The Navy Bean
What did the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad Say:
This week’s blog post focuses on the navy bean, the main staple food of Muslims in the Nation of Islam. We start our discussion with a quote from the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad in his book, From God in Person Master Fard Muhammad How to Eat to Live. This book is a must have, whether you accept the title of Muslim or not as this book details what foods to eat and what foods to stay away from. As a society we are constantly searching for diets or looking for good foods to eat, what better guidance than that from Allah?
“No beans did He advise, except the small navy- the small size and not the larger size - the little brown pink ones, and the white ones. This bean he valued to be very high in protein, fats and starches, and it is a safe food for prolonging life. As you will find, most of the Muslims like their bean soup. These beans are dry beans. He said that He could take one of our babies and start him off eating the dry small navy bean soup, and make that child live 240 years. He described no other bean. This dry bean, or pulse, is of ancient origin. It was this bean, according to certain historians, that Daniel preferred for himself and his followers in the prison of Nebuchadnezzar. Do not add rice and meats to these beans, because they contain proteins, fats and starches.” (How to Eat to Live, p 5)
The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad has been telling the world about the importance of the navy bean in our diets since the 1930s. The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad paved the way for this world to learn of the importance of this bean and has led to research into this bean.
What do researchers say now about the navy bean:
Now let us take a look at what current research (within 5 years) says about the navy bean. In a 2017 journal article published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences titled Polyphenol-Rich Dry Common Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and Their Health Benefits, they mention beans that are high in polyphenols including the navy bean. Polyphenols are natural compounds that are found in plants that offer health benefits. In this journal article, they discussed how through studies on animals we know now that because of the polyphenols in the common beans they have anti-oxidant, anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-cancer, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, osteoprotective and neuroprotective properties! The article further highlighted how the navy bean has evidence that shows its role in regulating cholesterol and lipid levels and stopping the growth or regrowth of precancerous growths (polyps), which could prevent colorectal cancer, the third leading cause of cancer death in the United States.
That leads to the next journal article that was a randomized control trial that looked at a group of people who ate one meal and one snack a day (sound familiar?) which contained 35g of navy beans and the control group who did not have navy bean but ate a meal and snack that had similar macronutrient profiles (fats, carbohydrates and proteins). They examined their stools and saw that after 4 weeks of eating navy beans, their stools changed and their colon health was improved, reducing their colorectal cancer risk.
Navy Bean Recipes
Now that we have discussed how beneficial the navy bean is, I’m sure you’re wondering, how can I eat the navy bean? There are many ways to incorporate it in your diet, mixing it in your smoothie for a protein rich drink, navy bean soup, it even tastes delicious in pie. I will link the website here where you can buy The Supreme Bean Pie. For those of you who grew up in the South, it tastes like a sweet potato pie! Now there are many variations on the navy bean soup and with time you will tweak your recipe to how you like it. Some like their soup very liquidly, some puree their soup, some like it with toppings. I will link a Youtube video of a sister making the soup. Have a navy bean soup recipe? Please share it in the comments.
“Eat to Live. Eat that food that Allah (God) has prescribed for us. Even take little simple things such as beans. Allah (God) says that the little navy bean will make you live, just eat them”
Journal Articles
The Supreme Bean Pie
This is excellent information about health and wellness that was first introduced in the 1930s, way before the current understanding of it in this present world. This article reveals that obedience to the Messenger at any given time, will eventually lead to understanding down the line of time.