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December 13, 2019food
6 Reasons to Eat Halal Even If You are Not a Muslim
In Arabic halal actually means permissible. Generally, all foods are considered halal in Islam unless they are particularly prohibited by Islam.
What determines halal slaughter?
By actual definition, halal foods are those foods that are:- Free of any substance that Muslims are prohibited from eating according to Islamic law.
- Processed, produced, made, manufactured or stored using utensils, equipment, or machinery that have been washed according to Islamic law.
These foods are considered haram.
- All alcoholic drinks and intoxicant
- Carnivorous animals, birds of prey and certain other animals
- Non-Halal Animal Fat
- Tallow (non-Halal species)
- Enzymes (Microbial Enzymes are allowed)
- Gelatine – from non-Halal source (fish gelatine is considered halal)
- L-cysteine (if from human hair)
- Lard
- Lipase (only animal lipase need be avoided)
- Non-Halal Animal Shortening
- Pork, Bacon / Ham and anything from pigs
- Unspecified Meat Broth
- Rennet (All forms should be avoided except for plant / microbial / synthetic – rennet obtained from halal slaughtered animal is allowed).
- Foods contaminated with any of the above products
Rules of slaughter.
Here are both the recommended and the required methods to qualify meat as Halal. The important points are requirements that must be met.- To the best of your knowledge‚ the animal should have been fed in a way that is healthy and nourishing to them‚ free of harmful antibiotics‚ steroids‚ hormones or any unhealthy food to fatten them unnaturally.
- To the best of your knowledge‚ the animal was treated kindly and given clean and appropriate living conditions.
- The one slaughtering the animal must be a Muslim of sound mind.
- He must say “In the name of Allah” (Bismillah) before issuing the fatal cut‚ which should be done with a sharp knife to the throat with one continuous motion so as to ensure the animal feels no pain. Invoking the name of God is a way of recognizing God’s blessing of the animal and demonstrating our gratefulness to Him in providing us with food to eat.
- Cutting the spinal cord is not allowed.
- Killing the animal by clubbing‚ goring or any other method other than cutting the neck with a sharp knife is not acceptable.
- Abused‚ underfed or otherwise mistreated animals cannot be killed for Halal meat.
- Animals heading to slaughter should not see other animals killed ahead of them‚ should not see the blade or it being sharpened in preparation‚ and should not be placed in an uncomfortable position immediately before the cut.
- Finally‚ the slaughtered animal must bleed out completely before it’s prepared for human consumption.
- These guidelines are in line with the Quran, which clearly defines what type of animals are off limits to people and details how animals are to be treated with mercy before they are killed.
Reasons to eat halal.
There are various reasons one should switch to halal meat from other forms of meat are as follows:- Then halal is less painful for animals. It is proved that the animals who are slaughtered using this method feel less pain.
- A halal animal is always fed on vegetarian food and grass. Thus, such meat is rich in vitamins, omega-3 fat and antioxidants which are healthy for the human body.
- Halal meat is not only healthy for your body but it is more pocket-friendly. You just have to pay for the meat only. Presence of blood will only add to its weight.
- As halal meat lacks blood, thus, it tastes better than other meat. Blood contains lactic acid which can negatively affect the taste of meat.
- What we eat has an impact on our thoughts and brain, thus, eating halal food will not harm your brain. This food is free from bacteria and harmful substances that otherwise would have hampered your brain. Halal meat is free from antibiotics, growth hormones, antibiotics, and preservatives. All these things can adversely affect a human body and can make them ill.
- Animals killed using non-halal methods might contain e-coli poisoning, bacteria and other harmful and filthy substances. The sacrifice of animals using the halal method doesn’t harm animal’s organ, thus, the organs also don’t contain any contaminated blood.