10 Meals of The Prophet of Muhammad SAW - His Sunnahs in eating!

With so many food around us all the time, we can be so tempted every time of a day! Be it raw, home cooked, cafe or street food, it is undeniable that the food industry is getting bigger each day. Food nowadays are often of fusion type and getting some real authentic dishes requires some extra effort. However as Muslims, we must first check the Halal status of the food we are about to indulge. Then, we should try to avoid some food that are halal but may be bad for our health. Or, show our love to Prophet Muhammad SAW by following his Sunnahs in eating!  

1. Prophet Muhammad SAW didn't drink milk while he ate beef, chicken or fish

Nabi Muhammad SAW once cautioned his companions as not to mix fish and milk in a dish. This fact is actually proven by science where it was found that chicken contains positive ions while seafood or fish contains negative ions. When these two ions meet, they will create a biochemical reaction which can lead to stomach pain or ulcers. 

2. Prophet Muhammad SAW forbids drinking milk with vinegar

Vinegar is acidic and slows down the rate of protein absorption in the intestines. Body growth can be stunt because of lack of protein 

3. Avoid eating acidic fruits with milk.
For example, oranges or lemons. This is just the same as drinking milk with vinegar

4. Prophet Muhammad SAW ate fruits before having meals

Eat fruits at least half an hour before we have heavy meals. Fruits naturally are high in fibre. When we eat fruits before our meals, automatically our stomach will be full with fibre. Thus we eat less rice or grains, which if are not burned later will transform into fat. 

5.  Prophet Muhammad SAW loved to eat cereals or grains such as Habbatus Sawda, barley and oats.

In a hadith narrate by Bukhari and Muslim, Prophet Muhammad SAW said:“Al-Habbah Al-Sawda’ is the cure for every disease except death”. Dietry based on cereals and grains are nutritious because they are high in phytonutrients. Phytonutrients are powerful antioxidants that increase the body's defense against viruses , good for the heart, prevents diabetes and obesity Al-Hakam Bin Uyainah said:“Rasulullah SAW won't sleep at night except after he has eaten Habbatus Sawda and honey. That is his practice every morning for energy, memorisation and to prevent asthma"

 
6. Prophet Muhammad SAW ate bread of whole grain wheat. 

Whole grain wheat is different from processed wheat as it has a higher absorption rate of protein, fibre and a high volume of vitamin E which reduces risks of heart related diseases and cholestrol level in the body. In a riwayat by Abu Daud, Yusuf bin Abdullah bin Salam ra,“I saw Rasulullah SAW took a piece of whole grain bread and he put a date on it, then he ate it" In a riwayat by Bukhari and Muslim, Aisyah ra said," The prophet's family was never satiate themselves by eating wholegrain bread two days in a row. In days where they can't obtain bread, they ate dates"

7. Dates

Famously synonym with the Arabs, dates are very goo's for the human health. Their high fibre content and low in fat as well as many other nutrients are well loved by people for its sweet and creamy taste. Dates are considered super food because they contain carbohydrate, protein, fibre, fat and iron (which is very rare in a fruit) Bukhari dan Muslim reported that Aisyah RA said,“Sometimes the stove in our house doesn't smoke for a month (they did not cook anything). All that we had were dates, water and other people gave us beef"

8. Prophet Muhammad SAW also ate other fruits such as watermelons

Abu Daud dan Tirmizi reported that AIsyah RA once said , “Rasulullah ate watermelon with rattab (wet dates).”

Watermelon contains 92 percent water and 8 percent sugar as well as antioxidants. The antioxidant or specifically, lycopene are proven by researchers can prevent cancer. 

9. Allah's Apostle loved cucumber.

Cucumbers are water rich, making it a great body coolant. Besides that, they are rich in vitamin C which are good for our skin and also contains silica. Silica is an important element to maintain the wellness of our tendons, ligaments and bones. 

10.  Prophet Muhammad SAW drank plenty of water

He drank slowly, while holding the glass with his right hand. He also forbids breathing in or exhaling out from the water. Drink water before having meals. If possible, avoid drinking while eating to smoothed the digestion process.

Sources: Azril Syazwan November 19, 2012 Prophetic Lifestyle

http://islamicwellness.com/12-meals-of-sunnah/