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🌽 Pre-Hispanic Foods

Foods native to Mesoamerica before contact.

34 entries

Acociles

Cambarellus montezumae (commonly cited; local 'acocil' may include related crayfish)
Ahuautle

Eggs of aquatic true bugs (Corixidae; Krizousacorixa spp., Corisella spp.)
Algas comestibles de costas mexicanas

Multiple genera (e.g., Ulva spp., Sargassum spp.)
Amaranto

Amaranthus hypochondriacus (and related cultivated amaranths)
Cacahuate

Arachis hypogaea
Cacao

Theobroma cacao
Camote

Ipomoea batatas
Chapulines

Sphenarium spp.
Charales

Chirostoma spp.
Chia

Salvia hispanica
Chicle

Manilkara zapota (also other Manilkara spp. used for chicle latex)
Chinicuiles

Comadia redtenbacheri
Epazote

Dysphania ambrosioides
Escamoles

Liometopum apiculatum (commonly cited for escamoles; other species may be used regionally)
Flor de calabaza

Cucurbita spp. (commonly Cucurbita pepo and related domesticated squash)
Frijol tépari

Phaseolus acutifolius
Gusano blanco de maguey

Aegiale hesperiaris (also cited as Acentrocneme hesperiaris in some sources)
Harina de mezquite

Prosopis spp. (commonly Prosopis laevigata in Mexico references)
Huauzontle

Chenopodium berlandieri subsp. nuttalliae
Huitlacoche

Ustilago maydis
Jamaica

Hibiscus sabdariffa
Jicama

Pachyrhizus erosus
Jumiles

Atizies taxcoensis (also cited as Euschistus taxcoensis)
Maguey / Agave

Agave spp. (e.g., Agave salmiana, Agave atrovirens)
Nopal

Opuntia spp. (commonly Opuntia ficus-indica)
Papaloquelite

Porophyllum ruderale
Piñones

Pinus cembroides (and other edible-seeded Pinus spp. in Mexico)
Quelite cenizo

Chenopodium album
Romeritos

Suaeda edulis
Tecuitlatl

Arthrospira maxima
Tuna

Opuntia spp.
Verdolagas

Portulaca oleracea
Xamues

Thasus gigas (also cited historically as Pachilis gigas)
Yuca

Manihot esculenta