History of Gold as a Food Supplement
Ever since the times of Pharaohs in 2000 BC, gold has been considered as food able to win the favour of Gods. In Ancient Egypt, gold was used to decorate pharaoh tombs and sarcophagi, and to portray human bodies in the frescoes. However, ancient Egyptians weren't the only people that used gold as votive food. For centuries, Oriental civilizations such as Japan have been using gold in the same context it is used today - as food and drink decoration. Some bottles of sake, a traditional Japanese alcoholic beverage, contain gold flakes that are believed to improve health and well-being.
In the mid 16th century, European noblemen decorated their food with gold. Bread, oysters, quails and carps decorated with gold were served at banquets and weddings. In some European countries, gold as a food supplement became so common, that it had to be limited to two dishes per meal.
Gold was also used as a remedy complementary to aspirin to ease the pains of arthritis. Eatable gold as a food supplement is listed as E-175.