Health Food Options for Vegetarians in Tripoli

Cardy wrote:

Soy products – I know that soy milk is available but how easy is it to find tofu and soy yogurt? I haven't seen any soya products or tofu

Whole Grains – I generally only eat brown rice, whole grain pasta, and whole grain breads. Are these easy to find? You can find brown rice sometimes, as well as Thai Jasmine rice. No chance for wholegrain bread (unless you bring it in from Malta)

Fresh Greens – Is it easy to find fresh spinach, kale, collard greens, turnip greens, and potato greens? No, but you can buy frozen spinach from Palm City Supermarket

Spices – Which spices are hard to find? Most are easy to get

Thai Food ingredients – Can you find coconut milk, fish sauce, oyster sauce, lemon grass and Thai chili paste? Yes, easily. (But not vegetarian fish sauce

Juicing – Are juicers available in Tripoli or should I bring my own? If you've got a good one, bring it, to avoid disappointment

Oils – Are almond oil and coconut oil available? Haven't seen them here

I'm a veggie too. Whilst Libya is lacking the type of wholefood shops you're used to, there is an abundance of fresh fruit & veg stalls. To avoid disappointment, don't think about what foods aren't available. Buy what there is, then look for a good recipe!

Regular shopping trips to places like Malta allow you to stock up on somethings that are harder to get (wholemeal flour, fresh spinach, pork-if you're that way inclined , a wider variety of cheese and superb fresh bread)

Don't bring any electrical appliances from US as you will have power conversion issues. Here we have 220V not 110 as in US.

I'm also a vegetarian, and agree with Mudman on everything. I don't work, and have spent many days scouring the stores for ingredients and things to make ingredients from. Usually to no avail.
Libya isn't exactly on the health kick the states are, that's for sure.
I wouldn't bring your juicer, there are plenty here.
I did, however, bring all my spices. They have most here, but I'm glad I brought mine.

Mudman wrote:

Cardy wrote:

Fresh Greens – Is it easy to find fresh spinach, kale, collard greens, turnip greens, and potato greens? No,
Oh yes. It's full grown spinach, not 'baby'. And it's a pain to clean since it comes in bundles an covered in soil, not in resealable, 12oz plastic bags for $2.99. You may also get a variety of greens if you know a local who knows a farmer/grocer who grows them. Egyptian farm workers use variety of greens in their cooking.



Juicing – Are juicers available in Tripoli or should I bring my own? If you've got a good one, bring it, to avoid disappointment Bring your own. You may end up buying a low quality one for double what it's worth. Or better yet, have one shipped from EU or UK, and then all you'd need is a plug adapter and no power conversion would be needed.

I found two hard-working Egyptian brothers who run a small produce shop and have access to egyption farmers' network in Sabha. I bribe them with little cash consistently. And now I get even the harder-to-find stuff that's mostly grown for very limited and private consumption.

MRinardster wrote:

Libya isn't exactly on the health kick the states are, that's for sure.

Then you're after pleasure more than health.

I think the availability of greens depends on where you shop and time of year.  A local veggie shop supplies spinach and swiss chard, but the other greens you mentioned I have not seen.  I have found whole grain pasta (Souq Marhari) and barley bread but it is not always in stock.  Tonnes of fresh herbs here and I buy my spices from the bulk section at Souq al Talat.  I have not seen soy yogurt.
Lots of legumes and nuts and most veggies, but broccoli is hard to find and the quality is sometimes lacking. Right now is a good time for fresh peas, beans and foul and the quality of the carrots, cabbage, beets and cauliflower is good now too.
I haven't seen the supplements you mentioned so I would bring your own supply.  Good luck with the move!

Broccoli here is v. expensive, small & poor quality. I've brought in stuff the size of footballs from overeseas. I would freeze it, but I eat it straight away, can't get enough of it.

I'm not sure what that means. I wasn't being rude, it's just true.

MRinardster wrote:

I'm not sure what that means. I wasn't being rude

Neither was I.

'Healthy' demands much less variety than 'fun'
Starting with a healthy body, 20 food items would often suffice to comprise healthy nutrition for the rest of one's life. Or at least until one starts aging, then targeted supplements could be employed to slow down the rate of decay.
In fact, if one gets their DNA sequenced then analyzed at an early age by an expert, the list could be limited to close to 10 foods.

Frightening, isn't it?

And now I get even the harder-to-find stuff that's mostly grown for very limited and private consumption.

Sounds more fun than health (joking only) 

Thanks everyone for your advice. I'm not so much a Vegetarian as I am just health conscious. I would rather eat a piece of fish than white bread. However, I do believe that optimum health can be obtained on a vegetarian diet (especially a mostly raw one), so I do consume as little meat as possible. I've even tried being a Vegan, but that can be difficult even in the US (hard to find vegan fish sauce too), so I'll just wait to see what my options are in Libya. It's comforting to know there will be several healthy food options to work with. Thanks again!

I'm starting a bacon religion.

Cardy, I admire your gastro-pragmatism. We probably wouldn't have this brain of ours if it weren't for dead animals and fire.

Google: Vegan No More

Here is another good one: http://thelabrawtory.com/2010/03/09/i-a … raw-vegan/

MoEl, please no provocation

Which part are you referring to, Julien?

I found Alpro soya milk today, in regular and the amazing chocolate flavours. I'm happy.

Mudman - I was able to find Alpro soya milk in the flavors you mentioned as well as my favorite variety (unsweetened) yesterday at the tall blue glass market. I also heard that soya milk is available at Tuesday Market. Now I have something to go along with the suitcase full of my favorite cereal that I lugged from the U.S. I am also happy.

i've been looking for almond milk and can only find sweetened. thanks for the heads up on the soya unsweetened cardy.  i also brought in mung beans for sprouts for stir fry. it's my first attempt and they're not bad...btw, the fish is great

Soy products – I know that soy milk is available but how easy is it to find tofu and soy yogurt?
The chinese restaurant on Gargaresh next to the pharmacy and Cacao sell 3 (approx. 3"x3") squares of tofu for 5 dinar. Not that bad actually.

Frankly, however fancy looking WholeFoods might be, I kind'a prefer the fresh veggies on sale at Tripoli groceries since I think it is the law of the land here not to use chemicals, hormones and pesticides in agricultural products.
I also nostalgically like the fact that one may not find the same produce year round since many of them are available only when they are in season.
So if your healthy eating is supported by mass production then no, it is really hard (but not impossible) to find a steady supply. But if you follow the old fashioned way of preparing your food from scratch, Tripoli produce is more reliable than those in many parts of the States where the meanings attached to labels such as organic and/or natural maybe highly blurry at times.
And I really like the adventures of trying the local spices, after all for millenniums people of this geographies knew the spices and their wonders, much earlier than the Westerners. :-)!
fk

fatmakumru wrote:

I think it is the law of the land here not to use chemicals, hormones and pesticides in agricultural products.

Why do you think so?

okay spill it, Mo! What should we know...DDT, alar...what unseen horrors lurk on our fruit and veg...and in our meat and fish??

Cardy wrote:

Spices – Which spices are hard to find?

many spices you know and some you've probably neither seen nor hear of are available...although for some reason I can't find bay leaves, so brought them in.

What there is probably easier than what there is not
Turmeric
Cardamon
Cumin
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Ginger both fresh and powder
Garlic...haven't seen powdered but I don't really use that
Paprika..it's very hot
Pepper
Salt naturally
Rosemary...these are all the loose kind you can find in the souk or the supermarkets. Basil, Oregano etc. the leafy ones. Sage
Thyme...i can't seem to find it in any form other than powder (z'tar)

Various of the supermarket stores have the little jars we are accustomed to in the west...for instance I found Bouquet Garni the other day at the Mehari and the Palm City supermarket has loads of stuff....I brought along powdered mustard but only because I had tons of it in my cupboard at home.

Found this website with all the names in Arabic and a phonetic kind of pronunciation.....uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/spice_arabic.html -Arabic spice Names

One thing I did bring was curry powder. I am sure you can get it, but I like my own brand.

m0j0working wrote:

okay spill it, Mo! What should we know...DDT, alar...what unseen horrors lurk on our fruit and veg...and in our meat and fish??

The few grocers and farmers I spoke with (mostly in Sabha since I seem to get in a fight every time I try to question a grocer in Tripoli) don't know what they spray on their crops or the name(s) of fertilizer(s) they use, all they know is it "enhances the yield" and "kills the bugs".
I was once invited to a farm to see what they use, but I've been a little hesitant to go. I'm not sure I can handle the truth.

alrighty then...enhances the yield and kills the bugs....the DDT mantra. i guess we let that "sandy exterior" lull us into a sense of organic-ness that may not exist!

I know that most leafy greens I get in Sabha are clean. But most of the vegetables are not.

MoEl wrote:

fatmakumru wrote:

I think it is the law of the land here not to use chemicals, hormones and pesticides in agricultural products.

Why do you think so?

I was told so!... by someone in husbandry business...he was adamant about it?! and then I checked the info with a flowershop  guy!:-).. But now your inquiry makes me wonder, indeed..How can we know for sure? Certainly I have no way of checking the laws and regulations.
But I thought I have an eye for the produce, veggies and all.
hmmm?!!!
fk

are there many/any garden shops here? do they sell pesticides, and if so what do they sell?

the only place i've been (out in tajoura) sold plants but little else.

There's some awesome spinach available now. It is so good. I'm as happy as a porker in a pile of poo.