In my post, Replacing Dairy Milk, a few of you commented that you avoid several brands of non-dairy milk because they contain an ingredient called carrageenan. This was the first time I had heard anything about this ingredient, or at least the first time I took any notice. I assumed that it was a safe ingredient, especially because it is found in some organic products. But as we know, just because something is allowed in our food does not mean it’s necessarily good for us. It’s frustrating as a consumer to believe we are buying quality ingredients only to find out they could be harmful to our health.
Anyway, I knew I had to look into this further. And I don’t like what I’m reading. In fact, I’m pretty ticked off.
At first blush, carrageenan sounds seemingly harmless – it’s derived from red seaweed and is used as a thickener, stabilizer, and/or emulsifier in many dairy (sour cream, yogurt, ice cream, etc), dairy alternatives (non-dairy milk, non-dairy cheese, etc), and deli meat products. As it turns out, research links carrageenan to gastrointestinal inflammation, lesions, and even colon cancer in animals. Individuals with Inflammatory Bowel Disease or other gastrointestinal disorders are cautioned to avoid this ingredient as it can make symptoms – and inflammation – even worse. As someone who has suffered from IBS for many years, I was shocked to find this information out. This was the first I had heard of it.
For a review of the research on carrageenan see this PDF document by Cornucopia.org. Please look into this ingredient and make your own informed opinion.
For a long and detailed list of carrageenan in many dairy and non-dairy food products (and safe products as well), please see this Cornucopia shopping guide – it’s extremely helpful. You might be surprised at many of the brands that contain this ingredient. I know I sure was.
I realize there is no conclusive evidence with regard to human consumption of this ingredient, but I’m not willing to take that risk when there are other options, especially because I have suffered from IBS on and off for half my life. I will no longer support President’s Choice Organic Almond Milk or Blue Diamond’s Almond Breeze – two of several brands that contain carrageenan. Instead, I’m going to purchase Whole Foods 365 organic almond milk which is one of the carrageenan-free brands or I will make my own milk at home (more on this in my next post). I’m anxious to see if I notice a difference.
For the complete list of carrageenan-free products, be sure to check out the shopping guide linked above.
As I mentioned in my intro post, we have a lot to learn from each other and this is a perfect example. I’m thankful for all of you sharing your experiences and knowledge in the comments. I’m learning too. I hope that by writing about this today, more awareness is brought to this ingredient. With other thickeners/emulsifiers readily available (such as organic guar gum and organic locust bean gum) there is no excuse for food businesses to continue to put carrageenan into our food at the potential risk of our health.
I was already planning a post on homemade milk, but now it seems even more timely and appropriate. Easy, homemade milk coming on up. I think you’ll really like the ingredients list in this one.
Have you heard anything about carrageenan before? Do you avoid it on labels or will you in the future?
My father has thyroid cancer and has to follow a low-iodine diet before he receives his iodine radiation treatment. One of the things on the list of the many things he cannot eat is carrageenan (along with all other sea-things). I’m doing some cooking to help him out and I knew that carrageenan was in a lot of common products because I am an obsessive label-reader. I always knew carrageenan was there but thought that since it was derived from seaweed that it was healthy and safe to consume! Thanks for bringing this to everyone’s attention, Angela.
Yup, I looked into carageenan a couple of years ago and didn’t like what I learned. Also discovered that compared to products that don’t use it as an ingredient, I dislike the taste/texture. I have written to manufacturers asking that they reconsider using this additive, but have had no satisfactory response. I choose to buy products without it. Having said this, I put almond milk on the shopping list I gave to my husband the other day and he came home with a variety that includes it. I am using it up, but it confirms that I don’t like it. Maybe we can all work together to make change happen…
I also was interested in this topic and did some of my own research.
I came across this website: http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA401181/Is-Carrageenan-Safe.html
So then I went and did a pubmed search of the researcher talked about in the article Dr. Tobacman. I was able to find many articles noting the potential harms found to human cells (intestinal and other), that are recently published (last 3 years to present).
Since I can’t post the full articles, here are a few titles.
Exposure to common food additive carrageenan leads to reduced sulfatase activity and increase in sulfated glycosaminoglycans in human epithelial cells
Biochimie (June 2012), 94 (6), pg. 1309-1316
Bo Yang; Sumit Bhattacharyya; Robert Linhardt; Joanne Tobacman
Carrageenan Induces Cell Cycle Arrest in Human Intestinal Epithelial Cells in Vitro
Sumit Bhattacharyya, Alip Borthakur, Pradeep K. Dudeja, and Joanne K. Tobacman*
Definitely interesting.
Blah knew this and still buy the PC organic variety which contains carrageenan. The additional problem is that some may not have carrageenan, but most without it have added sugar. I’ve made my own almond milk before and need to just keep making it again. Thx for the post on this – got my butt in gear :).
I try to avoid carrageenan.
I make my own or buy silk true almond in unsweetened vanilla
Wow, I never even knew about this! I just drink vitamin D milk with the red top. I know some friends of mine can’t drink it though because they are lactose intolerant – so they have alternative milks to drink.
Interesting information! Thanks for sharing.
I’m so glad you brought this up! I was just discussing this discovery over Christmas, mostly in regards to almond milk. I’d noticed that the dairy companies lately have been advertising that milk is better because it’s “just pure milk” and doesn’t contain any additives like non-dairy milk products. Confused, I pulled out my almond milk contained and lo and behold, it has like 5 ingredients! So frustrating, since here I thought I was making the healthier choice. Just goes to show that you should always read labels. Sigh.
Good news! I emailed Liberty and they don’t use carageenan in any on their dairy products. This is probably a Canadian product. Yay for us!
I have heard of it and I am very upset. I had changed to the Whole Foods Almond milk, and now I have my allergy testing back, I am allergic to all dairy and almonds and hemp. I have been using the so delicious Coconut creamer but it does have this in it. I have not been able to find anything else. I have made cashew cream, tried coconut milk. But they are not the same, they react strangely in the coffee. My morning coffee is one of my joys and I am sad. I haven been continuing to use the So Delicious, but I feel concerned everytime I use it. Also can any of you answer this for me. I don’t think the So Delicious creamer tastes like coconut, yet when I try to use coconut milk, my coffee definitely tastes like coconut. I don’t really want that.
I use Silk, Pure Almond…. looks like no carrageenan, but there is “Locust Bean Gum, Gellan Gum”— http://www.wegmans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=688309&storeId=10052&langId=-1
I’ve seen these “gum” ingredients before— are these also bad news???
Oh just read your response to Naomi Casiro’s similar question. Looks like I will have to do some research.
Woah! Thank you so much for this! I had absolutely no idea what carageenan was, and now I am enlightened! I feel like, as with most things, carageenan is probably fine in moderation (for those without digestive/IBS problems)… although, I’m going to try and start buying the carageenan-free almond milk as soon as my current carton is done with!
there is only one brand of soy milk that I’ve been able to find without carrageenan (Westsoy – and only the unsweetened one)…but even that is getting harder and harder to find. All of the rice milks/flax milks I’ve seen all have it too. My husband has stomach reactions to seaweed (which includes carrageenan) and nuts (so no almond milk for us). hopefully more brands will start backing away from this additive.
Thanks for posting this! Just another reason to make things at home from whole foods :)
Another awesome carrageenan free soy milk is Natura brand. It’s organic & Canadian!
Oh I haven’t seen that one, thanks for the tip
I discovered Better Than Milk (brand) soy milk powder (vegan, original flavor). After learning about carageenan here, I checked the ingredients — no carageenan. My original purpose for the soy milk powder was for making my own hot cocoa mix, but I discovered I really like the milk for every purpose, and now that’s all I buy. It mixes up quickly, a 736 gram canister makes 32 quarts, and I get a two-pack (at about US$12.50 a canister) delivered by Amazon on a regular basis. I mix it up as needed, and now I never run out of soy milk. It works really well for me.
Thank you for posting. I’ve shared this on my fitness fan page at www.facebook.com/annettegordenfitness.
Thanks so much for this info. I have been drinking a lot of flax milk and it is on the list, I guess I will start buying Whole Foods 365 Almond milk or make my own nut milk.
Hi Angela,
I love your blog – have been religiously reading it for the past few years! I’m having a vegan lunch party this weekend and need to use white truffle oil. I’ve mostly found risotto recipes, but since there will be a mix of different foods I would really like to make something that is more of an appetizer. Do you think a drizzle of truffle oil will go well with your delicious looking mushroom walnut pesto tart? Or any other suggestions?
Thanks!
I’ve never had it before, but I cant see why it wouldnt work with the tart.
Really appreciate you posting this information! Thank you for helping everyone stay informed. So disappointing to find out about those types of studies. I would rather be safe than sorry as well. Just switched out my soy milk for west soy brand.
Oh gawd I’m an idiot, never heard of this stuff, I never know what is going on with anything
Thanks for the post, I think this stuff is in my vegan coffee creamer that I used to make vanilla lattes at home…haven’t checked the vegan milks I buy but I will look and see. I mostly shop at Trader Joe and Whole Foods for my groceries