Carrageenan Is Linked to Inflammation

What is carrageenan? It's a controversial food additive, allowed in many "organic" food products. It is a common practice for non-organic but essential ingredients to find their way into organic foods. An example would be baking powder in organic baked products as a typical example of one essential non-organic ingredient. Since there are alternatives like locust bean gum or guar gum, carrageenan would seem a nonessential ingredient.

Yet carrageenan did find its way into organic foods due to misinformation supplied by corporate scientists and some successful lobbying by carrageenan manufacturers and food processors convincing organic consumers that it was both a safe and essential ingredient. Food industry executives and lobbyists have influence over which non-organic essential ingredients can be added to organic products.

Every five years these non-organic essential ingredients are revisited and any new information reviewed by the board. If continued use of a particular ingredient is found to threaten human health or the environment or in the mean time a better (which may mean cheaper) alternative has been found it maybe removed from the list of acceptable for inclusion into organic foods. However, it appears for some reason this hasn't happened in the case of carrageenan?

Most people know that there are many additives in food products that cause harm so what's the big fuss about carrageenan being used in foods, surely it's just one of many. The big deal for me (as a naturopath) and many people, is that buying organic products means no nasty additives like those found in non-organic food products. Now this situation raises doubt that now we do need to worry about what's being approved as acceptable additions to organic foods? In the case of carrageenan, approved again for another 5 years, back in 2012.

The unique chemical structure of carrageenan seems to trigger an immune response in the body. This immune response leads to inflammation. The severity of a reaction to a particular ingredient will depend on how sensitive each person is. For instance some like me react quite badly to MSG (monosodium glutamate) others may have a slight reaction and some feel nothing. If you consuming carrageenan on a regular basis it may very well set up a constant inflammatory reaction.

Inflammation caused by any substance in our food or drinks ought to be of concern to us, as a prolonged inflammatory response can and does lead to more serious diseases. The link between inflammation and disease has been well documented for many years now, with conditions like bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease, cancer and much more.

So what is carrageenan? What is it used for? It comes from seaweed which has gone through some intensive processing. It adds bulk, it's a binder and a thickening agent, found in many products like ice-cream, non-dairy milk, coffee creamers, chocolate and much more.

On a separate note carrageenan is added to the water firemen use to put out fires. It makes water foam up smothering the fire, extinguishing it with less water, better for the environment and generally less water damage. What a great use of this compound, I am guessing it would be more eco-friendly than using a chemical foaming-agent.

As for the food products you buy start reading labels more carefully, even if you eat organic products. Your health is in your hands you can't rely on the food industry, lobbyists, or health organizations to look out for your health.