I needed to disable self sign-ups because I’ve been getting too many spam-type accounts. Thanks.
Carrageenan Warning
This is inspired by my latest trip to the grocery store. I checked the deli section because I'm planning to add turkey breast to my regimen and found that carrageenan is added.
Well, why is this a problem?
Carrageenan is used to induce inflammation in lab animals:
Chemical reagents commonly used to induce IBD models include dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS), oxazolone, acetic acid, carrageenan, iodoacetamide, indomethacin, peptidoglycan–polysaccharide (PG-PS), and other chemical agents.
https://iadns.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/fft2.360
The commonly used food additives, carrageenan and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), are used to develop intestinal inflammation in animal models. [...] It has been demonstrated that when guinea pigs are supplied with degraded carrageenan in their drinking water, ulcerations develop in 100% of the animals in their large intestine by the end of a 30-day period (16). The lesions induced by carrageenan in the guinea pigs’ large bowel resemble features of human UC.
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pediatrics/articles/10.3389/fped.2017.00096/full
Delivery of 10% carrageen (degraded carrageenan, Glaxo, France) for 10 days in the drinking water to CF1 mice induced bloody diarrhea, pericryptal inflammation, and marked dilatation of the cecum and ascending colon. Histologically, the mucosa was characterized by distorted crypt architecture, inflammatory infiltration of the lamina propria, and ulceration, conditions which were more pronounced in the proximal colon but were also present in the distal colon.
https://karger.com/dig/article-abstract/29/4/197/101209/Degraded-Carrageenan-Induced-Colitis-in-CF1-Mice-A?redirectedFrom=PDF
Carrageenan is derived from seaweed and is often listed on ingredients as a "natural flavor". Some of the foods which have it (the following linked source is pretty exhaustive on the almost infinite variety of products which contain carrageenan):
Foods that commonly contain carrageenan include, but are not limited to:
- Many dairy products, including ice cream; milk shakes, like Dairy Queen blizzards; yogurt; flavored, evaporated, and condensed milks; whipped topping; cheeses; and sour cream (76)
- Many dairy-free dairy substitutes including vegan cheese, plant-based milk, dairy-free ice cream, etc. (2)
- Beverages, including high protein and extended life products
- Other beverages, such as beer, juice and wine may be clarified using carrageenan (7)
- Beverage mixes such as powdered lemonade, fruit punch, cocoa, breakfast drinks, and instant cappucino (7,8)
- Candy (6,7,8)
- Condiments, including mayonaisse, and relishes (7,8)
- Desserts, including flans, custards, cream puddings, mousse, sorbet, gelato, and gel desserts (6,7)
- Other dry mixes, including baking mixes, dip mixes, pancake mixes, pudding mixes, pie filling mixes, and soup mixes (8)
- Infant formula (7)
- Jams and jellies (6,7)
- Juices (6,7)
- Marshmallows, vegan
- Poultry products, including both raw and cooked (7)
- Ready to spread icings (6,7)
- Salad dressing (7,8)
- Seafood, such as fish treated with carrageenan to improve moisture retention (7)
- Tofu (7)
When carrageenan is used as a processing aid, for example when used to clarify beer and juice, as a spray on fresh cut fruit, or on fish to aid in retention of moisture, the FDA does not require that it be listed on labels (10).
As with gelatin, carrageenan in medical products has a greater potential to cause serious reactions and needs to be considered separately.
I considered including in this missive the data behind the increasing prevalence of ulcerative colitis/irritable bowel but I think Grant has done that already. He is also aware of the risk:
I did experiment off and on with some coconut milks; with mixed results. I thought the simple ones (ones where the only ingredients are coconut milk and water) were safe. But, they are not.
The ones with guar gum are absolutely not safe IMO. Also, I tried one with carrageenan, and had a near instant inflammation response. That experience may have been coincidental, but I highly doubt it. So, don’t take any needless risks with these at this time.
https://ggenereux.blog/2014/10/27/the-underlying-cause-of-eczema/
Add this datum to the immense pile of others which demonstrate that the chronic illness afflicting the western world has been perpetuated with malice aforethought. I'm closing with a link to personal stories of people who have suffered from their unwitting exposure to this poison. Here is just one:
“I am a 54-year old female who has suffered from fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis for many years. Approximately 8 years ago, I was prescribed methotrexate injections to be self- administered weekly for the RA. Last June 2015, I visited a local health and wellness store and began working with a Registered Dietician/Nutrition Specialist. She was awesome!
While working up my food plan, she asked me what kind of milk I drank and I told her that my preference was almond milk. She asked me what brand and when I answered, she told me I should consider changing brands because the brand I was using contained a substance called carrageenan. That was my first awareness of carrageenan.
My dietician explained that carrageenan was a completely unnecessary food additive that caused or increased inflammation in the body. I took her advice and immediately switched brands of almond milk. I also began thoroughly reading labels at the grocery and at my local Whole Foods Store, where I shop frequently. I was amazed at the wide range of products, from dairy to dry foods, that contain carrageenan. I switched brands on many of my favorite “whole” food items and began religiously avoiding carrageenan. And I did not eat any foods for which the ingredients list was not available.
After about a week of this complete elimination process, I began to notice less stiffness and pain in my right hand. This made me think that perhaps there was something to my dietician’s claim about carrageenan, but the real proof for me came several weeks later during one of my regular appointments with my Rheumatologist. My doctor routinely checks my blood pressure during each visit. I have always dreaded the simple task of a blood pressure check because the inflated cuff on my arm was so excruciatingly painful due to the inflammation in my body from both my RA and FM. But during this particular visit, I remember well how amazed and completely aware I was of the fact that the inflated cuff did not hurt at all! This was all the proof I needed!!
The only thing I had really changed in my diet over the 3-4 weeks preceding this particular visit with my doctor was the elimination of carrageenan. Could my dietician be right? She obviously knew something.
Over the next few months, my Rheumatologist gradually reduced my methotrexate dosage until she finally took me completely off of the medicine! No more giving myself a shot in my leg every week! How powerful is that?!!! To this day I continue to avoid carrageenan and always will. I don’t know what purpose the food industry feels that this additive serves, but I think it is unneccessary. It is clearly harmful and should be banned by the FDA.
As for organic foods, many people such as myself have turned to organic foods in an effort to eat cleaner and healthier. I prefer not to have my efforts hampered unneccessarily by harmful, completely unnecessary food additives. The proof is in the pudding for me, and I will continue to avoid carrageenan for as long as I live. And I encourage family and friends to do the same, as I have shared my experience with so many!”
https://www.cornucopia.org/carrageenan-stories/
I buy frozen turkey breasts with the bone and cook them in the crockpot. Then I freeze what meat we won't eat in a few days. They are much less expensive than deli style meat and taste great. They also don't have any carrageenan.
I wish they would ban the addition of carrageenan. Even back in the 1980s Breyer's ice cream had commercials that made fun of all the odd ingredients (like carrageenan) in other ice cream but now even they include it in their recipes. I quit eating ice cream so it isn't a problem now.
Yeah ray peat was talking about these additives for forever. I am glad he did. They are awful.
Nice catch. Long similar experience here. Toxic occult stuff. Almost overt unfriendly folk.
Linking to this prior carrageenan comment
https://ggenereux.blog/discussion/topic/non-dairy-cheese-with-xanthan-and-guar-gum/
and inducing colon cancer with carrageenan
https://ggenereux.blog/discussion/topic/cats-and-dogs-detox-diet/?part=11
I had a recent negative experience with carrageenan in toothpaste, so I can corroborate this.
As noted in my original post, many and perhaps most beers and wines in the United States are processed with carrageenan as a fining aid. This will not be listed on the bottle.
In this case, having a friend with Alpha-gal syndrome is useful - they are hypersensitive to carrageenan (also known as Irish Moss, red seaweed, whirlyfloc, etc.).
I've given up drinking every night, but still partake once a week. In the absence of a friend waylaid with Alpha-gal, I took to the internet. The "Food Babe" has compiled a list:
The beers on this list below are clean of additives (including processing aids like carrageenan and isinglass) and transparent about their ingredients. They either list the complete ingredients on their website, on the bottle label, or emailed us the ingredient list. We have not been compensated in any way for these recommendations and we are in no way affiliated with these brands. We know there are many more brands out there, if your favorite beer is not on this list, contact them to find out the truth. We will be constantly updating this list as we get more information.
- Wolaver’s 100% Organic, IPA: Water, Malts, Hops, Yeast
- Wolaver’s 100% Organic, Brown Ale: Water, Malts, Hops, Yeast
- Wolaver’s 100% Organic, Oatmeal Stout: Water, Malts, Hops, Yeast
- Samuel Smith, Organic Pale Ale: Water, Barley Malt, Hops, Yeast
- Samuel Smith, Nut Brown Ale: Water, Barley Malt, Yeast, Cane Sugar, Hops, Roasted Barley
- Samuel Smith Taddy Porter: Water, Malted Barley, Yeast, Hops, Roasted Malt, Cane Sugar
- Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout: Water, Malted Barley, Cane Sugar, Roasted Malt, Yeast, Hops, Oatmeal
- Samuel Smith India Ale: Water, Malted Barley, Yeast, Hops
- Samuel Smith Imperial Stout: Water, Malted Barley, Roasted Malt, Cane Sugar, Yeast, Hops.
- Pinkus, Organic Ur Pils: Water, Barley Malt, Hops, Yeast
- Pinkus, Organic Hefe-Weizen: Water, Barley Malt, Wheat Malt, Hops, Yeast
- Pinkus, Organic Münster Alt: Water, Barley Malt, Wheat Malt, Hops, Yeast
- Peak Brewing 100% Organic Summer Session: Water, Barley Malt, Wheat, Hops, Yeast
- Peak Brewing 100% Organic, Winter Session: Water, Barley Malt, Wheat, Hops, Yeast
- Peak Brewing 100% Organic, Fresh Cut: Water, Barley Malt, Wheat, Hops, Yeast
- Peak Brewing 100% Organic, Hop Blanc: Water, Barley Malt, Wheat, Hops, Yeast
- Peak Brewing 100% Organic, Weiss Principal: Water, Barley Malt, Wheat, Hops, Yeast
- Peak Brewing 100% Organic, IPA: Water, Barley Malt, Hops, Yeast
- Peak Brewing 100% Organic, Nut Brown Ale: Water, Barley Malt, Hops, Yeast
- Peak Brewing 100% Organic, Amber Ale: Water, Barley Malt, Hops, Yeast
- Butte Creek Organic Pilsner: Water, Barley Malt, Hops, Yeast
- Butte Creek Organic Porter: Water, Barley Malts, Wheat Malt, Hops, Yeast
- Butte Creek Organic Pale Ale: Water, Barley Malts, Wheat Malt, Hops, Yeast
- Butte Creek Organic India Pale Ale: Water, Barley Malts, Wheat Malt, Hops, Yeast
- Steam Whistle: Water, Malted Barley, Hops Yeast
- Heineken: Water, Barley Malt, Hops Yeast
- Leavenworth, Whistling Pig Hefeweizen: Water, Barley, Wheat, Hops, Yeast
- Leavenworth, Boulder Bend Dunkelweizen: Water, Barley, Wheat, Hops, Yeast
- Dogfish Head, 90 Minute IPA: Water, Barley Malt, Hops, Yeast
- Amarcord, Gradisca: Water, Barley Malt, Hops, Yeast
- Green’s Dry-Hopped Lager (gluten-free/vegan): Water, Millet, Buckwheat (soba), Rice, Sorghum, Hops, Yeast.
- Green’s Dubbel Ale (gluten-free/vegan): Water, Millet, Buckwheat (soba), Rice, Sorghum, Hops, Yeast.
- Green’s Amber Ale (gluten-free/vegan): Water, Millet, Buckwheat (soba), Rice, Sorghum, Hops, Yeast.
- Green’s Tripel Blonde Ale (gluten-free/vegan): Water, Millet, Buckwheat (soba), Rice, Sorghum, Hops, Yeast.
Please Note: Most German beers are brewed in accordance with German Purity Law – Reinheitsgebot – and only can contain a core ingredient list of water, hops, yeast, malted barley or wheat. Although most German beers are not listed here, a reference to “Reinheitsgebot’ will typically be noted on the label.
Looks like I'm switching to Heineken or any fine German beers going forward. I thought Mexican beer was safe(er) than American, but the site "Barnivore" lists Modelo as containing natural and artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners, certified colors, etc.)
Grant's anecdotes about the sick becoming well when they vacation away from the NATO countries bears out anywhere you dig on the net.
(As an aside, I've given up the idea of sourcing clean turkey from the grocery. It exists, but costs $11/8 oz. For money like that I'll just stick with beef.)
Edited to add: A pretty good article on carrageenan hit Medscape just yesterday. I've bypassed the registration wall for the fine people here. Titled "The Impact of Emulsifiers on G.I. Health": https://archive.is/uCNqv#selection-677.115-677.199
If you are in the U.K., I just found out that Greggs frozen chicken bakes contain carrageenan and carotenes. No wonder my stomach was churning and hurting all night (lesson: read the label)