3. The Diet of Ancient Egypt - A Crucial Test of Life and Death

In addition to bread and beer, which are the basic staples for the entire population, the ancient Egyptians also invented cakes made with dates and honey, as well as wine, which was considered a high-end beverage. In ancient Egypt, the cheapest vegetables were onions and garlic, which were generally much cheaper than bread, allowing even slaves to consume them regularly, with some even using onions as a staple food. The freshwater fish caught by fishermen from the Nile River also served as an important source of protein for the Egyptians. As for various types of meat, especially beef, their prices were relatively high, making them unaffordable for the poor.

In ancient Egypt, not only was the food unhealthy, but there were also issues with drinking water. It is well known that the Egyptians relied entirely on the Nile River for their water supply. The water in Upper Egypt was relatively clear and suitable for drinking. However, in Lower Egypt, particularly in the delta region near the mouth of the river, the flow of the river slowed significantly, resulting in muddy and turbid water. Wealthy residents of the Nile Delta would typically channel this murky water into pools to allow it to settle, then use the clearer water on top, which was a somewhat acceptable solution. However, the poor could not afford such measures and had to drink the dirty water while there was no concept of boiling water before consumption at that time. Consequently, various gastrointestinal parasitic diseases became rampant.

Regrettably, the ancient Egyptians only invented dishes but did not create utensils, forcing travelers to eat directly with their fingers, much like modern Indians. By the time the earliest invented utensils were brought to the banks of the Nile by the Persians and Greeks, traditional ancient Egypt was already nearing its end

Although the Egyptians successfully transformed the baking of bread into a craft, creating more than fifty different shapes of bread—round, cubic, twisted, animal-shaped, and so on—they were unable to remove the sand from the bread.

Moreover, at the luxurious banquets of the ancient Egyptian nobility, one could find roasted whole beef, roasted duck, roasted goose, roasted pigeon, roasted pork chops, roasted fish, thick soups, mixed vegetables, raisins, dried dates, fruit platters... Essentially, the various fundamental dishes of Western cuisine can be traced back to their early forms in ancient Egypt

Therefore, with the delicate stomachs of modern individuals, it is likely that they would find it very difficult to adapt to the poor diet of ancient Egypt

That is not the case; in fact, Egyptians are very adept at enjoying life. Thanks to the fertile agricultural products of the Nile Valley, while the Greeks and Romans were still living in a primitive state, Egyptians had already developed bread, which was a sophisticated sweet bread mixed with butter, honey, and spices.

Is the dietary culture of ancient Egypt so tragic?

Well, no matter how painful the process has been, the clothes have been removed, and the hair and body hair have been shaved. What other trials await everyone next

Moreover, it is even more regrettable that although the meals invented by the ancient Egyptians were exquisite and nutritionally rich, the strong winds and sandstorms in Egypt inevitably caused some sand to mix into the cooking, making it impossible to completely prevent this contamination no matter the precautions taken

The hard quartz sand can wear down the enamel layer of the teeth of Egyptians, leading to cavities and subsequently causing the decay of dental nerves. In the most severe cases, it can even trigger sepsis, resulting in the death of the patient— the famous Pharaoh Ramses II suffered a painful death due to tooth decay

As the staple bread of the Egyptians, its rough baking conditions make it a major health hazard. Specimens of bread extracted from ancient Egyptian tombs indicate that these breads contained numerous contaminants, including a significant amount of sand, hand-ground fragments used for milling, and remnants from storage.

Beer was another staple food for the Egyptians—unlike the modern beer that produces many bubbles, the beer of ancient Egyptians was thicker, containing many solid particles, and was highly nutritious, resembling modern porridge (adding more honey would make it sweet rice wine)

This ... . ... You also need a sturdy and wear-resistant set of iron teeth and copper gums, as well as a similarly robust and durable steel stomach