The SCD™ Knowledge Base

Carrageenan and Seaweed

Elaine writes:
Seaweeds are forbidden because of the abundance of research dealing with carrageenan, a seaweed. Two researchers, Watson and Marcus, upon investigating a pharmaceutical made out of hydrolyzed carrageenan, found that the tiniest miniscule of it in the drinking water of numerous laboratory animals caused ulcerative colitis.

Seaweed is high in polysaccharides. It may be called a "sea vegetable" but it sort of falls into the same category of okra (at least, as far as SCD™ is concerned), and also herbs like marshmallow and slippery elm. Slimy, mucilaginous substances are often prescribed by naturopaths who think the "coating" properties are helpful to the intestines. They aren't. We who have compromised guts cannot digest this stuff - but our bugs can have quite a party on it.

From the LI listserve