When our Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) said “fast and u will stay healthy ‘soomo tase770’ it was not merely an invitation to obey Allah’s orders of fasting during the Holy month of Ramadan; he was actually ensuring better health for his nation for years to come.
This theory was proven long after his death when scientists discovered what is known nowadays by ‘Oxygen Free Radicals’, or ‘Reactive Oxygen Species’. These ROSs are continuously produced by the body in the process of burning food and producing oxygen in all body metabolic processes. They may also be produced in larger amounts during environmental exposure to pollution, UV rays and radiation. If not counteracted, the ROSs can produce damage to our bodies and result in serious disease.
However, when Allah gives us the ‘Da’a’ (illness), he also blesses us with the ‘Dawaa’ (medicine); hence there is a battle going on our bodies between the ROSs and other chemicals called antioxidants which are chemicals either normally present in the body or in our normally ingested foods and help banish the harmful effects of the reactive oxygen free radicals.
Sometimes, as in the case of being exposed to pollution, too many free radicals are produced and antioxidants are no longer able to remove all free radicals present in our system, resulting in what is known as oxidative stress. In humans, oxidative stress is involved in many diseases such as atherosclerosis, myocardial infarctions (heart attacks), Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, and cancer. However, small amounts of oxidation are used by the body to kill invading bacteria, viruses and other pathogens.
Antioxidants are therefore our ‘hero’ molecules. They involve many enzymes and molecules inside our bodies as well as substances in our food, the most famous are which vitamin E, vitamin C and vitamin A. Many common foods are good sources of antioxidants. Spices, herbs, essential oils and cocoa are rich in antioxidants, but usually the serving size is too small to supply antioxidants via the diet. Typical spices high in antioxidants are cumin, turmeric, clove, ginger, pepper, chilli powder, parsley, coriander, and garlic. Typical herbs include sage, thyme, majoram, peppermint, oregano, basil and dill weed.
Deeply pigmented fruits rich in antioxidants include strawberries, oranges, mangoes, grape juice, cranberries, blueberries, guavas, cherries, figs and plums are also excellent sources of antioxidants.
Typical cooked vegetables rich in antioxidants are artichokes, cabbage, broccoli, avocadoes, asparagus, beetroot and spinach.
Nuts are a moderate source of antioxidants. These include pecans, walnuts, pistachios, peanut butter, hazelnuts, cashew nuts and almonds.
Antioxidant research continues to grow and emerge as new beneficial components of food are discovered. Reinforced by current research, the message remains that antioxidants obtained from food sources especially fruits, vegetables and wholegrain are effective in disease reduction and can be beneficial to human health.
