Thought For Food
Posted by Michelle Moquin on April 10th, 2014
Good morning!
Coconut milk is popular these days, and comes in many different varieties. But do you know what’s in some coconut milk and if what you’re drinking is safe? Here’s the write from a Chris Kresser’s health blog.
Harmful or Harmless: Carrageenan
Carrageenan, a heavily discussed additive in the world of alternative health, is an indigestible polysaccharide that is extracted from red algae, and is most commonly used in food as a thickener or stabilizer. Carrageenan-containing seaweeds have been used for centuries in food preparations for their gelling properties, but the refined, isolated carrageenan found in modern processed foods has raised concerns in the health-conscious online community. (1)
Carrageenan is especially common in non-dairy milks such as almond milk and coconut milk, which means that some people who transition to a Paleo diet might actually be increasing their exposure if they use these products. I discussed carrageenan on a recent podcast, but today I want to give you a more detailed summary of the evidence.
There are a few distinct types of carrageenan that differ in their chemical properties, but the most important distinction is between degraded carrageenan and undegraded carrageenan. From a chemical standpoint, the difference between these two types is in their molecular weight. From a practical standpoint, undegraded carrageenan is approved for use in food products, while degraded carrageenan is not. (2) Although both substances are often referred to as ‘carrageenan,’ they have very different chemical properties and should really be treated as separate compounds. Degraded carrageenan is also called ‘poligeenan,’ which is how I will refer to it in the rest of this article to avoid any confusion.
Animal studies
Most of the carrageenan hysteria stems from animal studies that implicate carrageenan in the formation of ulcerations and cancerous lesions in the colon. A thorough review of the approximately 45 available animal studies on carrageenan was published in 2001, and at first glance, these studies seem alarming. However, it turns out that the majority of these animal experiments used poligeenan instead of carrageenan, and as I mentioned before, these are two separate compounds with different effects. Poligeenan is significantly more detrimental to the health of lab animals than carrageenan, so the lack of a clear designation between them has given carrageenan a worse reputation than it deserves.
One important difference is that while poligeenan can cause cancer on its own when given in high enough concentrations, undegraded carrageenan has only ever been shown to accelerate cancer formation when administered with a known carcinogen. (3) In other words, food-grade carrageenan has not been shown to cause cancer in animal models. That doesn’t necessarily mean carrageenan is in the clear when it comes to cancer, but contrary to popular belief, it is not a known carcinogen.
Additionally, poligeenan produces more severe ulceration and inflammation than carrageenan, and at lower concentrations. As an example, a study on rhesus monkeys using poligeenan at 0.5-2% resulted in diarrhea, hemorrhage, and ulcerations, while carrageenan at 1-3% resulted in no colonic changes. (4) (For reference, the concentration of carrageenan in processed food is usually between 0.01% and 1%.) (5)
However, carrageenan has produced intestinal damage in some animal studies. Observed effects in rats include epithelial cell loss, increased intestinal permeability, and diarrhea. (6) In guinea pigs, carrageenan at a 5% concentration in the diet caused ulcers in the colon, although a similar concentration in the diets of rats and hamsters resulted in no difference from controls. (7) In pigs, concentrations of carrageenan between .05 and .5% administered for 83 days resulted in abnormalities in the intestinal lining, but no ulcerations or tumors. (8) Still, a more recent rat study found no ulcerations or lesions in the colon after 90 days of carrageenan administration. (9) These studies suggest that the effects of carrageenan are highly species-dependent, which makes it more difficult to extrapolate these results to humans.
There are a few other important considerations when determining how applicable these results are to humans. Many of these experiments administered the carrageenan through the animals’ drinking water as opposed to their food, which tends to increase the severity of the resulting symptoms. Because carrageenan interacts with protein molecules, consuming it as part of a solid food is much less harmful than consuming it in water. Also, although many of the concentrations administered are comparable to concentrations found in processed foods, many experiments were conducted at concentrations much higher than humans would ever encounter on a normal diet. Remember, these studies are looking at carrageenan as a percentage of the entire diet, not just less than 1% of a small portion of the total diet, as is the case when using milk replacement products.
Human studies
Experimental evidence on the effects of carrageenan in humans is extremely limited, for obvious ethical reasons. However, a few in vitro experiments have been conducted on isolated human intestinal cells.
One study found that in intestinal epithelial tissue, carrageenan exposure increased the expression of two pro-inflammatory transcription factors. (10) This reaction appears to be protective of the intestinal tight junctions, because suppression of either of the inflammatory factors resulted in increased permeability of the isolated epithelial tissue. Unfortunately, it’s unclear whether they used food-grade carrageenan rather than poligeenan in this experiment.
Two similar studies that did use food-grade carrageenan also found that isolated intestinal epithelial tissue responded to carrageenan by up regulating inflammation. (11, 12) Another study on human intestinal epithelium found that undegraded carrageenan reduced the activity of many sulfatase enzymes, with potential negative ramifications for the function and vitality of the cell. (13)
Finally, another study found that exposing human intestinal epithelial cells to undegraded carrageenan in concentrations lower than what would be found in a typical diet caused increased cell death, reduced cell proliferation, and cell cycle arrest. (14)
These studies provide some support for the generalization of the animal studies to humans, implicating carrageenan in the potential for intestinal inflammation. However, it’s important to remember that not only were these studies in vitro (aka not in the human body), they also didn’t administer the carrageenan with any food, so the effects observed may differ significantly from what actually occurs when humans ingest carrageenan in a real-world setting.
Exposure to poligeenan
Because poligeenan can be produced from carrageenan, many researchers and laypeople have expressed concern that we might be exposed to poligeenan through contamination of the food supply. However, the most recent sources indicate that the poligeenan contamination level of food-grade carrageenan is less than 5%. (15)
Another encouraging data point in this situation is that while carrageenan is an extremely effective thickener and emulsifier at concentrations as low as .01%, poligeenan has no functional effect in food even at concentrations up to 10%. (16) Specific chemical processing is necessary for carrageenan to be degraded to poligeenan, and because poligeenan is of no use in the food industry, it seems unlikely that poligeenan would show up in appreciable quantities in processed foods.
Another concern is whether small percentages of ingested carrageenan are degraded to poligeenan in the digestive tract after consumption, either because of the acidic environment or because of intestinal bacteria. Some experimental evidence indicates that as much as 10-20% of carrageenan could be degraded to poligeenan during digestion, while other researchers (not surprisingly funded by the carrageenan industry) assert that carrageenan is stable throughout digestion. (17, 18) Regardless, the significant differences between poligeenan and carrageenan as evidenced by the reactions of lab animals make it pretty clear that even if some degradation does take place, carrageenan still doesn’t have the potential for harm that poligeenan does.
Conclusion
As with magnesium stearate and soy lecithin, carrageenan has been frequently portrayed as significantly more harmful than is supported by available evidence. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not a known carcinogen, and although some studies implicate carrageenan in ulceration and inflammation, some show no adverse effects.
However, I do still think caution is warranted. If I had to rank additives, I’d say carrageenan is a bit more concerning than the other two additives we’ve discussed so far because of its association with gut issues. Remember, in cases involving modern ingredients, the burden of proof should be on manufacturers to prove that they’re safe, rather than on consumers to prove that they’re harmful. Because the evidence isn’t conclusive either way, I recommend avoiding carrageenan, especially if you have a history of digestive problems.
Personally, I adhere to the “precautionary principle” for anything I eat; in other words, in the absence of proven safety, I choose to avoid foods that have questionable adverse effects. Carrageenan fits this description, as there’s still some doubt about its safety and no evidence has convinced me that there isn’t a potential for harm if consumed regularly.
Occasional exposure is likely nothing to worry about, but for most people reading this, avoiding carrageenan is probably as simple as making your own nut milk or coconut milk, so I would encourage you to give that a shot. Also, if you follow the links to those two posts, some commenters have shared brands of almond and coconut milk that don’t contain carrageenan (although watch out for other additives that may be present).
If anyone has any other brand recommendations or favorite non-dairy milk recipes, feel free to share in the comments!
Readers: The sick thing is, there is so much in our foods that is harmful to us. I agree, the burden of proof should be on manufacturers to prove that they’re safe, rather than on consumers to prove that they’re harmful. But we all know that there are people, certain people (do I need to say?), who allow these cancerous chemicals into our food.
People will die years from now and just think that they just got cancer. Little will they know that it was from something that was toxic in their food that gave it to them.
Helen: Ain’t that the truth. Someone here said a long time ago that white women will go kicking and screaming to their freedom. Unfortunately they are still right.
Ingrid: The repubs are not big supporters of women to begin with. But now since a black man, who is a huge supporter of women, is the president, they will do whatever it takes to make him look bad and/or fail, at the expense of our country. If the repubs are willing to do whatever to take down our country to ensure that Obama fails, bringing women down along the way, are at best collateral damage. I cannot stress enough the importance of the November elections.
George: Yeah…I guess it’s a myth too that most white men have small dicks.
Anonymous aka Clair: Your comment to Cooper #8 was well stated. It’s Obvious Cooper is like many men who don’t value the work women do outside of their paying jobs. And it is so easy to make up excuses and lies, and invalidate the discrimination when he isn’t, and men aren’t, the ones that are being discriminated against. Wouldn’t it be nice if more men stepped into working women’s shoes and stepped up in support?
Social Butterfly: Thanks for the update. Did we expect anything less from the repubs? Sick. Again, I cannot stress enough the importance of the November elections so we can VOTE THEM OUT.
Peace out.
BLOG UPDATE:
The blog url address, has changed from .com to .net. The new address is blog.michellemoquin.net. So, although there is a redirect from blog.michellemoquin.com to blog.michellemoquin.net, please take note and change your bookmarks bar to go directly to blog.michellemoquin.net. Thank you.
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
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April 10th, 2014 at 10:20 am
Michelle, as a white woman I have to agree with Helen. It seems it will take a demographic change with white women no longer holding the edge in voting to get rid of these misogynistic white men.
I just hope I live long enough to see OTW women hand them their hats.
It’s a shame that we white women can’t believe in ourselves enough to back each other.
April 10th, 2014 at 10:21 am
Great article, Michelle. I buy Hemp Bliss, which contains no carrageenan and tastes fine (although I never drink it on its own). It comes in sweetened and flavored varieties, but I buy the plain one.
April 10th, 2014 at 10:21 am
Russel Blaylock identifies it as a excitotoxin like MSG. http://www.amazon.com/Excitotoxins-The-Taste-That-Kills/dp/0929173252
April 10th, 2014 at 10:22 am
I am allergic to Carageenan and also to MSG. I have been told that it is very common for those people who react to MSG to have a similar reaction to Carageenan. I have not specifically noticed any digestive issues with Carageenan, but I do a wonderful boiled lobsters impersonation!! My skin gets swollen red and itchy particularly in my face!!
April 10th, 2014 at 10:22 am
I can attest to the fact that carrageenan is a dangerous excitotoxin for some of us who are also sensitive to MSG and all forms of free glutamic acid. This would include the protein isolates that are the foundation of all the common protein supplements.
I have sustained permanent nervous system injury as a result of ingesting these substances in medical grade supplements as well as accidental ingestion in prepared food, before I became aware of the source of my reactions.
One of the supplements I reacted to was in fact composed exclusively of carrageenan and certain essential amino acids, and no other ingredients.
April 10th, 2014 at 10:23 am
Silk unsweetened Almond Milk as well as TJ’s brand of unsweetened almond milk do not have carrageenan…
April 10th, 2014 at 10:23 am
Donna,#2, Hemp Bliss is loaded with omega 6 though
April 10th, 2014 at 10:24 am
Bobbi#6;
Wholefoods brand Almond milk Unsweetened also is carrageenan free. I usually drink the Silk Unsweetened Almond milk when I buy my almond milk. It does contain Locust Bean Gum, Sunflower Lecithin and Gellan Gum. I know these can be troublesome for people with digestive issues but I’d be curious to learn more about these ingredients as well.
April 10th, 2014 at 10:24 am
I just dumped a carton of TJs unsweetened soy milk because it does list carageenan.
April 10th, 2014 at 10:25 am
I drink almond milk and recently switched to the unsweetened original Silk Pure Almond. No carrageenan here.
April 10th, 2014 at 10:25 am
I have replaced carageenan-containing lunchmeat by Applegate with carageenan-free Organic Prairie lunchmeat. Seeing as very few people test well on an SIgA test, indicating widespread incidence of compromised gut, it seemed like a good way to go for the times when my family needs to grab something quick to eat.
April 10th, 2014 at 10:25 am
Califa brand almond milk contains no additives. The unsweetened plain variety contains only almonds and filtered water.
April 10th, 2014 at 10:26 am
Very important info everyone needs to know of including assisted care facilities
April 10th, 2014 at 10:27 am
For us dairy consumers, be on notice that many ice creams and gelatos contain carrageenan. My father was in the commercial dairy business and he hated it when carrageenan was added to ice cream. I don’t eat anything with this additive.
April 10th, 2014 at 10:27 am
I personally became ill from consuming plant-based milks (almond, hemp, coconut, etc.) with carrageenan. It took several months to make the connection to it and my recurring gastroenteritis.
Now even a small dose can cause an upset. I have made my own milks, but I find the pre-packaged kinds more convenient.
My daughter has allergies and it’s hard to find milk that meets our needs: dairy/soy/nut-free, organic, unsweetened, and carrageenan-free. Right now we’re trying quinoa milk.
April 10th, 2014 at 10:28 am
Most brands of heavy whipping cream also contain carrageenan, even most of the brands labeled “organic”. Among those organic heavy cream brands that DO NOT have it on their labels are Clover, Trader Joe’s, and Straus.
April 10th, 2014 at 10:28 am
I know that consuming carageenan causes me great amounts of intestinal distress at this pint. I had eliminated it during a Whole30, and upon reintroduction, it was very, very bad for me. So I no longer consume it whenever possible.
April 10th, 2014 at 10:28 am
We’ve found that Carageenan causes our daughter’s to flare up (Dyes definitely cause). She drank Silk with no Carageenan and the rash was mostly clear. Then they got worse than ever before…very frustrating and finally figured out that the only change was from Silk to Almond Breeze. Removed her from it and the intensity cleared up.
I’m convinced Carageenan is very inflammatory because the flare up occurs if she gets into certain ice creams or frozen yogurt containing Carageenan. Stuff is as bad as food dyes.
April 10th, 2014 at 10:29 am
I’m wondering about D-Alpha-Tocopherol (natural Vit E) Chris, any concerns with this? Or Calcium Carbonate?
April 10th, 2014 at 10:30 am
Megan#8, you may want to double check that. I occasionally buy Whole Foods unsweetened almond milk and it does indeed contain carageenan.
April 10th, 2014 at 10:32 am
Roby#12, I’m sorry, but that’s not true: http://www.califiafarms.com/products/unsweetened/
I only know this because I occasionally buy that brand. It tastes great but it’s definitely not additive free…
Contains Less Than 2% Of The Following: Vitamin/ Mineral Blend (Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin D2, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B2, Zinc), Gellan Gum, Carrageenan, Potassium Citrate, Sunflower Lecithin, Natural Flavors, Sea Salt.
April 10th, 2014 at 10:33 am
Ann#20,
The Whole Foods 365 ORGANIC unsweetened almondmilk does not contain carageenan. I just purchased a container this weekend and double-checked the ingredients. Perhaps the regular one does, but the organic variety does not and it’s really not any more expensive.
April 10th, 2014 at 10:34 am
Ann#20, that’s funny, I too buy the Whole Foods Organic 365 unsweetened Almond Milk and it does not contain carageenan which is why I buy it along with Silk.
April 10th, 2014 at 10:35 am
Christina#22;
My organic 365 unsweetened almond milk doesn’t have it. Could we all maybe be talking about shelf variety vs. refrigerated? I get the refrigerated and it does not have carrageenan.
I am headed to wf in a bit so I will check the shelf version. BUT, HAS ANYONE noticed that since they took it off the shelf for a bit last summer and then reintroduced it a few months later, it separates strangely in coffee? More like the brands in Europe do. Complete bummer.
I emailed them about it and it seemed to get better and then the batch I bought a couple of weeks ago started to separate out again! So something is different b/c my coffee and all other potential variables are unchanged
April 10th, 2014 at 10:36 am
Christina#22, I believe some of those other brands that do not contain carageenan contain tri-calcium phosphate, and that seems to be a problem for me….
Same thing for the almond milks without added sugar; they either contain rice milk (which doesn’t work for me).
April 10th, 2014 at 10:37 am
Laura#21, you are so right. They separate the top lines from the bottom lines, so you stop reading and don’t notice the other additives.
For me, I think the synthetic folic acid and vitamin D2 in all these nut milks is more concerning than the carrageenan. Very few nut milks are not fortified, and those that are have carrageenan.
April 10th, 2014 at 10:38 am
Laura#22, Where do you buy Califa brand? Never seen it..
April 10th, 2014 at 10:39 am
Wry#15, your problem may be oxalates in the nut milks. http://alwayswellwithin.com/2010/04/27/high-oxalate-foods-can-trigger-pain-and-inflammation/
April 10th, 2014 at 10:41 am
Wry#15, If you have GI issues, then quinoa will probably give you trouble too.
April 10th, 2014 at 10:42 am
Terry#16, Organic Valley has a version of it’s heavy cream that is free of any thickeners. It is pasturised, not ultrapasturised, so it’s shelf life is shorter (take it home on ice in a cooler), but both the taste and the mouthfeel are infinitely better than the tarted-up stuff.
You might have to befriend your grocer and keep asking to get it.
April 10th, 2014 at 10:42 am
Terry#16, if you can get your hands on organic RAW cream, you’ll fall in love.
April 10th, 2014 at 10:43 am
Megan#26, This totally happened to me ! I got it for my daughter And only read water and almonds. It’s kind of a sleazy ploy they’ve got going on!
April 10th, 2014 at 10:44 am
I just discovered that the Pasteurized heavy cream from Trader Joe’s in the plastic container DOES have carageenan!
I don’t know if the one in the carton has it or not, but it is ultra-pasteurized and from what I have read, Ultra-pasteurized dairy products contain free glutamates. I am very disappointed and am sending a comment to Trader Joe’s about this.
April 10th, 2014 at 10:47 am
Michelle, when your blog works, it rocks with useful information.
I love Social Butterfly and Zen Lill. My boyfriend used to call it a woman’s male bashing heaven. Now he calls me all the time about what’s on it.
He thinks Howie is the BOMB!
April 10th, 2014 at 10:48 am
Carraig is the Irish word for rock. Carraigin is another irish word meaning small rock. Usually you find this seaweed growing on the small rocks along the west coast of Ireland.
We gather it and harvest it late summer when the tide is out. We dry it in the sun and add it to milk mostly to make a jelly like dessert. Carraigin is an Irish Seaweed, red in color. I think Carrageenan might be related.
April 10th, 2014 at 10:48 am
I think Irish moss is what Chris is referring to when he says that “carrageenan-containing seaweeds have been used for centuries in food preparations for their gelling properties.” From what I understand, carrageenan used to be derived solely from Irish moss, but is now extracted from many different types of seaweed.
I think this is probably one of those circumstances where the whole food is harmless or even beneficial, but the isolated, processed extract (carrageenan) can be harmful.
April 10th, 2014 at 10:49 am
Whole Foods Private Label Brand (365) Organic Almond milk does not have Carageenan. It has a few other items.
Organic almondmilk (filtered water, organic almonds), tricalcium phosphate, sea salt, xanthan gum, potassium citrate, sunflower lecithin, vitamin a palmitate, ergocalciferol (vitamin d2), dl-alpha tocopherol acetate (vitamin e).
April 10th, 2014 at 10:50 am
Great article, Michelle. It took me a long time to figure out that the carageenan was causing me severe gastro distress. Some weeks I would feel great; other weeks, very sick. I read an article about carageenan and realized that Blue Diamond almond milk has it and Silk almond milk does not. Once I committed to Silk, I’ve felt great.
Carageenan can be in so many products. I bought a rotisserie chicken from Costco and discovered once I got home (and put my reading glasses on) that it was one of the listed ingredients. Now, I read every label very carefully.
April 10th, 2014 at 2:15 pm
Karen, hate to break this to you also, rotisserie chickens aren’t for your convenience they are done because the chickens are about to turn so they cook em’ up and sell them, sorry, I know that’s a game changer for some of you, I hated hearing it, too…if that’s any consolation.
Luv, Zen Lill
April 10th, 2014 at 7:12 pm
Zen lill, that was a TMO. I buy those rotisserie chickens for me and my whole family. Damn, there’s nothing trustworthy now days.
April 10th, 2014 at 7:16 pm
Can anyone give an opinion on how carageenan in a daily supplement (the capsule) might rank in comparison to daily food intake via milk sub? Would the intake be considerably small, if just used to create the gelcap….or would it be concern because it’s not with food, and it’s daily.
My “gut” is to avoid it in supplements, but trying to tease out the grey-zone of if it’s just a little concern or a big one. THANK YOU!
April 10th, 2014 at 7:16 pm
Try Aroy-D brand coconut milk. I buy it from amazon and it is 100% pure and comes in a BPA free package. It is delicious!
April 10th, 2014 at 7:17 pm
I like Aroy-D as a brand for coconut milk. No additives or preservatives listed on the ingredients label, just coconut and water. An internet search for hidden ingredients did not turn up anything.
April 10th, 2014 at 7:18 pm
Is this carrageenan the same as carraigin (irish)? I am from Galway, west of Ireland. We harvest and eat this seaweed for health benefits. Usually late summer when the tide is out.
We gather it from the rocks (carraig) and dry it in the sun. We add it to milk and make a jelly dessert out of it or warm milk drink.
It is used to prevent the cold, flu. I never have known anyone who takes it at home to complain about stomach issues as it is generally taken to prevent illness!
April 10th, 2014 at 7:18 pm
This is one of the reasons why I have switched to real food. I now drink raw grass fed milk. I was a vegetarian for 18 years, then I noticed how many scary things are in vegetarian renditions of real foods.
Scared me right into eating real food and nothing but….when I can help it. At restaurants you can rest assured you are not eating additive free “food”.
This is how I ended up following Weston A. Price and Paleo, in my own personalized way.
April 10th, 2014 at 7:19 pm
Michelle, thank you for this information. I have only been following Paleo lifestyle since August. Did switch to drinking Almond milk – and have just checked the label of brand I consume, and yes its got carrageenan.
I’m lucky enough to have access to raw cows milk, so think I’m better off sticking with this. Interestingly my 3 kids have all grown up on raw milk and in the scheme of things are very rarely sick compared to other people in our community or network of friends.
April 10th, 2014 at 7:19 pm
I used to buy Silk brand of almond milk until I found out that non-organic almonds contain many toxic pesticides and herbicides that are injected directly to almond trees.
I also didn’t like the fact that synthetic vitamins were added to commercial nondairy milk products. So now I make my own almond milk from organic almonds. I have learned that making almond milk takes less than 5 minutes and is so easy!
April 10th, 2014 at 7:22 pm
I drink beer. So you pussies need to get some real drinks into your asses.
April 10th, 2014 at 7:23 pm
Jen, I also like Aroy-D. i get it @ a local asian market. (also cheaper) most Thai brands do not have other stuff (emulsifier? thickeners?) so one has to shake it well.
I don’t know why American brands add so much other stuff to coconut milk.
Maybe the makers think Americans are too lazy to “shake” it. XD
April 10th, 2014 at 7:24 pm
Antoinette#44, natural “red marine algae” is supposed to have anti-viral properties, but carrageenan in a processed “isolate” form is the kind that has dangerous properties for some of us and is of questionable safety perhaps for others.
April 10th, 2014 at 7:25 pm
Hi Carrie#45, we’ve followed similar paths. I was ‘soyatarian’ ( dairy free vegetarian for even longer than you ). I realise now that all those canned and packaged nut / seed / soy milks are highly processed foods.
They certainly weren’t consumed by Paleolithic humans. I don’t have to worry about what additives may be in my raw milk. (The dairy-free diet was disastrous for my bones. I suggest that anyone who has followed such diets for long get a DEXA scan.
You may save yourself from the spontaneous fractures that I suffered. I’ve turned the bone loss around with the raw dairy).
April 10th, 2014 at 7:26 pm
Chikako, oh my gosh. I eat organic everything and just realized that I have been buying almonds that are not organic from WF because they are sliced or slivered already. wow.
Could you refer me to some of the studies you have read about almond trees being injected? scary. Many Thanks!
April 10th, 2014 at 7:27 pm
I’m sitting here staring at the back of a can of Aroy-D coconut milk (smooth-sided can), and it says the ingredients are coconut extract and water.
The smooth-sided cans are also the ones that harden completely (or very nearly so) when refrigerated overnight.
The ridged cans of this coconut milk do not harden, but the ingredients listed are the same. Maybe the ridges have something to do with the milk staying more fluid?
I have no idea–I just hate it when I need whipped cream or frosting material, and end up with a refrigerated can of soggy milk!
As far as carageenan goes, the organic industry (before Big Food bought into it) was all up in arms about Big Food buying in and immediately wanting to get ingredients like carageenan certified as organic, so they could pretty much sell the same foods as before, only with a new “organic” label.
I remember Horizon Farms threw the biggest fit, and to this day, has not sold out to Big Food.
At last count, there were only 5 honest-to-goodness organic farms/food companies left out there. All the rest are subsidiaries of some big food corp. or other.
You had to know things would end up downhill when Ben & Jerry’s sold out to Unilever so long ago–that started the ball rolling.
April 10th, 2014 at 7:28 pm
We make our own hemp milk from 1/2 cup organic hemp seeds, 2-3 cups water and a pinch of salt. I find it easier than some nut milks since it doesn’t need to be soaked.
April 10th, 2014 at 7:29 pm
Thanks for all the info. One thing I wanted to point out is that carageenan is very common in canned pet foods.
Canned foods (especially for carnivorous cats) are now thought to be better than highly processed dry foods for pets because of the higher content of animal protein and fat and because of the moisture content, but then many of these canned food contain carageenan which is a concern if the animal is eating it everyday.
The ultimate diet for pets would be some sort of balanced, home-prepared, species-appropriate diet – either raw or slightly cooked – using non-factory farmed animals.
But of course we can’t all do that all the time. So be aware of this ingredient in canned pet foods. There are increasing numbers of GI disorders in cats (and probably dogs too) these days.
Could be related to GMOs, but eating carageenan everyday is also a concern.
April 10th, 2014 at 7:30 pm
It’s also worth pointing out for those who consume some diary, that many brands of heavy cream contain carrageenan, including Organic Valley’s pasture-raised cream.
April 10th, 2014 at 7:31 pm
Dear Wendy – the harsh realities of “Big Food” had reached Horizon many years ago when they were purchased by Dean Foods , the largest dairy company in the world!
April 10th, 2014 at 7:31 pm
Organic Vally’s ULTRApasturised cream does contain carrageenen – the simply pasturised version does not – unless they are lying through their collective toothies on the carton I’m looking at right now.
April 10th, 2014 at 7:32 pm
Non-organic almonds use a ton of pesticides so those of you who are consuming commercial made almond milk regularly, beware.
It’s impossible to find a product that is organic and contains no carrageenan or any of the vitamin additives or sugar.
I am either making my own or purchasing a local brand found only in my local stores. It is very expensive!
April 10th, 2014 at 7:33 pm
“Experimental evidence on the effects of carrageenan in humans is extremely limited, for obvious ethical reasons. However, a few in vitro experiments have been conducted on isolated human intestinal cells.”
Does this mean it’s unethical to research this substance on people but it’s okay to feed it to them?
April 10th, 2014 at 7:34 pm
Pam#60, How do I LOVE your comment???? <3<3<3<3
April 10th, 2014 at 7:34 pm
Ditto, Katie.
April 10th, 2014 at 7:35 pm
I have a question about the purity of carrageenan. Some years ago a company went out of business over the discovery of animal gelatin in its “carrageenan” product.
Apparently the company was not informed by its SUPPLIER of carrageenan that approximately 6.5% of its “carrageenan” was animal gelatin.
Is it fair to ask a supplier of soy milk, for example, it it can CERTIFY that its carrageenan is ZERO-animal gelatin, in view of the disease-carrying properties of animal foods?
April 10th, 2014 at 7:37 pm
Just got in from a hard day at work. WOW, this blog is off to a roaring start. I am a complete devotee to organic shopping.
Found this online shopping guide for organic foods with and without carrageenan.
http://www.cornucopia.org/shopping-guide-to-avoiding-organic-foods-with-carrageenan/
So much information! Always good to check the other additives, but this is a good starting point.
April 10th, 2014 at 7:39 pm
Wow!!! Thanks for this topic. I never new anything about carageenan. Now I’m checking everything I eat. I noticed it on the list of ingredients in my “natural” toothpaste as well.
April 10th, 2014 at 7:40 pm
Oh god don’t know what to eat these days. EVERYTHING has msg, carrageenan or parabens (cosmetics).
April 10th, 2014 at 7:40 pm
I just discovered that Lily of the Desert aloe vera gel has carrageenan in it. Total bummer. At least the aloe vera juice doesn’t contain it.
April 10th, 2014 at 7:41 pm
Michelle, thanks for finding this for a well organized article. The part that gets me is when it states that “undegraded carrageenan has only ever been shown to accelerate cancer formation when administered with a known carcinogen.”
You’d think that with the increase in cancer rates this would be of concern to regulators and producers of the food industry.
If anything, for anyone interested in a preventive lifestyle reducing or eliminating carrageenan would be a good idea, no?
April 10th, 2014 at 7:42 pm
Yikes! This is scaring me. I’ve already had my large intestine removed due to Crohnes Disease which means I have to wear an ileostomy bag.
I have a difficult time absorbing foods and thought I was helping myself by drinking “Ensure” every day (I am lactose intolerant). Now I find out it has Carrageenan in it.
Also can’t absorb supplement capsules (go right into the bag), so have been using the gel kind, which also has Carrageenan. Now I’m worried I’ll lose my small intestine or my stomache.
I wake up every day in extreme pain. If it’s the additive that’s causing it, I just don’t know what I’ll do!
April 10th, 2014 at 7:43 pm
Here is a helpful link!
http://www.cornucopia.org/shopping-guide-to-avoiding-organic-foods-with-carrageenan/
April 10th, 2014 at 7:46 pm
There have been more studies that show degradation does indeed happen in the GI tract. I know for sure that my body degrades carrageenan to poligeenan during digestion. I react to it as if it’s a carcinogen.
It’s found in deli meat, toothpaste, and even fresh chicken! I have trouble finding a dairy-, nut-, and soy-free milk alternative that doesn’t have carrageenan. I myself drink Silk Almond Milk, but my sons can’t have tree nuts.
April 10th, 2014 at 7:46 pm
i have recently did away with Diet Rock Stars and Diet Mt Dew. i would make a almond ice coffee mixed in a protein shake. now i found out the almond milk is bad. what is another alternative? i leave for work at 2am and dont have the time for a long process
April 10th, 2014 at 7:47 pm
According to study posted by the Cornucopia Institute, degraded carrageenan, poligeenan, has been found to contaminate food grade carrageenan in 12 different food samples.
“Researchers concerned with the effects of carrageenan in the diet have also used undegraded, food-grade carrageenan to investigate potentially harmful effects.
When the carrageenan manufacturers’ trade group tested 12 samples of food-grade carrageenan, it found every sample was considered contaminated with degraded carrageenan (classified as a “possible human carcinogen”) by at least one of the testing laboratories.” http://www.cornucopia.org/2014/01/carrageenan-natural/
So seeing carrageenan on the label is no guarantee that it is the safe food grade form. We need stricter standards that verify labeling claims.
April 10th, 2014 at 7:48 pm
It’s hard to wrap my head around when I always thought algae and seaweed are or were so good for you?
April 10th, 2014 at 7:49 pm
Some people, like myself, are sensitive to carageenan in foods. I can no longer drink soy milk or chocolate milk that contains it, as when I do I get severe stomach cramps.
But trying to avoid it is becoming impossible! It’s in nearly every brand of ice cream, yogurt, soy milk, and anything that isn’t just plain milk. I am getting very limited in what I can consume dairy-wise these days.
Can’t we get the industry to start using something else to thicken these products that doesn’t make people sick?
April 10th, 2014 at 7:49 pm
Califia is not organic and their ingredient list is misleading since they do use additives as mentioned below. I want truly pure, so make own, fast and easy, in a Vitamix and milk bag using organic raw almonds and purified water 1:3.
Good for 3 days, but so delish it’s long gone before then! Make as rich or lean as desired and customize your flavorings, if any.
For soy milk, we blind-taste-tested 6 organic unsweetened brands and all felt Silk Organic was superior, had the least additives and no carrageenan.
April 10th, 2014 at 7:50 pm
ok…it’s not a nut milk, but Whole Foods has a brand called Rice Dream that does not contain any carrageenan. Tastes good and is an alternative to nut milks if you cannot make them yourself.
April 10th, 2014 at 7:50 pm
Walmart Great Value has a vanilla bean and one other vanilla ice cream with no carrageenan.
April 10th, 2014 at 7:52 pm
Excellent article, Michelle! I’m currently in limbo on this. I use the free half/half at starbucks (I pay enough for the java!), but now considering bringing my own.
Zen lill, I know you like your Star Bucks coffee, I recenty saw them refilling the half/half and got a couple of pics, sure enough–carrageenan. Thanks for the info.
April 10th, 2014 at 7:55 pm
Thank you, Michelle for posting this article. I started looking into this ingredient because a more natural deodorant I was looking at contained carrageenan.
While it’s being applied to skin, its absorption is likely less than when it’s ingested, though obviously it could be absorbed through the skin (I don’t know its properties well enough to say it is or it isn’t).
I was hoping you might be able to find something that would elaborate on its use in body products. I am inclined to think that this is much less concerning that using deodorants with Aluminum in them, but I’m having difficulty finding information on it being used in this fashion from a reliable source.
Skin Deep does list it middle of the road, but also seems to indicate inconclusive evidence. I wonder if that rating is merely based on its effects when used in food and also whether it’s the same formulation as the one that’s used in food (meaning, I read that there’s a degraded and I believe an undegraded form that have different weights and I wonder which form they use in body products).
Thanks in advance, Michelle.
April 10th, 2014 at 7:56 pm
I love chocolate milk, but had to stop drinking it when they added carrageenan and I started getting sick from it. Recently when at the store I started reading the labels of everything in the dairy department.
I finally found Silk dark chocolate almond milk, the only chocolate thing I could find (other than the completely artificial Yoohoo chocolate drink) without carrageenan in it.
It tastes ok, I can drink it as a substitute for chocolate milk, but it’s not as good. On the plus side, it also doesn’t contain corn syrup, but has real cane sugar in it.
April 10th, 2014 at 7:56 pm
I was wondering if anyone has tried adding arrowroot flour or tapioca flour to homemade almond or coconut milk in order to thicken it up a bit? If so, does the milk stay mixed or does it separate quickly?
April 10th, 2014 at 7:57 pm
I have read that seaweed birds nest also known as Eucheuma Cottonii is farmed for it production of carrageenan .
However this seaweed is sold as a health food claiming its richness in plant based collagen. Does anyone know whether consuming the unprocessed seaweed itself has any of the potentials and side effects of carrageenan or poligeenan? Thanks
April 10th, 2014 at 7:57 pm
Making Almond milk is SO easy.
1,)Purchase Raw Organic Spanish Almonds (these have not been pasturized)
2.)Soak 2 cups of almonds in good quality water for 6-8 hrs making sure you have them covered with a good amount of water. (I put mine in a wide mouth mason jar and cover them with what looks like an extra cup of water)
3.)Put them in a strainer and rinse well.
4.) Put your strained rinsed almond in the blender with 2 quarts of good quality water and blend until the almonds are broken pretty fine. (at this point the liquid is white and your blender quiets a bit. Aprox. 1-2 min.)
5.) Pour into a nut milk bag or cheese cloth over a bowl or large jar.
6.) Let the liquid run through and then squeeze the rest of the liquid out of the pulp.
That’s it!! You have delicious organic homemade almond milk! Now you can dehydrate your almond pulp for recipes using almond flour or you can eat the pulp with the milk and add other nuts and dried fruit for a cereal. Mmmm!
April 10th, 2014 at 7:59 pm
Does anyone have any idea as to how much carrageenan is given to the animals when they are doing the testing. I have read about products that were deemed dangerous and later found out the animals tested were actually given the equivalent of more than a swimming pool of product.
Since I have ulcerative colitus, am now living with the dreaded “bag” and drinking at least one Ensure a day, I am, of course, very concerned…don’t want to lose any more body parts.
April 10th, 2014 at 7:59 pm
I don’t care how much the animals are getting, all it takes is the amount in ONE ice cream sandwich too send me to bed with painful stomach cramps.
If it can do that, it can’t be too good. I am sensitive to it now, but wasn’t always. I drank Silk vanilla soy milk for 2 years before it started bothering me and I figured out what it was.
If I’d known then what I know now I’d have never started drinking it. Avoid it!
April 10th, 2014 at 8:00 pm
I’ve had no issues since eliminating all carrageenan from my diet. I would urge anyone with similar problems to write or call their regional FDA contact.
Mine told me that “one report probably won’t make a difference,” so let’s make our voices heard…
April 10th, 2014 at 8:02 pm
Michelle, Thanks for the great blog and the opportunity to comment. The American palate has been trained to accept solidified and thickened food over many decades and reject those with a thin and watery.
Gelatin and carrageenan became the main food additives to satisfy this desired textured product. Carageenan passes for a vegetarian product while gelatin does not.
Rebellion against food additives such as thickeners will result in the need to change our food preferences. I am sure most of us will adjust and be better off with more pure and genuine foods.
Ice cream made with high quality heavy cream tastes so much better than additive thickened milk.
April 10th, 2014 at 8:02 pm
I give up….. sigh..
April 10th, 2014 at 8:06 pm
try root for thickeners. great for bone health too. may find in asian stores. these things grow wild so no need tolace with anything
April 10th, 2014 at 8:06 pm
arrow root is an underground tap much like carrots but white. Grate, squeeze out liquid part. discard sediment.. allow liquid to settle.decant. you find a starchy substance.This can go through several rinsings, use filtered trustworthy water, we must make time for our health.
April 10th, 2014 at 8:09 pm
I am amazed at the number of processed products and faux food people indicate they eat on this thread, e.g. Silk Almond Milk, Ensure, especially Soy Milk, etc. All these products are not food, and it seems the majority don’t recognize basic fundamentals viv-a-vis trying to obtain unadulterated, quality foods.
The salient theme is – avoid crap (carrageenan) is crap. I suggest avoid the crap that contains the crap. Your thyroid will thank you by eliminating the soy and other anti-nutrients from the crappy junk faux food products practically everyone here seems to drink. Wake up ladies!
Further, gelatin (cooked collagen) is comprised of the anti-inflammatory amino acids (35% of the amino acids in gelatin are glycine, 11% alanine, and 21% proline and hydroxyproline – Ray Peat).
Duh, gelatin doesn’t pass for a vegetable product – it’s the cartilage in an animal. People used to eat the whole animal – most don’t. If you don;t know this is a problem – then you fail to understand one of the value that animals provide for humans nutritionally.
Before reacting – realize anti-nutrients exist in plant sources. It’s not wise to go down the road of bashing animals as food or the problems with vegetables. But wiser to realize the problems AND the benefits with foods from each.
But fer Chrissakes people – realize the many crap foods discussed on this thread are NOT food at all. You’re drinking processed crap – minus carrageenan.
April 10th, 2014 at 8:11 pm
After spending much time doing the research on carrageenan that is presently provided, and seeing everyone’s reaction to that information, I still come to the came conclusion. Our scientific based data has been flawed for years.
They are taking the natural foods and adulterating them to add to our food supplies. I come from an era that this was never a concern because everyone used basic food groups and not combining all and everything to make the palate believe your eating something else.
Allergies, immune diseases, cancer, heart issues, and diabetes, have all grown exponentially because someone has told us what to eat and what is good and not good. Why is everyone trusting someone else and not doing your own investigation work.
Since the 1970′s when the big people in charge starting to tell us that saturated fats were no good for us, I stopped trusting anything given to the public to change the buying market. The research data is available to anyone curious enough to look.
This carrageenan scare is only one of the small health issues staring at our future and the lives of us and our children. I am 66 years old and through the help of God have been shown the truth about many things that are plaguing the present generation.
April 11th, 2014 at 9:23 am
Dan, I do, and thanks for the heads up. I’m organic everywhere else and I’m trying to wean myself off ‘buck’s and hit mom n pop coffee shops bc the atmosphere is more organic and hopefully so will the product they’re selling for my consumption. – ZL
April 16th, 2014 at 1:39 am
Orthomol Memory vitamins rather the helpful information