First, I noticed that I did not finish my sentence in regard to my visit to whole foods. The two products that I found were the only two that did not have cargeenan.

As for the evils, I don't know much, but the little that I do know is enough for me to spend over half hour trying to find a milk replacement without it at Whole Foods.

It seems that Dr. Tobacman made the connection between carageenan and cancer.  If your digestive system is not working well (as mine is at the moment) it can cause lesions and other stuff with possible unhappy endings.  Below is a quote from Dr. Weil's site:

The researcher who made the connection between carrageenan and cancer, Joanne Tobacman, an assistant professor of clinical internal medicine at the University of Iowa College of Medicine, noted that as long ago as 1972 the FDA determined that there was enough evidence from animal studies to limit the type of carrageenan that could be used in foods. However, in 1979, the FDA rescinded its proposed limitation and since then, no action has been taken

Here is another post from the "Health Advisor" also referencing Joanne Tobacman's research.

Carrageenan is a seaweed derivative used in a wide variety of foods and cosmetics. In its native form, it has not been classified as a carcinogen, but in it’s degraded or broken down form it has been classified as a possible human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Joanne Tobacman, M.D., University of Iowa assistant professor of clinical internal medicine, and researcher on carrageenan, said "There seems to be enough evidence associating carrageenan with significant gastrointestinal lesions, including malignancies, to avoid ingesting it." According to Dr. Tobacman, the native carrageenan, after being subjected to stomach acids may be broken down into the degraded form and be a cancer risk. And even if it wasn’t, carrageenan cannot be identified as native or degraded on food labels, so there is no way of knowing if you are ingesting carrageenan, the carcinogen or not.

That's enough information for me to make sure that I don't knowingly eat it. Of course you can't control whether or not you are ingesting it when you eat out.

My parents make their own nut milk and "tofu" (with other types of beans/nuts - compliant ones) with this machine:

http://www.amazon.com/Koco-Tofu-Soymilk-Maker-Livart/dp/B002ZFK7RO

It would also make steamed nut milk within 30 minutes. My parents do not drink coffee (avoids), so they would make cups of warm nut milk for their morning drink.

Quoted from 15224

Honestly, eating in the US is  can definitely be harmful to your health.

I seriously agree

Quoted from 15224

Honestly, eating in the US (is / can) definitely be harmful to your health.

One of the reasons we need to start with whole foods to cook for our meals.  Anytime a food is processed, we are at the mercy of the processor as to what shortcuts they have taken or the additives they use to preserve or "protect" the product from spoilage.  

Yes, I agree with everyone's comments. I just purchased all of Dr. D'Adamo's books...Many of the health coaches that I work with (I'm still in the process of getting my certification) will always ask the clients blood type in order to better assist them to accomplish their health goals.  I currently have very bad digestive issues and I am trying to come off the protein pump inhibitors I'm on. Convential medicine has no clue what to do beyond taking Prevacid.  So, I purchased the books, tested my blood and here I am educating my way to health. Hopefully I will resolve my issues and in the process help my future clients as well.

In the meantime, here's a follow up to my Whole Foods story. Aloe Vera gel or juice is known to help with stomach disorders, so while I was weeding out the carageenan in my almond milk. I picked up a bottle of Aloe vera gel. 100% organic, all natural yada yada yada.  Today, I was going to add it in to my fresh carrot juice and I was looking for suggested dose.  And to my amazment there it was on the ingredient list. CARAGEENAN...ARRRRRGH...it's like a bad sci fi movie. The invasion of the carageenans. So you really do have to look at every ingredient on any product that you may ingest.

Thank you Passion Princess for the link.  I already make my own water kefir, and coconut kefir and yogurt.  Might as well make the almond milk...I'm also considering making my own Kombucha too.

Can't wait til I get up to speed with all of the doctor's books.

Quoted Text

So you really do have to look at every ingredient on any product that you may ingest.

Yes you do!

Making almond milk is very easy. I soak 1 cup raw almonds over night, drain and rinse in the am, blend with 4cups filtered water, strain through thin, clean dishtowel,= almond milk! sometimes I add dates afterward, re-blend to make it a little sweet.

P.S., I didn't think aloe vera was good for Os?

Quoted Text

TYPE O:
Secretor:
AVOID: Contains lectin or other agglutinin. Contains component which can modify known disease susceptibility.

Non Secretor:
AVOID: Contains lectin or other agglutinin. Contains component which can modify known disease susceptibility.

Quoted from grey rabbit

Yes you do!

Making almond milk is very easy. I soak 1 cup raw almonds over night, drain and rinse in the am, blend with 4cups filtered water, strain through thin, clean dishtowel,= almond milk! sometimes I add dates afterward, re-blend to make it a little sweet.

Tell me again what you do with the leftover almond meal?

Grey Rabbit--Thank you.  Yes, I will be making my own almond milk.  I did not know that Aloe was not good for O's.  Like I said, just started reading. So, in this case the carageenan was a blessing in disguise as I did not consume the aloe because of it.

I hope I can stay out of trouble till I read all the materials.

I would be interested to know how to use the ground almonds.

I think the safest thing to do for now, until you're 100% comfortable with the  food list, is "if in doubt, don't eat it."  Eat the foods you know are OK, and hold off on any new food or supplement that you're not sure about.

I've tried cooking with the leftover almond pulp, but I was never happy with the results. I needed to add so much sugar and oil to give the resultant cookies any kind of flavor, that I decided it wasn't worth it. The baked goods would be healthier if I just used whole grain flour or ground nuts, rather than pulp with the natural protein and fat removed.  Only during Passover, when I have very limited options for giving "body" to  baked goods, do I find it worthwhile to use almond pulp in baking.

So, I discard the pulp. I also discard the pulp from making rice milk, as it's the least healthy part.

It's true that the almond pulp has little flavor, but I have a hard time throwing things out! I have mixed it with carob and dates and coconut oil to make little high-energy bites, the almond meal gives this mix texture. I've used it in waffles too.

Enjoy the machine, Eliana... if you choose to get it. It is quite expensive but I figure it is a nice investment.

I think the almond meal would make a wonderful facial and body scrub! I used to use coffee grounds as a scrub. Caffeine tightens the skin but almond meal would be even better. Nourishing oils, etc.

I've been researching irish moss and from what I see, after you rinse it really well, if you soak it in water, the water thickens, therefore giving you carrageenan. So, would this "stabalized" water be bad to use in gluten free baked goods I make?

Quoted from passionprincess

My parents make their own nut milk and "tofu" (with other types of beans/nuts - compliant ones) with this machine:

http://www.amazon.com/Koco-Tofu-Soymilk-Maker-Livart/dp/B002ZFK7RO

It would also make steamed nut milk within 30 minutes. My parents do not drink coffee (avoids), so they would make cups of warm nut milk for their morning drink.

PP : hello! hello! long time communicating with you since our long kombucha thread. The mix that is added to the soy to turn it into tofu, what is in it? This sounds great to use with other compliant beans. I miss tofu, I could get it hot of the press in my neighbourhood years ago and it would melt in my mouth. Thanks for sharing and hope your studies are going well.  

Quoted from Dianne

The mix that is added to the soy to turn it into tofu, what is in it?

You need a coagulant.Some common ones are:

Calcium sulfate (gypsum)
Magnesium chloride
calcium chloride
Glucono delta-lactone
acetic acid
citric acid
papain

Quoted from C_sharp

You need a coagulant.Some common ones are:

Calcium sulfate (gypsum)
Magnesium chloride
calcium chloride
Glucono delta-lactone
acetic acid
citric acid
papain

Are these fine for blood type o's to consume or any BT for that matter? thanks  

Hello everybody!
I am new to this forum and have been following the different posts here with growing interest.

Quoted from delightfuldeb

I've been researching irish moss and from what I see, after you rinse it really well, if you soak it in water, the water thickens, therefore giving you carrageenan. So, would this "stabalized" water be bad to use in gluten free baked goods I make?

I am also wondering about the difference between irish moss and carrageenan, so I thought this might be the right discussion to try out my first post in this forum I have some gluten-free recipes that ask for a kind of irish moss paste: soaking irish moss in water over several hours and then taking the soaked moss and blending it in a high speed blender, creating a paste one can use as a thickener. But the leftover water from soaking is not being used.
So it would be great to know when exactely irish moss begins being carrageenan, since irish moss is a diamond for teachers whereas carrageenan is an avoid?! Is it the soaking in general or "just" the water?

Would be very happy if someone could clarify this one

Maybe it is the processing.

The whole food versus the processed one?

Could be.
IBy the way, I just found a page with instructions for making carrageenan (http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-carrageenan.htm). They apparently take the water used for soaking but not the moss soaked in it, and also cook the moss instead of just soaking it:

"It is possible to produce carrageenan at home by boiling Irish moss for about 20 to 30 minutes. When the mixture cools and the moss is removed, much of the carrageenan will have dissolved in the water, leaving a gelled substance."

So perhaps it could be that the raw soaked moss indeed "stays" irish moss and carrageenan would only be the water-solution left over from cooking the moss? Does this make sense?

I have wondered about this too. How could carrageenan possibly be different from Irish moss?  But one is a superfood for me, and the other is an avoid. I guess no one has any idea why the distinction is made except Dr. D., and I doubt we would get an answer from him....... One thing for sure I cannot consume carrageenan, an avoid. I don't dare try Irish moss. Forget it. I have had it with stomach aches from trying to drink soy milk with carrageenan added in the distant past.

I think it's kind of like the difference between MSG and nutritional yeast. Irish moss is a whole food that includes the carrageenan but also vitamins and minerals that help the body assimilate the whole food. Carrageenan is a highly processed chemical.

Carrageenan is a gum.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_gum

Irish Moss contains carrageenan.

What kinds of cancer does Carrageenan cause? Organ type cancer?

Carrageenan is bad; it promotes endotoxins. (gut damage)