Inspite of the popular belief Romans were not vegetarian. Apart of so much evidence that supports this fact I don’t believe that a bunch of vegetarians could conquer the mediterranean world (hehehe, it’s a joke :)). What is true is that Romans ate much more vegies and fruits than we do today.

Another cool fact a friend told me (he is a historian) is that on long marches and when there was not much food available the main diet of the Roman army consisted of

• olives and
  
• black, whole grain bread

Is it true? Could be. Whole grain bread is a fantastic source of constant, long-lasting energy. Add high-energy, healthy olives and you’ve got a great mix to go for miles. Besides, these supplies are light-weight and easy to transport. And don’t forget all the good benefits of olives!

• Due its incredibly high amount of monounsaturated fat it helps lowering the “bad” cholesterol and raises the leves of good cholesterol, which is beneficial for your heart.
• Olive oil contains high levels of antioxidants, specially vitamin E, which is believed to prevent cancer and several other diseases.
• Olive oli is the only oil you can consume “raw”. It’s the main component of any mediterranean diet and is believed to be the reason for longevity in this reason.
• It tastes wonderful!

I am seriously considering trying this roman army diet on the “Carros de Foc” challenge this summer :).

Cost: 3$ for 800gr of high-quality olives; should be enough for 6-14 meals.