You may have heard the buzz about carrageenan recently. It has been blowing up the Internet with reports, articles, and blog posts that can’t seem to agree whether this common food additive is safe or not. With a little research, it is fairly easy to determine if carrageenan is safe or if you should believe the hype.

What is Carrageenan?

Before you can decide if it is safe for you and your loved ones, it would help to know what it is. Carrageenan is a substance that comes from edible red seaweed. The extract is used in a wide range of foods and beverages because it has thickening and emulsifying properties. The all-natural ingredient can even be made at home by boiling red seaweed and blending it with a few simple ingredients like salt and alcohol. You could use it in place of gelatin or other thickeners in your home recipes. Processed foods use it in the same way. You’ll commonly find carrageenan in everything from almond milk to deli meats to beauty products and toothpaste.

But is it Safe?

The safety of carrageenan as a food additive has been called into question lately even though regulatory bodies in the United States, Europe, and Asia have found it to be safe and approve its use. So, where is the data that sheds doubt on carrageenan’s safety? Well, it seems some studies involving animal testing of carrageenan showed preliminary data indicating it might cause digestive issues. When you dig a little deeper, it becomes clear that many of reports that tie carrageenan to issues were using a version of the extract that isn’t even used in food products.

Current research proves the safety of carrageenan in food products, consumable liquids, and even health and beauty products. The type and amount of food-grade carrageenan in our foods and beverages has been shown to be safe – even for infants. Testing on carrageenan has been carried out for years in the U.S. and around the world, and time and again it has been shown to be safe. As recently as 2015 it was given global safety approval. You can trust that the carrageenan in your food is safe.