Carr-ca-what????

Recently we found out . . . or just realized (oops!) . . . that Gregory cannot have the ingredient "carrageenan". We were excited to find out he can have soy milk . . . only if it doesn't have "carrageenan". I have yet to find a soy milk that doesn't contain it. Just another thing in our constant quest of learning more and more about galactosemia!

For all you geeks out there, here is the definition of this weird sounding word:

Carrageenans or carrageenins ( /ˌkærəˈɡiːnənz/ karr-ə-ghee-nənz) are a family of linear sulfated polysaccharides that are extracted from red seaweeds. There are several varieties of carrageen used in cooking and baking. Kappa-carrageenan is used mostly in breading and batter due to its gelling nature. Lambda carrageenan is a non gelling variety that assists in binding, retaining moisture and in contributing to viscosity in sweet doughs. Iota carrageenan is used primarily in fruit applications and requires calcium ions to develop a heat-reversible and flexible gel.^[1]
Gelatinous extracts of the Chondrus crispus seaweed have been used as food additives for hundreds of years.^[2] Carrageenan is a vegetarian and vegan alternative to gelatin.