Best Thai food choices for diabetics

Thai food's mix of fresh vegetables, protein and bold flavors can be very diabetes-friendly — with a few caveats.

Best dishes

### Curries (no rice) - Green curry with chicken/shrimp (12g) - Red curry with beef (15g) - Massaman without potatoes (10g) - Panang curry (12g)

Ask for "less sweet" — many places add palm sugar.

### Salads - Larb (minced meat salad, 8g) - Som tam (papaya salad — light on dressing, 15g) - Yum nua (beef salad, 8g)

### Stir-fries - Pad pak (vegetable stir-fry, 10g) - Pad gra prow (basil chicken, 12g — no rice) - Cashew chicken (15g — no rice)

### Soups - Tom yum (8g per cup) - Tom kha gai (10g per cup)

Avoid

Smart ordering

1. "No rice" or "cauliflower rice if available"
2. "Less sweet, no palm sugar"
3. "Sauce on the side"
4. "Extra vegetables, less noodles"
5. Tom yum with shrimp is often the safest starter

Drinks

• Thai iced tea unsweetened with stevia (huge difference)
• Hot tea
• Sparkling water with lime
• Coconut water in small amounts (12g per 8 oz)

The "spicy" benefit

Capsaicin (the heat in Thai food) has small but real evidence for improving insulin sensitivity. Embrace the spice level you can handle.