Mediterranean diet in the 19th and 20th centuries. The case of two ship crews and their provisions

Abstract

A 19th-century log detailing food purchases for the crew of a Greek vessel and a 20th-century provision document for a cargo Greek ship were examined to elicit differences in food and macronutrient availability to their crew members. Use of new food processing technologies accounted for many of the differences in food patterns noted between the two crews. The most pronounced differences between the food supplies of the 19th- and 20th-century sailors concerned the caloric contributions from cereals, meats and vegetable fats. Energy derived from wheat products on the 20th-century ship declined by 36% when compared to the 19th-century vessel. In contrast, meat utilisation increased by nearly 75%, and use of vegetable fats almost tripled among the modern sailors. Quantities of dry legumes, nuts and fish used by the 20th-century sailors declined when compared to their 19th-century counterparts. The food supply of the 19th-century sailors was adequate in nutrients and energy, and also exhibited a lower lipid content and a higher complex carbohydrate content compared to the diet followed by the 20th-century sailors. These data provide insight on how Greek and Mediterranean dietary patterns have evolved during the past 120 years.