Slave Diet and Nutrition

[unionblue]

Alabaman,

Remember, moderation in all things. A little grease, a shiny coat for a dog. Too much grease, dead dog.

A little revolution now and again, a good thing. Too much of secession and, well, you know the rest of that story.

Unionblue

[Alabaman]

Originally Posted by unionblue

Alabaman,

Remember, moderation in all things. A little grease, a shiny coat for a dog. Too much grease, dead dog.

A little revolution now and again, a good thing. Too much of secession and, well, you know the rest of that story.

Unionblue

Neil,

Too much secession is nearly as bad as visiting that 'lofty Library niche' you incessantly frequent; (contracting) 'prounionee visualitis' or seeing everything in shades of blue.

Alabaman

[matthew mckeon]

If Vermont secedes we'll lose access to a lot of covered bridges. On to Montpelier!

Actually, I agree with samgrant about the creepy way we're talking about human beings. But its not that anyone is a bad person, but if you're talking about how slaves were managed, ugly things have to be said. It's the nature of the beast.

I agree with Wild Rose that owners fed their workforce well enough. Why wouldn't they?

When you think about Southern cooking today, both whites and blacks contributed and continue to contribute. Of the dishes served today, what dated from antebellum days and what didn't?

[matthew mckeon]

If Vermont secedes we'll lose access to a lot of covered bridges. On to Montpelier!

Actually, I agree with samgrant about the creepy way we're talking about human beings. But its not that anyone is a bad person, but if you're talking about how slaves were managed, ugly things have to be said. It's the nature of the beast.

I agree with Wild Rose that owners fed their workforce well enough. Why wouldn't they?

When you think about Southern cooking today, both whites and blacks contributed and continue to contribute. Of the dishes served today, what dated from antebellum days and what didn't?

[Alabaman]

Has anybody studied anthropometrics and applied this anthropological science to the antebellum slave? Perhaps not setting limitations to only the antebellum slave, but all 19th century racial groups. African slaves can be, thus, anthropologically isolated with regard to diet, median height/body weigth and physiological responses to perceived poor or proper dietary intake. It's just a thought?

Respectfully
Alabaman

[ole]

'Bama.

What you said, whatever it was, sounds good. I'd like to see more on that.
Ole

[ole]

Sam, Matthew and Matthew:

Please read Rose's post again. She was talking about nutrition and the lack of knowledge about it, not comparing dogs with slaves.

It's logical to conclude that nearly all slave owners cared enough for their investments to try to keep them healthy and prepared for a full day's work. When you consider that today's nutritionists agree like economists, you may decide that nutrition is still not a well defined science.

As to total ignorance, I can't accept that. Part of a cultural heritage is knowing what to eat. This traditional knowledge serves its adherents well. For example, in the American Latin areas, beans and corn in combination are a mainstay. Such a meal provides a complete protein, perhaps not as much as is provided in eggs, milk, and meat, but quite as nourishing.

A slave diet heavy in corn and legumes would also substitute for the lack of meat and dairy products. Fruits and vegetables in season. Storable roots -- turnips, carrots, potatoes -- provide nutrients. Nuts keep from crop to crop. Perhaps not a perfectly balanced diet, but certainly sustaining. The major question would be quantities and how consistent the provisioning was across the population.

This would likely be the same kind of diet available to the poor whites. Yeoman farmers would have had access to more meat and dairy products. As Rose mentioned, you made do with what grew in your soil-type area. Wisconsin is famous for its dairy products not because of the nordic influence, but because the dairy area of that state is fit only for pastureland with corn and fodder rotating in the flats. Dairy areas of Iowa and Minnesota are topographically similar. When you get into the sweeping flats of Indiana and Illinois, you can make more money on crops than dairy cattle. This enables both cash crops and meat production.

The farmers are all the same, only different. Had there been slaves on the northern farms, their diets would have been different -- perhaps not more generous, but different.

Getting key diarrhea again. Will quit now.
Ole

[matthew mckeon]

Dear Ole,
I didn't think Rose was comparing dogs with slaves. My apologies if that was how it sounded. My fault was writing so hastily.

[Wild_Rose]

Samgrant, My apologies if I didn't make myself clear, but what I actually said was, "Slave owners may have had some of the same incorrect beliefs about what was healthy food for people." I would never compare people to dogs.

[Wild_Rose]

Doggone it, Alabaman...I hate to contradict your wife, but I think dogs aren't much different than people when it comes to healthy hearts. Grease probably does make their coats shinny, though.

Regarding the South and the right to secede...if one believes the tenth amendment you have to believe the South had a legal right to secede.

Thanks for the welcome, G-G-Grandson of Pvt. Morgan Adams, from the G-G-Granddaughter of Lt. Richard Sommerville Lyles, Co. H, Texas 10th Cav.
http://gen.1starnet.com/civilwar/LylesR.htm

I've never met the relatives that posted his pic on this site, but I've been in contact with them via e-mail. I learned a lot of information about Richard that I didn't already know from them. He was my grandmother's, grandfather, killed in Alabama in March 1865.