The Tree that Sweetened Tunisia Before Sugar
- Safouane Ben Haj Ali
- Sep 30
- 1 min read
Updated: Oct 6
The Tree That Fed and Sweetened
Long before sugar bags lined shelves, Tunisia had its own sweetness. Villages relied on the carob tree. Its pods, cracked open by hand or ground into powder, sweetened drinks, desserts, and daily life. Children chewed them on the walk home from school. Families steeped them in hot water for a natural syrup.
A Tree of Use, Not Ornament
Every part of the carob served a purpose. The pods were food, the seeds a measure of weight, the shade a gathering place. Unlike imported sweetness, carob asked for no machinery. It fell from the branch and went straight to the table.
A System of Continuity
Carob trees are patient. They grow slowly, but live for centuries. They need little water, thrive in poor soils, and endure droughts that other crops cannot. In Tunisia, they stood as quiet guardians, supplying sweetness without depletion.
Rediscovered, But Never Forgotten
Today, carob is being rebranded worldwide as a “superfood.” But in Tunisia, it was never lost. It remains a part of kitchen cupboards, market stalls, and village paths. For Tunisians abroad, its taste is memory. For the world, it is discovery.
Comments