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Author: Jenny Smiechowski - Organic Lifestyle Magazine Author: Jenny Smiechowski - Organic Lifestyle Magazine

What is Carrageenan?

The Carrageenan Controversy – Is it safe?

As an avid label reader, I am always on the lookout for unfamiliar, unpronounceable, and otherwise suspicious sounding ingredients in my food. Unfortunately, in today’s world of pre-packaged, highly-processed food, it is often difficult to distinguish the harmful from the benign. Even the savviest of consumers can be fooled, as I’ve learned recently. Apparently, I have been consuming a dangerous food additive in my “health” food for years: carrageenan.

Carrageenan, which is extracted from red seaweed, is a common ingredient in both organic and conventional food products. It is used as a thickener and emulsifier to improve the texture of dairy products, dairy replacement products like soy milk and almond milk, and personal care products like toothpaste.

In April 2012, University of Illinois medical researcher, Joanne Tobacman, testified before the National Organic Standard Board about the harmful effects of carrageenan. Over the years, Tobacman published 18 peer-reviewed studies linking carrageenan to increased inflammation, gastrointestinal issues, and cancer. Specifically, Tobacman found that mice consuming carrageenan were more likely to develop glucose intolerance, gastrointestinal ulcerations, and even gastrointestinal malignancies.

In her testimony, Tobacman claimed that carrageenan has been used by drug researchers for the specific purpose of producing inflammation in mice for anti-inflammatory drug studies. As most people are now well-aware, the medical community considers inflammation a contributing factor in serious health problems like autoimmune diseases and cancer. Despite Tobacman’s testimony, carrageenan remains on the National Organic Standard Board’s list of approved ingredients.

In 2008, Tobacman submitted a petition to the Food and Drug Administration which cited more than a decade of her research on the harmful effects of carrageenan and requested that carrageenan be banned as a food additive for human consumption. Last year, four years after the petition had been submitted, the FDA denied Tobacman’s request.

Organizations like the Cornucopia Institute have also expressed concern about carrageenan and have worked to get it banned by the Food and Drug Administration. In March of this year, the Cornucopia Institute formally requested that the FDA reconsider its decision regarding carrageenan. In its letter, the Cornucopia Institute claimed that the FDA’s denial was “based on an incomplete review of the scientific literature” and that every argument made by the FDA “can be refuted based on strong scientific evidence.”

Much of the FDA’s argument against banning carrageenan relies on the distinction between degraded and undegraded carrageenan, which differ, based upon molecular weight. Degraded forms of carrageenan, which are not used in food, have long been deemed unfit for human consumption. In the 1960s, degraded carrageenan was determined to cause gastrointestinal inflammation, and in 1983 the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer listed it as a “possible human carcinogen.”

Undegraded, or food-grade, carrageenan was considered safe for human consumption. Concerns have been raised, however, in regards to the unclear relationship between undegraded and degraded carrageenan. According to the Cornucopia Institute’s published report about carrageenan, data from the carrageenan industry in 2005 showed that degraded carrageenan was found in all samples of food-grade carrageenan. The report also cites research indicating that when food-grade carrageenan is broken down for digestion it turns into degraded carrageenan.

With the FDA and National Organic Standard Board refusing to take official action on the issue, health-conscious consumers are left to fend for themselves. To help consumers avoid carrageenan, the Cornucopia Institute has created a buying guide which lists popular organic products that contain carrageenan (Cornucopia) and a partial list of conventional foods that contain it.

Based upon the list, the main carrageenan culprits are dairy products, dairy alternative products, nutritional drinks, and lunch meats. If attempting to avoid carrageenan, however, it is probably safest to check labels on all processed foods. According to Joanne Tobacman, carrageenan is also found in most condensed milk; so any product containing condensed milk might also contain carrageenan, even if it is not explicitly stated on the label.

As awareness about the dangers of carrageenan grows, the once seemingly harmless seaweed by-product is joining the ranks of high-fructose corn syrup, aspartame, red-40, MSG and other food additives that have become dirty words to health-conscious consumers. The carrageenan controversy provides just one more solid reason to avoid processed foods (even organic ones) and to stick to real, whole foods.

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Kombucha Culture

How to Make Kombucha

In recent years, the fermented tea beverage, kombucha, has risen from obscurity and effectively infiltrated the public mind. Exposure from Hollywood A-listers has promoted a growing “kombucha culture,” and various kombucha-makers now compete for shelf space in both natural and conventional food stores.

In 2010, actress Lindsay Lohan attracted major media attention to the health tonic when she reportedly failed an alcohol test because of the trace amounts of alcohol found in the drink. Lohan and other celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Kirsten Dunst, Halle Berry, and Madonna have all been spotted drinking kombucha tea and have sparked increased interest in its healthful properties.

Although kombucha is relatively new on the Hollywood scene, it has been a long-time favorite among health foodies who tout its antioxidant, enzymatic, and probiotic goodness. The origins of kombucha, however, can be traced back even further, to ancient China where it was called “the remedy for immortality.”

Kombucha derives its beneficial qualities from a mushroom culture known as “the mother” or “SCOBY” which stands for “symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts.” This mushroom culture is combined with tea and allowed to ferment for anywhere from five days to a few weeks. The end result is a tart and effervescent beverage brimming with vitamins, amino acids, and healthy bacteria.

The beneficial effects of kombucha are so numerous that the tonic could legitimately be called panacea-esque. It is renowned for its detoxifying properties which result from its high content of enzymes and acids. One acid in particular, glucaric acid, has been linked to cancer prevention. As a result, kombucha has often been used as a part of an overall health regimen to ward off and even defeat cancer.

Kombucha is also high in antioxidants, which are known for boosting the immune system and it contains glucosamines, which are beneficial to joints. And, of course, kombucha contains probiotics, which have become extremely popular in recent years for their ability to aid digestive distress.

With this long list of benefits, it is no wonder that kombucha has found its way to grocery store shelves across the country and a thriving “kombucha culture” has developed. But despite its increased availability, many devoted kombucha-drinkers still prefer to brew their own, a task which is fairly simple and worthwhile for any kombucha-enthusiast to try at least once.

Kombucha recipe

The internet is overflowing with DIY kombucha recipes, instructions, and endless options for brewing your own kombucha tea, but a basic recipe for home kombucha-brewing includes the following steps:

  1. Obtain a good “mother” culture. Some people prefer to grow their own “mother,” but kombucha starter kits are available online. When purchasing the “mother” online it is important to order from a reputable source (getkombucha.com or culturesforhealth.com are both good choices). It is also vital that the kombucha “mother” avoid extended contact with metal during and after the brewing process
  2. Brew 3/4 gallon of black tea (approx. 13 c. water and 8 tea bags)
  3. Add one cup of cane sugar to the hot tea and stir until it dissolves
  4. Allow the tea to cool to room temperature
  5. Once the tea has cooled, remove the tea bags and add the kombucha “mother” culture and 2 cups kombucha starter tea. The starter tea can be obtained from a previous batch of home-brewed kombucha or store-bought kombucha as long as it is unpasteurized and unflavored
  6. Put the tea in a 1 gallon glass jar (or two smaller jars if you have two “mother” cultures)
  7.  Cover the jar(s) securely with a few layers of paper towels or cheesecloth and a thick rubber band. It is crucial that the kombucha mixture can breathe, so do not use any lid that is airtight
  8.  Allow the tea to ferment for 7 to 10 days. During the fermentation process store the tea at room temperature and keep it out of direct sunlight
  9.  When the tea is finished you can bottle it and take the “mother” and 2 cups of starter tea to start another batch

Brewing your own kombucha gives you the opportunity to get creative with your kombucha-drinking. Once you master the basic recipe, you can begin flavoring your kombucha by adding fresh fruit, fruit puree, fruit juice, or herbs. It can be a fun, rewarding process that can set the stage for a lifetime of good health— a benefit that is worth drinking (kombucha, of course) to!