Carrageenan is a common food additive that is extracted from a red seaweed, Chondrus crispus, which is popularly known as Irish moss. I am finding it is used in many of the boxed nut milks I use. In fact I am finding it can be quite difficult to find a box without this ingredient. Carrageenan, which has no nutritional value, has been used as a thickener and emulsifier to improve the texture of ice cream, yogurt, cottage cheese, soy milk, nut milks and MANY other processed foods. It is used in a wide variety of applications in the food industry as a thickening, gelling, stabilizing and suspending agent in water and milk systems.
Researchers concerned with the effects of carrageenan in the diet have also used undegraded, food-grade carrageenan to investigate potentially harmful effects. When the carrageenan manufacturers’ trade group tested 12 samples of food-grade carrageenan, it found every sample was considered contaminated with degraded carrageenan (classified as a “possible human carcinogen”) by at least one of the testing laboratories. – cornucopia.org
Research links carrageenan to gastrointestinal inflammation, including higher rates of colon cancer, in laboratory animals. Yet it is still found in many foods, including some certified organic foods.
Products with carrageenan may be labeled as “natural,” but limited studies show that carrageenan may promote or cause:
inflammation.
bloating.
irritable bowel syndrome.
glucose intolerance.
colon cancer.
food allergies.
Animals:
Finding a canned/moist pet food without carrageenan is not easy; far too many pet foods use this ingredient as a thickener in moist pet foods. Sourced from seaweed, it continues to claim it is safe – but science is proving the opposite.
I suggest we all do our own research and see if this can affecting someone in our home, friends or even our pets. Don’t forget, making your own homemade nut milks is quite easy too and has zero caregeenan added. Use my favorite nut milk bag to use for delicious homemade nut milk!
Hope this helps!
If you have any questions or suggestions just email me at Tina (at) Paleomazing.com.
I'm a cookbook-collecting, recipe-developing paleo junkie, and I live in the kitchen. I'm hooked on farmers' markets, traveling, eating healthy, and hiking until my legs scream at me. There's nothing better than hanging out with family and good friends. I have fun and sleeping is just plain boring. Read more About Tina Turbin.
The NOSB voted to recommend carrageenan be removed from the organic allowed list not because they found it to be a health hazaard.
Newer studies have disproved earlier studies that claimed carrageenan to be a health hazard;
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24456237 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278691516302265 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24467586 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26615870
The NOSB voted to recommend the FDA remove carrageenan from the organic allowed list for the reason “Not essential”.
There is some debate on wether this truly the case or not.
The FDA will make the final ruling on carrageenan’s status as na organic allowed ingredient.
Thanks for the information Debbie. I guess we will see what they’d decide to do in the end then. I know many people who do terrible with carrageenan and have felt a major difference since removing it from their diet.