By Mohammad Abdullah

Mar/Apr 25

Packaged food nutrition labels are important for Muslim consumers because these convey information about the product’s identity while the Ingredient Statement allows them to determine the product’s status as either halal, haram, or doubtful. Nutrition labels also provide advice on how to handle, store, prepare, and/or consume food products safely where needed, especially meat and poultry products. In case of food recalls, labels with batch numbers can also help identify the source of a contaminated product quickly, thus mitigating the threat to the consumer.

The problem, however, is that some labels can be vague and even misleading. The United States has no nutrient warning policy unlike countries like Chile, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay that have had them since 2016. These policies focus on products with excessive levels of unhealthy nutrients, and require these products to display front of package (FOP) warning labels such as: “WARNING: High in added sugar or high in sodium” to inform consumers of the high content of potentially unhealthy nutrients.

In contrast, beside not having the nutrient warning policy, American manufacturers use colorful images, product names, and claims that make the food seem healthy on FOP labels such as being lower in calories or added sugar or being “naturally” flavored. But these vague descriptions may mislead consumers by leaving out less favorable information such as being high in sodium or saturated fat. When it comes to food labels conforming with critically important Islamic dietary practices therefore, simply checking for halal or kosher markers is not enough.

As a result, grocery shopping as a Muslim requires extensive knowledge about ingredients and industrial food preparation. Through the late 1960s, there was little information on food labels to identify their nutrient content. Back then, meals in American households were typically prepared at home from basic ingredients and most foods did not require a nutrition label. However, as more processed foods and beverages entered the U.S. market, and food retailers became more deceitful and blatantly profit-seeking, consumers soon came to need additional information that would help them make informed choices. 

In 1990, Congress passage of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act was an historic moment for the food industry. As a result of this legislation, food producers were forced to include food labels on their products to disclose key nutritional information, including a “% Daily Value” (DV) that is based on a 2,000-calorie diet. This information can be used to support personal dietary needs by looking for foods that contain more or less of the nutrients they desire. However, as it turns out, 2,000 was never an accurate number. It was, in fact, a number arrived at via extensive debate and disagreement that has yet to be fully resolved. “In truth, there is no standard number of daily calories,” said Joseph St. Pierre, Hartford HealthCare bariatric specialist at St. Vincent’s Medical Center.

Confusing and Misleading Food Labelling 

A food label claim becomes confusing or misleading when it provides inaccurate or incomplete product information, potentially deceiving consumers into believing something about it that isn’t true. Manufacturers generally describe the nutrient levels by using terms such as “free,” “high,” “low,” and “reduced,” or they use a number of other attractive or beneficial identifiers such as “organic,” “free-range,” or “no-hormone” to convince consumers that the product is healthy and ethical. In actuality, the term “organic” does not necessarily mean a product is healthy while the term “free-range” does not mean that chickens roam free yards.

Other examples of confusing terms are “no-cholesterol peanut butter,” (cholesterol is only found in animal products), or the use of “made with sea salt” (both table salt and sea salt have about the same amount of sodium per serving). The terms “Superfoods” or “Superfruits” are also misleading and lack scientific evidence and the use of the term “low carb” is misleading as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not have any guidelines for such labels. According to the FDA, “light” sounds healthy, but some products are extensively processed to reduce calories or fat, and consumers are advised to check carefully to see what has been added to make up for these reduced quantities. 

Grace Hussain lists terms considered among the most misleading food labelling. She claims that “sugar-free” products can contain up to 0.5 grams of sugar in each serving while “fruit-flavored” is typically flavored with chemicals that produce a fruity taste The claim “made with whole grains” is also misleading as food producers can claim that foods are made with whole grains even if they are made primarily with refined grains Likewise, the term “multigrain” simply means that a variety of grains were used in the food and most, if not all of them, are likely refined. The FDA defines “natural” to mean a product that contains nothing artificial or synthetic, while the USDA defines it as simply minimally processed. The “no-cholesterol” label suggests that it is cholesterol-free, but according to FDA, these food items can contain up to 2 milligram of cholesterol per serving.

The Truth Behind “Organic” Foods

The marketing effort behind organic foods in the United States has been strong for some time. Commonly, organic foods are said to be grown with no chemicals, making them safer and more nutritious for consumers. But according to avid gardener and author Robert Pavlis in his bookFood Science for Gardeners, scientific testing does not support these claims. In one study of 68,946 French adults published in JAMA Internal Medicine in 2018, a correlation between organic food consumption and a reduced risk of cancer was heavily criticized for various methodological flaws. Other studies claiming the benefits of organic food consumption have come under similar scrutiny.

Rather than an authentic representation of the actual content of food items, such marketing terms are mostly used to increase the product’s sales. It is not surprising, then, that according to a 2024 report in Newsweek, none of the world’s 30 biggest food companies were following the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendations for responsible marketing.

Factors Leading to Vague and Misleading Food Label Claims

Marketing influences food preferences and choices. Research shows that adding health claims on FOP labels makes people believe that the product is healthier than products that do not list such health claims, thus affecting consumer choices. Unfortunately, most people use the information provided on the FOP rather than the information provided on the “Nutrition Fact” table and in the “Ingredient Statement” for the product itself.

There are also other factors that may lead to further confusion such as the FDA allowing for up to a 20% margin of error. For example, if the label of a food product says there is a certain amount of carbs, calories, or sugars in it, there could be up to 20% more or less than is specified in the label. 

Compounding the confusion is the fact that food products are regulated by multiple government, state, or private agencies. For example, the National Organic Program (NOP) is the federal regulatory framework governing organically produced crops and livestock. Certifiers interested in becoming a USDA Accredited Certifying Agent (ACA) apply to the NOP for accreditation. The USDA oversees the program and enforces the NOP regulations and standards. But some reports indicate that the enforcement division needs to make major improvements before labels identifying organic foods are to be trusted.

Another important factor contributing to the overall confusion in food labeling is the lack of consumers’ knowledge about food label claims and their regulatory agencies. According to the FDA, there are three major types of food claims represented on food packaging, each following a specific set of requirements: health claims, structure/function claims, and nutrient content claims. Health claims on food products require pre-market review and approval by the FDA. However, structure/function and nutrient content claims are FDA regulated but are not pre-approved by the FDA before they are released in the market. This can be misleading because companies can use language to focus on a single positive nutrient while neglecting the product’s other potentially unhealthy aspects. 

 Finding the Truth in Food Labels  

Despite the use of confusing and misleading terms meant to trick consumers into purchasing food products, there are few simple steps consumers can take to make informed decisions at the grocery store:

• Do not solely rely on FOP claims; ignore claims made in large fonts. Read the fine print on the label.
• Choose foods with less than 5 ingredients that are real food and spices. If you want to consume less of something such as saturated fat or sodium, choose foods with a lower percentage DV (5% or less).
• Products that have whole foods listed as the first few ingredients are likely to be healthier than those that list refined grains or sugars first since food ingredients are listed by quantity in descending order.
• Look at serving size to compare nutrients between products.
• Sugar is added to virtually every type of processed food and can be recognized in the ingredients list by the ending “-ose” such as dextrose, fructose, and sucralose. 
• Look for labels and terms that are defined by USDA such as the term “Fresh Poultry” which means that whole poultry and cuts have never been below 26 degrees Fahrenheit. 
• Seek out labels that are verified through third party certifiers such as the term “Grass-Fed” which is approved by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). 
• Avoid processed foods altogether, and instead seek out primarily whole foods and plant-based foods such as products made with 100% whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.  

Nutrition labels can provide a wealth of information, so use them to your advantage by following the rule: Read it before you eat it. Reading the nutrition facts and ingredient list must include more intention and diligence for Muslim consumers than just glancing at the front of the package.

Mohammad Abdullah, DVM, who retired after serving 29 years with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, the agency that regulates the meat industry, is the author of A Closer Look at Halal Meat from Farm to Fork (Ahmed Jakda Publishing, 2016).

Want more like this? Subscribe to the Islamic Horizons magazine and support authentic journalism by Muslims for Muslims.

The post What Everyone Should Know about Food Labels appeared first on Islamic Horizons.

By Hamza Mohammed

Sept/Oct 2023

Many Muslims grow up hearing and seeing sunnah foods around them. From grandpa breaking his fast with dates, to grandma sprinkling black seeds (nigella sativa) in her famous potato curry, and mom giving a spoonful of honey to relieve a cough. 

However, it is interesting to study whether these sunnah foods continue to be in one’s pantry after parents and grandparents are no longer around. Do college students and then young parents rush to the nearest pharmacy when they have a bad cough, or do they reach for the jar of honey? 

Quick and Easy Snack Bars

If there’s one thing that everyone is nowadays, it is busy. From professionals to parents, students to service professionals, everyone is stretched for time. That could be one of the main reasons why some companies have introduced sunnah foods in more accessible forms. 

Cure your World is a Muslim owned and operated company that produces a unique snack, the Cure Bar, as well as black seed products and supplements. Founder, Zobaida Falah fell victim to junk food as a student. When she became a teacher, she witnessed this trend continuing with her students who were also consuming junk food throughout the school day. Zobaida created Cure Bars in an effort to provide an alternative to unhealthy, readily available snacks. She was inspired by her  grandmother, whom she watched prepare a mix of nuts, seeds, and honey each morning as a child. Zobaida’s grandmother called it her “secret cure for everything”, and believed it to have medicinal values and that it protected her from illness.

Manufactured in Washington and Ohio, Cure Bars, which increased in popularity after being featured in an AJ+ viral video, come in three flavors: Peanut Butter, Roasted Almonds and Honey, and Coconut Cashew. In addition to black seed and honey, the bars also contain healthy ingredients, such as oats, sesame seeds, and chia seeds and are a great source of magnesium and zinc. CURE also sells black seed products and Supplements, including black seed oil, black seed oil capsules, and turmeric and black seed powder capsules. 

“The benefits of black seed are extraordinary,” said Noor Salem, author of Sunnah Superfoods: Miraculous Remedies & Recipes that will change your life forever. “They’ve been found to contain benefits for preventing cognitive decline, obesity, bloating, arthritis, inflammation, and blood sugar dysregulation to name a few. Honey has incredible healing benefits that researchers continue to uncover. Some include suppressing cough, balancing blood sugar (which many find surprising), and healing the intestinal lining. Both this book and her “Sunnah Superfoods for Kids” are available on Amazon. 

“There is healing in black seed for all diseases except death.” [Sahih al-Bukhari 5688, Book 76, Hadith 11].

Yummy Gummies

In 2021, Aresh Saqib launched Sukoon Nutrition, Muslim owned and operated company that makes Halal gummies using foods such as black seed, honey, and elderberry. He got the idea after seeing his father, a medical doctor, eat black seed and honey together every day for 20 years. It always blew his mind how his father almost never got sick, even while working 12-hour shifts at the hospital. 

Their biggest surprise has been how customers have reacted to the gummies. “We never thought it would get as big as it has,” Saqib said. “Alhumdulilah the gummies have helped hundreds of people with ailments such as joint pain, hair loss, blood sugar levels, immunity and more. Some have even told us they were in pain for years until they tried our gummies.”

“I love Sukoon gummies,” said 9-year old Soha Rasul. “My mom said many of the gummy vitamins at the store are not halal, so I was so excited to try these. They taste just like candy, but are good for you. I wish I could have more every day.”

Sakoon Nutrition contributes a portion of each of their sales to charity. Located in Laguna Beach, Calif. their five different types of gummies are sold across the world, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and in the U.S. 

However, like many companies, they have had their share of challenges. “One of the biggest challenges, he said, has been growth,” said Saqib. “After the Tik Tok honey moon phase died out, which was when everyone was getting 10,000 views a video, they had to pivot to paid social media advertising. Growth has been slow but steady,” he added. 

Pure Honey

Founded in 1995, two brothers in Kuwait shared their pure honey to friends and neighbors. Today, Mujeza Honey, based in Tampa, Florida, is one of the world’s leading companies in honey production. They produce a variety of different types and flavors of honey including turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, and black seed. 

“One of the biggest struggles was making sure people know that we sell natural, authentic honey,” said Omar, one of the founders. “Many companies use sugars and syrups rather than real honey. We were also surprised how online sales through our website and Amazon have helped the business grow. We got far more customers than we could have at a retail store.”

Mujeza Honey has received many international certifications.They sell more than 15 different types and flavors of honey, and their products can be purchased at more than 500 retailers in 20 countries as well as on their website.

Worth a Shot

Dua Aldasouqi, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Champaign, Ill. agreed  that black seed is used in many types of disease management. One of the most common ways of it being consumed today is through black seed oil. Research has shown good results of black seed treating diabetes  and types of heart diseases. She said that honey has been used medicinally in many civilizations in the past. It has antibacterial properties, and can also be used to treat some colds and skin conditions.

With thousands of reviews on Amazon, many people are also trying out paraben-free black seed toothpastes and hair growth oil. 

“While it is hard to accurately judge the intentions of companies making these products,” said Aldasouqi. “I believe if it brings youth closer to sunnah foods, it is a great initiative.”

Hamza Mohammed, attends Farragut High School in Tennessee. He is an avid reader and enjoys writing in his free time.

Tell us what you thought by joining our Facebook community. You can also send comments and story pitches to [email protected]. Islamic Horizons does not publish unsolicited material.  

The post Sunnah Snacks and Supplements appeared first on Islamic Horizons.