Thematic review on the slaves' feeding in colonial and imperial Brazil

Introduction: Until the end of the nineteenth century, the Brazilian economy was based on slave work. In a historical period of incipient mechanization, the main sources of energy used from the transportation to the activation of the available rudimentary equipment, were of animal origin, among them the Man. The enslaved workers spent their energy performing tasks using, in most cases, only hand tools, such as axes, scythes and hoes. Human strength was the only source of available energy for the more elaborated activities that could not be done by animals. These activities ranged from deforestation to digging, from planting to weeding or harvesting. This research aimed to obtain a detailed and descriptive framework of energy replacement conditions of slave labour, through a review of historical sources and contemporary studies. Methodology: Six databases were searched with timeframe after 2014, as well as original historical documents. A snowballing approach allowed finding references before 2014. The studies were selected without language restrictions. The quantification of energy recovery was done based on quantity, quality and type of served food; the energy value of those foods; and the average of slaves' energy expenditure in rural activities. Results: The searches in the six databases provided initially 36,355 articles. After screening and analysing all this information, 16 were included: 6 articles, 5 books and 5 rare books. DISCUSSION: The selected studies classified slaves’ feeding as insufficient to energy replacement, of low quality and classified as bulk feed by the researchers, that is, it consisted of low-quality foods and its preparation was carried out carelessly as regards hygiene, ways of cooking or seasoning. This diet was repeated daily, leading to the occurrence of digestive system diseases. The difference between the average daily energy expenditure and the replacement of this energy using the supply provided by the slave owners, was also significant. The reduction of this difference was fundamental to human labour and was supplied in different ways. A rather usual one was an increase in the regular supply of alcoholic beverages conclusions: The analysed studies suggest the existence of precarious and similar energy replacement conditions, among the slaves in the different regions of Brazil.