As of Jan. 2007, IFANCA has certified Industrializadora Integral Del Agave's Organic Agave Syrup 100% Blue Webber and Inulin Fiber, both available as retail products.

But what is agave syrup? Developed in the 1990's, it is a relatively new, 100% natural sweetener being imported by the U.S. It can be used as a substitute for sugar. Three-fourths of a cup of agave can replace a cup of sugar in the original recipe. Agave syrup can be used in equal amounts when replacing honey. Some chefs also reduce the oven temperature by 25°F in recipes requiring baking when using agave syrup.

Inulin Fiber is being called the 'in' fiber by Food Processing magazine. Comparable to sugar in taste, it too can be used as a sugar replacement. It is considered a 'prebiotic', as it stimulates the growth of friendly and healthy intestinal bacteria, specifically bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, which inhibit the growth of harmful pathogens and support good colon health. Since Inulin Fiber has a very low glycemic index, it is suitable for consumers on restricted diets.

Check your local health food store for supplies.

Re-Vita's LiquaHealth® is a delicious, nutrient-packed, liquid concentrate that supplies your body with over 50 essential nutrients. Re-Vita also offers a complete line of nutritional products including calcium products – Re-Vita’s LiquaCalcium, available in Very Berry, Grapefruit, and Lemon Lime flavors, and Bones & Joints formulas to keep your body supplied with the calcium it needs.

Re-Vita began as a dream and resulted in scientific research about wellness, nutrition, and finding a solution to world hunger. With Re-Vita's One-For-One program, for every serving of their United Nations-approved whole food, LiquaHealth, Re-Vita donates a serving to feed a hungry child. To date, Re-Vita has donated over 40 million servings.

Re-Vita is a worldwide company, shipping to countries such as Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, Brunei, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, the Phillippines, South and Central America, Singapore, Europe, Africa and China.

Not available in stores, it must be purchased online at www.re-vita.com.

Join Us In Chicago, Illinois for the 9^th International Halal Food Conference.

The conference theme is:

The International Halal Food Conference is the only place to meet with companies from around the world and discuss and discover the keys to trading, marketing, and certification of Halal foods. Professionals in halal certification will be on hand to answer your questions and to discuss the needs of the Halal market. Guest speakers will discuss issues important to international Halal food trade. Topics include all aspects of Halal certification, trade, and marketing.

For hotel reservations by phone, please call: 866-750-3369, and use code: Halal Food Conference or visit www.skokieconference.com/halalfoodconference.

For more information, please contact:
Suzann Audi
Tel: 847-993-0034 extension 212
Fax: 847-993-0038
Email: HalalConf@gmail.com

For the conference registration form, click below on the preferred format:
Mail in or fax in form in Abobe pdf format (104kb).
Mail in or fax in form in Microsoft Word format (39kb).
Email form in Adobe pdf format (1430kb).

Department of Agriculture (DOA), State of Illinois, held a public hearing meeting on Wednesday, March 7, 2007 at CMS Des Plaines Facility, located at 9511 Harrison Street, Des Plaines, Illinois. Ms. Margaret Vandijk, General Counsel of DOA, and Dr. Colleen O'Keefe, Division Manager of DOA conducted the proceedings. More than sixty concerned Muslim Illinoisans participated in the meeting. An overwhelming majority of the participants testified in favor of the passage of the Halal Food Law.

According to the Harvard School of Public Health, how much you weigh (in relation to your height), your waist size, and how much weight you've gained since your mid-20s strongly influence your chances of developing health problems:

So what's a person to do? Cut back on fatty foods? Get rid of trans fat in one's diets? Get more exercise? The answer is yes, but there's more than that involved. If you follow the Harvard School of Public Health's Healthy Eating Pyramid guide (which is different from the USDA’s Food Pyramid), the answer is go Mediterranean and eat more fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes and nuts, with plant based oils, such as olive oil, as a primary source of fat, coupled with a daily dose of physical activity. For as little as one extra serving of fruit or veggies per day, the risk of heart disease dropped by 4 percent.

Harvard's study involved the comparison of a moderate-fat Mediterranean diet to weight loss on a low-fat diet. "The diets emphasized controlling portion sizes to help cut calories. Volunteers assigned to the Mediterranean diet lost an average of 9 pounds in 18 months, whereas volunteers assigned to a low-fat diet gained an average of 6 pounds during that time period. At the study's end, only 20 percent of volunteers in the low-fat group were still following the diet, compared to 54 percent of those in the Mediterranean group. The Mediterranean group volunteers said that their diet regimen was enjoyable and was more flavorful than a low-fat diet."

Dr. Walter C. Willett, of the Harvard School of Public Health and Molly Katzen have compiled these findings in Eat, Drink and Weigh Less (Hyperion, 2006). The book follows the same nutritional principles as the Healthy Eating Pyramid and details many eating strategies for weight control.

Source: www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/pyramids.html#pyramid.

Halal Consumer Magazine reaches 40,000 Muslim families and organizations in the US and abroad.

Advertising rates in the Halal Consumer Magazine!

Deadline for Summer Issue: April 30, 2007

Photos and bitmaps in the ad, or for use with articles, must be 300-400 ppi. For example, one column photos should be at least 1,000 pixels wide, full page photos must be 2,500 pixels x 3,300 pixels. Export your ad as CMYK or grayscale. All type should be converted to outlines.

Send final artwork to s.audi@ifanca.org with "HC Advertising" in the subject line.