High-Quality Meat Consumption: Enhancing Nutrition, Performance, and Well-Being

Gemma Ali

doi:10.55265/halalreviews.v5i1.148

Authors

Gemma Ali Founder of Halal Animal Welfare Association (HAWA), United Kingdom

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55265/halalreviews.v5i1.148

Keywords:

Halalan Tayyiban, Meat Quality, Nutrition, Animal Welfare, Sustainable Consumption

Abstract

This study examines the role of high-quality meat consumption in enhancing nutrition, physical performance, and overall well-being within the framework of halalan tayyiban — the Islamic principle of food that is not only permissible but wholesome, pure, and genuinely beneficial. Production methods, animal diet, and welfare practices are found to significantly influence the nutritional composition of meat. The study underscores the importance of protein-rich, balanced dietary strategies in supporting sustained physical performance and overall physiological well-being, while cautioning against excessive consumption of processed meat products, which are associated with adverse cardiovascular and metabolic health outcomes — concerns that resonate deeply with the ethical and health-conscious dimensions of tayyiban. Broader sustainability considerations, encompassing environmental impact and animal welfare, are likewise addressed, reinforcing the argument that responsible, moderate, and ethically grounded consumption practices serve both individual health and the long-term integrity of global food systems. These findings carry meaningful implications for nutritionists, athletes, policymakers, and Muslim consumers navigating contemporary dietary choices.

References

Abidin, S. A. S. Z., Nawi, M. N. M., Shariff, S. S. R., Rahmat, A. K., Jalil, S. A., Taib, M. N., & Nizar, N. N. A. (2024). Wholesome nutrition: Halal and sustainable. Food Research, 8(2), 105–112. https://doi.org/10.26656/fr.2017.8(2).1028

Ahmad, J., Widayatmoko, W., & Taib, F. Md. (2024). Enhancing Malaysia’s halal brand identity: Insights and strategies for sustainable global halal hub. Kajian Malaysia, 42(2), 73–94. https://doi.org/10.21315/km2024.42.2.4

Anjum, F. M., Arshad, M. S., & Hussain, S. (2020). Factory farming and halal ethics. In Halal food production (pp. 121–147). https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118823026.ch9

Anshory, J., Wijaya, H., Noviasty, R., & Joto, N. A. (2024). Integrating the Prophet’s diet in contemporary nutrition education to achieve sustainable health and wellbeing: A narrative review. Jurnal Kajian Peradaban Islam, 7(2), 98–104. https://doi.org/10.47076/jkpis.v7i2.327

Aubry, L. (2020). Product quality and animal health: The potential of permanent grasslands in Vosges Mountains. HAL. https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-03121250

Beck, M. R., & Gregorini, P. (2021). Animal design through functional dietary diversity for future productive landscapes. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 5, 546581. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2021.546581

Chen, Y., & Zhou, C. (2024). Influence diet on cognitive function and brain health. Journal of Biomedical and Sustainable Healthcare Applications, 10–21. https://doi.org/10.53759/0088/jbsha20240402

Clinquart, A., Ellies-Oury, M., Hocquette, J.-F., Guillier, L., Santé-Lhoutellier, V., & Prache, S. (2022). Review: On-farm and processing factors affecting bovine carcass and meat quality. Animal, 16, 100426. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.animal.2021.100426

Corcia, M. di, Tartaglia, N., Polito, R., Ambrosi, A., Messina, G., Francavilla, V. C., Cincione, R. I., Malva, A. della, Ciliberti, M. G., Sevi, A., Messina, G., & Albenzio, M. (2022). Functional properties of meat in athletes’ performance and recovery. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(9), 5145. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095145

Dissanayake, K., Rifky, M., Hunupolagama, D., Harris, J. M., Zokirov, K., Azizova, K., Ermat, S., & Samadiy, M. (2024). Inorganic additives in meat production and processing. E3S Web of Conferences, 510, 1028. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202451001028

Fakolujo, I. Y., Gbadeyan, O. M., Ibrahim, F. A., Oladele, J. O., & Oladiji, A. T. (2024). Nutrition and fitness. In Nutrition and health (pp. 169–180). https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003361497-14

Godos, J., Scazzina, F., Castello, C. P., Giampieri, F., Quiles, J. L., Urbano, M. B., Battino, M., Galvano, F., Iacoviello, L., de Gaetano, G., Bonaccio, M., & Grosso, G. (2024). Underrated aspects of a true Mediterranean diet: Understanding traditional features for worldwide application of a “Planeterranean” diet. Journal of Translational Medicine, 22(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-024-05095-w

Guest, N. S., Horne, J., Vanderhout, S., & El-Sohemy, A. (2019). Sport nutrigenomics: Personalized nutrition for athletic performance. Frontiers in Nutrition, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2019.00008

Hasanpouri, A., Rahmani, B., Gharakhanlou, B. J., Solaimanian, S., Shahsavari, S., Rasouli, A., Abbasi, S., Ebrahimi-Kalan, A., Rouzitalab, T., Hoseinabadi, Z., & Shiri-Shahsavar, M. R. (2023). Nutritional knowledge, attitude, and practice of professional athletes in an Iranian population: A cross-sectional study. BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation, 15(1), 109. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13102-023-00776-3

Kara, E., & Işıklı, Ş. (2024). Improving performance through nutrition: Muscle recovery strategies. Journal of Current Medical Research. 14(5), 273–279 https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/jcm/issue/86581/1486286

Krusinski, L., Maciel, I. C. de F., van Vliet, S., Ahsin, M., Lu, G., Rowntree, J. E., & Fenton, J. I. (2023). Measuring the phytochemical richness of meat: Effects of grass/grain finishing systems and grapeseed extract supplementation on the fatty acid and phytochemical content of beef. Foods, 12(19), 3547. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12193547

Lee, S., Jo, K., Jeong, S.-K.-C., Jeon, H., Choi, Y., & Jung, S. (2023). Recent strategies for improving the quality of meat products. Journal of Animal Science and Technology, 65(5), 895–911. https://doi.org/10.5187/jast.2023.e94

Li, C., Öztürk, B., He, L., Zhang, M., Pan, J., Liu, Y., Zhang, Y., Huang, S., Wu, Y., & Jin, G. (2022). Advanced lipidomics in the modern meat industry: Quality traceability, processing requirement, and health concerns. Frontiers in Nutrition, 9, 925846. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.925846

Mehboob, M. S., & Ahmed, H. I. (2020). Contemporary health nutrition factors in the light of Islamic teachings. Al-Aijaz Research Journal of Islamic Studies & Humanities, 4(2), 392–405. https://doi.org/10.53575/u26.v4.02(20).392-405

Meinilä, J., & Virtanen, J. K. (2024). Meat and meat products: A scoping review for Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023. Food & Nutrition Research, 68, 10538. https://doi.org/10.29219/fnr.v68.10538

Neufingerl, N., & Eilander, A. (2021). Nutrient intake and status in adults consuming plant-based diets compared to meat-eaters: A systematic review. Nutrients, 14(1), 29. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14010029

Nolden, A. A., & Forde, C. G. (2023). The nutritional quality of plant-based foods. Sustainability, 15(4), 3324. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043324

Sindhu, P. B., Ravindra, U. R., & Basavarajaiah, D. M. (2024). Enhancing athlete performance: Functional food mix impact. Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology, 31(3), 1245–1262. https://doi.org/10.53555/jptcp.v31i3.5110

Pethick, D. W., Hocquette, J.-F., Scollan, N. D., & Dunshea, F. R. (2021). Improving the nutritional, sensory and market value of meat products from sheep and cattle. Animal, 15, 100356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.animal.2021.100356

Rahman, M. M., & Ahmad, Z. (2024). Ensuring halal product integrity and an investigative study of U.S policy practices. Journal of World Science, 3(1), 58–68. https://doi.org/10.58344/jws.v3i1.528

Rahman, M. M., Razimi, M. S. A., Ariffin, A. S., & Hashim, N. (2024). Navigating moral landscape: Islamic ethical choices and sustainability in halal meat production and consumption. Discover Sustainability, 5(1), 225. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-024-00388-y

Rodrigues, S., Leite, A., Vasconcelos, L., & Teixeira, A. (2024). Exploring the nexus of feeding and processing: Implications for meat quality and sensory perception. Preprints.org. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202410.0647.v1

Sheffield, S., Fiorotto, M. L., & Davis, T. A. (2024). Nutritional importance of animal-sourced foods in a healthy diet. Frontiers in Nutrition, 11, 1424912. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1424912

Stanton, C., Mills, S., Ryan, A. M., de Gioia, D., & Ross, R. P. (2021). Influence of pasture feeding on milk and meat products in terms of human health and product quality. Irish Journal of Agricultural and Food Research, 59(2), 85–97. https://doi.org/10.15212/ijafr-2020-0104

Terlouw, C., Picard, B., Deiss, V., Berri, C., Hocquette, J.-F., Lebret, B., Lefèvre, F., Hamill, R. M., & Gagaoua, M. (2021). Understanding the determination of meat quality using biochemical characteristics of the muscle: Stress at slaughter and other missing keys. Foods, 10(1), 84. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10010084

Todorov, S. K. (2024). Studying the potential of unusual fungal and bacterial fermentations for plant-based alternatives to meat and dairy (Doctoral dissertation). Research Portal Denmark. https://local.forskningsportal.dk/local/dki-cgi/ws/cris-link?src=dtu&id=dtu-3d22409a-031b-4d5f-9e58-1d2de87687e0&ti=Studying%20the%20potential%20of%20unusual%20fungal%20and%20bacterial%20fermentations%20for%20plant-based%20alternatives%20to%20meat%20and%20dairy

Tso, R., & Forde, C. G. (2021). Unintended consequences: Nutritional impact and potential pitfalls of switching from animal- to plant-based foods. Nutrients, 13(8), 2527. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13082527

Ursachi, C. Ș., Perța-Crișan, S., & Munteanu, F. (2020). Strategies to improve meat products’ quality. Foods, 9(12), 1883. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9121883

van Vliet, S., Provenza, F. D., & Kronberg, S. L. (2021). Health-promoting phytonutrients are higher in grass-fed meat and milk. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 4, 555426. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2020.555426

Zamborain-Mason, J., Viana, D., Nicholas, K., Jackson, E. D., Koehn, J. Z., Passarelli, S., Yoo, S., Zhang, A. W., Davin, H. C., Duggan, C., Schmidhuber, J., & Golden, C. D. (2023). A decision framework for selecting critically important nutrients from aquatic foods. Current Environmental Health Reports, 10(2), 172–183. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40572-023-00397-5

Ребезов, М., Khayrullin, M., Assenova, B., Farida, S., Baydan, D. V., Garipova, L., Savkina, R. V., & Родионова, С. С. (2024). Improving meat quality and safety: Innovative strategies. Potravinarstvo Slovak Journal of Food Sciences, 18, 523–546. https://doi.org/10.5219/1972