How terrible is it? Because it's in our food. It's in the coffee creamer I bought for myself today.
It's not terrible at all. Though some fear mongers who love to scare people into orthorexia will tell you it is.How terrible is it? Because it's in our food. It's in the coffee creamer I bought for myself today.
Who's to say that's any safer?
I believe NVI uses Montmorillonite clay instead of carrageenan.
I don't know if MC (which is used as an anti-caking agent, not a thickener, my bad) is any safer than carrageenan. For my kitties, it's a moot point because they don't care for NVI and will only eat it if they are starving. That's not exactly a glowing recommendation for NVI or its individual ingredients.
Who's to say that's any safer?
I would much prefer food with carrageenan simply because it's been far better researched than other additives. The World Health Organization approved carrageenan as safe enough to be used in baby formula. @Ginny the WHO research is from 2014 while the post by Kresser is from 2013 (and even it doesn't really say anything bad about the stuff).
Thank you.If you are looking to feed your cat a carrageenan-free diet, see these TCS threads for recommended brands:
http://www.thecatsite.com/t/240335/canned-food-without-carrageenan-or-guar-gum
http://www.thecatsite.com/t/319516/grain-carrageenan-free-foods
http://www.thecatsite.com/t/291133/...nan-grain-free-wet-foods-to-feed-to-your-cats
These other threads may be helpful:
http://www.thecatsite.com/t/294168/wellness-response-to-carrageenan
http://www.thecatsite.com/t/246168/the-truth-about-carrageenan
http://www.thecatsite.com/t/313274/healthiest-wet-food-brands-thoughts-on-carrageenan
I think that's a wise plan. Variety lessens the risks and keeps the cat interested in the food. I'm in agreement with you on the clay in Nature's Variety. I have no idea why its there. I've seen that clay in others too.
I'm thinking about still feeding her Wellness sometimes because it's a good food otherwise. I won't feed it exclusively but it's something I might just feed as part of her rotation of brands of canned cat food. Because Rosie has shown no change being on or off Wellness or any other brand that has carrageenan in it. She is the same. I think one way to avoid giving a cat too much of something that may be undesirable in a commercial cat food is to feed a variety of brands. Because don't they all have their flaws? Fancy Feast has sodium nitrite, Nature's Variety has that weird clay stuff, Wellness has carrageenan, and other brands have too many cranberries, carrots, broccoli and blueberries. And there is probably something else in another brand of cat food that doesn't have carrageenan but is still undesirable to feed to a cat. I say feed a variety of commercial brands or make your own cat food or both. And feeding a variety of brands prevents the cat from getting too attached to one food in case it gets recalled or there is an ingredient you don't want to feed too much of.
I just don't want any coworkers to steal my coffee creamer. That's why I did that.I agree. I too think variety is a great idea. Like others have said, with cat food (and actually human food too) there's a lot we don't know and probably never will. I do agree that it's possible for a certain kind of formula to simply be the wrong "balance" for our cat. Something that will have no effect following one, 10 or 100 days of feeding but may show its effects only a decade later.
My main beef (pardon the pun :lol3: ) with food purists of any kind is that by eliminating too many foods, you're actually creating a less-balanced diet which nobody knows the long-term effects of.
Lots of good advice here. :nod: I just have to say once again that I see zero reason to point fingers at poor little carrageenan @moggiegirl
like @Ginny
said, the dose makes the poison. Formaldehyde is toxic but we have no problem consuming it or even producing it in our own bodies. Oxygen is very very toxic, yet you bring it into your lungs with every breath you take. Carrageenan is far less toxic than either. I bet that if you posted the ingredients of the creamer here, I could get a biochemist friend (I have a bunch of them) list the chemicals naturally found in it and find at least several that are way more toxic than carrageenan. Still, if you bought the creamer and it's expensive, maybe putting "TOXIC" all over it isn't a bad idea! :bigwink:
Perfect! I would do the same.I just don't want any coworkers to steal my coffee creamer. That's why I did that.