1 Tops Coated Coconut Flavour Peanuts, B17
Its gleaming blue package may incite you to mechanically reach for it on the supermaket shelf, but you’d be making a grave mistake. Burnt deep-fried flour balls with neither a nutty nor hint of coconut flavor (just 3% coconut cream) are what you get for B17. 160g.
2 Doi Tung Salted Macadamia, B85
The white zip lock bag bears the UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime) label and is part of a royal initiative to help villagers who used to plant opium switch to a legitimate crop. Deliciously crunchy and carefully salted, eating these is one good deed that goes unpunished. Better buy two bags (if you can afford it), as they’re a measly 50g.
3 Marujo Coated Chicken Flavored Peanuts, B17
The smell will stick on your fingers for hours and you’ll probably get parched because of MSG overload, but who cares! These flavor-packed coated nuts are comfort food that will remind you of elementary school. Just don’t have them in a theater. But why no nutrition facts on the label—what you don’t know can’t hurt you? 100g.
4 Tong Garden Tropical Nuts & Fruits Mix, B99
For we sweet-toothed Bangkokians, Tong Garden’s Tropical Nuts & Fruits Mix is ideal. The mix is more fruitty than nutty: sweetened cubes of papaya, pineapple, mango, coconut, banana and raisin are mixed with a baby handful of cashew nuts and almonds. We like the handy zip-lock bag. Surprisingly, the fruits are more crunchy than the soggy nuts. A healthy choice with only 4g of fat. 250g.
5 Koh-Kae Salted Peanuts, B25
Local peanut godfather Koh-Kae established its fame with its original coated coconut flavored peanuts. And that’s what it (and you) should stick to as Koh-Kae’s roasted salted peanuts are small and bland—like the peanuts used to top baan baan coconut ice cream. 125g.
6 Camel Natural Cocktail Mix, B99
Cholesterol and trans fat-free and high-in-fiber, Camel Natural Cocktail Mix is the “healthier choice.” With no added salt, it’s better-suited for the trail than the bar. We found an array of raisins, almonds, pistachios, cashew nuts and even a lone whole dried fig in a glossy zip-lock bag. 150g.
7 Camel Mixed Snacks, B84
Like its name suggests, this is a mixed (zip-locked) bag of peanuts, snow peas and chickpeas. But here, mixed bag also means that morsels vary from addictively crunchy to super-dry bird food. Thanks to its salty and spicy tangs, we still vote the Camel as your booze’s best friend. 400g.
8 V.R.T. Fried Butter Peanuts, B25
Don’t believe everything you read—such as the label on this bag that says “The Best Quality” on the front and “Nutritious and Delicious” on the back. Cheap package and cheap taste. 160g.
They’re Good For You, Too (Without the Beer)
Nuts are being touted as the ultimate healthy snack for those in need of a little energy boost or trying to fight a hunger pang that could send them straight to the cookie jar (say around 11am or 4pm). Here’s why:
Protein: your muscles’ building blocks but without the nasty fat you’d get in a T-bone. The protein in nuts even relaxes blood vessels and lowers blood pressure.
Monounsaturated fats: healthy fat that doesn’t give you a stroke and helps clear the blood of bad cholesterol—yes, even those oily looking peanuts are good for you!
Vitamine E and Selenium: These antioxidants keep your cells fresh and young—including the ones that make up your adorable face! Macadamia nuts, almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts are all loaded with the stuff.
Omega-3s: Vegetarians who can’t load up on fatty fish can get this antidote to heart disease and dementia by eating heaps of walnuts and almonds.
Minerals: Copper, magnesium, phosphorous and iron have benefits ranging from maintaining red blood cells to strengthening hair, skin and nails. Try cashew nuts and pistachios.
Calcium: Can’t stand milk? Almonds are loaded with the stuff. Never break a bone again.
