Diet rich in vesuviope
- Until now we knew that the inhabitants of Pompeii and Herculano consumed a lot of shellfish and olive oil, and that the diets of men and women were different. University research provides more data on the feeding of these Roman cities.
In 2021, experts from the University of York began an innovative study that isolated bone amino acids from 17 individuals from Herculano. This has allowed calculating the weight of olive oil in the diet: 12% of the calories consumed came from this source.
On the other hand, the menu has become much more specific: wheat, millet, lentils, beans, cherries, peaches, olives... and consumed more than 70 types of fish and shellfish in the bay of Naples. The next step will be to apply this technique in other places and times and thus learn more about the old diet.