Military rations given to ninjas
The Ninja diet was a form of military rations historically consumed by ninjas. The types of rations consumed included suikatsugan (水渇丸, 'thirst pill'),[1][2] hyōrōgan (兵糧丸, 'provisions pill'),[3][4][5] kikatsugan (飢渇丸, 'starvation pill'),[2][6] hoshii (糒しい, 'dried boiled rice'),[7][8] and katayaki (かた焼き, 'hard-baked', a type of traditional senbei).[7][9]
Bansenshukai hunger pills
According to Hakim Isler, the 3 most common food pills were Suikatsugan, Hyorougan and Kikatsugan.[10]
- Hyorougan ("ration pills") was made of glutinous rice, ordinary rice, lotus seed, Chinese yam, cinnamon, adlay, Asian ginseng and sugar.[4][11] Other source say that Hyorougan was made from wheat powder, saké, sticky rice and carrots.[7] According to Hakim Isler, they were made of non-glutinous rice, lotus fruits, yams, ginseng and crystal sugar.[10]
- Kikatsugan ("hunger pills"), or starve pill, was designed to help the ninjas when in starvation, being made from glutinous rice, sake, dried chickweed, ginseng, buckwheat, adlay and yams.[10]
- Suikatsugan ("thirst pills") were made with pickled plum (umeboshi), buckwheat flour, and yams.[1]