A new study suggests potential health risks associated with carrageenan (derived from red seaweed), a common food additive used as a thickener and found in everything from ice cream to plant-based milk.
Researchers found that overweight people who ate foods with the additive became more insulin resistant and had more inflammation.
“In overweight participants, carrageenan exposure resulted in lower whole body and hepatic insulin sensitivity,” the study authors wrote, highlighting the need for further investigation into food additives that consumers might consider harmless.
Carrageenan Linked to Reduced Insulin Sensitivity, Inflammation
The research, published in BMC Medicine on Tuesday, was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 20 young, healthy male participants who received either 250 milligrams of carrageenan or a placebo twice daily over two weeks.
Key outcomes of the study included the measurement of insulin sensitivity through various tests, including the oral glucose tolerance test. Although no significant differences in overall insulin sensitivity were observed among all participants, interactions between participants’ body mass index (BMI) and their exposure to carrageenan or the placebo were notable. […]
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