What pirates ate at sea?

Dried meats, like jerky, were extremely popular. But dried plants could offer up a surprising amount of protein as well. Beans were a major item on pirate ships. Beans and other pulses also ensured that the average pirate had some fiber in their diet. Fruits and vegetables tended to go bad fairly early on in a voyage.
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What would pirates eat at sea?

Dried food, such as beans, pulses and sea biscuits were the main staple on long voyages as well as salted meat and pickled vegetables and fruit. Because the supply of fruit and vegetables lasted such a short amount of time, pirates would frequently suffer from malnutrition caused by lack of vitamin C.
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What did pirates drink while at sea?

Fresh water was extremely difficult to keep clean during long voyages at sea. Water was stored in barrels and quickly became stagnant and unsafe to drink. However, adding rum to the water made it safe to drink. In fact, rum played a big part in the history of the British Royal Navy.
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What did pirates actually eat?

Vegetables and meat were usually pickled or salted to preserve the food. Ships on long voyages relied on biscuits, dried beans and salted beef to live. For drinking, seamen chose beer or ale rather than water.
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What do sailors eat on a ship?

A collection of foodstuffs, including several of the following: bread, peas (dried), cheese, rice (dried), molasses, butter, flour, vinegar, something to resemble beef and pork, and a liquid to resemble sailor's grog- whiskey mixed with water.
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TYPES OF FOODS PIRATES ATE AT SEA



What did captains eat on ships?

Sailors would eat hard tack, a biscuit made from flour, water and salt, and stews thickened with water. In contrast, captains and officers would eat freshly baked bread, meat from live chickens and pigs, and had supplements such as spices, flour, sugar, butter, canned milk and alcohol.
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What did sailors eat in 1800?

The main rations were salt beef or pork, cheese, fish, ale and some form of ship's biscuit. The quality of food deteriorated because of storage problems, lack of ventilation, and poor drainage. It was also affected by the presence of rats and other vermin on board.
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Did pirates brush their teeth?

Pirates Did Not Brush Their Teeth!

The toothbrush that we use today was not invented until 1938; long after pirates sailed the seven seas. If pirates ever did clean their teeth it would have been using a "chew stick" which was not a very effective way to keep teeth clean and free of plaque.
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Why do pirates have yellow teeth?

They didn't brush their teeth.

It wasn't until 1938 that the modern toothbrush was invented. Until then, if pirates cleaned their teeth at all it would have been with a “chew stick” which was less than effective at keeping teeth clean and plaque at bay.
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Why did pirates not eat fish?

According to Owlcation, pirates usually didn't fish, because not only did it take up too much of their time, but it also didn't yield enough food to even be worth it. With today's fishing technology, we imagine pirates might live completely different lives.
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How did pirates not get dehydrated?

Back in the day, long-haul pirates and the sailors of the British Royal Navy didn't just use rum for recreation. To keep the crew hydrated, ships typically stored three types of liquid sustenance: water, beer, and rum.
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What did pirates eat meat?

Chickens, cows and even goats were typically found on pirate ships. The livestock served multiple purposes. Chickens were a great source of eggs. Meanwhile, the cows and goats could provide a pirate crew with abundant dairy.
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What was Jack Sparrow drinking?

Rum was the preferred alcoholic drink of pirates, particularly favored by Captain Jack Sparrow.
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How would pirates drink water?

Pirates drank freshwater. It was called freshwater in the sense that it wasn't saltwater, but it still had algae and other unwholesomeness. This was because the water wasn't stored perfectly. It was stored in wooden casks and not filtered or pasteurized.
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Did pirates eat seafood?

Animal bones would be boiled, creating a rudimentary bone broth and then whatever the pirates had on hand would be thrown into the mix: seafood, poultry, pickled vegetable and fruits, salted meats, whatever they could scrap together. This would then be heavily salted and seasoned with spices if it was available.
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Did pirates drink milk?

Eggs, Milk And Biscuits

Even larger animals such as cows or goats were essential in order to provide milk and cheese for the crew.
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What disease did pirates get?

Scurvy, a disease caused by lack of vitamin C, sickened sailors who had no access to fresh food supplies, and killed more than 2 million sailors between the 16th and 18th centuries alone.
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Why did pirates have black eyes?

Some assume pirates wore eye patches to cover a missing eye or an eye that was wounded in battle, but in fact, an eye patch was more likely to be used to condition the eye so the pirate could fight in the dark.
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What was pirate hygiene like?

Pirates were very well known for their lax personal hygiene habits, and in fact the term “pirate bath” refers to a quick wash wherein you was only your private parts and armpits with water (in the case of pirates this was often seawater).
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Did pirates ever shower?

Bathing or washing was pretty much a no-go on a pirate ship as water could not be wasted; those who fancied a shower would have to stand outside in the rain and risk pneumonia! Visiting the bathroom, however, was a much more feasible exercise, thankfully.
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Did pirates have toilets?

Pirate ships didn't have toilets. Instead, they had “heads,” which were basically holes cut into planks that emptied into the water. The plank and hole were usually located at the head of the ship. The term is still used to describe toilets on ships, among other places, today.
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Did pirates sleep in beds?

Some of them slept on hammocks. Others slept on the floor. It was easier for them to sleep on hammocks because they swayed and rocked with the ship's movements. They also didn't have to worry about falling off beds during storms or high tides.
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What did sailor eat in 1700s?

Sailors in the 17th century had it rough. For months, they were away at sea, sustaining themselves on an unsteady diet that included brined beef, dirty water, and tough crackers known as ship biscuit. In the days before pasteurization, seasickness likely came more often from the food than the waves.
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What did Vikings eat on their ships?

Food would have been dried or salted meat or fish. It could only be cooked if the crew were able to land. They'd drink water, beer or sour milk. The hardship of life on board, especially in rough seas, meant that Vikings did not make voyages in the winter but waited until spring.
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What did sailors drink in the 1500s?

DAILY RATIONS

During the Age of Exploration (15th to 18th century), the British Royal Navy would stock up on food, weak beer (1 to 3 % ABV), brandy, and water for their long voyages. Each sailor was provided a ration of one gallon a day of combined alcohol and water.
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