The statement that best reflects the author's opinion about dates and salt fish is:
dates and salt fish are not high-quality foods
Saltfish was originally a slave food. It was merely any white fish that was doused in salt, and that slave owners did not want to use to feed their slaves. Initially, it was used as fertiliser , but after slaves ate the fish whilst working the fields, plantation owners added salt to deter their slaves from eating the produce. As such, initial adopters of raw Saltfish were those who were hungry; a decision which often became a cause for their death due to dehydration. Those who were caught eating the salt fish were punished with lashes, muzzles and in the case of known repeat offenders, the removal of their tongue.
Slaves had to eat food with high nutrients so they coul afford long hours. Dates have a lot of calories and they contain vitamins and minerals. In addition fiber and antioxidants.
