The Aboriginal Diet
Influencing Weight Factors
Written by Sky Taylor, Diet Bites
The History Of the Aboriginal People
Aboriginals embraced a nomadic lifestyle, traveling through their well-known lands with the seasons, following the bounty left behind by Mother Nature. The Aboriginal diet was diverse, filled with natural goodness.
Aboriginals were hunters, gatherers and had great knowledge of the lands they journeyed, and the potential food sources that was contained therein throughout the year.
The Aboriginal Diet
Depending upon the climate, the season and available resources, the Aboriginal diet consisted of both plant foods and animal foods.
The traditional Aboriginal Diet lacked foods from cereal grains from our official Grain Group as well as milk found in our official Dairy Group - while retaining a very good state of health.
Local Animal Protein Sources, Fruits, Honey, Crustacea & Grass Seeds
Foods in the early Aboriginal diet included eggs, honey, fish, crustacea, fowl including the muttonbird - a seabird indigenous to Australia.
They also hunted and feasted on mammals, frogs and other reptiles, insects, yams, figs, onions and grass seeds.
Other meat sources outside of the realm of reptiles included the kangaroo, wallaby, opossum and the wombat. The kangaroo was often the star of the meal as they were generally found in abundance.
Penguins, Eggs
Penguins may have also been on the menu - both the meat of the oversized bird as well as their eggs.
Carrots, Potatoes
Many vegetable sources in their daily diet stemmed from native plants as the carrot and potato, much different in appearance and flavor than what is currently recognized by modern day man.
Cherries, Kangaroo Apples, Currants
Other foods that were native to their nomadic areas as fruit sources may have included the native cherry, kangaroo apples, and native currants.
Honey Ants
What might be quite unappetizing to some ethnic groups in the modern day man society were considered delicacies in the Aboriginal Diet - such as honey ants.
Flower Nectars, Bee Honey
Another precious and valued delicacy were flower nectars - particularly the nectar of the honeysuckle and of course, the bee honey referenced above.
Manfern pith as well as the fungus from native bread might have also been on their diverse menu.
Cider Gum Sap
As for beverages, the fermentation process of the cider gum sap was concocted into a spirit drink, albeit in weak form.
The Modernized Aboriginal Diet
The modern day diet of the Aboriginal diet is greatly influenced by the foods in the modern day world and with it health and nutrition concerns that mirrors most all other ethnic groups: too much sugar, too little fiber, too much fat, inadequate vitamin and mineral intake, and a straying from the old world culture.
While new technological advances serve to increase life span, one has to wonder if these advances were paired with old world diets if life span might be increased further still.
The History of Ethnic Diets
Hispanic | Oriental | African American | White American
Irish | Scottish | English Diet | American Indian Diet
The Islander Diet | The Arctic Diet | The Amish Diet
Polish | Middle Eastern Diet | Eskimo Diet
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