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Sodium alginate in the classification of food additives goes under the name E401 and is a salt of alginic acid. It is supplied for sale in the form of a powder, the color of which can vary depending on the characteristics of the raw material from cream to light brown.
The composition is perfectly soluble in water, which, together with its beneficial qualities for the skin, has found wide application in the cosmetic field. Experts offer masks based on it to people with problem skin to restore energy balance.
The high popularity of the product is due to the fact that such preparations perfectly retain moisture, having a stabilizing and gelling effect. Technologists from the food industry also highly appreciated the ability of the mixture, taking it into service.
Properties of sodium alginate
A widely used powder is obtained from brown or red algae. They grow in abundance on the territory of the marine part of Indonesia and the Philippines. At the same time, the production facilities for their processing are located mainly in China, Japan, France and America. Moreover, in Asian countries, the use of the concentrate is most often associated with the beauty industry, since the demand for alginate products there has been simply incredible for the last five years.
The world has known about the beneficial qualities of the constituent algae for a long time. The history, if we omit the mention in antiquity, when the plants were used by healers, goes back to the seventies of the last century. It was then that researchers tried to find a safe compound that would take on the responsibility of removing radionuclides and salts of heavy metals from the tissues of internal organs.
Brown algae were taken as the basis for laboratory tests. After conducting a series of tests, the staff responsible for the experiment came to the conclusion that at that time it was hardly possible to find something more effective in countering the effects of radiation exposure than sodium-based alginate.
Much later, when people became interested in the chemical and energy composition of supplements, researchers conducted additional testing. Their feedback confirmed that the presented concentrate as a dietary supplement does not pose a significant threat to human health.
The only warning here was following a strict daily dosage. Exceed the calculation according to the principle: 50 mg of a substance per 1 kg of weight is not worth it for reasons of personal safety.
Use in the food industry
Despite the fact that it will be possible to purchase alginate freely in a pharmacy for anti-aging procedures, it is used in the food industry on a much larger scale.
The most important mission that was assigned to the mixture is the function of a thickener, which became possible due to the gelling structure. You can meet the mention of E401 on the labels of the following products:
- canned mushrooms;
- canned vegetables;
- processed cheese;
- sousah
- canned meat;
- sweets like ice cream or multi-component desserts;
- bakery products.
Sometimes even a standard recipe for making cheese at home is not complete without this natural additive.
Also, with the help of E401, technologists lighten juices or make soft drinks cloudy. It is unlikely that any analogue of fully synthetic origin can boast of such a high performance, provided that it is almost zero harmful.
To the delight of cosmetologists
Due to several special properties at once, the additive has now become practically the best friend of the workers of cosmetology centers. Instructions for a cream with a rejuvenating or moisture-retaining spectrum of action will most likely contain this particular main ingredient.
Even if you just make a mask at home, by mixing the proportions correctly, after a few procedures you will be able to achieve a visible effect. This happens due to the following features of the effect on the skin:
- activation of the protective barrier;
- regulation of water balance;
- moisture retention;
- toning;
- anti-stress therapy;
- strengthening collagen fibers;
- regulation of metabolism;
- stabilization of the sebaceous glands;
- increase in the tone of the subcutaneous layer.
It is most convenient to use all the useful qualities of the product as a mask. And here it does not matter what type of skin the client has. Even people with signs of skin aging are allowed to use this therapy to freeze loss of beauty. But most often they are prescribed to teenagers or just people who have been suffering from problematic skin for years without the opportunity to find competent care on an ongoing basis.
You can buy the powder in pharmacy chains without a prescription or in specialized stores. It is best to dilute it with a special serum solvent. But if there is no such liquid at hand, then even just warm water will do.
Next, you need to apply the mixture in an even layer in the place that most needs to be restored. Immediately after application, an airtight film is formed on the area, which is designed to fix the contours of the face or body, depending on the selected treatment area.
As soon as the set time is up, the film can be removed. As a result, the consumer receives a pronounced lifting effect. This happens due to the fact that many skin irregularities are smoothed out. The effect works even in cases where it is required to get rid of wrinkles on the neck, in the forehead or nasolabial folds.
Cosmetologists also value sodium alginate for the fact that it can structure a liquid solution, adding the viscosity necessary for a particular procedure. The slightly viscous consistency is ideal for the formation of irreversible gels. This property is used to create products in the category of household chemicals, such as the production of shampoos, ready-made creams and soap solutions for intimate hygiene.
Medical research
In favor of the safety of the product, at least the fact that in most countries it is used after passing numerous tests for safety, quality and latent risks to the body says. An additional advantage here is the absence of allergenic properties, which a good half of other nutritional supplements cannot boast of.
Even if it gets on the mucous membrane, there will be no negative consequences for the victim. The only relative disadvantage here is the ability of alginate to reduce the absorption of beneficial trace elements in the intestine. This leads to a deficiency of minerals, which contributes to the malfunction of the organs of the digestive tract. To avoid this, it is enough to adhere to the daily norm and adhere to the principles of a healthy lifestyle.