How many of you have heard of the ingredient: Carrageenan? You might have noticed it on the labels of foods like non-dairy milks, ice cream, cottage cheese, yogurt, deli meat, etc. This hard-to-pronounce little additive is actually a bit controversial in the health world.
What is Carrageenan? According to the Oxford dictionary:
Carrageenan is not digestible and has no nutritional value. The USDA and food manufacturers justify the use of this additive because it is naturally derived, despite the controversial studies that have been done. It is often used to thicken and emulsify products to improve their texture, and it is even often found in organic and “natural” products – including the Tom’s Toothpaste I used to use!
There are actually two different kinds of carrageenan: degraded and undegraded. Undegraded is approved for human consumption while degraded (also known as poligeenan) is not. In 2001, studies with animals showed a link to cancer from giving high doses of poligeenan. They also linked it to intestinal damage. A rat study showed no ulcerations or lesions after 90 days of exposure and after 83 days, and being given carrageenan at 5%, pigs showed abnormalities in the intestines but no ulcerations or tumors.
Limited human studies showed an increase in inflammation (which is the root cause of many serious diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s and cancer) wreak havoc on gut health, potentially causing autoimmune reactions similar to colitis, as well as other health complications like intestinal irritation and colon ulcers. A study published in Nature, from researchers at Georgia State University, found that it altered the balance and composition of gut bacteria and also produced an inflammatory effect in the bowels.
Bottom Line: Carrageenan reacts differently within different species making it difficult to understand the effects in humans. There have not been enough studies done to make a ruling one way or another. I’m yet to see any research touting its health benefits.
Personally, I am not willing to take that risk when there are other options. If you agree, be sure to know where to look for it. When you start reading labels, you’ll be amazed at the number of products that have it.
Here are some brands that are carrageen-free!
- Ice Cream: Alden’s, Castle Rock Organic Farms, Crystal Ball Farms, Green and Black’s Organic, Publix, Stonyfield, Strafford Organic Creamery, Strauss Family Creamery, Three Twins
- Non-Dairy Milk: 365 Whole Foods, (some) Trader Joe’s, Organic Valley, Soy Dream, Earth Balance, Tofu Shop, or Make Your Own!
- Yogurt: Hawthorne Valley Farm, Horizon, Kalona Supernatural, Organic Valley, Wallaby Organic, (some) Trader Joe’s, Stonyfield
- Cottage Cheese: Kalona Supernatural, Nancy’s, Organic Valley
- Sour Cream: 365 Whole Foods, Horizon, Organic Valley, Wallaby Organic, Nancy’s
