The Aztec people were members of several different ethnic groups who under a triple alliance of tribes subjugated much of central Mexico in the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. Their tributary empire was largely supported by annual tributes of food and other forms of wealth from their satellite subject states. While the elites had access to a wide variety of foodstuffs, the commoners and the slaves making up the majority of the population had a much more limited diet.
Corn
Corn was absolutely central to the Aztec diet. Whether in the form of corn gruel, tortillas, hominy, tamales or just corn on the cob, no meal would be considered complete without this staple food. According to Michael Smith, author of "The Aztecs," the nutrient availability of corn was enhanced through a process called nixtamalization, in which corn meal was treated with alkaline water. Doing so added calcium, copper, zinc and iron from the vessel in which the corn was prepared, as well as enhanced the availability of niacin, riboflavin and the amino acids tryptophan and lysine. In a diet that contained virtually no meat, this helped increase the amount of protein available in the Aztec diet.
Other Cereals
The Aztecs supplemented the use of corn in their diet with amaranth and chia seeds. These grains were used in much the same way as corn. On certain ritual occasions, amaranth seeds were even shaped into the figures of deities and eaten, according to Aztec scholar Richard Townsend. By including these protein- and mineral-rich foods into their diet, the Aztecs would have helped reduce the incidence of nutritional deficiencies.
Pulque
Pulque was a fermented beverage made from the sap of the agave plant. The importance of pulque to the health and nutrition of Aztec commoners cannot be overstated. As a rich source of vitamin C, riboflavin, thiamine and iron, pulque was an important source of micronutrients. Even more important, the process of fermentation that produced pulque also enriched the drink with vitamin B-12. According to New York University researcher J. R. Backstrand, this made pulque the only dietary source of folate for pregnant mothers -- a micronutrient critical for the prevention of fetal neural tube defects.
Protein Sources
Beans were widely consumed by the Aztecs, as were cakes of blue-green algae. Bother were often mixed with tomatoes, squash or avocado. In addition to being a good source of protein, beans helped provide a source of trace minerals in the diet. In addition to these protein sources, the Aztec also occasionally consumed several native insect species.
Chiles
Chiles were considered to be an essential part of the diet. Not only did they serve to season food, they also provided the Aztec with vitamins A and C. So essential were they to the Aztec, ceremonial fasting was considered to be abstinence from the consumption of salt or chiles.
References
- "The Aztecs"; Richard F. Townsend; 2000
- "The Aztecs"; Michael E. Smith; 1996
- "America's First Cuisines"; Sophie D. Coe; 1994
- "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Pulque Intake During Pregnancy and Lactation in Rural Mexico: Alcohol and Child Growth From 1 to 57 Months; J.R. Backstrand et al.; July 2004
