Abstract：

Before the black death, the food consumption of British peasant was mainly plant-based,among which the role of legumes could not be ignored. It not only meets the food needs of the vast majority of the poor, but also provides them with their daily needs of protein. But legumes have to be combined with grains to do their best work.A healthy diet can only be achieved when the optimal ratio of legumes to grains(17%) is achieved. Based on the statistical analysis of the food consumed by the underclass in the British rural society, such as the servant, the old man and the small landowner, this paper believes that the British peasant before the black death basically met this standard. This conclusion suggests that despite the peak population in Britain before the black death, the widespread cultivation oflegumes ensured that their standard of living remained healthy.

Keyword：England; black death; peasant; legumes; the optimal ratio of legumes to grains;

Published on Agricultural History of China, Issue 4, 2020.