Shivat Ha'minim - The Seven Species

 In Jew-ville, we have seven types of grains and fruits and that I like to call the Shivat Ha’minim ­– in English, the 7 species. It also happens to be that the Torah (Bible) has the same label for them. These fruits and grains are the main produce of Israel and back in the ancient biblical times they were staples in the Israelite diet. They also played an important role in Jewish religion. During the times of the Temple, only the first fruits of these 7 species could be brought as offerings. These were known as the Bikkurim.

Fast forward to 2011. The seven species remain important, but do not dominate Israel produce like they used to. We do however have a tradition to enjoy the Shivat ha’minim on the holiday of Tu B’shvat. Tu B’shvat marks the New Year or the birthday of the trees, where they begin their fruit-bearing cycle. Many people celebrate this festival with a “seder” (not uncommon to the Passover seder), or a meal consisting of the 7 species..

And now to introduce these notorious 7 species..

** I can even provide a quote with a source (Deuteronomy/Dvarim 8:8) that cites Israel was “a land of wheat, barley, grapevines, figs, and pomegranates; a land of oil olives and date honey." **

Below each species is a little funky nutrition fact.

First up we have:

·         Wheat (chitah):

Whole wheat flour or white flour? It’s ironic that although whole wheat is healthier for us because it has undergone less processing and contains more vitamins and minerals, it is more expensive than its cousin – plain, white, flour which actually requires more processing, and therefore more labour. Just goes to show you that if we all start eating whole wheat, the demand will increase and the price will go down…one day we will get there..

·         Barley (se'orah)

Low GI. A topical area in the world of nutrition today – glycaemic index. And barley does in fact, have a low glycaemic index (25, where a GI of less than 55 is good)! Which is great news! Low glycaemic index means that the sugars in the food are broken down and released into your blood nice and slowly, so that you should stay full for a longer amount time. Remember this next time you are adding barley to a cholent..

·         Grapes (gefen), usually consumed as wine

Grapes contain an anti-oxidant called resveratrol. It comes along with a whole heap of benefits including protective effects against cancers of colon and prostate, coronary heart disease (CHD), degenerative nerve disease, Alzheimer's disease and viral/ fungal infections. Powerful stuff.

·         Figs (te'enah)

Oddly enough, figs are quite rich in calcium. In 100 grams of dried figs, you will get about 162 mg of calcium – that’s the amount of calcium in half a cup of milk. Try not to over consume on the dried figs though, you may find yourself running to the WC.

·         Pomegranates (rimon)

Awesome all-round nutritional powerhouses. Packed with fibre, Vitamin C, anti-oxidants and has been known to fight diseases like prostate cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

·         Olives (zayit), usually consumed in oil form

While olives are high in fat (about 80-85% of the calories in olives are from fat), it’s the good sort. Majority of the fat in olives is from oleic acid – which is a mono-unsaturated fat. In English, this fat helps with reducing the risk of heart disease by lowering bad (LDL) cholesterol levels in our body and decrease blood pressure.

·         Dates (tamar or d'vash)

Deliciously decadent dates. It’s amazing to think that despite their lavish, rich flavour they still have a lot on offer (nutritiously). They’ve quite famous for their laxative effect in assisting with constipation. They also contain a substance called “tannins” which have been known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-infective properties. They have a considertable amount of iron (0.9mg/100g). That being said, the iron derived from plants (known as non-heme iron) doesn’t get absorbed as easily as the iron from animal products (heme iron), so try not to rely on this as your primary source of iron.

There appears to be an “8^th species” – almonds. They are sortof an unofficial part of the seven species because they are closely related to Tu B’shvat. Almond trees are abundant in Israel and happen to bloom around the time of this festival. As a result they are often eaten together with the other members of the Shivat Ha’minim.

 

And that’s a wrap.