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!