The Qur’an asks believers to eat what is halalan tayyiban: lawful and good (2:168). A halal certificate answers the first question. The second, whether a food is wholesome, is up to us. Supermarket shelves are now full of halal-certified crisps, sugary cereals, fizzy drinks and ready meals. They may be permissible, but many are ultra-processed, and the evidence about ultra-processed foods is hard to ignore. Here is what Muslims should know about ultra-processed foods.
What are ultra-processed foods?
Researchers commonly use the NOVA system, which groups foods by how much they are processed. Ultra-processed foods are industrial products made mostly from extracted ingredients (refined starches, sugars, oils, protein isolates) plus additives such as emulsifiers, flavourings, colours and sweeteners. Examples include soft drinks, packaged snacks, many breakfast cereals, instant noodles, reconstituted meat products and most sweets.
What the research shows
A 2024 umbrella review in The BMJ examined 45 pooled analyses covering almost 10 million people. Higher consumption of ultra-processed food was linked to 32 harmful health outcomes. The most convincing evidence showed around a 50% higher risk of cardiovascular death, a 48–53% higher risk of anxiety and common mental disorders, and a 12% higher risk of type 2 diabetes. These are observational studies, so they show associations rather than proof, but the pattern is consistent.
A practical “tayyib” checklist
- Short ingredient lists made of things you recognise are usually a good sign.
- Cook from basic ingredients more often: lentils, rice, vegetables, eggs, halal meat and fish.
- Choose water, milk or laban over fizzy and energy drinks.
- Swap snacks: dates, nuts, fruit, yoghurt and roasted chickpeas instead of crisps and biscuits.
- Be wary of health claims on packaging; “protein” or “low-fat” does not mean minimally processed.
Balance, not guilt
Islam discourages both extravagance and needless hardship. Not every packaged food is harmful, and frozen vegetables, tinned beans and plain yoghurt are convenient, healthy staples. The aim is to make wholesome food the everyday default, following the Prophetic advice to leave a third of the stomach for food, a third for drink and a third for breath. Our Complete Guide to Halal Nutrition has more on building a balanced plate.
This article is general information, not medical or religious advice. Please speak to your doctor or pharmacist about your own health, and to a qualified scholar about specific religious rulings.