Can You Eat Camel Manure?

In a little-known fact that appeared on my desk today as a "trending topic", I was shocked to discover an inquiry regarding the edibility of camel manure.

Now I usually don't take such things seriously, having been around for over 7 years, I am used to the usual messages from trolls. However, I decided that today I would genuinely entertain the question.

I began my research by studying whether camel was ever eaten or not. This research yielded that in times of great famine, camels have been eaten. However, due to their vital capabilities, they have scarcely been considered as a menu item. Rather, the consumption of camel meats in countries like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Israel are illegal.

In the rare cases that camels have been documented to have been slaughtered and consumed, the perpetrators were usually foreign invaders that did not see the value of the camel behind a source of meat. The Mongol armies that plagued the middle east for many years, for example, found camel meat to be quite delectable. But this is where we no longer found much of any reference to the consumption of camel.

One source indicated that during the second world war, both German and British soldiers took turns consuming camels in small quantities when blocked from the reception of resources. A further source indicated that German soldiers followed Bedouin remedies for dispensary which included the consumption of camel manure. This sparked an additional investigation into why the Bedouin ate camel manure for medicinal purposes.

This further research indicated that in some parts of the Sinai and the Arabian Peninsula, camel dung had been consumed for thousands of years. This consumption was initially practical, as camel dung contained plant matter with digested cellulose walls -- which could provide a bit of nourishment to humans (as our own systems cannot break down heavy cellulose walls well). Over the years, this tradition has been in decline and camel manure has become a medical, rather than a nutritional supplement. As noted in the German army, only portions of grasses and herbs in the ding were extracted and consumed. The matter that did not contain these substances was ignored.

So what is the answer to the question? Yes, camel manure can and has been consumed by humans both as food and traditional medicines. Is it suggested? Absolutely not. The dangers of eating camel manure are similar go eating any manure; usually, they involve serious microbial infections. The consumption of manure, in general, can be fatal.

As a side note, in "Total War Atilla", one of the denials of suzerainty goes along the lines of "I would rather eat camel shit for a year and day [than agree to your demand]".

So that settles this startling question. If anyone has any additional questions, post below.