If you have a weak stomach, I don’t recommend watching one of the many videos on social media of influencers dipping their spoons into a jar of sea moss and putting mounds of the congealed substance – with a texture resembling congealed oil or snot – straight into their mouths.

“People have this assumption that it’s disgusting,” one influencer says, holding a spoonful in her mouth and, while seemingly trying not to swallow, insisting: “It’s really not.” Another dry-retches as soon as it passes her lips.

Sea moss, which is closely related to Irish moss, usually comes in a jar, costs upwards of $35, and, depending on added ingredients, can be bubblegum pink or aquamarine. Many labels describe the “natural” product as containing added chlorella.

What is sea moss and why is it on TikTok?

“It cleared up all my acne” and “it resolved my gut issues” are common claims, used about the potential health benefits of sea moss. “It contains over 92 essential nutrients your body needs,” another influencer claims, recommending two tablespoons on an empty stomach, though the video never shows her actually swallowing it even though she repeatedly lifts a heaped spoon........

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