Eating Healthy Around the World| What to Eat Local and Delicious While Traveling

Traveling can take it’s toll on the body especially when you are on vacation and eating in restaurants every night. No one wants to feel fat and bloated on their amazing holiday. The biggest complaint I hear from people after a holiday is about how they feel after,  “I can’t wait to go to the gym and eat healthy again” or “now I need a one month diet”. It shouldn’t be like this. You should feel amazing, alive and inspired after traveling. It’s totally possible to travel the world, eat well, and stay skinny! I highlighted some of my favorite dishes linked to recipes that you can make at home.

Here is my list of what I eat in each country to taste the culture, enjoy local food and feel great! Everything is authentic, delicious and includes alcohol (of course) This is a vegetarian diet including fish and eggs without dairy. This is my guide to Eating Healthy Around the World, here we go!

Eating Healthy Around the World in:

ITALY 

In the land of pasta and cheese, it sounds (and almost is) impossible not to gain weight in Italy. Luckily in the South of the country is seafood galore. Here’s what I eat while galavanting through that magical boot.

Marinara Pizza (pizza with garlic and basil senza cheese) from Napoli. Seafood. Tons of grilled fish. Sauteed clams and mussels. Marinated Anchovies. Swordfish is really popular here as well as grilled calamari or a white fish in “puttanesca sauce“- tomatoes, capers, and olives. *White pasta only once or twice a week. At home cook with brown pasta. Tons of fruit and vegetables. Wild arugula is grown in Capri and totally amazing as a salad with only tomatoes. Fresh squeezed orange juice and espresso for breakfast.

Drink: Local wine and Peroni beer

 

Eating Healthy Around the World In:

MOROCCO

One good thing about Morocco is that because it’s a Muslim country, alcohol is not served outside the tourist hotels and trendy restaurants. This was a great reason to have a dry holiday and feel great. Morocco is a very meat heavy country when not on the coast but here’s what I lived on for a few weeks.

Vegetarian tagine, Vegetarian Cous Cous, Chic Pea Soup, Grilled fish, homemade flatbread with homemade jams and fresh juice for breakfast. Tons of mint tea (*ask for no sugar* otherwise they put half a cup in each pot!) Pictured above is the mint tea.. the white blocks are white sugar. If you don’t ask you drink that in every pot, 4x per day! -Say goodbye to your teeth!

Eating Healthy Around the World In:

GREECE

Greece is the easiest because of the Mediterranean diet. It’s naturally a healthy lifestyle. Here are the best things to eat while island hopping. Seafood being a must.

Homemade spinach pies, (my absolute fav) Fresh squeezed orange juice– cheaper than water. All seafood! Grilled shrimp, grilled lobster, grilled octopus– the essence of Greek island food. Smashed Fava beans (like hummus but tastier), Greek salad with feta, (goat cheese is not dairy), Stuffed tomatoes (with rice), Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers, Calamari. Baklava, as a treat for dessert.

Drink: Local beer and local white wine. Ouzo for an after-dinner drink.

Eating Healthy Around the World in:

MEXICO 

I can safely say Mexican is my favorite food in the world. If you stay away from the rice, cheese, and beans (which are made with cream and lard) you can totally have a healthy time.

Fish Tacos, are the best things ever invented. Guacamole– Avocado is good for you. Shrimp tacos, Veggie Tacos. Ceviche– super healthy and delicious. Smoothies for breakfast! Beach towns in Mexico always have amazing healthy smoothies on the beach. The trendy towns will have shops selling quinoa bowls, poke bowls and healthy surfer fuel. Did I say fish tacos??? And please, for the love of god, drink Margaritas, in Mexico they are legit, Tequilla, triple sec, and lime. Just watch out, more than three may kill you.

Drink: Margaritas and Pacifico beer 

Eating Healthy Around the World in:

THAILAND 

Thailand is not so hard to be healthy. Bangkok is so international you can get any cuisine from all over the world and in the islands, they always have trendy vegetarian/ vegan cafes and restaurants. Here are my staples and tricks to save some calories.

Always tell them in Thailand, “no sugar”. They use A LOT of sugar in everything. Especially the curries, what I mainly eat. It will still come slightly sweet but asking for dishes without sugar will taste better and save you a million calories. Red curry, Green curry, Glass noodle soup (the healthiest thing on a Thai menu). Stir-fried Vegetables. Coconut water! so good for your skin and straight out of the coconut makes for a great Insta- you’re welcome. Papaya salad-super spicy vegetable salad (not the orange fruit).

Drink: Local beer- Tiger, Singha, Leo. Stay away from Chang if you don’t want your head to explode the next day.

Eating Healthy Around the World in:

JAPAN

I hope you like fish if you are going to Japan. Sushi is obviously the most common food here and you can buy the triangle rice balls from every 7-11 in town if you’re on a budget (like I was when I lived there). Ramen is huge- it’s an amazing bowl of special made soup the Japanese have blessed us with. Ramen generally is made with pork broth, but some places will make it with Miso or fish broth. A truly fantastic dish not to be missed. The Japanese are always skinny so it really can’t be that bad, right?!

Drink: Sake, local beer- Sapporo, Kirin, Asahi

In case it wasn’t obvious, I love to travel lol. My upcoming goal is to do a one-year around-the-world with my boyfriend. If we survive and no one kills the other, then it seems to be a life long love. Traveling can sometimes be difficult especially in places people don’t speak English or when things don’t go as planned. (Or if you go running frantically to catch a train in India just to realize you jumped on the wrong one and are now going to a different part of the country!- True story) These things happen which makes for hysterical party stories back at home. At least if you feel great physically, you are one step happier and healthier and able to deal with all the chaos that comes with travel.

I hope this article will inspire you to travel more or in the least bit, eat better and open your pallet! I hope you enjoyed my guide to Eating Healthy Around the World.

With love and wanderlust,

Lyla