Food
The Incas used terraces to grow their crops. The main crop was corn. The Incas grew many different types of corn as well as developed many different colored potatoes. Those were the Incas’ main crops that they grew. To preserve potatoes, the Incas would dried the potatoes in the sun during the day and freeze the potatoes during the night. This was repeated several times until all moisture was extracted. This created chuño or freeze-dried potatoes.
The Incas diet did not consist of much meat and no dairy products. They didn’t have cattle or goats so they didn’t eat cheese, yogurt, butter, or milk. They occasionally ate fish, which was dried and pounded into very thin strips that could be preserved forever. These fish strips were called charqui.
Another source of meat was cui or guinea pigs that are native to the Andes. The Incas would allow cui loose in their homes and fed them. The Incas would then kill them for food.
The Incas diet did not consist of much meat and no dairy products. They didn’t have cattle or goats so they didn’t eat cheese, yogurt, butter, or milk. They occasionally ate fish, which was dried and pounded into very thin strips that could be preserved forever. These fish strips were called charqui.
Another source of meat was cui or guinea pigs that are native to the Andes. The Incas would allow cui loose in their homes and fed them. The Incas would then kill them for food.