Carrageenan:New Studies Reinforce Link to Inflammation, Cancer and Diabetes

CARRAGEENAN IS A COMMON FOOD ADDITIVE extracted from red seaweed. For the past four decades, scientists have warned that the use of carrageenan in food is not safe. Animal studies and in-vitro studies with human cells have repeatedly shown that food-grade carrageenan* causes gastrointestinal inflammation and higher rates of intestinal lesions, ulcerations, and even malignant tumors. In fact, roughly 3,855 research papers show that carrageenan induces inflammation, most of which test the effectiveness of anti-inflammatory drugs. In the past decade, researchers have successfully identified several ways in which food-grade carrageenan causes harm. The chemical structure of carrageenan—unique chemical bondsnot found in other seaweeds or gums—affects the body in several ways. Most notably, it triggers an immune reaction, which leads to inflammation in the gastrointestinal system. Prolonged inflammation is a precursor to more serious diseases, including cancer.