Foods in the Bible
As I have mentioned many times before, we eat very little processed/packaged/pre-made foods. I cook from scratch and we rarely eat take-aways. Eating healthy foods is important and I try hard as the cook in our house to prepare healthy homemade meals. Ever since this switch, pre-made food just doesn't tastes as good as what you can make yourself and I have lost interest in take-aways, they are always disappointing.
In recent months there has been a number of stories in the paper/TV regarding sugar and how bad it is for us. Sugar is in so much processed foods and in products such as supermarket bread. If we cut our processed food, we cut out lots of sugar. Skip the fizzy drinks and even more sugar is removed from the diet. I do add sugar when making cakes/muffins and biscuits, but reduce the amount I add. I am moving toward honey as a replacement as this is far less processed and better for you (in moderation) - here is a link for using honey as a sugar substitute. However remember to buy honey that has not been heated over the point of removing all the goodness.
I thought I would find out what foods are mentioned in the Bible, what was being consumed in biblical times? I know for sure they were not eating pre-made foods full of sugar and ingredients with very long names that can't be pronounced ! They were cooking from scratch just like our grandmothers and great-grandmothers - they ate butter, full-cream milk and cheese, lots of vegetables, fruit and grains. And I am sure they were healthy even with less medical advancements that we have today.
Please forgive me if I have missed any - but just looking at this list, its substantial and would be very healthy indeed, however I may skip the locust!!
Apples (Song of Solomon 2:5)
Almonds (Genesis 43:11; Numbers 17:8)
Dates (2 Samuel 6:19; 1 Chronicles 16:3)
Figs (Nehemiah 13:15; Jeremiah 24:1-3)
Grapes (Leviticus 19:10; Deuteronomy 23:24)
Melons (Numbers 11:5; Isaiah 1:8)
Olives (Isaiah 17:6; Micah 6:15)
Pistachio Nuts (Genesis 43:11)
Pomegranates (Numbers 20:5; Deuteronomy 8:8)
Raisins (Numbers 6:3; 2 Samuel 6:19)
Sycamore Fruit (Psalm 78:47; Amos 7:14)
Beans (2 Samuel 17:28; Ezekiel 4:9)
Cucumbers (Numbers 11:5)
Gourds (2 Kings 4:39)
Leeks (Numbers 11:5)
Lentils (Genesis 25:34; 2 Samuel 17:28; Ezekiel 4:9)
Onions (Numbers 11:5)
Barley (Deuteronomy 8:8; Ezekiel 4:9)
Bread (Genesis 25:34; 2 Samuel 6:19; 16:1; Mark 8:14)
Corn (Genesis 42:25 however this wouldn't have been corn as we know it today)
Flour (2 Samuel 17:28; 1 Kings 17:12)
Millet (Ezekiel 4:9)
Spelt (Ezekiel 4:9)
Unleavened Bread (Genesis 19:3; Exodus 12:20)
Wheat (Ezra 6:9; Deuteronomy 8:8)
Fish (Matthew 15:36 and John 21:11-13)
Partridge (1 Samuel 26:20; Jeremiah 17:11)
Pigeon (Genesis 15:9; Leviticus 12:8)
Quail (Psalm 105:40)
Dove (Leviticus 12:8)
Eggs (Job 6:6; Luke 11:12)
Calf (Proverbs 15:17; Luke 15:23)
Goat (Genesis 27:9)
Lamb (2 Samuel 12:4)
Pork (mentioned as one of the forbidden foods)
Oxen (1 Kings 19:21)
Sheep (Deuteronomy 14:4)
Venison (Genesis 27:7 KJV)
Butter (Proverbs 30:33)
Cheese (2 Samuel 17:29; Job 10:10)
Curds (Isaiah 7:15)
Milk (Exodus 33:3; Job 10:10; Judges 5:25)
Grape Juice (Numbers 6:3)
Honey (Exodus 33:3; Deuteronomy 8:8; Judges 14:8-9)
Locust (Mark 1:6)
Olive Oil (Ezra 6:9; Deuteronomy 8:8)
Vinegar (Ruth 2:14; John 19:29)
Wine (Ezra 6:9; John 2:1-10)
Anise (Matthew 23:23 KJV)
Coriander (Exodus 16:31; Numbers 11:7)
Cinnamon (Exodus 30:23; Revelation 18:13)
Cumin (Isaiah 28:25; Matthew 23:23)
Dill (Matthew 23:23)
Garlic (Numbers 11:5)
Mint (Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42)
Mustard (Matthew 13:31)
Rue (Luke 11:42)
Salt (Ezra 6:9; Job 6:6)
No tea on the list, something I do enjoy (Jasmine tea).
I wonder what they drank instead (excluding wine).
This is an interesting article about "eating like our grandparents"
This blog has a great collection of "real food" recipes: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com
This blog has a great collection of "real food" recipes: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com
Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.
Genesis 9:3
Ha ha I saw a young boy eat a live locust in front of me (my sister-in-law's brother).
ReplyDeleteYes, I also cook from scratch what I can and am cutting out the sugar little by little. This post is interesting. I like reading about the foods in the Bible. I try to get them into my home whenever I can walk to the market, but usually hubby does the groceries... Little by little we'll be learning to eat wiser. ;-) God bless you.
You are quite right, it is being wiser with our eating choices. I don't think you need to cut sugar out 100% but removing 90% is very good and will make a differences.
DeleteBlessings to you xx
This is a great list, Jo! We don't use sugar anymore, preferring substitutes instead. We do find that some recipes need a bit of tweaking when using honey instead of sugar as the taste can change a bit sometimes.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realise some of those herbs were mentioned in the Bible... I have been reading a lot about the benefits of herbs, but especially garlic, cinnamon, cumin and mustard. Obviously God thought they were pretty special, too. We try to eat as many of these foods mentioned in the Bible as we can - although I'll skip on the locusts, too, thank you!! :)
I will need to sugar when making jam though!!
DeleteI haven't got to the point of jam-making yet. I wonder if there are any sugar-free jams out there that are good???
DeleteThere is probably a diabetic version, but I think it's not the end of the world to use raw sugar in this one activity as I don't eat jam all the time and most other sugar is removed.
DeleteI made those wholemeal carrot muffins tonight in the link I attached, very yummy and moist with the apple sauce. I added sultanas to the recipe.
Delete