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How did Pirates keep from getting scurvy?
A British doctor found that a daily ration of lime juice would prevent the horrible softening and bleeding of organs, tendons, skin, and gums that led to death for sailors. Sailors got the nickname “limey” from this practice. Today, it is known that the sailors’ scurvy was caused by vitamin C deficiency.
What fruit keeps you from getting scurvy?
How can scurvy be prevented? Scurvy can be prevented by consuming enough vitamin C, either in the diet or as a vitamin supplement. Citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons, as well as kiwi fruit, strawberries, guava, papaya and blackcurrants, are excellent sources.
What did sailors use to prevent scurvy?
The Merchant Shipping Act of 1867 required all ships of the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy to provide a daily lime ration of one pound to sailors to prevent scurvy.
Does onion prevent scurvy?
While many vegetables did not travel well, onions were an exception and could have provided sufficient vitamin C to keep scurvy at bay, but even they were largely ignored.
Do apples prevent scurvy?
Ascorbic acid or vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that we require and obtain from eating fruits and vegetables such as red and green peppers, citrus fruits, potatoes, kiwi and broccoli.
Did pirates eat limes?
It was the pirates, Timko says, that discovered scurvy early on, and added limes, as well as bitters, molasses, eggs and chocolate, to their daily rum. All for medicinal purposes, of course. The longer they were at sea, as rations and fresh water ran out, they would even mix flour with rum and eat the paste.
Did pirates eat dried fruit?
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.
Did pirates get scurvy?
In the spirit of International Talk Like a Pirate Day, here be a quick grog-blog on scurvy. When pirates sailed the seven seas, they lacked fruits and vegetables in their diet and sometimes got a condition called scurvy.
What fruits and vegetables did sailors eat at sea?
If the sailors were at sea for many months they would not have fruits and vegetables for most of this time. Vitamin C is mainly found in fruits such as oranges, grapefruit, lemons, strawberries, and melons; or it is found in vegetables such as broccoli and bell peppers.
What did pirates eat at sea?
In fact, if a ship had been at sea for a few months chances are that all the pirates had to eat were stale, dry crackers covered in weevils. YUCK!
Why did pirates get sick so easily?
Plus not eating enough good food often made them sick. Scurvy was common, due to a lack of vitamin C (found in lemons, limes and oranges). Pirates knew they’d got it when their teeth started falling out, their skin went pale, their legs got very fat and they had to keep racing off to the toilet.