Lately, it seems that food additives and ingredients, in general, have been under a microscope. And why not? You should know and understand everything that goes into your food. However, whenever ingredients come under scrutiny, no matter how long you’ve been eating it, you’ll end up hearing some bad stuff that makes you question years of your food choices. That’s why we’ve put together these 5 answers to help you better understand the truth about carrageenan.
- What is carrageenan?
First off, what is it? It’s an incredibly common additive in food that is made from red seaweed extracts. It doesn’t have a nutritional value, but it is great as an emulsifier and thickening agent. In this regard, it is relatively harmless. You definitely won’t have to worry about it adding to your waistline! But is carrageenan safe?
- Why do some say carrageenan is bad?
This seemingly simple question actually has a two-part answer.
In November of 2016, the National Organics Standards Board voted to remove carrageenan from the allowed ingredients in organic foods. Though the US Department of Agriculture won’t give its final decision until November 2018, the NOSB got people thinking about what carrageenan is and if it really is okay to eat.
The second reason that people are concerned is due to the preparation of red seaweed. If you prepare red seaweed the same way you prepare the red seaweed extract, the red seaweed becomes poligeenan, which causes irritation and inflammation. In fact, some medical studies use poligeenan to purposely cause inflammation in order to treat the resulting discomfort.
- What are the side effects of carrageenan?
Carrageenan has been accused of having many serious side effects, ranging from birth defects and fetal toxicity to bowel ulcerations and insulin resistance. Some have even said that it can cause liver cancer and suppress the immune system. There are others, but these are some of the most serious.
However, there hasn’t been any concrete study done that shows this to be true. The studies that naysayers quote we’re all done on various types of animals – not human beings. There is also doubt on whether the animals were given true carrageenan or the potentially harmful poligeenan.
While the concern is valid, the cause is not necessarily carrageenan and the results may not be the same in human beings.
- What kinds of food contain carrageenan?
Carrageenan is used in a wide variety of foods. However, it’s most commonly found in yogurts, ice creams, baby formula, cold cuts, tofu, milks (including dairy and non-dairy), and similar products. You can find comprehensive lists online, though they are catered more toward those who would like to avoid products with carrageenan in them.
- Is carrageenan bad for you?
So is carrageenan bad for you? Not according to the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. In 2015, they ruled that it was “not of concern”, even in concentrations up to 1k milligrams per liter (of baby formula). If the WHO and FAO of the United Nations both think that it’s safe enough to give to our babies, it’s hard to believe that it could be dangerous.
No one can tell you what you should and shouldn’t eat – except maybe your doctor! But when you do your research and as long as you aren’t allergic, you’ll see that there are a lot of foods that get an unjustifiably bad rep. Will you be cutting carrageenan out of your diet? Or will you keep enjoying all the delicacies made with it?
