Ancient Egypt diet

 Ancient Egypt's history spanned almost 3000 years and was divided into three main periods: the Old Kingdom (about 2,700-2,200 B.C.E), the Middle Kingdom (2,050-1,800 B.C.E), and the New Kingdom (approximately 1,550-1,100 B.C.E.). Most of our knowledge about the ancient Egyptian diet is from archaeological records.

The Egyptians' diet changed due to climate, environmental changes, and trade, but the staple foods of the ancient Egyptians were bread and beer. Cereals have been the most important crop in the Nile Valley since the Neolithic period. They served as a measure of wealth and helped pay taxes and wages. Wheat and barley were the most commonly grown grains during the time of the Pharaohs, and both were used to make bread and beer. The bread was the food available to all Egyptians regardless of rank and formed the basis of all meals. The bread was generally made from emmer wheat, although barley was sometimes used, as was lotus-seed flour and tiger-nut flour for special loaves. Egyptian employees had been regularly paid in bread and beer. Several jars of beer have been found in Egyptian tombs of all periods. Egyptian beer was thick, nutrition, and an essential part of the diet.

Hunting was the primary source of meat during predynastic times when many animals lived in and around the Nile. Those animals included antelopes, gazelles, hippos, crocodiles, pigs, ostriches, waterfowl, fish, small hyenas, wild donkeys, and wild cattle. Ancient Egyptians also domesticated sheep, goats, cattle, donkeys, pigs, and eggs. Sheep and goats were cheaper to raise. Almost the entire animal was consumed, including most of the internal organs. Sheep rump fat was used in cooking, food preservation, perfumes, medicines, and ointments.

Wine pressed from grapes was also used in ancient Egypt for the wealthy. Most of the vineyards were in the Nile delta and oases. Other alcoholic beverages included date wine and fig wine.

A large part of the Egyptian diet consisted of fruits and vegetables. According to Herodotus, the pyramids were built by workers who ate onions, garlic, and radishes. Onions and garlic were used to flavor food and as medicines for blood ailments, colds, and stomach complaints. Other vegetables consumed in ancient Egypt were lettuce, celery, and cucumber. Lettuce was known as an aphrodisiac and its seeds were used to make lettuce oil. Celery was eaten raw or used to flavor stews. Legumes such as lentils, peas, fava beans, and chickpeas were a source of protein.

The most common fruit in ancient Egypt was the date, which was eaten fresh, dried, baked, cooked, and used in beer. Other fruits were figs, dom palm nuts, grapes, and raisins. Olives were eaten raw or pickles in brine. 

Vegetable oil was commonly made and used in cooking in addition to lettuce seed and radish seed oil, there was safflower oil and sesame seed oil. Animal fat was also used in cooking.

Honey was the most popular sweetener in ancient Egypt. It has been used as beeswax for many medicinal and practical purposes. The ancient Egyptians used another sweetener, dates.

The method of cooking employed by the Egyptians was stewing, grilling, frying, and roasting. Spices and herbs were used to flavor their food. Limited evidence is available about real times. Presumably the wealthy would eat two-three times a day, while peasants would probably have eaten a simple breakfast and a main meal, late in the afternoon.

Bread and beer were consumed by all levels of society, while wine was drunk by the wealthy or on special occasions. The beef was expensive and therefore consumed frequently only by the royal family, the nobility, the wealthy, and the resident priests in temples where animals were sacrificed. Some evidence indicates that meat was sold, generally from the temple surplus.

Information about the diet of the ancient Egyptians comes primarily from artistic and textual sources. We can find "ancient Egyptian recipes" on the internet, but texts on cooking recipes are notoriously absent from the archaeological records.