Seaweed Heals H1N1

 Seaweed extract found to prevent H1N1 infection

New research published in the journal PLoS ONE has found that a red seaweed-based compound known as Carrageenan is an effective treatment against the common cold, viruses and H1N1 influenza. The substance works by binding directly to viruses and preventing them from attaching to cells and spreading throughout the body. 

Carrageenan is commonly used as a food thickening additive because of its gel-like texture. Though technically derived from natural seaweed, the substance is actually not all that healthy to consume. Studies have found that it can cause gastrointestinal upset, and in many cases, the additive creates a form of processed free glutamic acid (MSG) in foo.