Uses of Irish Moss

During the Irish potato famine, starving people survived by harvesting and eating the abundant seaweed along Ireland's coasts. They received more than a temporary relief from hunger pains. The seaweed is a rich source of nutrients and natural remedies that promote good health and speed healing from many diseases and toxic conditions. Irish moss is a kind of all-purpose folk remedy, wonder food and miracle medicine. Today it is cultivated for a variety of medical and culinary uses.

Medicinal Purposes

• Irish moss has an amazingly high iodine content and is used for thyroid health and to relieve low metabolism, fatigue, sallow skin and stringy hair resulting from thyroid malfunction, goiter, hyper-sensitivity to cold and slow heart rate. Irish moss also soothes mucus membranes in the body. The plant has been effectively used to relieve dry coughing, sore throats, inflamed nasal passages, and the digestive tract. It is a common ingredient in remedies for indigestion, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, gastritis, and intestinal inflammations. Because Irish moss absorbs water, it bulks up and can help in the elimination of waste and in suppressing appetite. Its absorptive quality also eases the symptoms of bronchitis and pneumonia by absorbing and holding excess liquid and moving it through the body and out. It has been used to draw toxins from the bowel and other tissue and to draw out radiation poisoning. The anticoagulant properties of Irish moss are useful in reducing high blood pressure and the possibility of arteriosclerosis. And its antibacterial properties make it effective against strep infections.

  Research into potential new medicinal applications continues.The plant also contains extraordinary amounts of calcium, potassium, sulfur, and vitamins A, D, E, F, and K. The seaweed is as good for the outside of the body as it is for the inside. It soothes sunburn, eczema, psoriasis, chapped skin, rashes and dermatitis.

Food Additive

• The food industry uses carrageenan, an extraction from Irish moss, as a stabilizer and emulsifier in gelatinous foods like puddings, fruit gels, and jams. It is widely used to thicken and stabilize milk products such as ice cream, and has been used as in ingredient in both beer and wine.

Skin Products

• Irish moss is an ingredient in wrinkle creams and cosmetics that promote a healthy glow and can be used to soften, smooth and invigorate skin. Because it fights bacteria, it is also used in topical creams applied to the skin to prevent or clear up infections.