Tag: Golden age of piracy

An estimated two million sailors died of scurvy between the 16th and 18th centuries, a debilitating and often fatal disease caused by vitamin C deficiency. The question of what do pirates eat to prevent scurvy, therefore, holds the key to understanding survival on the open seas during the Age of Sail.

Scurvy killed an estimated 2 million sailors between the 16th and 18th centuries, yet the image of the pirate ravaged by this disease is largely a myth. The key to understanding how pirates avoided this fate lies in their unique lifestyle and diet, which differed significantly from their naval counterparts.

Scurvy killed more British sailors during the 18th century than enemy action. During the Golden Age of Piracy, buccaneers and sailors faced this severe vitamin C deficiency, but many learned innovative ways to get fresh food and what did pirates eat to not get scurvy.

During the Age of Sail, scurvy was responsible for more deaths at sea than combat, often decimating entire crews. This devastating illness was a constant threat, so how do pirates avoid scurvy when embarking on their treacherous and often lengthy voyages?