Scarce Book by Black Muslim Leader Reveals Many Lost Health Secrets

Elijah Muhammad, the now deceased leader of the Black Muslims in America, wrote a very interesting book for his followers back in the 1960s.  His thoughts on the eating habits of most people and the junk we eat are appropriate to read about today.

The author was a student of the Bible and the Koran, and used the knowledge of those books to shape his philosophy on eating.  First and foremost, he recommends eating only once a day.  Then, after your body is used to that, try eating only once every other day.

Although the book was written for black folks, to get them out of the bad habits that they got from white civilization, not only the constant non-stop gluttonous eating but also what they eat.  He admonishes his followers not to eat any pork, anything from the swine.  His group is close to the Orthodox Jews in this aspect, avoid ham, bacon, pork.  He also extolls fruit as great food, fruit of any kind.  As for vegetables, most yes, but some no.  He is against peas, large beans (small navy beans are ok), collard greens, corn, and soy to name a few.  The book lays out the reasoning behind this.  Many of the foods that are not to be eaten are foods that were given to slaves.  His thoughts are that the food that the plantation owners fed their slaves was the lowest quality, but years of being forced to eat those foods transformed into a cultural trend, still being fulfilled 200 years later.  Go to a “soul food” or black owned restaurant and see what’s on the menu.  Catfish, fried chicken, many things that Mr. Muhammad objects to as being very unhealthy, things that carry on a cultural trend that started with being forced to eat certain things that were cheap foods back in the slave holding days.  The criticism of the white culture that was responsible for this is not without merit.  All in all, a very interesting book, with good advice for anyone, white or black.  And I am very happy to report that he approves of coffee.  So do I, in fact I’m having a cup now as I write this!  Without sugar, as he suggests.

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posted by Paulie