9 Favorite Foods of the Prophet to Improve Your Diet
If you have been wanting to bring about a change in your current eating habits and adopt a healthier life style, what better role model is there to follow than the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). He led a life of balance and moderation in everything including his diet.
Here is a list of foods that the Prophet used to have in his everyday life:
1. Dates
Dates are extremely nutritious, rich in fiber, Vitamin B-6 and minerals such as Iron, Calcium, Potassium, Manganese, Copper etc. that must be included in our daily diet. They are also known to be devoid of cholesterol and contain minimal fat. The Prophet (PBUH) used to have seven dates every single day. According to a hadith:
He who eats seven dates every morning, will not be affected by poison or magic on the day he eats them. (Al Bukhari 5445)
2. Figs
Figs are one of the fruits mentioned in the Quran (95:1) and were favored by the Prophet (PBUH) as well. They tend to be a good cure for stomach ailments, piles, gout diseases and strengthen bones in the human body as they contain a lot of minerals and anti-oxidants.
3. Milk
Milk is essential for strengthening bones and teeth as it is rich in Calcium. It also cures gastric ailments, renews vision and improves human memory. The Prophet (PBUH) loved having goat and camel milk. Milk is also mentioned in the Quran:
We give you drink from what is in their bellies - between excretion and blood - pure milk, palatable to drinkers. (Quran 16:66)
4. Grapes
Grapes were another favorite food item of the Prophet (PBUH). It also has a lot of health benefits which include the purification of blood and are really good for the kidneys and bowel movement.
5. Honey
Honey is a natural cure for many types of illnesses. The Prophet (PBUH) used to drink a glass of water mixed with honey every single morning.
The Prophet (PBUH) said:
Healing is in three things: cupping, a gulp of honey or cauterization. (Bukhari 5681)
6. Olive Oil
Olives are one of the foods of Paradise and are mentioned in the Quran as well. They are good for the health of skin and hair and are also used to relieve stomach inflammations.
The Prophet (PBUH) said:
Eat of its oil and use it (the olives), for indeed it is from a blessed tree. (Tirmidhi 1852)
7. Barley
It is highly effective for curing fever, with its immense nutritional value. The Prophet (PBUH) used to have it in the form of bread, dough and porridge. It has a lot of health benefits when it comes to different ailments and combating weakness. According to a hadith:
“The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) entered upon us, and with him was Ali bin Abu Talib, who had recently recovered from an illness. We had bunches of unripe dates hanging up, and the Prophet (PBUH) was eating from them. Ali reached out to eat some, and the Prophet (PBUH) said to him:
Stop, O Ali! You have just recovered from an illness.
I made some greens and barley for the Prophet (PBUH), and the Prophet (PBUH) said to Ali:
O Ali, eat some of this, for it is better for you. (Ibn Majah 4:3442)
8. Pumpkin
It was one of the Prophet’s most favored vegetables. It is immensely beneficial for lungs and combats birth defects in humans. It also helps cure diseases like asthma, blood pressure, some types of cancer and heart ailments.
9. Melon
Melons are high in water content and low in calories. They contain various vitamins and minerals with anti-cancer properties. They can also contribute towards the cure of kidney ailments, stomach ailments and heart conditions.
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to eat melon with fresh dates, and he used to say:
The heat of the one is broken by the coolness of the other, and the coolness of the one by the heat of the other. (Abu Dawud 3836)