ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Ancient Filipino diet and health

Well little one, a long long time ago, the people who lived in the Philippines ate a lot of different foods. They ate rice, which is a small white or brown grain that they would cook and eat with different dishes like fish or meat. They also ate fruits and vegetables like bananas, mangoes, coconuts, taro roots, and sweet potatoes.

People back then didn't eat a lot of processed or packaged foods like we do now. They ate mainly what they would grow or catch themselves, like fish, crabs, and shrimp from the nearby rivers and oceans. They would also hunt animals like deer and wild pigs, and would gather eggs from chickens, ducks and other birds.

The ancient Filipinos also believed in using different herbs and plants to help keep them healthy. For example, they would use ginger to help ease stomachaches and lemon grass to help with colds and fevers. They also believed that coconut oil was very helpful for their skin and hair, and that it could even be used as a natural sunscreen.

Some ancient Filipinos believed that certain foods could also give them special powers. For example, they would eat seaweed called "nori" to help them become strong and fast like the fish they caught in the ocean.

Overall, the ancient Filipino diet was mostly made up of natural and healthy foods that were grown or caught locally. They believed in using natural remedies to help keep them healthy and strong.