Go into your fridge and take out a carton of soy or almond milk, yogurt or ice cream. Look at the ingredient list. Do you see “carrageenan?” If so, I’m not surprised. 

Carrageenan, which is derived from red seaweed, it’s often added to beverages to keep their ingredients from separating, is added to foods like yogurt, chocolate and ice cream to give them a thicker consistency, and to make low-fat versions taste fuller. It is also added to nutritional shakes and milk replacement drinks to keep their ingredients from separating. 

Carrageenan-containing seaweeds have been used for centuries, but the refined carrageenan found in modern processed foods has raised major concerns. {source}

Why is carrageenan bad?

Carrageenan predictably causes inflammation which can lead to ulcerations and bleeding, according to Joanna Tobacman, MD, associate professor of clinical medicine at the University of Illinois School of Medicine. This isn’t a new thing. Since the 1960’s, researchers began linking carrageenan to gastrointestinal disease in lab animals, including ulcerative colitis, intestinal lesions, and even colon cancer. 

The Cornucopia Institute, a food industry watchdog group, completed an in-depth analysis regarding the safety of carrageenan and petitioned the FDA to remove it form the “Generally Regarded as Safe determination and from all organic foods. The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer and the National Research Council of the US both determined that degraded carrageenan is a carcinogen. 

Meh, I’ll pass.

My favorite carrageenan-free almond milk

Even though I’m not following a strict dairy-free diet anymore, I still prefer almond milk over the taste of cow’s milk. As you read above, dairy-free milk options usually have carrageenan. Since I have digestive issues and carrageenan can have effects on the gastrointestinal tract, I reach for products without it. As much as I wish I could make my own almond milk, working a full-time job, blogging, and having any type of free time makes it pretty difficult. Good news is that there are a few brands that offer carrageenan-free almond milk. My favorite is from the Whole Foods 365 brand. (BTW, they aren’t sponsoring this post or paying me to mention them. I’m just obsessed and wanted to share). 

I use it in coffee, smoothies, acai bowls, and overnight oats. 

Other carrageenan-free options

Don’t worry if a Whole Foods is not in your area. In this shopping guide, created by the Cornucopia Institute, you’ll find a list of all companies guilty of using carrageenan as well as those that have carrageenan-free products. 

Where to buy online:
Soy Dream Soy Milk
Trader Joe’s Unsweetened Soy Milk (in shelf stable package)
Pacific Foods Oat Milk
Pacific Foods Hemp Milk
Pacific Foods 7 Grain Milk
Kirkland Signature Rice Milk

Talk to Me

• What are your thoughts on carrageenan?
• What are your favorite carrageenan-free products?

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