There is a saying in English that 'a man becomes what he eats'. Food and drink have a direct effect on our health. Blood is virtually our life stream and whatever we consume ultimately affect our blood system. Therefore, it is important to exercise choice in the selection of our food and drink as required by th Syariah. Abstention from eating pork is one of the steps taken by Islam for a Muslim to practice good hygiene and to attain purity of the soul.
Dr. Ebrahim Kazim in his article ' Medical Aspects of Forbidden Foods In Islam' (July 1981 issue of Muslim Journal wrotes " The pig is a scavenger. It is an omnivorous animal. It eats everything. Thera are many diseases carried from swine to men, particularly parasite infestations.
According to medical research, the fat content in pork is more than in any other meat (beef, mutton, etc) and it takes longer to digest. Dr M Jaffar, in an article in th January 1967 issue of Islamic Review (London) listed 16 kinds of harmful germs which have been discovered in pork in modern researches and the disease which could be caused by them.
The number of patients suffering from tapeworm disease is the highest in the world among pork-eating nations. Trichnelia spirates and intestinal worms cause other diseases attributed to pigs.