Thai keto guide

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202 dishes39 keto as served135 with a photo

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.