Ancient Mayan Traditions: What Did They Eat?

The Mayans hunted, foraged and grew and enjoyed a broad variety of fruits and vegetables that we all still eat to this very day!

Common Crops:

• Cacao – Used for trading as money at times. The Mayans were believed to be the fist to roast cacao seeds to make chocolate!! WOW, THANK YOU! :) They consumed it in beverage form for medicinal purposes and in religious ceremonies. the chocolate was generally consumed cold without the additions we love today. Below are cacao seeds we saw in Chiapas!

• Corn / Maize a staple food! The Mayans invented tortillas and tamales, thank heaven for the Mayans! In the summer corn (elotes) is enjoyed fire roasted with fresh squeezed lime and chili, ooooh my word is it irresistible, we look forward to it and get so excited! In fact, we once tried each stand (over a period of time) and this woman is our favorite!! :)  

More common crops the Mayans enjoyed:

• Coffee
• Chili Peppers
• Avocados - In fact the Mayans invented GUACAMOLE! Yes, truly we have a lot to thank the Mayans for!

They also enjoyed a large variety of other fruits and veggies, including yet not limited to: 

• Tomatoes, Breadnut (Breadfruit), Guavas, Papayas, Apples, Pumpkins / Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Pinto, Red & Black Beans, Yucca, Jicama, Vanilla Beans

More tropical fruits:

• Guanabana (Soursop)
• Pitahaya
• Mamey
• Mango
• Bananas
• Sour Orange
• Saramuyo

It turns out we still enjoy a broad variety of Mayan foods! Watch this fun and informative video I put together covering this topic: 

You can find travel tips in the video as well as here. I hope you all enjoyed this! Also check out this very fun video of the trip my husband took us on to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary in Palenque! Sending you all Love & Light! Christa

Credit for turning us onto history = Best Selling Author Gerald Clark! http://www.geraldclark77.com/

Information Obtained on Site as well as from:
http://www.ask.com/history/did-mayans-eat-455d5a68a6e21b40
http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodmaya.html
http://www.mayan-yucatan-traveler.com/mayan-food.html
http://www.yucatanadventure.com.mx/yucatan-flora.htm