What is Vegan, Kosher and Halal Food?

Most people around the world eat food that is prescribed by the faith they follow.

Every religion prescribes certain dos and don’ts when it comes to eating and clothing.

Here are some of the diet prescriptions:

Veganism: Though Veganism is mostly about food, it impacts many life choices. This is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude all forms of exploitation of, a cruelty to animals for food, clothing or any other purpose.

Vegans mainly eat plant-based food, totally avoid animal food. They even avoid fish, shellfish, insects, dairy products, eggs and honey. They do not use leather made footwear, belts and products made out of animal skins.

Vegans abstain from silk and woollen clothes too as silk is drawn from silkworms silk is harvested from sheep and other animals. One of the earliest known vegans was the Arab poet al-Maarri (973-1057 AD).

He is known for his poem that says “I no longer steal from Nature”. The philosophy of veganism is based on ‘if humans deserve justice, then so do animals’.

The term veganism was coined by Donald Watson and his wife Dorothy Morgan in 1944.

Kosher: Kosher foods conform to Jewish dietary regulations.

While all kinds of plant based foods are Kosher, they are permitted to eat foods drawn from a restricted category of animals, birds or fishes. The flesh that does not come from permitted animals is prohibited.

Torah, the holy book followed by the Jews permits eating only meat derived from those land animals that chew their cud and have cloven hooves. Four animals, the hare, hyrax, camel and pig are specifically prohibited.

Similarly, birds of prey (kites, crows, falcon, eagle, vultures etc), fish-eating waterbirds, and bat cannot be eaten. Only those fish that have both fins and scales can be eaten.

It also forbids eating of meat and dairy products together. Similarly, there is restriction in matters of utensils used. Utensils and cooking surfaces that touch hot, non-kosher food cannot touch kosher food.

Moreover, the Kosher mammals must be slaughtered in a way that entire blood drains out. This process is called shechita. It is further soaked in water before use so that even last traces of blood are removed.

Halal: Halal food is food permitted to be eaten by Muslims by scriptures like the Holy Quran and Hadith. Halal food consists of all plant-based foods, dairy products drawn from cattle and permitted mammals i.e., lamb, goat, cattle, camel, ram etc.

Basically, they should have cloven hooves and should be consuming plant food. Pig is specifically been prohibited although its hooves are cloven.

Meat permitted to be eaten should be from animals that have been slaughtered in the Halal way i.e., cutting the animal in a way that dorsal nerve cord is not severed instantaneously in order that entire blood is drained out. This is called ‘zabihah’.

Meat from dead animals cannot be eaten. Birds of prey have been forbidden. Similarly, alcohol and all beverages that carry intoxicants are prohibited under Halal category.

Muslims take care that pork or alcohol based food and medicine are not consumed or used.