Three main species are used in sea moss products: Chondrus crispus (known as Irish moss or carrageenan moss) Eucheuma cottonii (sea moss or seabird's nest) Gracilaria (Irish moss or ogonori).

When rehydrated and blended, dried tufts of sea moss develop a gelatinous texture thanks to the presence of carrageenan. If you recognize the word carrageenan, that’s because it’s often used ...

Carrageen, or Irish moss, is used as a vegetarian gelling agent in some processed foods. Seaweed can be eaten raw in salads, stir-fried or dried and used as a seasoning.