Background on Chondrus Crispus

History of Irish Sea Moss

Irish Sea Moss was first discovered by the Irish to be a great superfood to survive the famine. During the height of the Irish Potato famine in the 1840s, the Irish population faced a time of mass starvation and diseases that lasted for almost a decade. Due to the famine, people turned to other food sources with some nutritional value similar to potatoes, and that’s when the Irish discovered Irish Sea Moss as a great food source.

Irish Sea Moss vs. Sea Moss

There are more than 2 types of sea mosses; there exists literally thousands of species in the ocean. However, there are two main ones that are currently popular today: Irish Sea Moss (Chondrus Crispus) and Sea Moss (Genus Gracilaria). 

Irish Sea Moss (botanically known as Chondrus Crispus)

  • Typically a dark purple color, but can come in other variety of color such as, dark yellow, red, and green. Irish Sea Moss look like leaves, very flat fan and wide shape tops.
  • Chondrus Crispus is a species of seaweed which is rarer, by comparison, it tends to grow in cooler waters of the Northern Atlantic Ocean on narrow band of rocks at the low tide mark, making it more difficult to harvest or obtain - in addition to only being able to be harvested in select seasons of the year.
  • Irish Sea Moss develops in a particular way through interaction with all of the properties of the ocean it grows in. The environment includes the nutrients the Irish Sea Moss absorbs from the rocks it grows on, the air, sunrays and other natural factors.
  • Irish Sea Moss Nutritional Benefits.
    • Some vitamins and trace of minerals found in Irish Sea Moss include:
      • Magnesium
      • Calcium
      • Sulfur
      • Iron
      • Selenium
      • Folate
      • Potassium
      • Copper
    • Some other benefits include: It can help with removing excess mucus from the lungs, great for the skin and acts as a natural anti-inflammatory.

  • Irish Sea Moss is higher in nutrients than Sea Moss and has a stronger fresh ocean smell and typically produces a darker gel, due to its purple colour.
  • Chondrus Crispus, is often mistakenly called Genus Gracilia (Sea Moss), which is not accurate. Even the great Dr. Sebi in one of his speeches was referring to Chondrus Crispus (Irish Sea Moss), but was mistakenly holding up Genus Gracilia (Sea Moss), which created great confusion between the two sea weeds. To this day, even some reputable companies are mistakenly marketing Genus Gracilia (Sea Moss), as Chondrus Crispus (Irish Sea Moss). Also, there is a rise of individuals and companies marketing Purple Sea Moss, as being Irish Sea Moss (Chondrus Crispus).
  • Although Genus Gracilia is a sea moss, it is not the same as the scientifically defined Chondrus Crispus (Irish Sea Moss) that grows in cold water climates that is located in the Northern Atlantic Ocean.

 Chondrus Crispus

Image (Above): Chondrus Crispus (Irish Sea Moss)

Here are a few research documents outlining some of the benefits of Irish Sea Moss (Chondrus Crispus):

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3837755/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26308008/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/chondrus-crispus


Sea Moss (botanically known as Genus Gracilaria)

Sea Moss is the most commonly recognized version of moss and is often mistakenly referred to as Irish Sea Moss (Chondrus Crispus).

  • Sea Moss (Genus Gracilaria), normally grows in warmer water, such as the Caribbean, Central America (Jamaica, St. Lucia, Antigua, Grenada) and etc.
  • Sea Moss is mainly known for its golden colour, but can also vary in colour like purple, which is mistakenly called Irish Sea Moss (Chondrus Crispus). The makeup structure of Sea Moss is like a thin fingered string. Both gold and purple Genus Gracilaria (Sea Moss) carries the same nutrient proprieties.
  • You may find more people and companies selling and using this variety of sea moss, because it is easier to source, and not limited to just one season.
  • Majority of the Genus Gracilaria (Sea Moss) are not wild crafted and are normally ocean-farmed in the sea or in a pool, to make harvesting easier.
    • Pool grown Genus Gracilaria is mainly grown in pools filled with very salty moving water, which has very little nutrient. It normally has a lot of salt, thick noodle appearance, slightly wet, slippery feel, thick stems and will look super thick when rehydrated and should be avoided at all times.
    • Although farmed Genus Gracilaria (Sea Moss) is grown in the ocean it doesn’t grow exactly the same way as wild-crafted sea moss does because it grows on ropes instead of on the rocks. Therefore, ocean-farmed sea moss has less nutrients than the wild crafted sea moss.

 

Image (Above): Genus Gracilaria (Sea Moss)

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If you are looking for real wildcrafted Chondrus Crispus (Irish Sea Moss), which has grown naturally on the band rocks of the Northern Atlantic Ocean, without any human intervention, look no further, you have come to the right place! Visit out product page to see our Irish Sea Moss offering and Irish Sea Moss infused products.

Click here to learn how to properly clean and prepare Irish Sea Moss.

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