I try to be as healthy as possible. That means eating
organic foods when I can. This is very important if you’re eating the outside
of the fruit or vegetable. It’s also important to eat the right mix of foods
meaning fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean protein, etc…Reading food labels is
vital. Before you put that product in your grocery cart, read the label. If you
don’t know what the ingredient is, you should question it. Do some research and
find out why it’s there. This leads me to the subject of my blog,
“carrageenan.” I noticed that it’s used in soy milk, coconut milk and some
almond milks. What’ disturbing is it seems to be in the foods that are
healthier especially in vegan and vegetarian foods. You may think your buying a
healthy food, especially if it’s organic and later find it’s not.
Carrageenan comes from a red breed of seaweeds and is used
for its ability to thicken foods or “stabilizing properties.” Although its been
used for centuries, there are studies that show it may cause “gastrointestinal
inflammation, ulcerations, colitis, cancer and other illnesses.
Andrew Weil M.D says, that degraded forms of
carrageenan (not used in food) caused
cancer of the intestinal tract and ulcerations in animal studies. Later on a
researcher by the name of Joanne K. Tobacaman M.D who is now the associate
professor of clinical medicine at University of Illinois College of Medicine
performed a study that showed undergraded carrageenan is a threat as well. The
undergraded form is found in foods such as soy, coconut, almond milk and processed foods has
been linked to malignancies and other gastrointestinal problems. The difference
between the two is the molecular weight. Carrageenan is considered a fiber and
when processed has a jelly or tapioca texture.
Dr. Tobacman
revealed the biological effects of carrageenan being a “threat to human health”
published a study that was done over several years. Her findings were presented
to the National Organic Standards Board in April 2012, urging them to
reconsider the use of this ingredient in organic and processed foods. She also
said that we ingest enough to “cause inflammation in our bodies.” Sadly enough
I still find this ingredient in Silk Milk, So Delicious , Blue Diamond and I’m
sure in other foods.
When the body
is in an inflamed state, it can lead to other illnesses such as heart disease,
Alzheimer’s, diabetes, Parkinson’s and other illnesses. Dr. Tobacman said, when
caraageenan is processed it can speed up the harmful degraded form of caraageenan
used in food. What’s really scary is the pharmaceutical industry uses low doses
of carrageenan in lab mice to produce an inflamed state in their bodies to
find out whether or not a drug works.
