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Why Do Maasai Drink Blood? The Truth Behind the Tradition
- visitnatives
- 2 hours ago
- 14 min read
Quick Answer
Yes, some Maasai traditionally drink cattle blood. Blood has historically been valued for its nutritional benefits, especially during illness, recovery and certain ceremonial occasions. However, tourists often focus on the blood, while the Maasai focus on the cattle. To understand why blood is consumed, you first need to understand the central role cattle play in Maasai culture, where cattle are linked to food, identity, wealth, social relationships and spirituality.
In This Article
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Why Do Maasai Drink Blood?
I still remember the day I jokingly called it a "pink cappuccino." At the time, I was living in a Maasai boma (homestead) in northern Tanzania while conducting anthropological fieldwork. I had recently recovered from both malaria and typhoid fever and was still feeling quite weak. One morning, I was offered a mixture of fresh cow's blood and milk.
To be clear, it was medication that cured me, not blood. But I remember sitting there wondering what exactly I was drinking and why it was considered beneficial. Years later, it is still one of the most common questions I receive from travelers: Do the Maasai really drink blood?
The answer is yes. Some Maasai do drink cattle blood, and in some communities the practice continues today. But the explanations you often find online tend to be surprisingly superficial. Most articles simply state that blood is nutritious and leave it at that.
The reality is more interesting.
Blood has traditionally been consumed during different stages of life, including recovery from illness, after childbirth, after circumcision and during certain ceremonies. It is not only associated with warriors, as many people assume. Women may also drink blood in particular situations, especially when it is considered beneficial for recovery and strength.
The practice also makes much more sense when viewed in the context of a pastoral society where cattle have historically provided food, security and livelihood. If you remove cattle from the story, blood drinking can seem strange or exotic. When you place it back into the broader context of Maasai life, it becomes easier to understand why the tradition developed in the first place.
If you would like a broader introduction to Maasai culture, traditions, rituals and daily life, I have written more about this in my article: Maasai Culture in Tanzania: Traditions, Rituals, Beliefs & Daily Life of the Maasai Tribe.
And perhaps the more interesting question is not whether the Maasai drink blood, but what blood actually means in Maasai culture, who drinks it, whether it is still consumed today, and what many people misunderstand about the practice.
And should you try drinking blood when visiting a Maasai homestead? We'll come back to that question later.
Why Are Cattle So Important to the Maasai?
Did you know that if you step on cow dung in a Maasai boma, you could almost consider yourself blessed? At least that is how I was once taught to see it.
For many outsiders, cow dung is something dirty. In a Maasai homestead, it is part of life. It is used in building houses, it marks the presence of cattle, and it tells you something important about the relationship between people, animals and home.
Cattle are the foundation of Maasai life. They provide milk, blood and meat, but their meaning goes far beyond food. Cattle represent wealth, security, social status, family continuity and connection to land. They are part of marriage negotiations, inheritance, ceremonies and everyday survival.
A family's herd is not just an economic asset. It is a form of identity. It tells something about responsibility, kinship, respect and the ability to care for both animals and people.
The importance of cattle can even be seen in Maasai symbolism and traditional beadwork. One of the most important colors in Maasai culture is red. It is often associated with bravery and strength, but it also reflects the importance of blood, life, vitality and the pastoral way of life. Other colors carry their own meanings as well, from white symbolizing milk and health to blue representing the sky and rain that sustain both people and livestock.
If you would like to learn more about the symbolism behind Maasai colors and beadwork, I have written a detailed guide: What Do Maasai Bead Colors Mean? Complete Guide to Maasai Jewelry & Symbolism (2026).
This is why blood cannot be understood as an isolated custom. It belongs to a much larger pastoral world, where cattle are tied to nourishment, dignity, obligation and belonging.
The Traditional Maasai Diet: Milk, Blood and Meat
To understand why blood became such an important part of Maasai culture, it helps to understand the traditional Maasai diet.
Historically, the Maasai were pastoralists whose lives revolved around cattle. Unlike farming communities, they did not traditionally depend on crops as a major food source. Their diet was built primarily around three things: milk, blood and meat.
In many Maasai communities, milk was the daily staple, blood was often used during periods of recovery or increased nutritional need, and meat was consumed more occasionally, often during ceremonies or special occasions.
Cattle provided nearly everything they needed. Milk was the everyday staple. Blood offered additional nutrients without requiring the animal to be slaughtered. Meat was eaten more occasionally, often during ceremonies, special occasions or when an animal was slaughtered.
This does not mean Maasai people never consumed other foods. Over time, trade, markets and changing lifestyles introduced grains, vegetables, tea, sugar and many other foods into Maasai diets. But historically, cattle formed the foundation of Maasai nutrition.
This is why blood cannot be understood simply as an unusual food. For generations, it was part of a food system that enabled pastoral communities to survive in environments where farming was often difficult or impossible.
In many ways, blood was to the Maasai what grain was to agricultural societies or fish was to fishing communities: not just a food, but part of an entire way of life.
Do Maasai Women Drink Blood Too?
One thing that is often missing from discussions about Maasai blood drinking is the role of women. When I lived in a Maasai boma for a year, my Maasai “mother”, Leah, often used remedies that were based on local knowledge, Indigenous beliefs and plants. One day, I found her sitting inside her hut with cow dung on her forehead. It was used as a remedy to cool down fever.
Like many Maasai women of her generation, she also possessed extensive knowledge of medicinal plants, herbal remedies and traditional approaches to treating common illnesses. Much of this knowledge has been passed down through generations and remains an important part of healthcare in some Maasai communities today. If you are interested in learning more, I have written about several traditional remedies in my article: Unlock the 4 Most Powerful Maasai Healing Plants You've Never Heard Of.
Leah was also the woman who prepared blood and milk for me when I was sick, just as she did for her son’s co-wives after childbirth or during recovery.
This is why I find it misleading when blood drinking is presented only as something connected to Maasai warriors or men. In the world I lived in, blood was also part of women’s knowledge, care and recovery.
In some Maasai communities, women have traditionally consumed cattle blood particularly after childbirth, during recovery from illness, or in situations where additional strength and nourishment was considered important. Blood may be mixed with milk or added to soups and other foods, depending on local customs and circumstances.
If you are interested in learning more about women’s roles in Maasai family life, I have also written about another common stereotype in my article: Why Do Maasai Men Have Multiple Wives? Here’s Why.
At the same time, it is important not to generalize. Maasai communities are not all the same. Practices vary between regions, families and generations, and many food traditions have changed over time. Today, some women continue these customs, while others do not.
Is the Cow Killed When Blood Is Collected?
The answer is both yes and no, depending on the situation. If blood is collected only for drinking, the cow is not killed. In the traditional Maasai way, blood can be taken from a living animal, often from a vein in the neck. A small arrow is used to pierce the vein, and the blood is collected into a calabash, the same kind of traditional container that may also be used for milking.
This usually happens inside the cattle kraal, the enclosed area of the boma where the animals are kept. A limited amount of blood is collected, and the wound is then closed so the animal can recover.
This makes sense in a pastoralist society where cattle are valuable alive. A cow can provide milk, calves and, at certain times, blood. It is not in the family's interest to harm an animal unnecessarily.
Blood is also not taken randomly. A weak, sick or undernourished animal would not normally be used. If grazing is poor, the herd is stressed, or the animal is not in good condition, taking blood would not make sense. In that way, it can be compared loosely to human blood donation: the body needs to be strong enough to lose blood safely.
However, if a cow, bull or goat is being slaughtered for food, a ceremony or a special occasion, the blood is also collected and used. In that case, of course, the animal is killed, but the blood is not wasted. It becomes part of the food and ritual use of the animal.
If you are interested in learning more about Maasai ceremonies and rites of passage, you can also read my article: Unveiling the Maasai Traditions: An Eunoto Cultural Rite of Passage in Tanzania.
So the simple answer is: when Maasai collect blood from a living cow, the animal is not killed. But when an animal is slaughtered for meat or ceremony, the blood is also collected and consumed.
Is Blood Nutritious?
Yes, blood is nutritious. One reason cattle blood has traditionally been valued in Maasai culture is that it contains several nutrients that can support recovery and physical strength.
Blood is particularly rich in protein and iron. The iron found in blood is heme iron, which is generally absorbed more efficiently by the human body than iron from many plant sources. Blood also contains amino acids, minerals and hemoglobin, the protein responsible for carrying oxygen throughout the body.
This helps explain why blood has traditionally been consumed in situations where people were recovering from illness, childbirth, blood loss or other physically demanding periods of life. In a pastoral society where cattle are central to daily life, blood provided an additional source of nutrients without having to slaughter an animal.
At the same time, it is important not to exaggerate its benefits. Blood is not a miracle food, nor is there scientific evidence that it can cure diseases such as malaria, typhoid fever or other serious illnesses. Modern medical treatment remains essential for treating infections and disease.
The nutritional value of blood depends on many factors, including the health of the animal, how the blood is collected and how it is prepared. In some cases, blood is consumed fresh, while in others it may be mixed with milk or cooked as part of soups and stews.
Interestingly, blood as food is not unique to the Maasai. Many cultures around the world have traditionally used blood in different forms. When I stayed with Sámi reindeer herders in Norway, I remember standing outside in the freezing cold while a reindeer was being slaughtered. My task was simple: stir the fresh blood so it would not freeze while the family continued preparing the animal.
Later, the Sámi mother used that blood to make blood pancakes, which are considered a delicacy in Sámi food culture.
In Europe, many people still eat blood sausage. In parts of Asia, blood soups and blood-based dishes are also part of local food traditions. So while Maasai blood drinking may seem shocking to outsiders, the idea of using blood as food is not unusual in human history.
This is also why Indigenous food systems should not be judged too quickly through modern Western ideas of what is “normal” food. Different environments create different diets, and food often carries knowledge about survival, seasonality, animals and land. I have written more about this in relation to hunter-gatherer food traditions in my article 5 Eye-Opening Facts About the Hadza Diet And What Hunter-Gatherers Can Teach Us.
What makes the Maasai case distinctive is the connection between blood, cattle, pastoral life and recovery. For the Maasai, blood is not only a source of nutrients. It belongs to a wider food system built around cattle, milk, meat, strength and survival.
What Does Blood Taste Like?
Many travelers ask me what blood actually tastes like. When I drank my first "pink cappuccino" in a Maasai homestead, I was surprised by how mild it was. I had expected something much stronger. Mixed with milk, the blood had only a slight metallic taste and was far less dramatic than I had imagined.
Raw blood on its own has a warm texture and a mild iron-like flavor, somewhat similar to its smell. The taste is noticeable, but not overwhelmingly so. When blood is cooked into a meat soup, however, many people would probably not recognize it at all without being told.
Of course, taste is subjective. Some people find the flavor unpleasant, while others hardly notice it. But based on my own experience, the reality is much less dramatic than the stories that often surround Maasai blood drinking.
Are There Health Risks?
Yes, there can be health risks. Even when raw blood is consumed within Maasai culture, it is still a raw animal product. Like raw milk, raw meat or any uncooked animal-based food, it can carry bacteria, parasites or other pathogens if the animal is sick, the blood is contaminated, or hygiene conditions are poor.
Raw cattle blood can potentially contain bacteria such as Salmonella, Campylobacter and certain strains of E. coli. In some regions, it may also carry diseases such as brucellosis. Like other raw animal products, it can also contain parasites. The actual risk depends on many factors, including the health of the animal, hygiene during collection, storage conditions and how the blood is prepared.
This does not mean that everyone who drinks raw blood becomes sick. Maasai communities have long traditions and knowledge around cattle, animal health and food preparation. But from a modern public health perspective, drinking raw blood is not risk-free.
The risk is different when blood is cooked. If blood is added to hot soup or stew and properly heated, the risk from many bacteria and parasites is significantly reduced. This is one reason it is important to separate raw blood mixed with milk from cooked blood used in food.
So should you drink raw blood when visiting a Maasai homestead? Personally, I would not recommend it to travelers for health reasons, because it may contain some risks.
If you would like to taste blood while staying with a Maasai community, I would recommend asking whether it can be cooked well and added to a meat soup instead. Proper cooking greatly reduces the risk from many bacteria and parasites while still allowing you to experience an important aspect of traditional Maasai food culture.
Of course, you do not need to consume any blood products when staying with the Maasai, and people will not be offended. Respecting a tradition does not mean you need to consume everything yourself.
Do Maasai Still Drink Blood Today?
Yes, some Maasai still drink blood today, but its use has decreased significantly in many areas. The reason may surprise you.
It is not simply because Maasai people have “stopped believing” in the tradition or because blood is now seen as something bad. In many traditional communities, blood is still understood as a valuable food connected to cattle, strength and recovery. The bigger issue is that cattle themselves are often no longer in the same condition they once were.
When I lived with the Maasai more than 20 years ago, milk was everywhere. We drank it fresh, and tea was often cooked almost entirely in milk. Cows could be milked regularly, and milk was a normal part of daily life.
Today, in many places, this has changed dramatically. It is now much more common that tea is boiled in water and only a little milk is added, instead of being cooked fully in milk as it often was before. This change tells a bigger story.
Many Maasai communities are struggling with reduced access to good grazing land, blocked or shrinking migration routes, drought, livestock disease and cattle deaths. Climate change, land rights issues and pressure on traditional grazing areas all affect the health of the herd. When cattle are weak, underfed or stressed, it is much harder to take blood from them safely.
So yes, Maasai blood drinking still exists, but in many communities it is less common than before. Not necessarily because the meaning has disappeared, but because the conditions that made it possible have changed.
This is why blood drinking should not be understood only as a cultural curiosity. It is also connected to much larger questions about land, livestock health, climate pressure and the future of pastoral life in East Africa.
Looking Beyond the Blood Shock Factor
If there is one thing I hope readers take away from this article, it is this: Maasai blood drinking should not be understood as an isolated “shocking” tradition.
It is connected to cattle, health, recovery, women’s knowledge, ceremonies, land, drought, changing diets and the future of pastoral life. When people only focus on the blood, they miss the much bigger story.
This is also where respectful cultural understanding begins. Not with asking whether something feels strange to us, but with asking what it means in the world where it belongs.
For the Maasai, blood has never been only about blood. It is part of a wider relationship between people, cattle and survival.
Curious About Real Maasai Life?
Many people come to this article because they are fascinated by blood drinking. Most leave realizing that the much bigger story is cattle, family, survival, land and a way of life that has shaped Maasai communities for generations.
If you would like to experience Maasai culture beyond documentaries and social media clips, Visit Natives offers community-based Maasai homestays in northern Tanzania, hosted together with local Maasai families.
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FAQ: Maasai Blood Drinking
Do Maasai really drink blood?
Yes. Some Maasai communities still consume cattle blood today, although the practice is less common than it was in the past.
Do Maasai women drink blood?
Yes, women may traditionally consume blood, particularly after childbirth, during recovery from illness, or when additional nourishment is considered beneficial.
Is the cow killed when blood is collected?
Not necessarily. If blood is collected from a living cow, the animal is not killed. However, blood is also collected when animals are slaughtered for food or ceremonies.
Why do Maasai drink blood?
Traditionally, blood has been valued for its nutritional content and has been associated with recovery, strength, ceremonies and pastoral life centered around cattle.
Is drinking blood safe?
Raw blood can contain bacteria, parasites and other pathogens. Proper cooking significantly reduces many of these risks.
Do all Maasai still drink blood today?
No. Practices vary between communities, families and generations. The use of blood has declined in many areas due to changes in livestock health, grazing conditions and lifestyle.
Can visitors try drinking blood in a Maasai village?
Sometimes it may be offered, but visitors are never expected to consume blood. Respecting Maasai culture does not require participating in every tradition.
What does Maasai blood taste like?
Raw cattle blood has a mild metallic or iron-like taste and a warm texture. When mixed with milk, the flavor becomes much milder and less noticeable. In soups and cooked dishes, many people would not recognize the taste of blood without being told it is present. As with any food, taste is subjective and experiences vary from person to person.
About the Author
Anniina Sandberg is a Finnish Africa researcher and anthropologist (MA), Swahili interpreter and founder of Visit Natives.
She has spent more than 20 years working with Maasai communities in Tanzania and lived in a Maasai homestead while conducting anthropological fieldwork. Her work focuses on Indigenous cultures, ethical cultural tourism and the relationship between traditional knowledge and modern change.
Through Visit Natives, she works with Indigenous communities in Tanzania, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Morocco and beyond, creating cultural experiences that are community-led and based on long-term relationships.
This article combines anthropological field experience, conversations with Maasai families and observations gathered over two decades of working in northern Tanzania.
References and Further Reading
Orech, F. O., & Schwarz, J. G. (2017). Ethno-phytotherapeutic remedies used in meat, milk, and blood products by the Maasai people of Kenya. South African Journal of Botany, 108, 278–280.
Chimba, R., & Quadri, N. S. (2021). Blood Is Life. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 105(4), 820–821.
Oiye, S., Simel, J. O., Oniang’o, R., & Johns, T. (2009). The Maasai food system and food and nutrition security. In Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems: The Many Dimensions of Culture, Diversity and Environment for Nutrition and Health. FAO.
Galaty, J. G. (1982). Being “Maasai”; being “people-of-cattle”: ethnic shifters in East Africa. American Ethnologist, 9(1), 1–20.
For general food safety guidance related to raw animal products, see the World Health Organization (WHO) Food Safety resources.