Many foods today have easily distinguishable ingredients because of their name, packaging, or taste. However, there are foods like Jello that are more difficult to pin down.
If you have dietary restrictions due to your religion, you might be wondering what the ingredients of Jello are and if Jello is halal. I looked into it, and here is what I found!
Is Jello Halal?
Jello is not traditionally halal because most Jello brands are made from pig-based gelatin. However, there is plenty of plant-based gelatin that is used to make Jello, making plant-based Jello brands halal. Additionally, Jello with gelatin that has halal-certified beef gelatin is safe for Muslims to eat. Ultimately, whether Jello is halal or not depends on the brand.
In case you are interested to learn more about which Jello products are halal or haram, and whether there are Jello brands that are designed to be halal, keep reading!
What Jello Brand Is Halal?
Jell-O by Kraft has no halal products since the gelatin used in Jell-O is derived from animals, specifically from pigskin.
However, there are plenty of other Jello brands that are vegan and are therefore halal.
Some examples of halal Jello brands are Bakol Jel Desserts, Ahmed Halal Jello Vegetarian Crystal Jelly, and Landore Premium Halal Bovine Gelatin.
Does Jello Have Pork In It?
Jello does not have pork in it but Jello may contain pig body parts depending on the type of gelatin used.
Most gelatins today use pigskin, bones, and hides to produce gelatin, which is an important ingredient in Jello.
Is There Halal Gelatin?
Halal gelatin does exist and there are numerous brands in circulation in the market today. Additionally, there are also Jello brands that use plant-based gelatin, making them halal.
Generally, the safest way to determine whether the gelatin brand or the gelatin used in Jello is halal is to look for a halal certification on the packaging or a vegan label.
Why Do Muslims Not Eat Jello?
Traditionally, Jello consists of gelatin that is derived from pig parts like hides, skin, and bones.
As per the Muslim faith, Muslims are not allowed to use or consume anything pig-based.
Can Muslims Eat Jell-O Pudding?
Jell-O Pudding does not contain gelatin despite Jell-O traditionally being a gelatin-based product.
Some Jello flavors including pistachio, banana cream, lemon, and vanilla are considered vegan and are therefore guaranteed to be free of any pig products or by-products.
What Type Of Gelatin Is Not Halal?
Anytime gelatin is derived from pig parts, the gelatin is automatically haram, not halal. While non-carrion bones are allowed, if the pig was not slaughtered according to Islamic Law before the parts are used to create gelatin, the gelatin is not halal.
Moreover, gelatin is also derived from cows, and if the cow is slaughtered according to Islamic Law, the gelatin is halal. If the cow is now slaughtered according to Islamic Law, the gelatin is haram.
Which Gelatin Is Haram?
Jell-O by Kraft and most Jello that use gelatin from cows and pigs are considered haram.
Plenty of traditional gelatin is produced from cows and pigs, most of which are not slaughtered per Islamic law, making most traditional gelatin haram.
Is Haribo Gelatin Halal?
Haribo produces both halal and haram gelatin products. Traditionally, Haribo gelatin is haram because Haribo is made from pigs.
In recent years, Haribo created a halal version of Haribo gelatin that is made from cattle that have been slaughtered according to Islamic law.
To identify the halal Haribo gelatin, you only have to look for the packaging with the Halal certificate by the European Halal Certification Institute.
Is Gelatin Halal In Medicines?
Currently, only 3% of gelatin production worldwide is halal-certified, meaning a lot of medications have few or non-halal alternatives because the gelatin they use is pig-based.
While Islamic law prohibits ingesting pork, most denominations overlook the consumption of non-halal drugs if they are life-saving.
Additionally, Islamic bodies claim that they are willing to forgive the consumption of porcine gelatin in pharmaceuticals if the pharmaceuticals are necessary and no alternatives are available.
Is There A Halal Sugar-Free Jello?
Most sugar-free vegan Jello products are also considered halal. However, if you cannot find sugar-free vegan Jello, there are plenty of unflavored vegan gelatin in the market that you can turn into Jello.
Is Jello Pudding Halal?
Jello pudding does not normally contain gelatin, which is the ingredient that makes most Jello brands haram. Unless otherwise stated in the ingredients, most Jello pudding is halal.
Nevertheless, it is still best to double-check each brand to make sure that the brand’s Jello pudding has no traces of gelatin in one form or another.
Is Jello Vanilla Pudding Halal?
Jello vanilla pudding does not normally contain gelatin or other animal products, therefore making Jello vanilla pudding halal.
Still, it is best to check the ingredients and research the brand of Jello vanilla pudding you want to buy because the Jello vanilla pudding might still contain trace elements of pig-based gelatin.
Is Jello Chocolate Pudding Halal?
If the chocolate used in the Jello chocolate pudding does not contain animal oil, fats, or alcohol of any kind, the Jello chocolate pudding is halal.
Additionally, you have to make sure that the Jello chocolate pudding has no gelatin. Normally, Jello pudding contains gelatin, but different brands produce their Jello products differently.
Is Jello Powder Halal?
If the gelatin used in the Jello powder is derived from pigs or cows that have not been slaughtered in adherence to Islamic law, the Jello powder is haram, not halal.
Is Jello Cheesecake Halal?
Jello cheesecake does not normally contain gelatin, and there are Jello cheesecake brands that are made with halal-certified beef gelatin.
Ultimately, it depends on the Jello brand you are buying whether their Jello cheesecake contains pig-based gelatin or not.
Is Snack Pack Jello Halal?
Whether a snack pack Jello is halal depends on the brand. If the Jello brand uses pig-based gelatin and cow-based gelatin that was not slaughtered according to Islamic law, it is haram.
However, if the snack pack Jello is made of halal beef gelatin or plant-based gelatin, the snack pack Jello can be considered halal.
Check out our other articles if you want to learn if Jello is vegetarian, if Jello is pork, and if Jello pudding is gluten-free.
Conclusion
Most commercial Jello brands are not halal because the Jello products are made of gelatin derived from pigs or the cattle used was not slaughtered according to Islamic guidelines.
Fortunately, there are halal-certified gelatin and Jello brands today. Moreover, most vegan Jello brands are halal because the Jello products do not contain animal products or by-products whatsoever.