The Ancient Egyptian Diet: What Pharaohs Ate and What We Can Learn Today

When you think of ancient Egypt, you probably picture towering pyramids, golden sarcophagi, and all-powerful pharaohs. But here's something that might surprise you: many of those magnificent pharaohs were overweight — and some even had heart disease. Sound familiar? Welcome to one of history's most fascinating dietary case studies, and one that has some very real lessons for us living in South Africa today.

The ancient Egyptian diet is one of the most thoroughly studied diets in history, thanks to wall paintings, hieroglyphic records, and — most dramatically — the preserved bodies of mummies that scientists have CT-scanned and analysed for decades. What they've found is both remarkable and a little cautionary. Let's dig in.

What Did Ancient Egyptians Actually Eat?

The diet of ancient Egypt was shaped by the Nile River — the lifeblood that flooded every year and deposited rich, fertile soil along its banks. This made Egypt the breadbasket of the ancient world, literally. Here's what ended up on Egyptian tables:

The Staples: Bread and Beer

Bread was the cornerstone of the Egyptian diet — for everyone from field workers to pharaohs. Archaeologists have found dozens of different types of Egyptian bread, made from emmer wheat and barley. Beer was equally central, and was actually nutritious by ancient standards — thick, slightly fermented, and full of B vitamins. Workers who built the pyramids were paid partly in bread and beer. It was the original "salary"!

However, this heavy reliance on grains is also part of the problem. Studies of mummy teeth show extreme wear from the grit that ended up in bread during stone-grinding — and autopsies have found atherosclerosis (hardened arteries) in mummies who were relatively young by today's standards.

Vegetables and Legumes

This is where the Egyptian diet really shines. Onions, garlic, leeks, and lettuce were eaten in enormous quantities — and we now know that garlic and onions have powerful anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular benefits. Lentils, chickpeas, and fava beans were protein powerhouses that kept workers energised through long, hot days.

In South Africa, these foods are wonderfully affordable. A bag of red lentils costs around R30–R40, a large bag of dried chickpeas around R35–R50, and garlic and onions are available at every Pick n Pay, Checkers, or Shoprite across the country. This is a diet South Africans can absolutely embrace.

Fruit: Figs, Dates, and More

Figs and dates were beloved by ancient Egyptians — both sweet, naturally energising, and packed with fibre. Pomegranates and melons were also popular. These fruits provided natural sugars for quick energy but also came bundled with fibre, minerals, and antioxidants — very different from the refined sugars in modern processed foods.

Fish and Meat

Fish from the Nile — including tilapia and catfish — was a regular part of the Egyptian diet, especially for common people. Meat (beef, goat, duck, and geese) was more of a luxury reserved for the wealthy and for religious feasts. Interestingly, this pattern — plant foods as the base with fish and occasional meat — mirrors what modern nutritionists recommend today.

The Pharaoh Problem: When Wealth Becomes Unhealthy

Here's the fun (and slightly sobering) twist: the richest Egyptians, including pharaohs, were often in worse health than their workers. CT scans of royal mummies, including Ramesses II and Hatshepsut, have revealed obesity, diabetes-related conditions, and severe cardiovascular disease. Why? Because being wealthy meant eating more bread, more honey, more fatty meats, and drinking more wine — while doing far less physical work.

Sound eerily familiar? It's essentially the modern South African (and global) story of how prosperity can paradoxically worsen health. The Egyptian common worker — eating simple lentils, garlic, onions, fish, and vegetables while doing physical labour — was likely in better metabolic shape than the pharaoh feasting in the palace.

Weight loss lesson #1: Your status shouldn't be shown through excess food. Eat like the worker, not the pharaoh.

What Modern Science Says About Egyptian Foods

Garlic and Onions

Modern research strongly supports what Egyptians instinctively knew. Garlic contains allicin, which has been shown to support healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Onions are rich in quercetin, a powerful antioxidant. Including these in your daily cooking — as Egyptians did — is one of the easiest health upgrades you can make.

Lentils and Legumes

Lentils are arguably one of the best weight-loss foods on the planet. They're high in protein and fibre, low in fat, and have a low glycaemic index — meaning they keep you full for hours without spiking your blood sugar. A bowl of lentil soup is far more satisfying than a plate of white rice, and far cheaper too.

Figs

Figs are high in fibre and natural sugars, making them a great energy snack. They also contain calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Fresh figs are available seasonally in South Africa; dried figs are available year-round at most supermarkets for around R40–R60 per pack.

A Modern Egyptian-Inspired Day of Eating

Here's how you might adapt the best of the ancient Egyptian diet for a modern South African lifestyle:

Breakfast

A bowl of cooked lentils with a soft-boiled egg, fresh tomato, and a drizzle of olive oil. Or: sourdough bread (the ancient Egyptian bread was fermented, not unlike sourdough) with avocado and sliced onion. Herbal tea or water.

Lunch

A large salad of chickpeas, cucumber, red onion, roasted garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. Add a tin of pilchards or sardines for omega-3s. This whole meal costs under R30 per serving in most South African kitchens.

Dinner

Grilled tilapia or any local white fish with a side of roasted root vegetables (carrots, sweet potato) and steamed spinach sautéed in garlic. A handful of dates or a fresh fig for dessert.

Snacks

Dried figs, a small handful of roasted chickpeas, or a piece of fresh fruit.

Key Weight Loss Lessons from Ancient Egypt

• Legumes are your best friend. High-fibre, high-protein, low-calorie — lentils and chickpeas are ancient superfoods hiding in plain sight at your local Shoprite.
• Garlic and onions every day. Add them to everything. They're anti-inflammatory, flavourful, and virtually calorie-free.
• Whole grains over refined. The Egyptians ate whole emmer wheat, not white bread. Choose whole grain options where possible.
• Physical activity was built-in. Common Egyptians walked, worked, and moved constantly. Their diet worked partly because their lifestyle matched it.
• Wealth and excess are dietary traps. The most important lesson from Egyptian mummies: eating more than you need — even of "natural" foods — leads to the same modern diseases.

What to Watch Out For

The Egyptian diet was not without its pitfalls. The heavy reliance on bread (even whole grain) meant a high carbohydrate intake that contributed to heart disease in some mummies. For weight loss specifically, you'd want to reduce the bread component and increase vegetables, legumes, and lean protein. Think of it as taking the best parts of the Egyptian diet and leaving the pharaoh's feast behind.

If you're interested in exploring other structured approaches to eating, you might also enjoy reading about the Banting Diet Plan — a South African favourite — or learning more about intermittent fasting, which pairs beautifully with any whole-food diet. For a broader overview of proven diet plans, visit our Diet Plans page.

The Bottom Line

The ancient Egyptian diet is a fascinating mirror for our modern eating habits. At its best — whole grains, legumes, garlic, onions, fish, and vegetables — it was a genuinely healthy, sustainable way of eating that modern nutrition science fully endorses. At its worst — excess bread, honey, fatty meats, and a sedentary lifestyle — it produced the same chronic diseases we struggle with today.

The good news? The "best of Egypt" foods are all readily available in South Africa, most of them budget-friendly, and all of them delicious. You don't need to live like a pharaoh to eat well. In fact, history suggests you're better off you don't.

Curious about your own health metrics? Check out our BMI Calculator to understand where you're starting from, and explore our Nutrition Guide for more evidence-based eating advice.