Carrageenan & How To Avoid Eating It

written by runnergirl training

You may or may not have heard about carrageenan but chances are you've eaten it. It's pervasive in many foods & has been linked to health problems. 

Carrageenan is a derivative from red seaweed and has been used since the 1960's. It's a good additive to increase thickness and enrich the flavor. Carrageenan does not contain nutrition. It's natural but not necessarily healthy. People who have GI or stomach problems, IBS and IBD will especially want to avoid carrageenan.

Foods highly likely to contain it include:

Soy milk 

Yogurt

Chocolate

Milk products

Ice cream

Dairy-free alternative milk

Ready made shakes

Soup

Food that is frozen

Several problems exist for consuming carrageenan. It causes gut distress including irritation, inflammation, ulcers & even bleeding. Elsewhere in the body it causes inflammation & cancer. It triggers a strong immune response that produces inflammation in the body. Inflammation can lead to other health problems such as inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, allergies & asthma.

It is important to limit or eliminate carrageenan in order to avoid any potential for its related health problems. The first way to reduce or limit consuming it is read labels. Make a note of what products in your kitchen or shopping list already contain it. Next, find suitable alternatives that omit using carrageenan. Below are a few examples of alternative products that are carrageenan-free.

Carrageenan-Free Food: Dairy-Free In Green

Almond Milk - 365 Whole Foods

Almond Milk - O Organics

Almond Milk - Westsoy (organic)

Butter Milk - Organic Valley

Cashew Milk - So Delicious

Cheese Alternative - Dr-Cow 

Chocolate Milk - Organic Valley

Chocolate Milk - Horizon

Chocolate Soymilk - Organic Valley

Coconut Milk - So Delicious 

Coconut Water - Harmless Harvest

Coffee Creamer - Organic Valley

Cottage Cheese - Nancy's

Cottage Cheese - Organic Valley

Cream - Horizon 

Cream - Natural By Nature 

Egg Nog - Horizon

Egg Nog - Organic Valley

Hemp Milk - Hemp Bliss

Ice Cream - Castle Rock Organic Farm

Ice Cream - Crystal Ball Farms

Ice Cream - Strafford Organic Creamery

Ice Cream Non Dairy - 365 Whole Foods

Ice Cream Non Dairy - Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss

Ice Cream Non Dairy - So Delicious (almond milk pints)

Ice Cream Non Dairy - So Delicious (sandwich, almond milk)

Kefir - Butterworks Farm

Kefir - Nancy's

Kefir - Organic Valley

Oat Milk - Pacific Foods

Rice Milk - Kirkland Signature

Rice Milk - Nature's Promise

Sour Cream - 365 Whole Foods

Sour Cream - Wallaby Organic

Soy Milk - Organic Valley

Soy Milk - Twin Oaks

Yogurt - 365 Whole Foods

Yogurt - Horizon

Yogurt - Nancy's

Yogurt - Stonyfield

Yogurt Non Dairy - Nancy's (soy Milk)

Yogurt Non Dairy - So Delicious (coconut milk)

Yogurt Non Dairy - Yoso (soy Milk)

I hope this gives you an idea of the GI, stomach and other problems that can be caused by eating carrageenan. Now you have a grocery food list of products that are carrageenan free!