Is Centrum Multivitamin Halal in Canada?

Centrum is considered one of the best brands of multivitamins, not just in Canada, but all across the world. It is exemplified by the fact that Centrum has a global presence, and whether you’re living in Asia, Europe or Americas, the Centrum bottle with its multi-colour logo is a familiar sight in chemists and drug stores across the world. Given its international presence and the fact that it is one of the few multivitamins that is both trusted worldwide and consumed internationally, naturally, there are lost of questions that people will have about it. Since Canada has a sizable population of Muslims who adhere to the dietary requirements labelled as ‘halal’, the one question that is frequently asked is ‘are Centrum multivitamins halal in Canada?’. In this blog post, we will take on this question and understand first the dietary requirement that constitutes halal and then, we’ll answer whether the Centrum multivitamin is halal in Canada or not. 

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Now, lets look at first what the halal dietary restriction is and what does it include or exclude for Muslims to consume as part of their diet. 

Halal: What Does it Entail?

Halal is an Arabic word used to denote the fact that a foodstuff or product ifs fit for consumption, based on the principles of Islamic dietary restrictions. These restrictions fall in line with what the general consumption requirements for Abrahamic religions are: subsistence based on consumption of plants and meat, albeit with specific requirements that are centered around purity and cleanliness. In Islamic dietary requirements, meat needs to be slaughtered with the utterance of specific words, which means that processed meat that hasn’t gone through the specific act of slaughter complete with the words is not considered halal, and is therefore, unfit for consumption according to Islamic dietary guidelines. 

Similarly, not all animals and their various parts are allowed to be consumed, guided by the fact that some animals or parts thereof are considered unclean or filthy. For example, blood is usually considered unclean and filthy regardless of which animal is it from; while only herbivores and some omnivores are allowed for consumption, the liver of these animals considered halal from a sacrificial standpoint are considered halal. On the other hand, animals are chosen solely based on their feeding habits, which is where the main point of this blog post comes in. 

Pigs are famously considered unclean, filthy and dirty, which makes them haram as per the Islamic guidelines. Any byproduct derived from pigs or parts thereof are also considered haram; to the point where even a derived product from a byproduct, if included in the foodstuff, will render it haram and a Muslim will not be allowed to eat it. 

Which brings us to the topic. You see, the body requires a lot of products that are derived from animals. Proteins, calcium, amino acids, etc, all are dietary requirements that are derived from animals. One of these is gelatin, derived from the bones of animals, which helps provide the necessary lubrication to keep the joints active and healthy, all the while also providing other compounds like collagen etc for bodily usage. 

Now, while all animals have gelatin in their bones, the fact that pork is a regularly-consumed source of meat in Canada can become a bit problematic. Canada also has a sizeable population of other religions who may allow its followers to eat pork or pork-derived products, which means that the market will typically contain foodstuff that is both halal and haram; contains pork and does not contain pork. Processed food and medication, therefore, can be difficult to ascertain as halal or haram since their requisites are to be passed by the drug regulatory authorities, and few of them conform to the dietary standards as per Islam or any other religion. 

So, is Centrum Multivitamin Halal in Canada?

Muslim-majority countries don’t usually have issues related to foodstuff being halal, since a good majority of what is produced or imported has to be halal or conform to the dietary requirements as put forth by Islam. On the other hand, metropolitan cities or countries with a high concentration of different religions may not have such measures in place, which makes it difficult for one to ascertain whether a foodstuff or drug is halal or does not conform to the dietary requirements. 

As for Centrum, the fact is that many multivitamins will use gelatin or other compounds derived from animals. For multivitamins and other drugs being sold in Muslim-majority countries such as in the Middle East or in South Asia, Centrum products including their multivitamin is halal, owing to the import restrictions that require companies to assure consumers that the product is indeed free of pork-related additives. 

However, with Canada, considering the large, diverse market, Centrum multivitamins are not halal in Canada. They contain gelatin products derived from pork bones, which makes the multivitamin not fit for consumption by Muslims. As such, if the bottle of Centrum multivitamins does not display the words ‘Halal’ on them, they do not conform to the requirements of the dietary restrictions and should not, therefore, be consumed by Muslims. 

ICare Naturals: The Best Supplement Brand in Canada

Why go with the best hair supplement in Canada from iCare Naturals? Well, its simple: iCare has products that are made without any compromise on quality. iCare products boast the following to help give you the absolute best nutrient boost designed around your lifestyle and your dietary requirements. 

So, for your bones to receive the absolute best in nutrients and to ensure that in vitamins, nutrients and minerals, no stone is left unturned, go with iCare Naturals and feel the difference as you become more energized, healthy and ready to take on the challenges of life.