The Story of Sea Moss
Sea Moss vs. Irish Moss. Aren't they the same thing?
Nope! They're often confused, but they're actually two different plants that offer similar nutritional value.
Sea Moss is a thicker, more stick-like seaweed that grows in warm, tropical waters like the Caribbean. It comes in a range of colors, gold and purple are the most common,
while blue and green are rarer.
Irish Moss (scientifically known as Chondrus crispus) has flat, fan-like leaves and grows in colder regions such as Europe and North America. It got its name during the Irish Potato Famine of the 1840s, when people turned to the sea for food.
Both are red algae that naturally contain compounds the body uses to make collagen, which is one of the many reasons people add them to their routines.
A quick note on carrageenan:
Sea moss naturally produces carrageenan, a common food thickener. The industrially processed version used in manufacturing isn't the same as what's naturally found in the whole plant, so eating whole sea moss is different from consuming the processed extract.
So which one should you take?
Honestly, it doesn't matter much. They share similar properties, so take whichever is available and affordable to you.
Chondrus Crispus
Chondrus crispus, commonly called Irish moss or carrageenan moss, is a species of red algae that grows abundantly along the rocky parts of the Atlantic coasts of Europe and North America. In its fresh condition, it is soft and cartilaginous, varying in color from greenish-yellow, through red,
to dark purple or purplish-brown
Genus Gracilaria
Gracilaria is a genus of red algae notable for its economic importance as an agarophyte and for its use as food for humans and various shellfish. Various species in the genus are cultivated in Asia, South America, Africa, and Oceania
