In Africa, our diet before colonisation consisted of:
Meats: Fish, beef, Guinea fowl, goat
Grains: Ensete & noog (i. e. Ethiopian banana & niger seeds), Teff (a grain/cereal of Ethiopia), Sorghum, Pearl/Bulrush millet, Finger millet
Herbs: Amaranth (Zulu: imbhuya), Devil's claw
Fruits, vegetables & legumes: Fonio & black fonio (a type of rice), Guinea rice, Yam, Groundnuts, Baobab
Drinks: Milk (cattle or goat), sour milk, coffee, rooibos tea, sorghum beer, Coffee
Artificial Intelligence input:
Fruits Indigenous to Africa
- *Baobab Fruit: Known for its powdery pulp rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, baobab fruit has been a staple in African diets for centuries. The pulp can be used to make smoothies, beverages, and desserts.
- *Marula Fruit*: A medium-sized fruit with a tart flavor, marula is native to southern Africa and has been consumed for centuries. It's often eaten raw or used to make jams and liqueurs.
- *Horned Melon (Kiwano)*: This spiky, orange fruit has a jelly-like interior with a mildly sweet flavor. It's native to southern and central Africa.
- *African Star Apple*: A vibrant orange fruit with a star-shaped seed pattern, African star apple is native to West Africa. It's sweetest when left to fall off the tree before consumption.
- *Tamarind*: Native to tropical Africa, tamarind has been used for centuries in cooking, beverages, and traditional medicine. Its tangy pulp adds flavor to sauces, soups, and stews.
- *Matoke*: A variety of green bananas indigenous to Uganda, matoke is often cooked and mashed as a staple dish.
- *African Mango (Irvingia gabonensis)*: While not the same as the common mango, African mango bears a mango-like fruit that's green when raw and red when ripe.
- *Monkey Orange*: Found in various parts of Africa, monkey orange has a citrusy flavor and is used in jams and beverages.
- *Mabolo*: Native to West Africa, mabolo has a sweet, custard-like flavor and is often used in desserts.
Vegetables Indigenous to Africa
- *Cowpeas*: A leaf and pulse crop native to Africa, cowpeas are rich in protein and carbohydrates. The leaves and seeds are eaten as vegetables.
- *Amadumbe (Taro)*: A root vegetable known as the "potato of the tropics," amadumbe is widely cultivated in southern Africa. Its starchy roots are cooked similarly to potatoes.
- *Amaranth*: A traditional leafy vegetable crop rich in calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C. It's commonly used in soups and stews.
- *Spider Plant*: A leafy vegetable with high nutritional value, spider plant is often used in traditional African cuisine.
- *Nightshade*: A herbaceous plant with small, shiny fruit, nightshade leaves and young shoots are cooked as a vegetable.
- *Pumpkin Leaves*: Used as a leafy vegetable in African cuisine, pumpkin leaves are rich in nutrients and often cooked with other ingredients.
- *Corchorus (Jute Plant)*: A vegetable with a slightly bitter taste, corchorus is rich in nutrients and used in traditional African dishes ¹ ².
N.B.: Sugarcane was also imported into South Africa & didn't exist before 1848. So there was no sugar in the entirety of South Africa before the 19th century.
This blog is a repost of a previous blog called "African diet in 1500 BC".
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