12 Healthy Biblical Foods You Didn’t Know Of 

These biblical foods are proven to be healthy and nurturing to the brain and body. Hope you find them helpful!

Apples

Fish

Fishing on the Sea of Galilee and the River Jordan was a huge industry in the Bible (Matthew 4:18-21, 14:17-21). Remember Luke 24:42-43;  “And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of a honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them.”

Garlic

It’s one of the world’s oldest healing foods. It was being used both as favorite food and as a powerful medicine centuries before Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt and into the wilderness (Numbers 11:5, 11:1-35).

Depiction of garlic bulbs have been discovered on the walls of Egyptian tombs, and it dates back to 3200 B.C before Joseph and his brothers settled in Egypt. During that same period, ancient records reveal that garlic was the principal ingredient in many remedies that Egyptian healers prescribed as cures for headaches, sore throats, and other complaints. 

The ingredient that gives garlic its strong smell is a chemical called allicin. That also makes it such a potent antibiotic, it fights hypertension, prevent embolisms, or blood clots, and lowers bad cholesterol.  

In hundreds of experiments, allicin extract from raw garlic has destroyed the germs that spread such illnesses as botulism, tuberculosis, diarrhea, staph, dysentery, and typhoid.

Research suggests that garlic may help protect against heart disease and stroke by lowering blood pressure. It contains allelic sulfides, which may neutralize carcinogens. In fact, garlic has been linked to lower rates of stomach cancer too. 

As little as half a raw clove of garlic powder will boost the body’s natural protection against blood clots, which causes heart attack and stroke. And it takes only two raw garlic cloves a day to lower cholesterol levels in heart patients.

While cooking may destroy or reduce the allicin and weaken garlic’s potential, most of its therapeutic benefits remain intact. Cooked garlic still lowers blood cholesterol and works as a decongestant and cough medicine.

Grapes

Grapes contain important minerals such as calcium, potassium, and zinc aside boron. It offers many health benefits, it fights tooth decay, stop viruses in their tracks, and are rich in other ingredients that many researchers believe can head off cancer. That’s because grapes are packed with things called Polyphemus and tannin, both of which appear promising as antiviral and anti-tumor agents.

It is said that Grapes were the first things Noah planted after the flood. Grapes were eaten fresh, dried, and as raisins and pressed into cakes just as we do today (Numbers 13:21-25, Judges 9: 27, Genesis 40:9-11).

But most of the crops in the vineyards were made into juice, wine, and vinegar. It has a high content of boron, a mineral that helps ward off osteoporosis. Boron is now sold as a dietary supplement in health food stores, but the people of the Bible had to get theirs from natural sources.

Legumes (Beans)

As reported in the Book of Samuel (2 Samuel 17: 28, 29, Ezekiel 4:9), beans were among the highly nutritious foods sent to feed King David’s hungry army and restore their strength for the hard times ahead.

Beans are packed with soluble fiber and rich in protein, which helps lower LDL and reduces blood pressure. That same fiber also helps keep blood sugar levels stable, staves off hunger, and has even been shown to reduce the insulin requirements of people suffering from diabetes.

Bible scholars also say that the beans mentioned in the Bible were broad beans because these were extensively cultivated throughout the countries of the eastern Mediterranean during that period.

They are known to have also been a popular food in Egypt. Unlike our biblical ancestors, today there is a wide range of beans to choose from – red, white and black beans, black-eyed peas or cowpeas, chickpeas, fava, kidney, lentils, lima, split peas, pinto, white, Great Northern, navy and butter beans. All of them offer the same kind of wonderful health benefits.

Worried about gas? An easy solution is to slowly increase your bean consumption to give your body a chance to adapt. Or soak them overnight or flush with boiling water, then let sit for four hours, drain and cook in freshwater.

Mint

Some Bible experts say mint was among the “bitter herbs” of Exodus 12:8 and Numbers 9:11 along with leaves of endive, chicory, lettuce, watercress, sorrel, and dandelion, which were eaten as a salad.

Mint is one of the “bitter herbs” of the Passover feast, the Hebrews, Greeks, and Romans of Bible times used it as medicine as well as a flavoring. Today, we know mint mainly as peppermint and spearmint. 

Modern herbalists recommend that peppermint be taken straight or added to foods as a treatment for menstrual cramps, motion and morning sickness, colds and flu, headache and heartburn, fever, and insomnia.

Medical experts also know that the mints are marvelous for treating dozens of other problems. That’s why mints, with their menthol contents, are found in many over the counter remedies for indigestion, minor pain, and congestion.

The mints are also antispasmodics. They soothe the muscles of the digestive tract and the uterus. But while peppermint may be good for nausea, it may also stimulate menstruation. So doctors warn pregnant women to avoid peppermint as a treatment for morning sickness.

Nuts

Botanists today believe that Solomon’s “garden of nuts” referred to in Scripture (Songs of Solomon 6:11) was a rich grove of walnut trees. The fact that walnuts were a delicious treat and highly nutritious was a bonus. In other cultures of the time, walnuts were thought to bring good luck and good health. 

It contains the right mixtures of natural ingredients whose benefits include cancer prevention, a lower risk of heart disease, and help for diabetics. The oil found in walnuts is considered healthy because it is one of the polyunsaturated fats and tends to lower blood cholesterol levels.

Olives

Olives were certainly one of the most valuable and versatile tresses of biblical times. It is mentioned frequently in the Bible (Leviticus 24:2, Deuteronomy 8:6-9, 1 Chronicles 27:28, Exodus 30:22-23).

We all know that the most famous reference to Olive oil and it’s healing powers is in the parable of the Good Samaritan, where the good Samaritan cared for a beaten and robbed traveler, treating his wounds with oil and wine.

Pliny and Hippocrates, the noted Physicians of ancient Greece prescribed medicines containing olive oil and olive leaves as cures for such disorders like inflammation of the gums, insomnia, nausea, and boils.  It was also used to maintain the suppleness of skin and muscle, to heal abrasions and go soothe the burning and drying effects of the sun and wind.

The “anointing with oil” that was a sacred tradition among biblical people was done with olive oil. Olive oil is a high energy food and it’s one of the most digestible of all fats.

The ancient of biblical times found ways to incorporate it in many of their meals. It was also used as a fuel, as part of religious ceremonies, as a cosmetic and to offer to guests as a sign of welcome. In addition to its healing properties as a food, olive oil mixed with wine was used to soften and soothe bruises and wounds.

It is rich in vitamin E, and a great antioxidant. If you are trying to reduce the amount of fat in your diet to avoid the risk of heart attack, think of olive oil as an ideal replacement.

Anything you can saute in butter, you can saute in olive oil. Not only will you be helping your heart, but you will also be pleasing your taste buds. Olive oil has also been shown to reduce the normal wear and tear of aging on ghetto tissues and organs of the body and the brain.

Caution: Olive oil has a slight laxative effect. So add it to your diet gradually.

Tip: The purer the Olive oil, the better. Spend a little extra and get Virgin Olive Oil.

Onions

At least 3,000 years before the birth of Christ, onions were treasured both as food and for therapeutic value – particularly in the treatment of kidney and bladder problems. Although onion was only mentioned once in the Bible (Numbers 11:5), it was within a list of foods with the best healing properties alongside garlic. The people of the Bible were among the first to treat colds and similar ailments with onions.

Onions have also been used externally as an antiseptic and a pain reliever. They’ve been taken internally as a tonic to soothe intestinal gas pains and to alleviate the symptoms of hypertension, high blood sugar, and elevated cholesterol. It’s said that the fold remedies in many other cultures called for the juice of an onion and syrup made from honey to treat coughs, colds, and asthma attacks.

Wheat 

For the people of the Bible, wheat was a great food treasure (Jeremiah  41:8, Psalm 81:16). It was a staple at most every meal. Biblical people had their grain boiled and parched,  soaked, and roasted, and they even ate it green from the stalk. It was pounded, dried or crushed to be baked into casseroles, porridge, soups, parched grain salads and desserts such as puddings and flans.

The Israelites put their faith in this multi-grain good stuff to maintain their health and stay fighting fit. Also, wheat could make the difference between life and death because of its nutritional value and the protection it offered against a host of disabling, often deadly, disorders, and diseases.

Wheat bran’s high fiber content is one of the richest dietary sources of insoluble fiber known. The fiber in wheat is our best protection against and cure of constipation. It prevents intestinal infections, hemorrhoids, varicose veins, improves bowel function, and guards us against colon cancer. Most people only need 1/3 cup of 100% whole wheat beam cereal daily. But cereals and whole wheat bread aren’t the only way to add fiber. The Bible mentions several various types of grains and ways to use them.

Barley

The Bible is filled with reference to barley (Deuteronomy 8:6-9), which is among the earliest known and most nourishing grains ever to be cultivated. In fact, some scholars say The Feast of Unleavened Bread was an ancient barley harvest festival that became the celebration of the Passover.

Bible history experts say that barley was not as valuable as wheat but it was the staple food of the masses and as such was a prominent feature of the early Israelites.

Nutritionists also say it is full of beta-glucans – a type of fiber that can lower the risk of heart disease by reducing levels of artery-clogging LDF. A diet that includes lots of barley, three times a day, has lowered blood cholesterol by about 15% in a number of medical studies.

The same high fiber content keeps us regular, relieves constipation, and wards off a wide variety of digestive problems. It may also help block cancer.

The bread eaten in the Bible was always made from barley or the other whole grain flours which were regarded as vital to good health and long life, that it was called “the staff of life.”

Wine

According to Genesis, one of the first things Noah did after the Flood was planting a vineyard of grapes so he could make wine with them. In moderation, wine has a profound impact on our health and healing (Exodus 29:40).  Just a single glass of wine a day may be enough to raise the good cholesterol by 7% and help the body put up a barrier to a variety of cancers.

Red wine has been proven to strengthen the body’s defense against cancer, just as it does against heart disease. White wine however may carry some of the same therapeutic benefits but research so far seems to indicate that red wine is the most effective cancer-blocker.

Source and references: Bible foods that heal (White Dove Books), Authority Nutrition.com

If you so much enjoyed this post and would love to read or research more on biblical foods, you can check these link Foods Of The Bible on ThoughtCo.com, it’s a complete long list of it all.