Saturday, May 23, 2009

ADHAN IN TURKEY


I was thinking how much I missed the adhans in Turkey and I've found this on youtube:) Beautiful!!!

Poll Results! Are You Concerned About the Pig Sourced Enzymes in Cheese Products?

Here is the poll results about pig sourced enzymes!


Yes, I only consume the products with non-animal enzymes- (77%)

No, I don't think we need to be concerned about enzymes- (16%)

I try to avoid consuming these products because I believe it is doubtful- (5%)

Sunday, April 19, 2009

RICE SALAD RECIPE


Ingredients


2 cups Rice
3 cups boiling water
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp salt
1 lb package of diced frozen peas and carrots
1 bunch of dill - chopped
1 1/2 cups of diced pickles
1 bunch of green onions - chopped
Juice of 3 lemons
Olive oil


Wash the rice several times with warm water and drain. Heat the oil in a cooking pot. Saute the rice in oil for 2-3 minutes stirring. Pour 3 cups of boiling water in it. Add salt. Keep the lid on the whole time. Turn the heat to low and cook until the rice absorbs all the water. Check with a wooden spoon to make sure all the water is absorbed. Turn the heat off and let the rice stand for about 15 minutes. We call this brewing time. Then serve if you are having it as rice pilaf. If you are making the rice salad let it cool completely.

Don’t stir pilaf white it’s cooking.
Don’t use a spoon to fluff pilaf. Use a wooden fork for it.

Cook the frozen pea and carrot mix in the microwave or on the stove-top according to the package directions. Let it cool.Take the rice into a big salad bowl. Add the peas and carrots, chopped dill, diced pickles, chopped green onions and lemon juice and toss altogether. Drizzle some olive oil on top and serve.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

STELLA BRAND CHEESE IN SAM'S CLUB STORES

I got this e-mail from one of my friends. She contacted the company to ask about the ingredients in their cheese products and here is the answer she got.

Dear Customer,
Thank you for contacting Saputo Cheese USA, Inc.!
All of our domestic products contain bovine milk and microbial (non-animal sourced) rennet with the exception of Ricotta Cheese. This is considered a "rennet less" cheese. The carrageenan, guar gum, modified food starch and distilled vinegar are plant based. Any residual rennet that may be present in the whey used in the production of Ricotta Cheese is microbial (non-animal sourced). Some of our products do contain lipase which is animal sourced (calf, kid or lamb). Lipase is usually found in our more intensely flavored cheeses. The following products do not contain lipase: Baby Swiss, Blue Cheese, Cheddar, Gorgonzola, Lorraine, Mozzarella, Parmesan, Ricotta, String Cheese and Swiss.
Please note that ingredients or changes in formulations may affect the above information and are subject to change without notice.
If you have any questions please contact us again.
Sincerely,
Sherrie Shallow
Quality Assurance Specialist
Corporate Quality Assurance
Saputo

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

CABOT CHEESE



I was so happy when I found these cheeses at Sam's Club. Now a new Costco is open in our neighborhood and they also carry Cabot Cheeses. They have a few variety like Vintage Cheddar, Sharp Cheddar, Pepper Jack... They only use vegetable rennet and are Halal Certified. You can get more information from their website.
www.cabotcheese.com

I know that not every Muslim is concerned about pig sourced enzymes in cheese but I want everybody know that we have more options today and more and more cheese companies are starting to use non-animal enzymes in their products. I am planning to start a poll on enzymes in cheese products. Please vote and also leave a comment on what you think about consuming food products that contain animal sourced enzymes.

Friday, March 13, 2009

VANILLA EXTRACT POLL RESULTS

Here is the results for the "Vanilla Extract Poll".

52% said it should not be consumed because of the alcohol content.

40% said it should be avoided because it is doubtful.

7% said it can be used because the alcohol content is very minimal.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

INGREDIENTS

Annatto Extract: A natural, vegetable dye from a tropical tree, gives yellow to pink color. It is used in dairy products, cheese, ice creams, baked goods, margarine, and cereals. It is also used to color some meat product casings as bologna and frankfurters. Annatto is produced from the reddish pulp which surrounds the seed of the achiote (Bixa orellana L.). Annatto is commonly found in Latin America and Caribbean cuisines as both a coloring agent and for flavoring. Central and South American natives use the seeds to make a body paint, and lipstick. For this reason, the achiote is sometimes called the lipstick-tree. It was probably not initially used as a food additive but for other reasons, such as body painting, to ward off evil, and as an insect repellent. In the United States, annatto extract is listed as a color additive “exempt from certification” and is commonly considered to be a natural color. Annatto has been linked with many cases of food-related allergies, and is the only natural food coloring believed to cause as many allergic-type reactions as artificial food coloring. Because it is a natural colorant, companies using annatto may label their products "all natural" or "no artificial colors". However, consumers with food dye sensitivity or intolerance may wish to avoid products containing annatto.
Processing:Fruits are dried and seeds extracted from them are crushed. The seeds have a coating of an oily paste that contains bixin. Bixin is a yellow orange carotenoid. It is extracted using aqueous alkaline solution and vegetable oil solvent.

Oleoresin: A natural plant product consisting of essential oil and resin extracted from a substance, such as ginger, by means of alcohol, ether, or acetone. Certain spices are extracted as oleoresins for color rather than for flavor. Such as paprika oleoresin and turmeric oleoresin.

Lard and Lard Oils: Pork fat and oils. It is the purified internal fat from the abdomen of a hog. It is used in packaging and in chewing gum bases. Easily absorbed by skin and it is used as a lubricant, emollient, and base in shaving creams, soaps, and various cosmetic creams. When lard was fed to laboratory animals in doses of from 2 to 25 percent of the diet, the male mice had a shortened life span and increased osteoarthritis. It is GRAS, generally recognized as safe, by FDA.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

IS FISH SAFE OR NOT TO EAT?

Click to enlarge
Fish is generally healthy to eat. But because of the comtaminants found in the oceans, lakes and rivers, eating fish that are contaminated with toxins and chemicals can pose considerable health risks. As we know HALAL has to be healthy so we should be extra careful when it comes to consuming seafood because of the contaminations.
Contaminants may include:
metals such as mercury and lead,
industrial chemicals such as PCBs, and
pesticides such as DDT and dieldrin.
What are the risks of eating seafood contaminated with mercury and PCBs?
Contaminants such as mercury, PCBs and dioxins build up in your body over time and may result in health problems, ranging from small, hard-to-detect changes to birth defects and cancer.
Key facts about the risks include:
It can take 5 years or more for women in their childbearing years to rid their bodies of PCBs, and 12-18 months to significantly reduce their mercury levels.
Mothers who eat contaminated fish before becoming pregnant may have children who are slower to develop and learn. Developing fetuses are exposed to stored toxins through the placenta.
Women beyond their childbearing years and men face fewer health risks from contaminants than children do.
What about mercury in canned tuna?
The two most popular types of canned tuna – white and light – vary greatly in their average mercury content. Overall, it’s best to exercise caution in how much tuna you (or especially your children) consume.
Canned white tuna consists of albacore, a large species of tuna that accumulates moderate amounts of mercury. Therefore, Environmental Defense recommends that both adults and children limit their consumption of canned white tuna.
Canned light tuna usually consists of skipjack, a smaller species with approximately one-third the mercury levels of albacore. Therefore, Environmental Defense recommends only that young children (ages 0-6) limit their consumption of canned light tuna.
A word of caution: Some canned light tuna reportedly contains
yellowfin tuna, which has similar mercury levels to albacore. These products are sometimes (but not always) labeled ‘gourmet’ or ‘tonno’, and their consumption should be limited by adults and children.
Do the health benefits of omega-3s outweigh the risks associated with contaminants in seafood?
Fish is generally healthy to eat, but there are some types you should eat infrequently, if at all. Consider the following:
For young children and women of childbearing age, consumption of mercury-contaminated fish can severely impact a child's development.
Older women and men may find it an acceptable tradeoff to exceed recommended seafood meal limits to increase their omega-3 intake.
People at high risk of cardiovascular disease must weigh the cancer risk of eating fish high in PCBs with the benefits of eating fish high in omega-3s, in which case the benefits of omega-3s may outweigh the cancer risk (1 in 100,000 - the level recommended by the EPA). However, these chemicals are known to cause serious health problems besides cancer, so the tradeoffs are not simple.
The good news is that there are several low-contaminant, high-omega-3 seafood options available (
see the list above) so there’s no need to risk eating contaminated fish.
Where do contaminants come from?
Contaminants end up in water in a variety of ways:
Industrial and municipal discharges, agricultural practices, and storm water runoff can all deposit harmful substances directly into the water.
Rain can also wash chemicals from the land or air into streams and rivers. These contaminants are then carried downstream into lakes, reservoirs and estuaries.
Fish take in these substances in several ways, and their contaminant levels depend on factors like species, size, age and location.
Mercury, for example, is naturally converted by bacteria into methylmercury. Fish absorb methylmercury mostly from their food, but also from the water as it passes over their gills. Generally, larger and older fish have had more time to bioaccumulate mercury from their food and the water than smaller and younger fish. In addition, large predatory fish (like sharks and swordfish) near the top of marine food chains are more likely to have high levels of mercury than fish lower in marine food chains due to the process of biomagnification.
Fish can also absorb organic chemicals (such as PCBs, dioxins and DDT) from the water, suspended sediments, and their food. In contaminated areas, bottom-dwelling fish are especially likely to have high levels of such toxins because these substances run off the land and settle to the bottom. These organic chemicals then concentrate in the skin, organs and other fatty tissues of fish. Wild striped bass, bluefish, American eel, and seatrout tend to be high in PCBs, since they are bottom-tending fish often found in contaminated rivers and estuaries.
These are the reasons why we should eat some kinds of fish less frequently if at all. The chart above has the lists for best, OK and worst choices of fish to eat.
Also below is a chart that shows how many servings of certain kinds of fish are safe to eat per month.

Click to enlarge

Source

All information from http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=1521

Monday, March 2, 2009

HONEY



Dr. Mahmoud Mousa, a pharmacist, has his own company and produces halal, natural hair and skin products. We have used some of his products and they really work. I am especially amazed by his skin products. Main ingredients that he uses are honeybee products, herbal oils and extracts. You can find more information in his website.
http://www.honeyderm.com/

Here is an article from him about honey:

Honey: Universal Cure for Mankind
Written by DR. Mahmoud Mousa

My story started in the school of pharmacy where herbal and plant remedies were a major subject during a 5 year of under­graduate studies. The safety, simplicity, and effectiveness of the herbal and plant reme­dies was very fascinating. These products have been safely used for thousands of years without loosing their effectiveness. If you look back at ancient civilizations, you notice that all remedies were only natural like honeybee prod­ucts, olive products, fig products, date palm prod­ucts, citrus products, garlic, onion, pomegranate, ginseng, ginger, licorice, nutmeg, cloves, coconut, fish oil, cod-liver oil, and many other herbs, plants and animal derived natural products. Honeybee products themselves were the main components of most remedies in old Egyptian medicine. These prod­ucts were mentioned about 500 times in a total of 900 Egyptian remedies. It was only in recent civilization where science has clashed with traditional medicine for economical reasons. However, there is a strong movement now among members of the scientific community to seri­ously reemploy these forgotten treasures specially after the danger of using artificial remedies has become more evident.
I became interest in utilizing and discovering the secrets of the natural products especially those products mentioned in the holly Quran and Hadith of prophet Muhammad Peace be upon him. After finishing my Ph.D., I focused on the investiga­tion of the medicinal and biological activities of some of these products. In chapter 16 of the holly Qura'n, verses 68 and 69, honeybee products were explicitly described as a universal cure for mankind, "And your Lord inspired the bee saying: habitations in the mountains and in the trees and in what they (people) build; then eat of all the fruits, and follow the ways of your Lord made easyplants which are mentioned in the Holly Quran may include all or any of the different parts of the plants including leaves, wood, roots, (for you): there come from within their bellies a fruits and flowers; all these parts drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for mankind: verily in this is indeed a sign for those who give thought". Chapter 19, verse 25 and 26 the dates were mentioned as the only food for Mary, mother of prophet Isa (Jesus) during here pregnancy, "and shake the trunk of the date-palm toward you, it will let fall fresh ripe-dates upon you. So eat and drink and be glad". In chapter 95, verse 1, Allah swears by the Figs and olives "By the fig, and by the olive............ Verily we cre­ ated man of the best stature (mould)". This is a strong evidence for the importance and potential benefit of the fig and the olive. Other products like cucumber, garlic, lentle and onions have been also mentioned as food items in chapter 2, verse 60. Another interesting natural product is the black seed which has been described by prophet Mohammad peace be upon him as a uni­versal cure. The honeybee itself produces sever­al products which possess remarkable biological activities. Among these products are honey,propolis, bee pollen, bees wax, bee food and royal jelly all of which have been a landmark in the traditional remedies over the history of mankind as given in the example of old Egyptian remedies.

We became interested in investigating the benefits of these products, and in order to discover the secrets in these products, we proposed several assumptions. (1) The medicinal value of these must be tested for their medicinal and biological value; (2) The med­icinal value of the different prod­ucts of the honeybee must be evaluated based on their floral and geographical origin; in other words, the same product of the bee coming from different floral source or different geographical origin could be useful for different ailments; (3) Using the right dose is critical to the expected results; therefore when testing any products, opti­mizing the dose is very important to the intended results; for example not taking enough amount of black seed probably will not be enough to obtain the needed effect. In the mean time excessive doses are not recommended in some cases, e.g., if you use too much garlic, it may cause gastrointestinal discomfort. During our course of experimental investigations, we discovered that the addi­tion of diluted honey to the urinary bladder tis­sue prevents the attachment of pathogenic E. coli to that tissue. This bacterial species is a common cause of the urinary tract infection. Bacterial attachment to the target tissue is the first step in the infection process and if prevent­ed then the infection will not happen. We also noticed that the peristaltic movement of a urinary bladder ring was diminished when incubated with dead E. coli, while in the presence of honey, the contractility was maintained and the bladder tis­sue was fully responsive to external stimuli. We have also identified a profound anti-microbial activity for honey and propolis. Such activity is unique in being a wide spectrum, i.e., works against all sorts of microorganisms including bacteria, fungi and viruses irrespective of their resistance or susceptibility to conventional anti­biotic treatments. We have also discovered that extracts from honeybee products demonstrated distinctive superior activity in tissue regeneration and we used such extracts to heal wounds, burns, and ulcers faster while leaving minimal scars as compared to conventional treatments. Several other studies have demonstrated that honeybee products also exhibit several activities like inhibition of cancer promotion, anti-inflam­matory, tissue preservation, treatment of peptic ulcers, treatment of respiratory disorders and many other activities. Actually, this is a whole new field of safe and guaranteed remedies which needs focused researches to discover all the secrets lying in these products and their applica­tion in medicine and human health.

At B.C. Cosmaceuticals, Inc., we have extracted very effective fractions from honey­bee products and combined them with highly effective herbal and plant components in a synergistic ratios to effectively stop hair loss within 2-3 applications and grow new hair in 6­8 weeks. We developed several other products to cure wounds, acne, psoriasis and to regen­erate and maintain healthy skin. Alhamdu­Lellah we have been granted 2 patents and 2 more are still pending. We are working so hard to uncover these best and most effective nat­ural ingredients.
If you have any question or to get more information about our line of natural prod­ucts, please utilizing the most effective and the safest ingredients, please call Dr. Mousa at 1(800)424-7710.

Friday, February 20, 2009

BLACK SEED: SEED OF BLESSING

Written by Ken Babal, C.N.

A seed that few people in the US have heard of is used by a large portion of the world's population and has a history that dates back 3,000 years. References to this seed can be found in some of the oldest religious and medical texts. It is called black cumin seed. Black cumin (Nigella sativa) (not to be confused with cumin, the common kitchen herb) is an herbaceous annual, which reaches a height of twelve to eighteen inches. It is believed to be indigenous to the Mediterranean but is cultivated in other parts of the world including Saudi Arabia, northern Africa and parts of Asia. The common English name for Nigella sativa is Love in a Mist.

History of Black Seed
Black cumin seed, or black seed for short, was found in Tutankhamen's tomb, implying that it played an important role in ancient Egyptian practices. Although its exact role in Egyptian culture is not known, we do know that items entombed with a king were carefully selected to assist him in the afterlife. The earliest written reference to black seed is found in the book of Isaiah in the Old Testament (Isaiah 28:25,27 NK1V). Avicenna (Ibn Sina) (980-1037), the renowned Persian philosopher and physician who wrote the classic text.The Canon of Medicine, refers to black seed as the seed "that stimulates the body's energy and helps recovery from fatigue or dispiritedness." A saying attributed to the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) is, "Hold onto the use of the black seed for in it is healing for every illness except death."
These passages are the inspiration for Islamic medicine, which recognizes black seed as a natural remedy for maintaining and storing body heat and dryness. It is believed that a reduced metabolic rate (innate heat) is the cause of most illnesses. The body, in losing energy, also loses its ability to dispose of toxins resulting in a greater chance of contracting illness. Many practitioners believe the modern Western diet tends to produce phlegm (wetness). The prophetic reference of black seed having "a remedy for every illness is not exaggerated as it first appears. Recent research has provided evidence, which indicates black seed, can significantly boost the immune system, especially if taken over time. The prophetic phrase "hold onto the use of the seed" also emphasizes consistent usage of the seed. Traditionally, black seed has been used in the Middle and Far East as a panacea for a variety of ailments including bronchitis, asthma, headache, rheumatism and related inflammatory conditions, increasing milk production in nursing mothers, digestive disturbances, parasite infection and supporting immunity. Its oil is used to treat skin condition such as eczema and boils, and is used topically to treat cold symptoms. The Arabic text Medicines of the Prophets lists as many as fifty illnesses for which black seed has effective healing qualities. Its many uses have earned it the Arabic approbation "Seed of Blessing."


Modern Research
Over 150 research papers have confirmed many of the healing properties attributed to black seed, especially in regard to allergies, asthma, fungal problems and immune disorders. Among the hundreds of biologically active compounds in black seed are the volatile oils of thymoquinoline and dithymoquinone. These phytochemicals strongly inhibit an enzyme that contributes to pain (called lipoxygenase) and prevent the release of histamine from mast cells. Histamine often causes allergic reactions and is associated with respiratory conditions such as bronchial asthma. The compounds in black seed oil have also been demonstrated to inhibit tumor cells in laboratory experiments-even those resistant to anticancer drugs. One study showed that when incubated with black seed extract, cancer cells were unable to produce chemicals necessary for blood vessel growth. Without a blood supply, a tumor cannot grow. Human studies also verify the immune-boosting action of black seed. Subjects who took black seed capsules displayed a 72 percent increase in helper to suppressor T-cell ratio as well as an increase in NK (natural killer) cell functional activity. These findings suggest that black seed could play an important role in the treatment of cancer, AIDS and other immune deficiency states. According to USDA phytochemical and ethnobotanical databases compiled by lames Duke, Ph.D., black seed also contains limonene. Found in high amounts in lavender, limonene is being investigated for use as a treatment for some types of cancer. In Europe, ongoing scientific research has fueled immense public interest into the health benefits of black seed, particularly in Austria and Germany where black seed supplements are sold in most health food stores.

Suggestion for using black Seed
Whole black cumin seeds can be found in many Indian, Persian and Russian markets and can be used in baked goods and pickles. Crush the seeds to use in beverages, curries or as a pepper substitute. A tea is also available containing black seed and rooibos. Black seed also comes in honey syrup that can be added to beverages, cereal, yogurt, desserts and baked goods. Black seed oil extract is available as softgel capsules and pure oil. Either form may be taken preventively for immune support. For arthritis, swallow capsules and apply pure oil to affected area. For respiratory problems, dilute the oil (1 part black seed oil to 5 parts olive oil), rub on chest and back; heat a little oil and inhale the vapors. For head cold, rub forehead and sides of face close to the ears with black seed oil. As an energy tonic, take the oil in orange juice in the morning. In spite of it being used for energy, black seed also relieves insomnia. For sleep disturbances, take one teaspoon of the oil and one teaspoon of honey in warm milk. Rub the temples with the oil and turn off the lights. Black seed is not recommended during pregnancy. For more information visit your health food store retailer or go to www.blackseedusa.com.

Ken Babal is a nutritionist in private practice in Los Angeles and staff nutritionist for Erewhon Natural Foods Market. He is the author of Maitake: King of Mushrooms (Keats 1997) and Good Digestion: Your Key to Vibrant Health (Alive 2000). He appears ' The Discovery Health Channel documentary "Alternatives Uncovered."

Monday, February 16, 2009

INGREDIENTS

Here are some common ingredients and their descriptions:

ACETIC ACID: Occurs naturally in most fruits and vegetables. It is used in cheese, baked goods, and animal feeds. Solvent for gums, resins, and volatile oils. Potential adverse skin reactions include irritation or itching, hives, and overgrowth of organisms that do not respond to germ killers. It may cause gastrointestinal distress, skin and eye irritation. In its glacial form (w/o much water) it is highly corrosive and its vapors are capable of producing lung obstruction. It caused cancer in rats and mice when given orally or by injection. It is GRAS- Generally Recognized As Safe by the FDA but caution is advised. The additive may be unsafe, poorly tested, or used in foods we eat too much of.

MALT EXTRACT: Extracted from barley that has been allowed to germinate, then heated to destroy vitality, and dried. I tbs contains 6 grams of sugar. The extract is mixed with water and allowed to solidify. It is used as a nutrient and as a texturizer in cured meat and poultry. Generally Recognized As Safe.

LEMON EXTRACT: It is made from lemon zest extracted from alcohol. Used in perfumes and food flavorings.It can cause an allergic reaction and has been suspected of being a co-additive cause of cancer.

Monday, February 9, 2009

WHAT IS WRONG IN A PRODUCT?

Written by Zaheer Uddin

Why certain products are Haram? What are the reasons? The answer is very simple. There are many ingredients, which are derived or made from a Haram source, like animal fat and alco­hol etc. If that Haram ingredient is listed as part of a product then that particular product should be avoided. If a Haram ingredient is less than 2%, then the manufacturer is not obliged to mention that ingredient on the label. In any case, without inquiring with the manufacturer about the source and origin of such ingredient, one cannot make the decision about the status of that product.


BREAD, BAGEL AND ROLLS: May contain animal shortening, animal based mono and diglycerides.

BREAD CRUMBS AND COATING MIXES: May contain animal shortening, animal based mono and diglycerides.

CANDY AND CHOCOLATE: May contain animal based mono and diglycerides, gelatin, whey, animal fat, alcohol, animal sourced glycerin and marshmallows.

CEREAL: May contain animal based mono and diglycerides, animal shortening, whey and gelatin.

CHEESE: May contain animal enzyme, whey and gelatin.

CHEWING GUM: May contain animal gum base, stearates and animal based glycerin.

COOKIES AND BISCUITS: May contain animal fat, whey, animal based mono and diglycerides and glycerin.


DESSERT AND PUDDING: May contain gelatin, whey, animal based mono and diglycerides.

FISH PRODUCTS: May contain animal based mono and diglycerides, whey and animal shortening.

CAKE AND BAKING MIX: May contain animal based mono and diglycerides and animal shortening.

FROZEN AND PACKED DINNER: May contain non-zabiha meat, animal enzyme and animal fat.


ICE CREAM AND SHERBET: May contain animal based mono and diglycerids, gelatin, wine, rum and stearates.

MILK PRODUCTS: May contain animal based mono and diglycerides, shortening and marshmallows.

MUSTARD AND SAUCES: May contain animal based mono and diglycerides, wine, wine vinegar and cheese made of animal enzyme.

FROZEN PIZZA: May contain animal sourced enzyme, brewer's yeast and animal base in sauce.

SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONERS: May contain pork collagen and protein.

SOAP: May contain pork tallowate and glycerin.

TOOTHPASTE AND MOUTHWASH: May contain pork glycerin and alcohol.

YOGURT: May contain gelatin and animal based mono and diglycerides.

Friday, February 6, 2009

HOW ABOUT A RECIPE TODAY:) BAKLAVA RECIPE- TURKISH STYLE

BAKLAVA
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves 15-18

Ingredients

1 standard package phyllo dough
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter 3 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups water
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 cup ground walnuts



Instructions

Thaw the phyllo dough to room temperature.
Prepare the syrup by boiling the sugar and the water. Add the lemon juice and boil for about 15­-20 minutes. Set aside and allow it to cool to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Gently melt the butter without browning it.
Open the phyllo dough and unroll it carefully.
Lightly butter the bottom of a 9x13x2 inch bak­ing pan (shallow sides are a must) with a brush. Brush every 2-3 sheets with the melted butter before layering the next sheets on top of it.
When half the dough is used in this manner, spread the walnuts across the dough evenly. Drizzle the walnuts with enough melted butter.
Continue to layer the remaining sheets of dough and keep brushing them with butter.
Cut the baklava into diagonal or square 1-inch strips and pour the rest of the butter on the baklava.
Bake at 375 degrees until golden brown.
Remove it from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Immediately, gradually pour the syrup over it and let it cool at least 2 hours.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

HOW TO KNOW IF IT IS REALLY ORGANIC

ORGANIC FOOD


Written by Aise Yigit

In the mind of a shopper, what is the notion of "Halal"? What items do you, as a halal-con­scious consumer, add to your shopping cart and what items do you ignore? Since the introduction of genetically manipulated agricultural and animal products, consumers have become more concerned about food purity. Processes used in American slaugh­terhouses and meat-processing plants are also subject to discussion in this respect. There are different terminologies, which should not lead to any confusion among us. The term "organic" refers to growing and food processing methods that rely on the earth's natural resources.
Pests and weeds are managed using earth-friendly means such as beneficial insects and mechanical controls (California Certified Organic Farmers, 2001). In addition, organic products are regulated and must be certified. The term "all-natural" means food that has under­gone minimal processing and contains no preservatives or artificial additives (www.webster.com). And conven­tional or traditional food processing employs processes that occur in nature, like natural breeding systems of poultry(www.consumersunion.org/food/food.htm).

In this respect, organic food may be fitting in some cases within the standards of the Islamic dietary concept as pure and healthy food. But beware, a certified organic product does not exclude any questionable ingredients for Muslims that might render a food item as non-halal. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not require food producers and processors to list any ingredient of the product, which comprises less than two percent of the total composition. And in that miniscule two percent, there just might be pork, other organic non-halal meat, or alcohol. So, we advise you to contact the company of the product and ask whether they use any ingredient con­sidered by Muslims as questionable.

One of the most misleading shop items are dairy products, because dairy is supposed to have no other ingredient than milk. Kosher certification might also be misleading, since it does not exclude alcohol as an ingredient. Another important warning concerns vit­amins A and D in dairy products. Milk producers claim that "by FDA regulations" these vitamins must be added to (skimmed) milk, producers use various sources like derivatives from pork! Read the contents label and look for safe additives, such as lanolin-based vitamin D and sources of vitamin A derived from palmitic acid from palm oil.
Another drawback for Muslims is that the FDA considers alcohol "Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS)". As the alcohol content is often less than two percent of the total composition, it is often not listed in the ingredients, creating a chal­lenge for Muslims residing in the U.S.
As consumers become aware of the current harmful practices in the meat processing and food processing industries, this trend is gaining momen­tum across the U.S. Many associations, non-profit organizations and food co-ops established among smaller farm owners are struggling to develop niche markets as strong alternatives to the fast-food indus­try and genetically modified food producers.
What is certified organic?
"Certified organic" means that agricultural products have been grown and processed according to the specific standards of various State and private certi­fication organizations.
Congress passed the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 to establish national standards for organ­ically produced commodities. This legislation requires that all except the smallest organic growers will have to be certified by a State or private agencyaccredited under national standards developed by USDA's National Organic Program (NOP). An important product of this program is the following notice on the USDA Organic Seal Use issued on April 2001 (Code of Federal Regulations: 2001 7CFR205). We advise you to visit such sites on a reg­ular base and be an active community member.
As fastidious consumers, certified organic food suppliers and serious zabiha farms run by Muslims are the only rescue brigades for halal conscious Muslim consumers. Adherence to purity of what we eat takes more than just reading the ingredients list! We have urged our readers several times that the ingredients list of any product can be very misleading, as it is far from a complete listing of the exact ingredients used to make that product. Another serious drawback of these lists is that the common consumer does not know many terms used. Glycerin, gluteus, natural flavors, acids, emulsifiers and many other terms may be merely a mask for impure microbiotic ingre­dients in our food.
There are other serious considerations when reviewing the content of foods. For example, does the manufacturer process pork or pork-by products in the same plant? Is the chicken, beef, lamb or veal really 100% chicken, beef, lamb or veal?
According to the Recycler's World the following grades are included in the rendering and protein wastes category: restaurant food wastes, vegetable wastes, fruit wastes, brewer's wastes, bakery wastes, dairy wastes, meat & bone cuttings, cooking fats & greases and other rendering & protein wastes . With regard to meat, blood, bones, intestinal and other residuals from the meat processing cycle are reprocessed and reused as cattle fed or other sec­ondary industry purposes. Briefly, all the residuals may find their way back into our food chain.
Unfortunately, the Muslim business owners are not yet active in all the branches of the Americanized dietary needs of Muslims; lean meals, pizza's, ham­burgers, marshmallows and other products. We urge you to be sensitive and eat only what you can identi­fy as pure Islam-sanctioned food.
Or just type one of these words -- organic, natur­al, conventional, rendering -- or other affiliated words in one of the search engines on the Internet!
URGENT Notice from the National Organic Program (NOP):
On April 23, 2001.
In order to display the USDA seal, an organically grown product must have been certified by an accredited USDA organic certifying agent and be determined to meet the NOP requirements. Consumers should be aware that any organic product packaging currently displaying the USDA seal is in violation of the NOP final rule and should in no way be construed to comply with the production and handling requirements set forth by the NOP. Any alleged use of the USDA seal on an organic product prior to October 21, 2002 will be vigorously investigated by the NOP, and, when violations are found, appropriate sanctions levied.
Source: http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/nop2000/nop2/sealuse_notice.htm

In June 2000, the State of New Jersey passed an act called Halal Food Consumer Protection Act.
The State of Illinois has signed into law the Halal Food Act on August 16, 2001.
The State of Minnesota has also passed an act on Halal food.
FDA does not oblige the producer to mention ingredients less than 2% on the ingredients list.
The sale of organic products will likely break $9 billion this year

Alternative Food Habits
There may be many alternatives other than massive­ly offered products by your local supermarket if there is no zabiha store nearby. You can consider organic food companies, Muslim-owned farms and organic farms. Many organic products are available in food stores and try to reach them through their toll-free numbers or via their web sites. Also take the time and drive up to a Muslim-owned farm, see with your own eyes what you are buying and ask the farmer from where he gets his livestock. Visit web sites, which we have listed in the following table or the list with the major popular compa­nies further in this magazine and ask them about their ingredients. At least call and ask the represen­tative whether he or she is famil­iar with the concept Halal. You will be surprised of the low awareness levels of major companies, which you as a consumer can change!

Thursday, January 29, 2009

ENZYMES Our Link To Survival

Written by Ibrahim Kazi

"O ye people! Eat of what is on earth, lawful and good; and do not follow the footsteps of Satan for he is to you an avowed enemy." (2:168)
0 ye who believe! Eat of the good things we have provided for you, and be grateful to Allah, if it is Him ye worship." (2:172)

There are three sources of enzymes: vegetable, animal and microbial... The common animal source is either beef or pork...

By definition, enzymes are unique proteins that convert proteins, fats and carbohy­drates into structures that facilitate proper bodily functions. In the digestive process, enzymes break down and process proteins, fats and carbohydrates. The human body contains over 1,300 different enzymes that perform the fine tune-up that keeps our body engine running smoothly.

There are three sources of enzymes: vegetable, animal and microbial. Among vegetable sources are papaya, which provides us Papain, pineapple (a source of Bromelain), and malt, which is used in a variety of bakery products. The common animal source is either beef or pork, derived from the ani­mal's stomach or pancreas. The microbial source is either fungal or bacterial.

Enzymes derived from animal sources are known as Pancreatin or Tripsin. In bakery appli­cations, enzymes increase the volume of bread, improve crumb structure and retard spoilage. Most enzymes used in the food industry are fun­gal, derived from plant sources such as Aspergillus, or otherwise bacterial. Contrary to common belief, enzymes derived of animal sources are seldom used in the bakery industry.

For your reference, the names and phone num­bers of companies that manufacture enzymes are listed below. If you are in doubt concerning enzy­matic ingredients in the foods your family con­sumes, feel free to call the technical services of any enzyme manufacturer and inquire if it is a plant or animal source, and in which products is it used. You might represent yourself as a "halal-con­scious Muslim", which will serve to educate that company of the dietary needs of Muslims.

A common questionable enzyme source

We should bear in mind that neither all enzymes are Haram or Halal. Cheese is the best example of an enzyme-efficient food product that is question­able with respect to the Muslim consumer. Enzymes are used in cheese manufacturing to form the curd. Most cheese companies claim that they are using microbial rennet. However, in order to make the microbial rennet they use cul­ture media, mother culture (created from milk, whey, Pancreatin, Lactose and dried autolyzed yeast) and enzymes such as Lipases derived from pork or beef animal sources. Most cheese manu­facturers cannot guarantee that the source of the culture is not pork, creating significant concern for Muslim consumers regarding cheese production.

American Ingredients Co.
Uni- Malt- Cereal Malt
Eversoft , Eversoft Plus-Bacterial Fungal Amylase
800-669-4092

Cain Foods
Amflex- Fungal Amylase
214-630-4511

Enzyme Development Corp.
Fresh-N- Bacterial Amylase
212-736-1580

Novo Nordisk
Fungamyl, BAN, Novamyl- Fungal Amylase
800-879-6686

Quest International
Biobake- Fungal Amylase
847-645-7000

Rohm
Veron- Fungal Amylase
732-560-6845

Lallemand
Fermaid- Protease, Pentosenase Fungal Amylase
603-432-4006

J.R.Short
Sunlite 1102-Fungal Amylase, Wytase
Soy Flour- Protase, Fungal Amylase

800-544-8734

Again, the solution is to call the cheese manu­facturer and speak to their technical services or consumer affairs department. If they are unable to provide a clear answer regarding the source of the enzyme, ask them to research your inquiry and contact you, explaining that this issue is of con­cern to many people.

When in doubt ...
Righteously speaking, if you have any doubt in your mind about the food you plan to eat; then the best course of action is to postpone its con­sumption until your research is complete. Enzymes are important for our bodies, and sufficient enzyme level is a vital factor that leads to overall good health. But if we are doubtful regarding synthetic enzymes, we should put our trust in Allah (SWT), Who created varieties of foods for our sustenance. Through His Mercy, all creatures have been provided with nutrition spe­cific to their individual needs. He "Almighty" has provided us with naturally occurring enzymes in the many fruits and vegetables we consume daily. So let's enjoy the good that He has provided us and be thankful for His bounties.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

WRIGLEY CHEWING GUMS




My friends always ask me about the chewing gums. I've received this e-mail below from a friend. It is pretty detailed. Any of us can contact these companies and they give us the information. Please call or send an e-mail for the products you use to increase the awareness of Halal among the American companies.




Thank you for contacting us about animal ingredients and our products.To answer to your question, the vast majority of Wrigley products sold in theU.S. are free from ingredients of animal origin, including egg and dairyproducts. At present, the only chewing gum exceptions are Extra® Polar Icestick gum and Juicy Fruit® pellet gums. Extra® Polar Ice gum and Orbit® Crystal Mint contain tiny flavor beads encasedin a microscopic layer of gelatin, which is animal based. We have requested thedevelopment of a gelatin-free flavor bead that is currently being worked on byour supplier. Juicy Fruit Grapermelon and Strappleberry gums use shellac as acoating agent.The different varieties of our ALTOIDS mints do contain very small quantitiesof gelatin which is derived from pork. Gelatin does not impart any flavor toALTOIDS, but it's a necessary ingredient for the texture of the mint. When weuse gelatin it is thoroughly purified and dried during its manufacturingprocess. Our staff is continually looking at alternatives to animal gelatin,but at the moment we've not been able to find a substitute that produces thesame quality you've come to love with ALTOIDS. Our LifeSaver gummies do contain small quantities of gelatin, which is alsoderived from pork. It follows the same drying and purifying process as with theAltoids.If your diet does not allow you to consume animal byproducts such as dairy, ourCremeSaver line does contain cream, which is a dairy byproduct. On the samenote, our LifeSaver Fusions and LifeSaver gummies are produced on the same lineas our CremeSavers, so there is a chance of cross contamination. Our CremeSaversoft chews also contain a small amount of gelatin, which is pork based.We hope this information has been helpful and thanks again for contacting theWrigley Company.Sincerely,Ryné KingConsumer Affairs Representative
============ ========= ========= ============ ==
Therefore according to the info above the following products of theirs are Haram:
Extra® Polar Ice Stick GumJuicy Fruit® pellet gums. Extra® Polar Ice gum and Orbit® Crystal MintJuicy Fruit Grapermelon and Strappleberry gumsALTOIDS mintsOur LifeSaver gummiesCremeSaverLifeSaver Fusions and LifeSaver
The remaining are halal

Monday, January 26, 2009

IS VANILLA EXTRACT HALAL?

I started a new poll about vanilla extract. Here is a definition from wikipedia.
"Vanilla extract is a solution containing the flavor compound vanillin. Pure vanilla extract is made by extracting from vanilla beans in an alcoholic solution. In order for a vanilla extract to be called pure, the FDA requires that the solution contain a minimum of 35% alcohol and 13.35 ounces of vanilla bean per gallon[1]. Double and triple strength vanilla extracts are available. Natural vanilla flavoring contains real vanilla bean but no actual alcohol. Imitation vanilla extract is usually made by soaking alcohol into wood, which contains vanillin."

Please vote before you leave the blog.

Friday, January 23, 2009

WHAT IS MEANT BY HALAL MEAT?

THE MEAT THAT WE EAT IN US

Written by BY MEHMET CALICIOGLU, PH.D.

We should encourage ourselves to buy and consume Halal meat. First, there is no guarantee that the regular meat comes from an animal slaughtered by a believer of the true God, even if your argument is "Muslims are allowed to eat meat slaughtered by the book of people"

1. We heard animals are stunned before slaughter. What is stunning anyway? Stunning is procedure to render food animals unconscious before slaughter using captive bold, electrical current, or carbon dioxide chambers, Stunned animals enter to a stage varying from coma to deep anesthesia depending on the method of stunning applied.

2. Is stunning mandatory in the US? Yes. Stunning is mandated by the "Humane Slaughter Act" (Code of Federal Register, 9) for all federal and state inspected commercial slaugh­terhouses. However, Halal and Kosher slaughters are exempt from this regulation.

3. Can animals die from stunning before slaughter?
On average, it takes approximately 3 minutes for cat­tle to die due to cardiac arrest or severe brain hemor­rhage. This time period is usually sufficient for slaughter (cutting the blood vessels). Animals are shackled, hoist­ed, and slaughtered within 15-20 second following stun­ning. Animals may die before slaughter, if stunning is inap­propriately done. However, these animals are detected dur­ing viscera inspection (presence of blood clots in the heart and large vessels) due to insufficient bleeding and removed from the food chain.

4. Is there any difference between stunned and not stunned animals relative to the amount of blood left in their bodies? There is no significant difference. Regardless of stunning, slaugh­ter cause increased stress to animal and increased blood pres­sure. This may result in rupture of capillary arteries and some small-blood collections so called "blood splash" may occur in the muscle. In fact, several reports indicated that incidence of blood splash in ritual slaughter (e.g., 3-10 %) was higher than in stunned animals (e.g., 0.5%).

5. If so, why the pre-packaged meat cuts in the market looks bloody appearance (bright red color, red fluid at the bottom of the package)?
This has nothing to do with blood. First, it is well documented that cherry-red color is the most desired aspect of meat to American consumers. Large vacuum packaged meat chunks so called "sub prime cuts" are cut into stakes on the back processing room of a food market, packaged, and incubated in an oxygen-rich cold room overnight. During this incubation, chemical state of myoglobin, a pigment substance in muscle cells similar to hemoglobin of blood, changes form methmyoglobin (brown-greenish color) to oxymyoglobin (cherry-red color) which the desired color. Second, the bloody looking fluid is not blood; if it was, it would form blood clot. This fluid is called "meat drip" or "meat juice". Muscle tissue has approximately 60-65% water. And majority of water is in the cells. After slaughter, animal carcass goes through a serious of metabolic changes during chilling (post-mortem changes) in which muscle tissue changes tomeat. As a result of these changes, and han­dling by people, muscle cells ruptures and intracellular water goes out and accumulates at the bottom of the package. Since myoglobin is a water-soluble compound, it also comes out with water resulting in a red blood looking fluid. You can observe the same thing when you thaw frozen meat, for example ground beef, in you microwave. During fast-thawing, more cells are ruptured and you may observe even more drip. This fluid is nutritiously very valu­able since it contains proteins.

6. Halal meat and meat products are not very commonly sold yet. Everything seems fine with meat from conventionally slaughtered (stunned) animals so far. Can Muslims buy meat from food markets?
This question requires expertise in fiqh and subject to reviews and discussions elsewhere. But it should be noted that there is no regula­tion in the US requiring that butchers who are making the first cut to be a believer of three major religions (Islam, Judaism and Christianity). It is quite possible that the butcher can be an atheist, or a member of a religion that does not have a true God. It is clear that Muslims are not allowed to eat meat from an animal slaughtered by an atheist.

We should encourage ourselves to buy and con­sume Halal meat for two reasons. First, there is no guarantee that the regular meat comes from an animal slaughtered by a believer of the true God, even if your argument is "Muslims are allowed to eat meat slaughtered by the book of people". Second, Halal meat industry is a young industry that need a lot of support from its con­sumers (100% of them are Muslims) to survive and serve Muslims in the US.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

STANDARD FOR PURITY: HALAL

Written by Maria Hussain

The new concept is that "Halal" should not only refer to a ritualized method of slaughter, but a standard of purity, as recommended by the Qur'an.

In the years that Muslims have been gaining awareness and self confidence about practicing their religion in America, the discussion of Halal meat has gone through various phases. When the immigrant community was new, Halal meat was not available, so the Muslims usually bought their meat from Kosher butchers when possible, and the general assumption was, "If it's not pork, then it's Halal." As time passed, awareness grew about the religious specifications of zabiha slaughter: that it must be done with the name of Allah, with a sharp blade. Halal meat stores opened up all over the country, assuring their customers that the Halal meat is from a ritually slaughtered animal.

Now, we are entering a new phase of awareness in our progress as Muslims in America. The health, safety, and ethical concerns of the new generation of American Muslim consumers need to be addressed also. The new concept is that "Halal" should not only refer to a ritual­ized method of slaughter, but a standard of purity, as recommended by the Quran. (" 0, you messengers! Enjoy (all) good and the pure things and do righteous deeds. Surely, I know what you do. (23:51) "Eat of the things which Allah has provided for you, lawful and good; but fear Allaah, in Whom you believe" 5:88)

The educated Muslim consumer now insists that Halal meat should be better than other meat(s). The entire production process from the beginning to the end should be character­ized by purity, cleanliness, and humane treat­ment of animals. Cows or chickens should not be kept confined to stand in their own excre­ment, but they should be allowed to roam freely, grazing on grass and grain as God
intended. Their food should not be mixed with toxic chemicals or the remains of dead animals, as is currently the norm.
The Halal meat process­ing companies have a responsibility to monitor the ways in which the farm animals are being raised, not only to choose the cheapest animal for sale. The transportation of the animals to the slaughter house must take into account the animals' need for food, water, rest, and exercise, and the distance of travel should be kept to a min­imum. The standard practice of trucking ani­mals across the country without stopping, so that many of them arrive at the slaughter­house dead or half-dead, is not Islamically acceptable. During slaughter also, the strict Islamic guidelines must be followed - the ani­mal should not be dangled upside-down for extended periods of time, nor must the animal be allowed to watch its friends and relatives be slaughtered before meeting its own end.

Also important is the awareness of the impor­tance of cleanliness and sanitary habits, both in the slaughterhouse and in the meat store. Knives must be clean, the meat should stay refrigerated, and kept covered. Unfortunately, many Halal meat stores do not even take care to keep blood from dripping where it does not belong.
Higher standards of animal feed, ethical treat­ment of animals, and sanitary processing will prevent many possible diseases and result in a better-tasting meat as well. So far, a hand full of companies in America have taken the ini­tiative by making the extra effort to provide
Halal meat products available to the Muslim consumer. However, it is necessary for these companies to gain the trust and respect of the shoppers. Additionally, Muslims need increased knowledge about what they are eat­ing. Carefulness, mercy, and purity in food are essential to the development of a truly Islamic personal character.

Ideally, the concept of Halal as pure should become the norm, so that even non-Muslims could trust Muslims for high-qual­ity, natural food, just like Muslims should set the stan­dards for just weights and measurements, prompt pay­ment of debts, and other honest business practices. This ideal may seem like a long way off, but supporting sincere Muslim businesspeo­ple is a necessary first step.
How can the consumer know which businesses are truly ethical? We need a trusted body to act as a middleman between the Muslim community and Muslim business­es to ensure the Islamic guidelines are being followed. A Halal certification body must employ persons with expert scientific knowl­edge and higher education to keep up with the latest advances in farming techniques, in order to be able to determine if they are Halal or not. Islamic organizations should actively promote the idea of food purity but they should not be directly involved in certification because they do not have the time or the expertise to handle the responsibility.

This certification agency should not be fully sponsored by business, nor should it be depen­dent on national umbrella organizations who do not have food issues as their main focus. It requires the support of grassroots efforts from the local communities.
Perhaps the organization of consumer buying clubs could be established for this purpose. By working together to encourage the formation of an independent Halal certification agency whose primary focus is monitoring quality -not making sales - we can all step forward into a new era of successful Islamic business prac­tice in America.

Questions to ask when you call food manufac­turers or your local food supplier:

Can you verify or confirm that the meat are selling comes from animals fed free of animal by products, drugs or hormones?


Reason:
For a long time, animal-by products or rendered animal remainings have been used or mixed in animal feed as a protein supplement. This is in regard to beef, lamb or diary prod­ucts.

Would you confirm that animal-by products are not in your products?


Reason: Almost all of the processed food in North America may have ingredients with untraceable sources. In some cases the source animal can be pork, chicken, cow or remain­ings of them. Even for the animals that are Islamically allowed to be eaten, zabiha slaugh­tering can not be assured.

Does your product contain alcohol?

Reason: A vast majority of processed food con­tains alcohol, even if it is not explictely listed on the ingredient list. For instance, if alcohol is not used in the process, it might be used as a flavor enhancer.

Can you confirm that animal-by products and alcohol are not used even less than 2%?

Reason:
Food manufacturers are not required by law (FDA) to list any ingredient that is used less than 2%.

Have you or your supplier fed the animals with or used in the process any of drugs, her­niones, antibiotics or other chemicals?

Reason:
Although antibiotics, hormones or other drugs or chemichals are merely used in food processing and/or in animal feeds, it is more likely to see them having a secondary or tertiary effect on us. Different studies have proven that, by using antibiotics in feed of ani­mlas or in the processed foods, are causing bacteria to gain resistancy. This might mean that via this process we will have stronger or more resistant bacteria surrounding us which may be life treathening for future generations or even now!


Tuesday, January 20, 2009

COMPARISON OF HALAL AND KOSHER

Click on the picture to enlarge

Written by DR. M. CHAUDRY

Are you aware of the following about the Kosher Food?
In the Kosher system, alcohol is permitted. Alcohol could be found in food products that are certified Kosher. Products containing alcohol are clearly Haram for Muslim consumption and cannot be considered Halal. (We will leave the issue of the use of alcohol as a solvent or extracting agent for a future article. You can read it in the next issue of HalalPAK).
Foods that are cooked in wine or that contain wine or other alcoholic beverages can be Kosher but cannot be Halal. So for Kosher food items not containing meat, we must be sure the ingredients are acceptable before we can consume them. Once we confirm the item contains no prohibited ingredients, we can consume it because it is Halal, not because it is Kosher. The fact that it may also be Kosher is incidental.
As to the fact that the kosher lobby is work­ing hard to sell kosher foods to Muslims, this should not surprise us. The entire Jewish pop­ulation is 14-15 million in the world with about 4-5 million in the United States. Many, if not most of this total, do not adhere to the kosher requirements. This market size cannot justify many kosher products so in order to justify them; they must increase the market size by adding the Muslim Population.
The Kosher organizations have cleverly determined that they can suggest to the food industry that Muslims can eat kosher foods. Since the Global Muslim population is 1.3 bil­lion, with about 8 million in the United States, this gives them much more clout to sell kosher services. (You will note, there are almost 100 times more Muslims than Jews, and the Muslims are much more adherent to Halal requirements than the Jews are to Kosher requirements.) According to some surveys done by independent organizations only 19% of Jews care about the kosher food versus to 79% Muslims care about the Halal food.
Unfortunately, some Muslims have fallen prey to the argument that kosher food is Halal and that has been used to further the false propaganda. This has served to make Kosher foods much more economical. An example of this is kosher beef. Under Kosher require­ments, the hindquarter of the animal cannot be Kosher unless the sciatic nerve is removed. This is a costly process and would prohibitive­ly increase the cost of kosher beef. Kosher producers have worked hard to market the hindquarter of a kosher animal to Muslims. By doing this, they can sell the hind quarter at a premium, save the expense of removing the sciatic nerve and reduce the cost of the front quarter for their consumption.
We Muslims must wake up and adhere to our requirements. When we do that, we will enjoy greater blessings and peace. We do not begrudge others earning a living or optimizing the use of resources. However, we cannot make compromises in our requirements and we must look for ways to satisfy our needs. We need to be more careful about the kosher foods and let the food producers know we need Halal foods.

Monday, January 19, 2009

HALAL FOOD

I've found this video on Youtube and wanted to share with you:) What is your description of Halal?

FOODS OF THE PROPHET: FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Written by Karima Burns, MH, ND

Contemporary Muslims often turn to books and magazines to find out what foods will make them healthy, however, the Qur'an and Hadith have provided many of foods that should be included in the ideal diet. The Koran (55:68) says that "fruits, palm trees and pomegranates" were provided for our nourishment. Sahib Bukhari states that melon was among one of the fruits most often eaten by the Prophet (s), rich in vitamin C, beta-carotene and potassium. The body uses potassium to help eliminate excess sodi­um, which in large amounts can cause blood pres­sure to rise while keeping the body's LDL (danger­ous fvom stkkiy~g to the artery walls. Melons also provide a very rare nutrient called folate, a B vitamin, which is essential in combating birth defects and heart disease.

Citrus
Citrus is also a favored fruit of the Qur'an and Hadith. The Prophet has said, "The parable of a believer who reads the Koran regularly is like that of a citrus: it has a good taste and a good fra­grance". All citrus is packed with vitamin C, is famed for its powerful antioxidant properties (meaning that it disarms powerful oxygen mole­cules in the body that contribute to cancer and heart disease). The body also uses vitamin C to manufacture collagen; the substance that glues cells together and is essential for healing.
Hesperidin, found in oranges has been found by Brazilian researchers to stop inflammation without damaging the stomach lining as aspirin can. Oranges also contain limonene, which according to Michael Gould, PhD., and professor of human oncology at the University of Wisconsin Medical School "cause cancer cells to self-destruct."
The Koran mentions grapes alone six times. In fact, grape juice has recently been found to be an impor­tant source of flavanoids that can lower risk for cancer, lower cholesterol, prevent hardening of the arteries and fight heart disease.

Squash
Squash, mentioned by the Prophet (s), contains such a rich array of vitamins and minerals and other compounds that scientists have just begun to map its healing power. They have concluded squash is one of the richest sources of vitamin C and beta-carotene (25% and 66% respectively). Scientists have found that people who have more vitamin C in the diets over time have fewer lung ailments as the vitamin gets transported to the lin­ing of the lung and serves as an antioxidant there.

Dried Fruits
Even dried fruits are beneficial according to the Qur'an and Hadith. The Prophet (s) mentioned figs and then stated, "If I had to mention a fruit that descended from paradise I would say this is it, because the paradisiacal fruits do not have pits... eat from these fruits for they prevent hemorrhoids, piles and gout" (Bukhari).

Figs
Figs are a top source of fiber, as well as potassium and vitamin B6. Fiber results in bulkier stools, which lessen the incidence of constipation, hemor­rhoids and colon cancer. Fiber also lowers choles­terol and the risk of heart disease. Just one fig pro­vides 20% of the USRDA of fiber. A Harvard University study of 43,757 men ages 40 to 75 found that those who got the most fiber had about half the risk of getting a heart attack as those who got the least. Furthermore, men who added just 10 grams of fiber a day to their diet (6 figs) lowered their incidence of heart disease by 30%. This could also be why fibrous dates are another favored food of the Prophet (s).
As Muslims we are wise to include these foods in our diet. Allah has blessed us with many good foods and in the Koran (7:160) it says "Eat of the good foods We have provided for you."

Saturday, January 17, 2009

INGREDIENTS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS

In compliance with FDA regulations, "processing aid" ingredients or additives less than 2% are not required to be listed in nutrition labels. Are you curious about what you eat everyday? What direct/indirect additives are in your food? In compliance with Food and DrugAdministration (FDA) regulations, "process­ing aid" ingredients or additives less than 2% of the product volume are not required to be listed in nutrition labels. Also, ingredients of a product are subject to formula changes on a regular basis and lists can become outdated very quickly. To the Halal-conscious con­sumer, this means food manufacturing com­panies should be contacted regularly to verify their product ingredients. Here are some com­mon ingredients used in most of the food products and their possible sources.

Alcohol: Ethyl alcohol is used as an ingredient in a food product or as part of an ingredient such as wine in Dijon Mustard or in some Italian salad dress­ings and soy sauce and is usually labeled as nat­ural flavor. It is extensively used as a flavor car­rier in many food products and juices and not necessarily labeled as ethyl alcohol.
Whey: A watery part of the milk, milk serum, and it is the liquid that remains after the curd and the cream are removed from the coagulation of the casein of milk. Curdling of milk for cheese preparation takes place with the use of the enzyme rennet. As for the cheese, the enzyme "rennet" used to produce the cheese may be from animal origin and from pig source.
MSG:Monosodium Glutamate: Also called Chinese seasoning. It is used to impart meat flavor to enhance other natural food flavos and to improve the taste of tobacco. It is produced from vegetable sources. Studies show that gluta­mate in the body plays an important role in nor­mal functioning of the nervous system. It is believed to cause brain damage in some lab ani­mals. It is reported that many people suffer from headache and chest pain after eating in Chinese restaurants that MSG is commonly used in most of the Chinese food. Another study showed that females had fewer pregnancies and males had reduced fertility when treated with MSG. FDA recognizes MSG as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) for most of the food products except for baby foods.
Lecithin: Lecithin is the commercial name given to a mix­ture of phospholipids which occur naturally in a wide variety of animal and vegetable products, including egg yolks, butter, and in vegetable seed oils such as wheat, rape, sunflower and soy. Although the first egg lecithin was designed in 1896 as an emulsifier found in margarine soy bean is now the primary source of lecithin, which remains one of the most versatile ingredients available in the market today. Soy lecithin was developed as an application in a wider range of products, including chocolate, confectionery, bakery, dairy and most low-fat products. The sol­vent of choice for oil extraction is hexane for most of the manufacturers. In some cases, such as frac­tioned lecithin in pharmaceutical applications, alcohol may be used in the processing.
Glycerin:Glycerol: It is a clear, colorless, sweetish and viscous liquid obtained from the hydrolysis of fats and oils. It is used in cosmetics, liquid soaps, detergents and confectioneries. It can be obtained from animal source (beef or pork, hides or bones) or prepared synthetically.

EFFECTS OF PROHIBITED FOODS

Written by DR. SHAHID ATHAR

INTOXICANTS AND INGREDIENTS ON HUMAN HORMONES AND BEHAVIOR

It is not required of a believer to always find a scientific justification for divine prohibitions. However, if they look and find it, they must share the infor­ mation that will increase their faith. On the contrary, however, lack of confirmation should not cast doubt on the authenticity of the Qur'an. We believe that all Qur'anic statements are true. If science has not confirmed some of them yet, it may do so in the future. It may be that it needs to examine its data more deeply or repeat the experiment.For the benefits of non-medical readers, before we discuss hormonal and behavioral effects of prohibited food, intoxicants and ingredients, we need to define some medical terms and inter-relationships that are involved in this discussion.
HORMONES
These are the powerful secretions of the endocrine (internal) glands. They control the functions of all organs and even individual cells. They are made from protein and are peptides or sterol in nature. Thyroid hormones control our metabolism, energy level, and temperature tol­erance. Behind them are para-thyroid glands, which control our calcium metabolism. In the abdomen are the adrenal glands above the kid­neys, which secrete cortisone, the life-saving essential hormone, and catecholamines and aldosterone, which control our blood pressure and heart rate. Steroids and catecholamines are derived from cholesterol. Also in the abdomen are the pancreas, which secretes insulin, which lowers blood sugar, and glycogen, which raises a low blood sugar. Lower down in the pelvis are gonads, ovaries in women, and testes in men, which secrete estrogen, progesterone and testosterone respectively. All these hormones have internal control and influence each other. They control our growth, muscle mass, bone development, temperature tolerance, blood pressure, energy, fertility, sex desire, thirst and well being in general.
HOW DO HORMONES AFFECT BEHAVIOR
Clinically we see various behavioral manifes­tations in endocrine disorders. Hypoglycemic patients (low blood sugar) suffer from depres­sion and poor mental concentration. Patients with low thyroid have impotency and depres­sion. Those with high thyroid have agitation, irri­tability, and lack of sleep. Patients with low cortisone (Addison disease) have severe depres­sion; while with high cortisone have hallucina­tions and psychosis. Patients with high testos­terone have been claimed to have criminal ten­dencies (i.e. rapists) while those with low testosterone have problems in behavior adjust­ment. Patients with calcium and sodium imbal­ance likewise have marked mental changes.Physiologically boys and girls differ in behavior i.e. aggressive versus passive (play­ing with mechanical toys and guns versus dolls) due to differences in their sex hormone even in prepubertal age. This becomes more obvious after full sex differentiation takes place. In fact by changing the sex hormone level of a given sex, one can change not only the sexual behavior but also the aggressive­ness of a particular sex. Homosexual males have been noted to have less male sex hor­mone, and on the other hand repeated male sex offender can be cured by castration or by injection of the female hormone progesterone. In one experiment female rats whose mothers were treated with testosterone while pregnant, showed male behavior pattern of threatening peers, rough play, and increased sexual activ­ity as compared to the control rat. This shows that the effect of testosterone not only affects the individual but the offspring as well. In humans, girls with congenital adrenal hyper plasia (excessive testosterone secretion) at the age of post puberty, show a tomboy atti‑tude with preference for rough sports, prefer­ring boys as playmates, and low interest in dolls and baby care! Sexual behavior is not only affected by testosterone, but also by the pineal gland, which is turned, off and on by light and darkness.Hormones, not directly, but indirectly con­trol blood sugar, calcium, sodium balance, affect behavior in general anger, love, anxiety, panic attacks and agitation. The hyperactivity in children could be due to low blood sugar many food preservatives and coloring agent like nitrates and dyes.
HORMONAL AND BEHAVIORAL EFFECT OF PORK AND FAT INGESTION
Pork and pig fat is not only prohibited in the Qur'an,. But also in the Bible because "swine were designed to be scavengers, to eat up filth." In the Old Testament, Leviticus Chapter 7-8, it is mentioned about swine, "Though he divides the hoof and be cloven-footed, yet he chews not the cud, he is unclean to you. Of their flesh shall you not eat." There is no mention in the Bible that Jesus ever ate pork in his life. It was Paul who declared all food and drink permissible saying, "To the pure, everything is pure."The Habits of SwineTo get a first hand idea, I interviewed farm­ers of Fisher, Indiana, who breed swine. According to them, "Swine is cheaper to breed, since it does not require pasture. It can live on manure and other such items including dead meat. In fact it can cat its own feces. Their sex­ual habits are also different than other animals like cows, sheep and goats. Hey have very lit­tle shame i.e. engage in sex acts anytime any place while others sometime wait for darkness. The female hog is very aggressive in sexual activity. When she is in "heat" she does not care about anything (i.e. food or privacy) until she has sex. Swine, also lick the genitalia of their partners after sex like dogs, but unlike other mammals like cows, sheep or goats."Why is Pork Fat Different From Other Animal Fat?Fats are lipids, which are a source of ener­gy. They can be of vegetable source or animal source. Triglycerides are neutral fats with 1 molecule of glycerol and 3 fatty acids. The fatty acids can be saturated or unsaturated. The more unsaturated fats have high melting points. The iodine value of fat gives the degree of saturation. The iodine value of lard is 65, beef 45, and mutton 32. If a person eats the fat of a herbivorous animal, the fat will be hydrolyzed, absorbed, and then resynthesized and stored as human fat, while that of carniv­orous fat will not be hydrolyzed and therefore has to be deposited in humans as pork fat in the adipose tissue. What Has Deposition of Pork Fat to Do With Hormone and Behavior in Humans? Circulating hormones are in bound from and free form. The free form has to be attached to the receptor in fat tissue before becoming active. Obesity decreases the num­ber of receptors. Therefore hormones cannot utilize them. Therefore, if the hormone is insulin, it leads to diabetes (type 2), and if it is testosterone, it leads to sub fertility and amen­orrhea. The amount of fat also controls hor­mone release. Therefore we see menarche is delayed in athletics girls with less fat, and occurs early in sedentary overweight girls,It can be postulated that in humans who have pork human fat deposit, there is derangement in the binding of hormones. It is possible that sexual promiscuity and deviant sexual practices of pork eating society is due to what they eat! After all, it has been said by nutritionist, " You are what you eat." Since this is an essay on hormones and behavior, the effect of pork on cholesterol, sodium and the relationship to heart disease are not men­tioned here.
EFFECTS OF DEAD MEAT AND BLOOD INGESTION
Dead meat is the meat of an animal, which dies before slaughtering, and its blood was not drained out. Blood ingestion is not only the drinking of blood, prevalent in the days of ignorance in Arabia or even now in AM6, but also the blood which is retained inside the meat by improper killing of the animal. All hormones and antibodies are retained in the blood. All infective organisms, including virus, flourish in the blood. Therefore ingestion of such will be dangerous. It may also induce ani­mal instincts similar to those found in carnivo­rous animal like dogs, cats and lions.
HORMONAL EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL
Both in acute and chronic alcoholism, endocrine glands are affected, Hypoglycemia may result in acute alcoholism, which may be severe and can lead to coma. This should be recognized and treated with IV dextrose since it may not respond to glycogen. Low magne­sium with resultant low calcium is another effect of resulting in poor concentration, mus­cle twitching and even seizure. Increase in urine flow is due to suppression of antidiuretic hormone.Chronic alcoholism leads to pancreatitis with failure of pancreatic endocrine system sometime (diabetes) and exocrine gland (mal­nutrition). This leads to protein deficiency leading to reduced production of testosterone. This leads to impotency, gynecomastia in men and amenorrhea in women. Alcoholics liver dis­ease causes increased clearance of testos­terone with testicular atrophy leading to true hypogonadism. Sperm formation is also affect­ed leading to infertility. Infants born to alco­holic mothers can also have undescended testes and labial hypoplasia. In addition, the cortisol levels are increased during withdrawal while I.H and I.H-RH levels are suppressed during chronic alcoholism.
BEHAVIORAL EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL
Alcohol being a CNS depressant, depress­es both facilitatory and inhibitory pathways. It is the suppression of the latter that discards the shame and removes control. Therefore, what an average person des not normally do i.e. use abusive language, undress in public, etc. he may perform under the influence of alcohol. There are more serious behavioral disorders described to include brain dysfunc­tion in 50-70%: memory loss, depression, both acute and chronic, high suicide rate, mood fluctuation, delirium tremulous (DTS) in withdrawal state, and blackout spells during acute drinking. One third of all auto accidents are due to alcoholism. Under the influence of alcohol, mental judgment and motor skill are affected. Sometime the level of consciousness is also affected. Alcohol has been also found to be at the root of family violence, sexual vio­lence, rape, assault, and child abuse.Alcohol is not aphrodisiac as it is claimed. It not only depresses the central nervous sys­tem effect on libido but also actually lowers the penile blood flow and tumescence (Swelling) thereby decreasing performance.
EFFECTS OF NARCOTICS (COCAINE AND MARIJUANA) ON HORMONES AND BEHAVIOR
Both LSD and cocaine causes decrease in plasma testosterone and LH. The aphrodisiac effect is due to local anesthesia, causing pro­longed erection and central stimulation causing general well being. Also by inhibiting inhibitions, they encourage engagement in unusual sex acts like a false sense of euphoria flowed by depres­sion, anxiety and agitation. Panic attacks, suici­dal tendencies, violent behavior are not uncom­mon. Chronic usage may lead to schizophrenia, paranoia and a variety of psychiatric disorders, Even infants born to cocaine mothers show signs of withdrawal.
EFFECTS OF INGREDIENTS ON HORMONES AND BEHAVIOUR
If prohibited ingredients i.e. pork, lard, alcohol, cocaine etc. are consumed, the effect will be as described earlier, though because of the small quantity it may be slow and cumula­tive. More serious are items like sugar which causes reactive hypoglycemia, sodium which may lead to hypertension, nitrates and nitrites (used in meat preservation) linked to cancer, DES (diethylstilbestrol, a female hormone given to cattle to increase fat and muscle con­tent) linked to vaginal and cervical cancer in women, and artificial sweeteners like saccharin related to bladder cancer in rats, and asperate related to brain damage.
CONCLUSION
More research is needed on all of the above areas especially those affecting the lifestyle of Muslims to determine their affects more accurately. Though usage of prohibited items are not commonly found in Muslims, the dangers also may come to their health and spirits by the effects of non-prohibited items like western rock music, dress (i.e. tight jeans affecting testicular temperature) and sexual practices, and cigarette smoking.

SELECTED REFERANCES
Badri, M. B. Islam and Alcoholism. Indianapolis, IN: ATP Publication.Drucker, W. M. "Endocrine Abnormalities Caused by Alcoholism" Medical Aspect of Human Sexuality, Vol, 16, No. 12, Dec. 1982.Eckardt et all. "Health Hazard Associated With Alcohol Consumption." JAMA 8.7.81.Felig and Baxter. Endocrinology and Metabolism.Goodhart and Shils. Modern Nutrition In Health And Disease. 6th Ed.Qur'an: 2:173, 5:4, 6:145, 16:115, 2:219, 4:43, 5:90, 5:91.Qardawi, Yusuf al-. The Lawful and Prohibited in Islam, pp. 39-61.Sakr, Ahmad. The Food Nutrition Manual.Saud, M. A. Sex Roles in Muslim Families of U.S.A. Published in AI-Ittihad.William, R. H. Test Book of Endocrinology. 6th Ed. Chapter on Psych oendocri no logy.Washton and Stone. "Human Cost of Cocaine Use." Medical Aspect of Human Sexuality, Vol. 18, No. 11 Nov 1984.Dr. Shahid Athar.
Dr Shahid Athar is currently a clinical associate professor of medi­cine, Indiana University, School of Medicine, Indiana University, School of Medicine and Chief, section of Endocrinology at St Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is president-elect of Islamic Medical Association of North America (IMANA) and has authored 6 books and over 120 published articles on Islamic topics.