Carrageenan? What's that?

So I started this blog almost 2 weeks ago and I have yet to keep up on it already! I have to admit, there are plenty of times throughout the day that I think of things that I want to write about, but by the time I get home, get dinner on the table, get the kiddo to bed, clean up after dinner, check some emails, read a blog post or two, the only thing I really want to do is sit down and relax on the couch, turn on the tv and let my mind just stop working. But today, I found out some interesting information about food additives, and I almost couldn't wait to settle down in front of the computer to vent about it, rather than the television (don't get me wrong, as soon as I finish writing this, my ass is on that couch!).
So last night while I was reading someone's blog post, they mentioned something about a an ingredient in soymilk called carrageenan, and that it was from seaweed extract and also a carcinogen. What?! Carcinogens in soymilk? I always thought soymilks were healthy! Well without looking more into it last night (as the couch was calling my name), I decided to check out the almond milk I use, every day, in my coffee.  Sure enough, there it was, carrageenan. Of course, I still poured it into my coffee and off to work I went, drinking that seaweed poison. But when I had a free moment at work, I decided to check it out a little more and find more information about it. Boy, am I glad I did! (Well maybe not, because now I'm scared to death that I'm going to end up with cancer or something). But it turns out, carrageenan is used in many "healthy" beverages and processed foods (yup, even the tofu pups I feed my daughter on a regular basis), as its used as a way to thicken the consistency. Here's what I found out: (taken from taliafuhrman.com)

This ingredient is known as carrageenan. It is extracted from red seaweeds and is used by the food industry as a vegan alternative to gelatin to gell, thicken and stabilize everything from veggie hot dogs to non-dairy yogurts to dressings and sauces. Carrageenan molecules are large and highly flexible, giving them the ability to curl and form helical structures. In non-dairy milks, they are used as a thickening agent so that non-dairy milk products will emulate the consistency of whole milk.

This would be dandy if carrageenan was proven to be safe, but research indicates that carrageenan can cause gastrointestinal inflammation, lesions and even colon cancer. In folks with Inflammatory Bowel Disease or other gastrointestinal disorders, carrageenan can make symptoms much worse.  Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a condition that currently afflicts over 37 women in America and up to 70% of women at some point in their lives. Carrageenan is a friend of IBS and helps it stay strong and problematic for those with the condition.

Are you serious!? Why are they using this stuff in our food? It made me pretty angry when I found all this out. See, I've been dealing with stomach issues, IBS, for years, seeking medical help, without ever finding a specific cause. Now I'm wondering if all these "healthy" food choices I make are what's making it worse! It's amazing what companies will do to save a few bucks here or there, caring more about their wallets than their customers health! 

While doing my research, I came across a website that lists all the "healthy" foods that contain this poison. You can check it out here: Shopping Guide to Avoiding Organic Foods with Carrageenan

I've found out that a lot of the stuff I've been eating contains it, but I also found a bunch that don't. So needless to say, I threw out my Almond Breeze Almond milk and went to the store and purchased Silk. The taste is slightly different, but still good. My husband has been wanting to make our own almond milk with the new juicer he purchased, so I guess now is as good a time as any! It seems like our quest to eat more natural and less processed food is quickly becoming our norm!

New Beginnings

So 2013 started just a little over a month ago, but there have been quite a few new things happening in my life. First, I've started writing this blog. I've been reading blogs for years, and always wanted to do it, but never had the motivation, or time, really, to sit down and do it. So let's hope I stick with it!

More importantly, my husband and I have have decided to become much more healthy in our lifestyles, that we've totally revamped or diets and our way of living. I mean, don't get me wrong, I've always been an advocate for being green and eating healthy, but I always tend to let it slide, it ends up feeling like I'm not green or eating healthy at all. I've been a vegetarian for almost 7 years now, and my husband for about 4 years (well technically, pescatarian, because I just can't give up sushi, but fish is good for you anyway, right?), but this year we've decided to be real about it. After watching numerous documentaries on food, Vegucated, Forks Over Knives, Fat Sick and Nearly Dead, Hungry for Change, just to name a few, we both decided we needed to get healthy and cut all that crap out of our diets. My husband started off with a juicing fast for 3 days (he lost 10 lbs in 3 days!), and has continued to juice and eat healthy meals since the beginning of 2013. I, on the other hand, could not give up food for 3 days, I think it would make me crazy, so instead I've opted for the whole foods diet. Being a vegetarian, people would think I already eat pretty healthy, right? Wrong. I mean, I don't eat meat, and I eat a lot more vegetables that most meat eaters do, but I also find myself cruising through the produce department straight to the fake meats section. Those tofurky slices I love so much on sandwiches? I might as well just eat cold cuts from the package. Those tofu pups I could eat almost daily? Probably not any healthier than real hot dogs. (I have to admit though, I still let my daughter eat those though, it has protein and she barely touches meat or beans or nuts, she needs it somewhere, and cheese ain't going to cut it for every meal!) So since the start of 2013, I've given up processed foods and started cooking with only whole foods. Well, I'm still eating tempeh and tofu, but I consider those to be minimally processed, and I can pretty much understand every ingredient on the list. And I'm reading nutrition labels much differently these days. Instead of focusing on calories, sodium, fat, etc. I'm paying attention to the ingredients list. If I don't know what an ingredient is, or it clearly looks like something made in a laboratory using tongs and petri dishes, I won't touch it. I've lost 10 lbs just by cutting out all the processed crap! Unfortunately, that's starting to catch up to me, and unless I start working out, I don't think I'll lose another pound. It was so nice seeing it melt off without stepping foot in the gym, but it looks like the honeymoon is over. I better dust off the running shoes and get my ass back in shape.

But enough of the food talk, it's making me hungry. Apple slices with natural peanut butter, anyone? Yum! I've also gone part-time at my job. I've cut my hours to 30 hours per week, and only working 3.5 days. That leaves me with an extra day home with Maebel, and one morning a week home with her. I tried for the 2 days home, but my boss wasn't having it, so we worked it out that I would work the second half of a day, which is ok. I get morning with Maebel and give her breakfast, maybe go to storytime at the library, then I head to work. I absolutely love it! There's a big part of me that would love to be a stay-at-home-mom, but the reality is, we can't afford it, and I also wonder if I'd end up regretting not having a job anymore. Maybe with baby #2, (which is NOT on the way just yet), but for now, my extra day and a half is working out wonderfully. I don't feel like our time together is always rushed. Rush in the morning to get out the door, rush in the evening to get dinner ready, bathtime, bedtime, all in less than 2 hours. Our days off together are about having fun and hanging out!

So for now, 2013 is starting off great. My husband and I are eating better, planning better meals and trying a ton of new recipes, and I am spending so much more quality time with my daughter, life seems almost perfect right now. Here's to hoping it all stays this way!