The Best Almond Milk Without Carrageenan

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August 25, 2015

The Best Almond Milk without carrageenan

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.

Benefits of Almond Milk

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. 

The Best Almond Milk Without Carrageenan

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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Comments ▼

I drink her in Vancouver, b.c. Canada almond milk brand So Nice Organic-it doesn’t show carrageenan in the ingredients, so I assume there isn’t any of that in it, or it would say right.

I live in Ontario, what are the brands that I could get that are carrageenan free. I have been drinking it by the gallon for a few years now. I never knew it contains this additive.

Hi Anita. Thanks for reading! Here’s a shopping guide with brands without carrageenan: http://www.cornucopia.org/shopping-guide-to-avoiding-organic-foods-with-carrageenan/

Hi Nicole. It’s so nice to meet you. I co-host the Fit Dish with the wonderful Jess. Carrageenan is one of those things that I know it exists and question it but I haven’t taken the time to research it more. I wonder if Silk has carrageenan in it?

Thanks for sharing the great info!

Thanks for sharing more info about this! I knew carrageenan was bad but I didn’t know exactly why. I always try to look for almond milk without it! I will need to remember that Whole Foods has a good one.

🙂 Glad I could help, Lisa. Whole Foods is the best, isn’t it?!

I’ve never heard of Carrageenan! Thank you so much for sharing this information, I think health is so important and I want to start eating better. You are very inspiring. 🙂

–Samantha

http://www.BesosFromAmerica.com

Thanks for reading, Samantha. Yes, carrageenan is a nasty additive!