Glycerin is also frequently found in soaps, hair care, lotions, and makeup. However, plant-based glycerin can be suitable while following these dietary practices. Depending on the type of animal used, glycerin may not be a Halal or Kosher product. GlycerinĬommonly used in the manufacturing of supplement and medication capsules, glycerin is generally derived from animal fat. When buying supplements online, you’ll often be able to filter for alcohol-free products. While alcohol is not prohibited under Jewish law, it is required that the alcohol be produced under Kosher guidelines, which may not be the case for alcohol-based products in many supplements. Additionally, alcohol can be used as a solvent in manufacturing supplements, so it is important to look at the ingredient list for alcohol-containing items when following Halal. Alcohol is most commonly found in liquid herbal tinctures, where it is used as a preservative. Alcohol-Containing Ingredientsįlavors and colors added to supplements could have hidden alcohol in them, which would not follow Halal dietary law. Buying vegan supplements will also ensure that you aren’t consuming products made from animals that aren’t Kosher or Halal.

This can be tricky to discern, so make sure you read your supplement labels with care. You will most often find gelatin in a capsule-like supplement, especially softgel formulations like omega-3s and vitamin D, and while pork gelatin is most prominent, there are also Kosher and Halal-certified options, like bovine and fish gelatins, and cellulose and starch products, that can be used in place of traditional pork gelatin. Oftentimes, gelatin is made from pork products, and in both Halal and Kosher eating, pork is strictly prohibited. Gelatin is one of the ingredients commonly used in supplements that is not considered to be Halal or Kosher. While the primary contents of vitamins and supplements are, in fact, the vitamins and minerals themselves, there are other ingredients that help bind the product together, create a capsule, or preserve the supplement. You may be thinking “what do vitamin supplements have to do with restricted foods and slaughtering practices?”. While there are some overlapping characteristics of Kosher and Halal, there are some unique differences that we will cover. These practices include which foods are allowed to be paired together, slaughtering practices for certain animals, and restricted foods that are not to be consumed. Kosher refers to Jewish dietary law, while Halal cites Islamic dietary law. Kosher and Halal refer to what is permitted to be consumed by Jewish and Islamic religious laws.

What Does it Mean to Follow Kosher or Halal?

Let’s take a deeper dive into how to identify Kosher and Halal supplements, and exactly what to look out for when choosing your next vitamin. Luckily, there are a few easy ways to narrow down the field when searching for Kosher and Halal supplements. On top of choosing from the sheer volume of options, those with dietary preferences and restrictions, like those following Kosher and Halal, may have an even more challenging time finding the right vitamin supplements to meets their needs. With so many vitamins and supplements available on the market today, it can be confusing and overwhelming to navigate the market.

Kosher gelatin capsules