Food is important for good health, and moderation is key. Eating too much of certain foods can harm us.
To stay healthy physically and mentally, we should aim for a balanced diet with fruits, veggies, lean proteins, and whole grains.
There’s a Thai dish that’s very dangerous. It’s thought to kill 20,000 people each year.
This dish, Koi Pla, is made of raw fish, lemon juice, herbs, and spices. People in modern – day Laos and Isan see it as a salad. Sometimes galangal, shallots, and mint are added for flavor.
The fish for this dish comes from the Mekong region’s waters, which have parasitic flatworms. When people eat Koi Pla, they may get these parasites in their body. The parasites attack the liver and can cause liver cancer.
Doctor Narong Khuntikeo is trying to make people aware of Koi Pla’s dangers. His parents died of liver cancer from eating this dish. But the Lao people won’t listen. They don’t want to give up this traditional dish.
Dr. Khuntikeo told Agence France – Presse, “It’s a big health burden here. But people die quietly, like leaves falling.”
Research showed about 80% of people in different communities had the parasite. But when told this, most residents didn’t care. One said, “There are many ways to die.” Another added, “I’ve eaten (koi pla) since I was little, so I probably have the parasite.”