Carrageenan, also known as Irish moss, is a widely used food ingredient derived from red seaweed.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers carrageenan a “Generally Regarded as Safe” (GRAS) food additive.
Food-grade carrageenan is a purified extract from red seaweed, (Chondrus crispus). It is used as a thickener and stabilizer in a wide range of food products including frozen yogurt and reduced-fat ice cream.
The three types of carrageenan — kappa, iota, and lambda — vary in sulfation, which affects their functional properties.
Carrageenan causes a more immediate reaction than typical for me. It causes abdominal bloating and GI issues lasting at least 2 days. I become very fatigued, my body becomes flushed, I get hives, and get foggy in the mind. It's one of the worst reactions I've had and it's in vegan sour cream and ice cream!
The most commonly used sources are E. cottonii (Kappaphycus alvarezii, K. striatum) and E. spinosum (Eucheuma denticulatum), which together provide about three-quarters of the world production.
Though it's been used for hundreds of years and is indeed organic, there's damning health research around Carrageenan, suggesting that it is not necessarily safe to eat. It's been linked to IBD, IBS, rheumatoid arthritis and colon cancer and is thus banned in the European Union.
Carrageenan is produced from different genera and species of red algae, for example, Chondrus Cripus, Eucheuma, and Gigartina Stellata.
Scientists believe that carrageenan can induce inflammation and lead to chronic illnesses such as diabetes, digestive disorders, heart diseases, neurological disorders and even something as serious as cancer. Because carrageenan does not have any nutritional value, it does no harm to eliminate it from your diet.
A: Carrageenan is NOT the same thing as MSG!
Carrageenan is an essential ingredient in many of the foods and beverages consumed every day, including nut and soy milks, deli meats, protein shakes and powders, chocolate milk, yogurt, popsicles, prepared meals such as frozen burritos and pizza, ice cream, and infant formula.
No emulsifiers. No carrageenan. No rBST (Milk from rBST-treated cows is not significantly different). Creamy and delicious.
For example, peanut butter and toothpaste both contain carrageenan. Carrageenan is a generic term for compounds extracted from species of red algae. Boiling the algae extracts the carrageenan, which in turn is used to make peanut butter more spreadable.
It's commonly used to thicken foods, but it has no nutritional value. Carrageenan has been added to processed foods since the 1950s. Carrageenan might also help fight infections. People use carrageenan for cough, common cold, and other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support any uses.
Carrageenan is among the many standard ingredients in toothpaste. Typically, toothpaste also includes detergents, fluoride, abrasive agents, and flavoring ingredients. As mentioned above, carrageenan is FDA-approved and is used in the manufacturing of several foods and medicines as a stabilizer.
What you might not know, however, is that unless you're making your own ice cream from scratch, there's a good chance it's also laced with carrageenan (via Good Housekeeping). Because it's technically a natural ingredient, even certified organic brands have been known to contain the additive.
Carrageenan is a common food additive that's derived from seaweed. It's used as a thickener and emulsifier and commonly found in: processed dairy products: cottage cheese, ice cream, and coffee creamer. dairy alternatives: plant-based milks, vegan cheese, and vegan yogurt.
or car·ra·gee·nin
a colloidal substance extracted from seaweed, chiefly used as an emulsifying and stabilizing ingredient in foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.
If you buy your almond milk, make sure to read the label and avoid any brands that contain carrageenan. This common ingredient, derived from seaweed, is frequently found in almond milk and other dairy or faux-dairy products and is used as a stabilizer and thickening agent.
Some studies on animal models have indicated that carrageenan intake (average daily intake between 1.7–41.7 mg/kg) encourages colonic inflammation, exhibiting development of inflammatory infiltrates and clinical evidence of colitis.
This additive is used as a thickening, gelling and stabilizing agent. It's typically used together with other thickeners such as xanthan or guar gum. You'll find it in ice cream, jelly, chocolate milk, cottage cheese, infant formula, flan, custards, whipped cream and puddings.
Drumstick frozen dairy desserts. Drumstick uses carrageenan for texture in its ice cream, but the additive that is derived from seaweed can affect the human digestive system. The adverse effects have caused the European Union to limit it in products like baby food.