The Indian English-language resource Times Now, controlled by The Times Group, attempted to understand the peculiarities of Mongolian nutrition.
“So how did the Mongols really eat? Their diet consisted of meat and dairy products necessary for survival: dried meat, airag, and even horse blood, which gave strength to warriors who considered vegetables merely 'food for goats',” reports Times Now.
If you have ever dreamed of turning salad into steak, you share the culinary philosophy of the medieval Mongols. For them, vegetables were not an important element of the diet; they were perceived as 'goat food'. In the vast Central Asian steppes, greens were intended for livestock, not for the warriors who conquered half the world.
But why did one of the most powerful empires in history so neglect vegetables? What did they eat instead to maintain their remarkable endurance and horsemanship?
The Ecology Shaping the Diet
The culinary traditions of the Mongols were linked to the harsh conditions of the Eurasian steppes, where long winters and adverse conditions practically excluded the possibility of agriculture. Here, cooking became a true art of survival.
The diet in the Mongolian Empire was determined not by choice, but by geographical conditions. Since growing grains in such climatic conditions was challenging, nomadic herders turned to what nature offered in abundance — animals.
Animal husbandry, including horses, sheep, goats, and camels, provided everything necessary: meat for sustenance, milk, hides and bones for tools, and even blood on long campaigns. Every part of the animal was used to its maximum benefit.
The Diet of Mongolian Warriors under Genghis Khan
Under Genghis Khan, the diet of the Mongols became an important strategic element. The armies were highly mobile, covering astonishing distances that astonished sedentary empires. Nutrition played a key role in this mobility. Warriors carried dried meat with them, which was dried in the steppe air and retained its properties for months.
They consumed it like primitive protein bars: compact, calorie-dense, and perfectly suited for campaigns where cooking was a luxury. When animals were slaughtered, freshly cooked meat also entered the diet, as fat and protein gave them strength to withstand cold winds and long days on horseback.
Horses: Secret Weapon and Source of Nutrition
However, meat alone was not enough to sustain the functioning of the empire. The Mongols were innovators in dairy products long before the term emerged. Their lives revolved around milk: warm, sour, fermented, whipped, and boiled.
Dairy products combined both nutrition and philosophy. The Mongols consumed cottage cheese, cheese, clotted cream, butter, and of course, airag — fermented mare's milk, which had a slight alcoholic effect and a refreshing taste. This drink provided calories, quenched thirst, and gave courage. The fermentation process was perfectly suited for a nomadic lifestyle: milk stored in leather bags on the saddle was churned during long journeys.
Did Mongols Drink Horse Blood?
One of the most shocking aspects of their diet, sometimes causing astonishment among foreigners, was the use of horse blood. In rare cases when the need arose, a warrior could make a small cut on the neck of his horse, drink some blood, and continue on without harming the animal. It sounds dramatic, but it allowed Mongolian armies to cover great distances without traditional supply lines. Their diet was, quite literally, designed for conquest.
Why Vegetables Became Objects of Mockery
So what place did vegetables occupy in this context? In most cases, they were insignificant. The Mongols regarded plants with disdain and indifference. Vegetables were associated with sedentary farmers, whom the Mongols believed to be inferior in the hierarchy. Consuming greens seemed unnecessary when animals turned grass into nutritious meat and milk. Goats ate grass, horses ate grass, and people ate goats and horses. That was the natural order of things.
A Culinary Turn
Nevertheless, their diet was not primitive. It was a complex system perfectly adapted to a nomadic lifestyle. Fermented dairy products could be stored for long periods. Dried curds, known as aaruul, became a popular snack on the go. It was as hard as a rock, incredibly nutritious, and could be preserved for long. Cooking meat required only a pot and fire. Airag lifted spirits and replenished strength. The choice of foods depended on movement, climate, and the necessity of survival.
Legacy on the Plate
It is astonishing how effective this diet was in terms of nutrition. Fatty meat warmed warriors on cold nights, while fermented dairy products supported gut health. Thanks to the availability of protein, armies rarely needed to transport food.
Each horse of each rider significantly increased both mobility and food security. Their system was simple yet powerful, allowing them to sustain the largest continuous land empire in history.
Even in modern times, Mongolian cuisine retains its traditions. Stews, milk tea, dumplings, and dried dairy snacks reflect the ancient traditions of the steppe: hearty, warming, and meaty.
Although vegetables are now present in modern recipes, the spirit of this cuisine still maintains the Mongols' confidence: true strength comes from animals, not from the garden.
Ultimately, the Mongols did not just laugh at vegetables. They defended a worldview shaped by climate, survival, and conquests. Their diet became not just a habit, but a triumph of adaptation that energized warriors across continents and left a culinary legacy as harsh and majestic as the steppe itself.
author: Simran Sukhnani
translation: MiddleAsianNews
