Awful Additives!

Eucheuma denticulatumor or  Carrageenan
Picture credit:  Wikipedia –  Stina Tano

 

This is an Organic Blog, so why do I want to talk to you about additives you may wonder?

Here’s why.

Harmful, even dangerous additives are being added to our foods claiming to be Organic and few of us truly know the affects that they may have our bodies.

Because I have such a wide genetic background that includes Native American, I think, my reactions or over reactions, to chemicals and food additives, may be likely just in a small minority of humans?

Yesterday I had, what I was hoping would become a new favorite: Spinach Garlic Pizza by Di Gorno.

There were so many claims on the box about how natural it was, but waking up this morning with, “the headache,” that always accompanies one of the “awful additives” that I am affected by, I knew the answer before I even read the ingredient label.

Sure enough, about half way down the list, was the dreaded word I did not want to find:  Carrageenan.

I was in a hurry last night and much to my regret, did not read the label on this new product.

Idiot!

If this word, this additive, is new to you, please read on.

The first time that I became aware of this food additive and its ugly affects on me, was several years ago.

There was a story on the morning news about a new additive that people were having nasty reactions to.

From that point on, I searched for it in every product.

Please keep in mind two things when scanning your labels from now on.

This product is made from a sea weed, much of it coming from Asia, where nuclear meltdowns are now becoming increasingly all too common.

This product is allowed in VEGETARIAN  hot dogs!

Carrageenan  is a cheap thickener, or filler, used in so many products now, you may need a score card to keep track.

The very definition of it, explains why I have so much trouble with it:

“Carageenan is a linear sulphated polysaccharides that are extracted from red edible seaweeds” – Wikipedia

I am highly allergic to  sulfur,  think Penicillin!

Predominantly it is used in ice cream products and anything that has a sauce, after that it is difficult to list all of them.

There are thousands, it is, OMG, even in our shampoo and toothpaste!

The reaction to it for me, is always the same, a nasty miserable headache, stomach pain and well you know……

One new-found affect recently discovered, is “brain fog,” or feeling just slightly off and not knowing why.

The other additive that I want to talk about is  maltodextrin.

It preceded Carrageenan in my life and was just as debilitating, with nearly identical affects and reactions.

I had just begun to feel like I had conquered the demon and BAM, they started putting Carrageenan in everything.

So, back to square one for label reading.

Many years before either of these two were a part of my life, I found that I had terrible reactions to MSG.

I will not expand on this product because most people are already quite aware of its deleterious effects.

But back to the beginning of this story.

It is very disturbing to me and hopefully to you as well, that Carrageenan can be added to Organic products.

The very definition of Organic is to give the consumer a feeling of safety in a chosen product.

But if the FDA and whoever else has allowed this to happen, is green lighting Carrageenan in Organics, when it clearly does not belong there, what else are they letting slide in?

As always, read your labels and let those who control everything that we eat and use in this country, especially the FDA, know how you feel about this kind of behavior.

If you don’t think that we have a huge effect on bad Company practices, remember the Bread at Sub Way that was being made with rubber mat materials?

They stopped doing this and now even proudly claim and announce in their commercials that azodicarbonamide is no longer used.

This was, although completely denied by Sub Way, the direct result of a massive, hugely successful Blogging Campaign to expose it, by one very determined woman, who would not back down.

God Bless her tenacity, her temerity!

We are, as we should be, in control of what we buy in this Country and we need to send the message loud and clear to all those who make and approve these awful additives to be included in our food.

“In the U.S., carrageenan is allowed under FDA regulations”  –  Wikipedia

 

Places to learn more:

Carrageenan – Wikipedia

Dr. Andrew Weil talks about Carrageenan

The Natural Ingredient You Should Ban From Your Diet

Shopping Guide to Avoiding Organic Foods with Carrageenan

Maltodextrin

Sulfur – Wikipedia

Subway Bread Made With Yoga Mat and Shoe Rubber Time to Remove 

Uncovering Hidden Food Allergies & Food Sensitivities

Carrageenan what? Beware of this ingredient

 

It’s Looking Up!

Organic Bananas, Carrots and Blue Corn tortillas chips made with Certified Organic Blue Corn.
These are regular favorites: the bananas go in our morning smoothie with assorted fruits, the chips are for our lunch.
The Carrots are for all of us.
All pictures by Walkingfox

 

Things have been looking much better lately at the two local stores where I normally buy our food, which are Walmart and Publix.

This week, for example, some very kind people, showed me the newest Organic sections in each of the stores and they were, I hate to admit, quite impressive.

Not only is Walmart trying harder, they actually seem to like hearing, thank you when they do something, as in bringing in a new Organic product that you like.

The newest purchases this week included Organics that were: fresh, frozen or packaged.

A little bit of this and a little bit of that.

I came home happier with my finds, than I have been in many weeks.

Now for the first time in a very long time, every meal that we have, has an Organic ingredient, or product in it.

The great new Organic Pasta Section at Publix is just awesome.

There are many varieties of both Pasta and Sauces galore and all are Organic.

Love it.

There are Organic things there from around the world and some,  I am delighted to say, are completely new to me.

Have you ever heard of Bavaette Lavorazione Artigianale?

It is an imported Spinach Pasta to die for!

I top it with a great Organic Basil Pesto mixed with the Garlic Alfredo from Newman’s Own.

There will be a picture here of it, when we have it next.

More good and inspiring news for we long-suffering Organic lovers here on the East side of Lake County.

There will be a new Aldi going in quite near to us soon and you can bet that I will be checking out their Organics.

We have not been to their store in the Villages since gas prices went up  and the store is nearly 30 miles away.

But the new one will be right here in our neighborhood.

Wahoo!

Aldi’s has always carried quite a few Organics and here’s hoping that the new store will have expanded on their already good selections.

It’s looking up!