One thing that I do find a bit hard in Tunisia, where the next sweet or savoury sin awaits you just around the corner, is to maintain a healthy diet.
Loads of baguette and chips with every meal, the smell of freshly fried bambalouni* covered in sugar, crêpes, the uncountable number of pizza places and ice cream shops… The list of temptations in Tunisia is endless!
I am not someone to restrict myself from enjoying life to its fullest and I want the same for my tastebuds (plus, I also happen to be born with the biggest sweet tooth you can imagine). At the same time, I like to make sure I feed my body good things because as they say: what you eat, you become. And I have no aspirations to become a bambalouni.
So here are my top tips for finding a balance between sins and salads
1. Crazy carbs
Tunisian food often includes lots of carbs that can make you feel bloated and let your blood sugar levels shoot up, especially as they tend to come from white flour. The easiest thing to do is to cut out that baguette that they serve you before every meal. Ordering a bottle of water whilst waiting for your food can be a good idea, as it makes sure you are well-hydrated and it also keeps your hands busy, so you don’t reach for the bread basket as often as you normally would.
2. Dessert decisions
As mentioned before, I have a thing for anything sweet and I could never advise anyone to completely delete desserts from their diet. However, we should define what actually counts as a dessert and make some smart choices.
For example, fruit juices that you can order at most restaurants often come with lots of sugar added and are definitely more a dessert than a drink. Ordering a strawberry juice after your lunch instead of a classic dessert can satisfy your sugar craving just as much as a piece of chocolate cake would.
When it comes to ice cream, fruit sorbets are usually the better choice in terms of fat & calories. And: Extra point for keeping you active, as it can be combined with a long after-dinner walk.
3. Sharing is caring
Tunisians are very generous with their portions, so it’s a good idea to share a main course or several starters with a group of friends. It keeps you from over-eating (because you feel that the plate should be empty), makes your meal instantly more fun and sociable and allows you try different or new things.
4. Pizza passion
If you live in Tunisia, you can’t avoid pizza. It’s everywhere. Everywhere! On a 20-minutes-walk around my town, I easily pass by no less than 8 pizza places. And don’t get me wrong – pizza is a great thing! But it’s not exactly the healthiest option in town. So here come 3 ways to follow your pizza passion without ruining your health plan:
- see point 3: Sharing is caring! Pizzas are often pretty big here in Tunisia. So why not share one with a friend and order a side salad with it to get your greens in.
- Cheeeeese! Just as with their portion sizes, Tunisians are very generous when it comes to completely covering your pizza in cheese. Unfortunately, most of the times it is not even real cheese, but more of a industrial mix of milk protein, vegetable fats and additives. Doesn’t sound too appealing, does it? So, either ask the kitchen to lower the amount of cheese on your pizza or to leave it away completely. Trust me – cheese-free pizzas are just as delicious.
- Go green – greasy ham, bacon or salami can really add to the calories, fat and sodium levels of your pizza. My tip: go green! Lots of places offer a great vegetarian variation that comes with lots of veggies like courgette, eggplant, mushrooms and tomatoes.
* a bambalouni can best be described as a sort of deep-fried doughnut completely covered in sugar. You can buy it at various takeaway places and it costs around 600 millimes, which equals 0,24€.
sandals in winter 