In Surah An-Nahl (The Bee, 16:66), the Quran declares: "And indeed, for you in grazing livestock is a lesson. We give you drink from what is in their bellies - between excretion and blood - pure milk, palatable to drinkers."
This verse describes with remarkable precision the process of milk production in mammals.
The historical context
In the 7th century, milk production was a mystery. It was known that milk came from animals, but no one understood how it was produced from blood and digested food.
The scientific confirmation
Modern physiology has confirmed the process described in the Quran:
- Blood and excrement: The verse mentions that milk is produced "between blood and excrement." Indeed, milk is produced from nutrients carried by the blood, which themselves come from the digestion of food. Blood circulates in the intestines (where excrement forms) and carries nutrients to the mammary gland.
- The mammary gland: The mammary gland is a complex organ that filters blood to produce milk. The secretory cells of the mammary gland extract from the blood the nutrients (proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins) and transform them into milk.
- Pure milk: Milk is a "pure" liquid, free of blood and waste. The mammary gland precisely selects the blood components needed for milk production, eliminating waste.
- The composition of milk: Milk contains water, proteins (casein, lactalbumin), lipids, lactose (milk sugar), minerals (calcium, phosphorus), and vitamins. This composition is optimal for the nutrition of young mammals.
The Quranic verse thus precisely describes the process of milk production: blood carries nutrients from digestion, and the mammary gland transforms them into pure milk, separated from blood and excrement.