Why Should You Eat Halal Meat Even If You are A Non-Muslim?

Why should you eat Halal meat even if you are a non-Muslim? Quite often we have a healthy conversation with our non-Muslim friends about the necessity of eating Halal meat. Interestingly enough, they agree with us on most of the issues we raise regarding this topic. But, why Halal meat is considered the best meat for consumers regardless of their religious orientations.  The simple answer is. It is healthier than non-Halal meat.

But, how? Let us try to find the answer thoroughly.

What Is Halal Meat?

Halal means were permissible. In Islam, it refers to a broader concept of permissible acts. But in terms of the eatery, it is understood as food specifically non-vegetarian that is perishable in Islam.

According to Islamic law, meat is allowed to be eaten if the animal is slaughtered through a cut to the jugular vein, carotid artery, and windpipe while God’s name is recited over it.

Animals must be alive and healthy at the time of slaughter and all blood drained from the carcass. Additionally, only those animals can be eaten which have been prescribed by Islam.

Halal Slaughtering Rules

• The slaughterer must be a sane adult Muslim.
• The slaughterer must say the name of God before cutting.
• The name of God is said to emphasize the sanctity of life and that the animal is being killed for food with God’s consent.
• The animal must be killed by cutting the throat with one continuous motion of a sharp knife.
• The cut must sever at least three of the trachea, esophagus, and the two blood vessels on either side of the throat.
• The spinal cord must not be cut.
• Animals must be well treated before being killed.
• Animals must not see other animals being killed.
• The knife must not be sharpened in the animal’s presence.
• The knife blade must be free of blemishes that might tear the wound.
• The animal must not be in an uncomfortable position.
• The animal must be allowed to bleed out and be completely dead before further processing.

Non-Halal Ways of Animal Slaughtering

The other techniques of slaughtering animals are stunning, i.e killing it using electric shock, using some chemical gases, or striking an animal’s neck leading to a break away from the rest of the body also known as ‘jhatka”. This method is usually used by Sikhs.

Why Should You Eat Halal Even if You Are A Non-Muslim?

The halal procedure, according to Dr. V K Modi, head of the meat technology department at the Central Food Technology Research Institute in Mysore, is effective in draining off most of the blood from a slaughtered animal, which is critical if the meat is to be soft.

“The possibilities of blood clotting are increased in jhatka. If the meat is left undercooked for a few days, it may deteriorate. It may also make the meat more difficult to chew,” Dr. Modi told TOI.

Evidence reveals that animals slaughtered by jhatka endure more trauma than those slain by halal, according to Dr. Modi. He adds “The better the meat, the less an animal struggles.” The glycogen content in animals’ muscles is stimulated when they are injured, making the flesh tough.

The pH level in the animal after slaughter should ideally be around 5.4 for soft and juicy meat. As per Dr. Modi, Struggle causes the body to use stored energy, raising the pH level to as high as 7.

According to  Dr. Karuna Chaturvedi, consultant nutritionist at Apollo Hospitals in New Delhi.

“Halal is considered healthier because, after slaughter, blood is drained from the animal’s arteries, ejecting most toxins because the heart continues to pump for a few seconds after slaughter. In jhatka, not all the blood is drained, leaving the meat tougher and drier,” She told TOI.

On the other hand, according to Carol O’Neil, a professor of nutrition and food sciences at Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, no research supports this claim.

The United States Department of Agriculture, which is the authoritative source for nutritional food information, does not distinguish Halal meat (or kosher meat, for that matter) from other meats when calculating nutritional values. However, O’Neil points out that Halal methods may be more humane for the animal.

Despite the benefits that Halal meat possesses, one cannot be forced to have it. But we will have to wait for how BCCI responds to its decision if it decides to respond

Conclusion

At the end of the day, you have to decide whether you want to consume Halal meat or not. However, you may want to keep in mind the points mentioned above while making the decisions.

Originally published on www.indiatimes.com