Amal Al-Sibai
Saudi Gazette
Muslims living in the West and other parts of the world have it a little harder than Muslims living in the Gulf region, when it comes to eating out or shopping for food. When I am in Jeddah, I rarely or almost never read the ingredients list, looking for unlawful items such as rum, wine, lard, pork, or any pork-related products. In Saudi Arabia, without second thought, you can pick your food stuffs off the shelf in the grocery store, without worrying about them containing food substances that are forbidden in Islam.
You probably wouldn’t expect it, but many chocolate truffles in the West have rum in them, which contains alcohol. When traveling abroad, chocolate lovers need to be extra vigilant.
Not only should Muslims be careful about the foods they eat, but also about the vitamin supplements they take. Did you know that many vitamin supplements contain gelatin? And, did you know that if these vitamins are made in the West, the gelatin is most likely derived from pork?
Nutrition and health writer for the San Francisco Gate, Chris Daniels, explains that gelatin is an extract from the protein collagen found in the connective tissue of animals. All gelatin is derived from animal sources, from crushed bones and skins of cows, pigs, or fish. Gelatin is made by boiling the bones, ligaments and tendons of animals such as cows, pigs, and cattle.
Gelatin is an ideal vessel for encapsulating vitamins, since it has no smell or taste and is easy to digest. You can find gelatin in vitamin capsules, gummy type vitamins, and the soft-gel form of vitamin supplements, such as Vitamin D. When you buy vitamins with capsules made from gelatin, it will be listed as an ingredient on the bottle or package, and if it is not stated as Kosher or halal certified, then it most likely contains gelatin from pork.
In the United States, pig skin or pork skin is one of the major sources of edible gelatin, whether it is to be used in foods such as jell-o, candies, other desserts, and processed meats, or in vitamin supplements. These pork skins would normally be discarded as waste from meat-processing facilities. Instead, the fat and hair are removed and the skins are shipped frozen to a plant that extracts collagen protein from the skins, turning them into gelatin.
Some companies produce gel capsules with a vegetarian gelatin alternative for vitamins, but you must be sure that it states the source of gelatin on the label. Vegetarian alternatives to gelatin include agar-agar and carrageen, substances derived from different varieties of seaweed, which are permissible in Islam.
Another option, which is becoming more readily available, is to purchase halal vitamins, with no pork or pork derivatives, or any other forbidden substance. New companies are producing vitamins that are halal certified, which means that an independent organization has performed and inspection and found that the people, practices, and products involved in making the vitamin supplement adhere to Islamic dietary laws. Foods that are halal certified use a specific seal or stamp to indicate that the product was independently inspected and approved.
Making halal vitamins means knowing the source of the ingredients and how they were processed. One of the primary reasons for a vitamin to be non-halal is the inclusion of gelatin rendered from animals such as pigs; which is strictly forbidden in Islam.
A wide range of halal vitamin supplements are currently on the market; children’s chewable vitamins and children’s gummy vitamins with different fruity flavors. You can also find prenatal vitamins, vitamin D and calcium for strong, healthy bones, and several multi-vitamin and mineral supplements.
Among the products we found on our quest for halal vitamins are:
Shefa Natural is a company creating high-quality vitamins while maintaining true halal standards at the same time, providing Muslims with nutrients that can help them maintain a healthier lifestyle. All of their products are gelatin-free, pork-free, alcohol-free, and vegetarian friendly.
Nutrition Enhancement is a company committed to produce halal dietary supplements with no pork products or any other forbidden ingredients. Nutrition Enhancement’s supplements are halal certified by Islamic Services of America. Currently, they have only three products: omega-3 fish oils, prenatal vitamins, and advanced multivitamins.
Noor Vitamins promise consumers dietary supplements that will enhance health, that contain only natural ingredients, and are free from pork and alcohol.
They pledge, “Our formulations have been established by vast scientific evidence to be safe with proven health benefits. Our halal certification ensures that our products do not contain pork or alcohol based ingredients. We operate using Islamic compliant business practices, including fair contracting, interest free-financing, and donating a percentage of our earnings to charity (zakat) annually. For every product sold, we donate a complete meal to someone in need.”
The company that has the longest list and broadest range of halal dietary supplements is Madina Vitamins, at easily affordable prices.
And there are more companies out there. The prices of the products vary from company to company, but not significantly. For example, the same size bottle of Vitamin D ranges in price from $12.99 to $17.99.
For my kids I tried the chewable and the gummy children’s multivitamin; my kids liked the gummy vitamins more.
We cannot stress enough the utmost importance of a healthy diet, rich in fruits and vegetables. Nonetheless, even with a healthy diet, some nutrients are difficult to obtain in the required amounts, especially with children who have tiny appetites, so having a halal vitamin to complement a balanced diet is a great solution for many parents.
