Tag: Vikings

According to a viral social media rumor from early 2024, the Minnesota Vikings' stadium was planning to become entirely plant-based by the 2025 season, but a team official has since debunked the claim. This has led many to question, 'Are the Vikings really going vegan?' on a team-wide level, confusing modern athlete nutrition trends with the historical record and recent hoaxes.

Historically, scurvy was a feared disease that plagued sailors for centuries, yet Vikings managed to navigate the globe with surprisingly low incidences of this vitamin C deficiency. Where did Vikings get vitamin C, and how did their diet, adapted to northern climates, keep them healthy on long, arduous sea voyages?

Archaeological evidence from cesspits and graves, combined with information from the Norse sagas, indicates that the Viking diet was far more varied and robust than typically portrayed. The diet was rich in meat, fish, dairy, and a surprisingly wide array of grains, vegetables, fruits, and foraged plants.

While the Vikings were fierce warriors and explorers, their diet is often overlooked. A registered dietitian, Lauren Harris-Pincus, has noted that their diet was surprisingly balanced and focused on clean, sustainable foods. So, was the Viking diet healthy? The answer reveals a complex mix of beneficial whole foods alongside significant drawbacks inherent to their time.