pan) · 40g net carbs as usually servedSkip this, order fresh coconut, half instead.
- SkipPink Milk นมเย็น (nom yen) · 40g net carbs as usually servedSkip this, order iced black tea, no sugar instead.
- SkipSugarcane Juice น้ำอ้อย (nam oy) · 60g net carbs as usually servedSkip this, order fresh coconut water (a small amount) instead.
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Questions people ask
What can I eat at a Thai restaurant on keto?
Good orders that are keto as served include Pla Pao (1g net carbs), Kai Jeow (2g net carbs), Goong Chae Nam Pla (3g net carbs), Kai Jiew Moo Saap (3g net carbs), Goong Pad Prik Glua (4g net carbs) and Kai Toon (4g net carbs). Of the 202 Thai dishes in this guide, 39 are keto as served.
Is Thai food keto-friendly?
Keto Atlas rates Thai food "Navigable" for keto. Adapting Thai cuisine for keto is possible but requires constant vigilance for hidden sugars and starches in sauces, and necessitates specific modification requests.
What Thai dishes should I avoid on keto?
The primary carb traps are pervasive added sugar in almost all sauces and curries, rice, noodles, and starchy thickeners found in many popular dishes like Pad Thai and curries. Dishes to skip include Pad Med Ma Muang Gai (30g), Pad Prik Gaeng Gai (25g), Gaeng Massaman Nuea (24g) and Pad Kee Mao Talay (24g).
How do I order Thai food keto-style?
Many dishes become keto with one small request. For Moo Krob: ask for "no rice, no sweet dipping sauce, please" (in Thai: mai ao khao, mai ao nam jim wan, khrap/kha). For Gai Yang: ask for "no sweet dipping sauce, please" (in Thai: mai ao nam jim wan, khrap/kha).
What can I drink at a Thai restaurant on keto?
Keto-friendly as served: Hot Black Coffee. Fine with a small request (usually no sugar or syrup): Fresh Young Coconut, Oliang (Thai Black Iced Coffee), Lemongrass Pandan Drink and Iced Black Tea. Skip sugary drinks such as Thai Energy Drink (small bottle), Bael Fruit Drink and Roselle Juice.