Tips for nutrition and diet in Africa:

appletonirvinea
appletonirvinea Posts: 100 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Wondering if anyone has any ideas for how to manage food and calories when traveling in Africa mainly around Tanzania and Zanzibar. When I went to Zambia I lived on chicken beef and fu fu causing massive weight gain. I plan to eat in local cafes or street food only the odd restaurant.

Any suggestions welcome.

Replies

  • mimiyo1980
    mimiyo1980 Posts: 37 Member
    Living in Zanzibar for a year was one of my healthiest (and slimmest) years to date. I ate a lot of fish and Sukuma (spinach and tomato dish) with a couple of japatis...oh and pweza (octopus) with lime and black pepper. Prawn curries (quite heavy in the coconut milk but when all you have eaten for breakfast is fresh fruit or maybe boiled eggs, its fine). When not eating fish there is a lot of grilled meat on sticks (shish). As you probably know Africans don't do deserts the way we do in Europe, usually just fruit and cheese is hard to come by. That alone was enough to lose weight for me. Hope that helps, let me know f you need any more Zanzibar or Tanzania tips, I know both quite well.
  • appletonirvinea
    appletonirvinea Posts: 100 Member
    Thank you that's really good to know, yes any travel tips would be great, inbox us as we are friends on here, is love to hear about places that are a must to visit, places to eat and cheap places to stay, anything really seeing as only places I've been in Africa is Zambia, Botswana, Tunisia and Egypt. Ta
  • JusticeGirl25
    JusticeGirl25 Posts: 703 Member
    yes any travel tips would be great

    Stay away from Oscar Pistorious.
  • Therealobi1
    Therealobi1 Posts: 3,262 Member
    i would limit the fufu. lots of calories. i couldnt eat it everyday or too much of it
  • appletonirvinea
    appletonirvinea Posts: 100 Member
    ta JusticeGirl25 - any particular reason?

    ta Therealobi1 - i will have to go easy on the fufu for sure, do you know what the typical alcoholic drink is - local - as i know in zambia anything imported was expensive so that left me with local beer or cain spirit - want to avoid larger if can
  • JenniferNoll
    JenniferNoll Posts: 367 Member
    My husband has traveled all over Africa and Asia. In every developing country he visited, one thing remained constant. Every single time he ate street food, he got dysentary. Please make sure that your water is purified and your food is well-cooked. No unpeeled raw fruits or vegetables either.

    Have a good time.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    I'd stay away from street food. Stonetown, Zanzibar is better than the mainland for cleanliness but I still wouldn't eat street meant there. There's a great Italian restaurant in Stonetown, Amore Mio, if you want to get some American type food for a change. Say hi to Mario the cat if you go there!

    I found we ate a LOT of rice with various additives and that I really don't like fenugreek. You can buy lots of fruit in the markets, I just decline the offer to cut it for me with a dirty machete. If you're staying at the resort on the north of Zanzibar you won't know you aren't at home.
  • JusticeGirl25
    JusticeGirl25 Posts: 703 Member
    ta JusticeGirl25 - any particular reason?

    You don't know? He shot his girlfriend on Valentine's Day and charged for murder and he was bail released the other day in South Africa. You weren't heading there so never mind :)
  • ChloeRoseLejeune
    ChloeRoseLejeune Posts: 488
    ta JusticeGirl25 - any particular reason?

    You don't know? He shot his girlfriend on Valentine's Day and charged for murder and he was bail released the other day in South Africa. You weren't heading there so never mind :)

    LOL! I was literally thinking the same thing.

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