I have always liked the idea of low magic or no magic but fantastic worlds, but the biggest problem of course as we know is the healing problem. The heal skill is great especially in Pathfinder, but it can only go so far.
So after playing some Bioshock, I thought why not have healing food in such worlds. I know that this has probably have been thought of before and it borders heavily on meta-gaming, but I think that some of the verisimilitude may be kept if the healing effects of the food was delayed with some rest.
For instance, the heal effect of the food would only take effect after you have either rested an hour, the healing only kicks in when you get your 8 hours of rest on top of normal healing, or each food has a different delay heal time. Also I am thinking that this would give the Profession skill Cook and Baker more usefulness as depending on your rolls you could even improve the healing power of certain foods.
Anyways, I would like to hear some feedback on this as well as suggestions.
For a fantastic world but low personal magic set up I love it. Large numbers of permutations: foods that heal x amount, foods that increase the natural recovery modifier for resting 8 hours foods that treat 1-2 hours of rest as a full 8 for recovery, foods that change ones size or appearance. Dangerous addictive or outright lethal foods (children of the Midlands do not eat red fruit).
If you have a low personal magic (few items and casters restricted in some fashion)would keep the "Movie pacing" of PF quite well.
I am not to sure if I want the foods to have a variety of effects, but providing bonuses to heal checks for poison and disease sound great for different herbs.
I am also thinking that this type of system might be a good addition for high magic campaigns especially when the group is small and no one wants to run a cleric. Or in a campaign where there is arcane magic but no gods.
One of the things that I feel I need to decide is whether or not that the extra natural heal the food provides is whether or not to make it a flat bonus or roll bonus.
Lastly, just as I was typing the above, I thought about the profession Cook and Baker skills in creating this food. What if the food created, healed based on stacking, multiplying or dividing based on the ingredients used and how it was cooks. When supplies run low out in the wilderness then the survival skill starts to become more valuable in locating additional ingredients other than tracking down sport.