Carrageenan Safety, Side-Effects & How to Avoid It

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Carrageenan
Wellness Mama » Blog » Health » Carrageenan Safety, Side-Effects & How to Avoid It

If you’ve ever purchased store-bought almond or coconut milk, you may have noticed an ingredient called Carrageenan on the carton. This hard-to-pronounce little food additive is the reason I make my own homemade almond milk and homemade coconut milk, but it seems that there is a lot of confusion when it comes to this little known ingredient.

What is Carrageenan?

According to the Google:

Carrageenans or carrageenins are a family of linear sulfated polysaccharides that are extracted from red edible seaweeds. They are widely used in the food industry, for their gelling, thickening, and stabilizing properties.

Edible seaweeds, like kelp and Nori, right?

The Problem with Carrageenan

Not so much…

It is important to note that Carrageenan is not digestible and has no nutritional value. It is often used because it thickens and emulsifies products and it is often found even in organic and “natural” products.

It may seem that a simple product derived from seaweed should be non-menacing, and I wish it were. This article explains some of the potential problems:

Although derived from a natural source, it appears to be particularly destructive to the digestive system, triggering an immune response similar to that your body has when invaded by pathogens like Salmonella. The result: “It predictably causes inflammation, which can lead to ulcerations and bleeding,” explains veteran researcher Joanne Tobacman, MD, associate professor of clinical medicine at the University of Illinois School of Medicine at Chicago. She says the food ingredient irritates by activating an immune response that dials up inflammation. Her previous work showed a concerning connection between carrageenan and gastrointestinal cancer in lab animals, and she’s involved with ongoing research funded through the National Institutes of Health that is investigating carrageenan’s effect on ulcerative colitis and other diseases like diabetes.

The concern over food-grade carrageenan isn’t new. Beginning in the 1960s, researchers started linking the ingredient to gastrointestinal disease in lab animals, including ulcerative colitis, intestinal lesions, and colon cancer.

Joanne K. Tobacman, M.D., associate professor of clinical medicine at the University of Illinois College of Medicine is one of the leading researchers in the field of digestive health sheds some interesting light on the topic:

Dr. Tobacman said that her research has shown that exposure causes inflammation and that when we consume processed foods containing it, we ingest enough to cause inflammation in our bodies. She explained that all forms of carrageenan are capable of causing inflammation. This is bad news. We know that chronic inflammation is a root cause of many serious diseases including heart disease, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, and cancer.

Dr. Tobacman also told the board that in the past, drug investigators actually used carrageenan to cause inflammation in tissues in order to test the anti-inflammatory properties of new drugs. And she reported further that when laboratory mice are exposed to low concentrations of carrageenan for 18 days, they develop “profound” glucose intolerance and impaired insulin action, both of which can lead to diabetes.

To make things slightly more complicated, there are two forms: degraded and undegraded carrageenan. Technically, undegraded is approved for use in food, while degraded is not.

Degraded carrageenan is also called poligeenan. Chris Kresser looked more closely at the research, and found that many of the animal studies are done using poligeenan and not undegraded carrageenan, which further muddies the water.

Kresser makes this important distinction:

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. In other words, food-grade carrageenan has not been shown to cause cancer in animal models. That doesn’t necessarily mean it is is in the clear when it comes to cancer, but contrary to popular belief, it is not a known carcinogen.

When we separate the research on poligeenan and undegraded carrageenan, we find that it is still linked to increased intestinal permeability (leaky gut), intestinal irritation, and colon ulcers. Limited human studies showed an increase in inflammation and cell arrest.

Where is Carrageenan Found?

When you start reading labels, you’ll be amazed at the number of products that contain carrageenan! Most infant formulas do, as well as most store-bought milk alternatives. Many creams, creamers and dairy products also contain carrageenan.

I recommend checking out this shopping guide for avoiding foods with Carrageenan.

Our solution is to find carrageenan free store-bought products, or save money by making our own. If you’ve been consuming store bought almond or coconut milk that contains this additive, consider using these recipes and making your own:

Almond Milk Recipe
Coconut Milk Recipe

The Bottom Line

It may not be as bad as some sources portray, but there is evidence that it can be harmful, especially if consumed regularly.

Many people report reacting negatively with symptoms like digestive troubles, skin rashes, and other health problems.

The research is shaky on if it is a carcinogen or not, but I’m yet to see any research touting its health benefits. Our family avoids it for this reason, especially as it is just used for thickening products and does not serve a nutritional purpose.

Additional Reading

Have you ever consumed a food with carrageenan? Did I miss any foods that contain it? Leave a comment below with foods you’ve found that contain it and that we should watch out for…

This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Scott Soerries, MD, Family Physician and Medical Director of SteadyMD. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.

Carrageenan is an additive often found in almond and coconut milk. The research is not conclusive but shows some link to intestinal and digestive problems.

Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

353 responses to “Carrageenan Safety, Side-Effects & How to Avoid It”

  1. Patti Scott Avatar
    Patti Scott

    I have been putting soy milk in my coffee for about a year and have been having stomach cramps, pain, nausea, and sometimes throwing up. I saw someone on t.v. mention something about this additive and looked for it on the ingredient list on the carton of my soy milk. I think this is what is causing my stomach problems. I am in a lot of pain right now, but after reading your article I will make sure I don’t buy anything with that ingredient and see if it gets better. Thank you so much for opening my eyes.

    1. Jill Avatar

      Some variety’s of Breyer’s do not contain carrageenan. DoTerra uses a vegetable capsules now and they do not contain carrageenan, but I noticed on that their soft gels do contain. I can’t win…. I too try to avoid it because I’ve had thyroid cancer and when I was going through treatments carrageenan was an ingredient I was told to avoid.

  2. jenn b Avatar

    LifeTime Cal/Mag

    ugh! so disappointed right now. my 4 yr old son has been taking this as per a trusted recommendation. I went to reorder it online and decided to read reviews. I noticed a comment about carrageenan and then realized it’s even in his supplement. he doesn’t love the taste but will take it for me. I’ve noticed such an improvement in his behavior that I’d hate to stop giving this to him.

    is there a good replacement option?

  3. Jane Augenstein Avatar
    Jane Augenstein

    In the past 5 months I have been having horrible intestinal upsets and found that carrageenan or any other seaweed is the problem. Within 10 minutes after eating it I am very sick, so I am very careful to read all labels before buying a product. I have also noticed it’s in my dogs canned food!!! Why, oh why, is it necessary to put bad things in our food? ( I also have a thyroid condition)

  4. shibarune Avatar
    shibarune

    So far Silk’s new cashew milk seems to be free of carrageenan although I’m not sure of its other ingredients.

  5. Nancy Avatar

    I ave been using the pacific almond milk, its a shelf milk I buyin bulk bit just read the ingrediants and its in there! Now I must find somethig else.., I like the shelf milk fo the fact I can stock up and not run out. Ill have to check Trader Joes for what ese they have… or go to whole foods but they are quite a bit more $$ so will have to see… altho my son doesnt like almond milk but i buy him organicand believe it or not the simpley nature organic milk at Aldi’s doles not contain it! WOOHOO!

  6. Aly Avatar

    I’m a little confused. Good info in the article. It’s talking about the damaging effects of INGESTING carrageenan, right? Is it worth being concerned about in topical agents like creams, facial scrubs or toothpastes, which you’re not swallowing (hopefully)?

  7. Nancy Avatar

    Katie, Wow, been using glucerna snack shake for a few weeks, it contains carrageenan, it’s for people with diabetes. I’m not diabetic, just trying to stabilize my blood sugar. Like, diabetics don’t have enough problems. I have had lots of allergies to certain foods and meds in past. One more thing to watch out for. Thanks for the warning. Sent it out to all my friends and relatives.

  8. ElaineR Avatar

    We have found that my son reacts to Carrageenan. We avoid it like the plague!!
    He wasn’t feeling well the other day and we went back and looked at what he was eating and it
    was in Reddi Wip!! We went to Whole Foods and i thought ok i will get the 365 brand-NOPE in there too!
    Something seriously needs to be done to get this removed from foods! This stuff is so bad for people! My son already can’t hardly eat anything because of having reactions to food, he is going to end up with nothing to eat if crap keeps getting added to our food supply!
    He is celiac, allergic to nuts & peppers and can’t eat corn, potatoes or carrageenan.

  9. Corine Avatar

    It is both amazing and depressing finding out how BAD food is! In the recent months me and my husband have educated ourselves on processed foods, gmo, Monsanto. We have switched almost fully over to organic foods. Here and there we buy other stuff but not near as much as before! I came across this article because I’m laying here getting ready for bed eating a PayDay candy bar. I was curious and looked at the label. Been meaning to look it up “carrageenan” anyways, and this came up. Wow, I swear the food industry has it out for us. And I can’t help but wonder if its population control. Pray for this world, it’s only going to get worse and harder to buy organic!

  10. autumn Avatar

    I also just recently have heard of this. From my integrative medicine doctor. They told me 2 brands in milk to get. One is Silk Almond Milk and the other… I cannot remember but it is coconut milk. These two specific brands do not have Carrageenan in it. But I also have a question… I have seen this in cosmetics or soaps too… Sliquid Naturals has it in one of their products. I was wondering if it is harmful if not ingested? You seemed to focus on just the digesting it, but would be harmful to the skin, our hair, and yes, our hoo-ha’s for a lubricant? Im not buying that one, but I just stumbled upon it.

  11. Carol Johnson Avatar
    Carol Johnson

    Lean Cuisine Frozen Dinner Ranchero Braised Beef has it. I noticed it in the ingredients and looked up what it meant. I will definitely read all my labels from now on.

  12. Judy Avatar

    I have noticed Trader Joe’s almond milk in the cold case does not have carrageenan in it!

  13. Kathy Avatar

    Oh my!! I bought ham the other day with what looked like normal preservatives in it. I’m eating the auto-immune paleo diet to break leaky gut and hashimotos. It’s the first instant food I’ve had in a while and thought the ingredients looked safe. The next day, I felt terrible with my thyroid extra low. I even started getting a slight rash on my arm. I decided to check up all the ingredients of the ham. The one was a stabilizer – E407. Looked it up and recognised the name carrageenan from your blog post. So glad I could finally find the evil culprit to my inflammatory response. This stuff is bad! Especially with someone who’s health is delicate.

  14. Cat Avatar

    I find it disturbing that testing on laboratory animals is so casually mentioned here. How is inflicting nasty digestive conditions on animals acceptable? Why must they suffer on our behalf? This really seems to conflict with the “natural” ethos of this site. And I speak as a fan of Wellness Mama.

    1. berry Avatar

      Sadly lab animals suffer no matter what, we have pet rats and get so angry every time we think about anything like that happening to our babies, and yet it happens all the time 🙁 the way this planet works is so messed up and cruel sometimes…. All the people seem to care about is money which is funny because technically money is a completely made up thing :/ …

  15. Suzanne Avatar
    Suzanne

    Not that these are even remotely healthy, but Trader Joe’s “This Strawberry Walks into a Bar” cereal bars, kind of similar to a NutriGrain bar, have Carrageenan in them.

    Re: Almond Milk, I’m sure it’s best to make your own, but for those interested, the refrigerated Silk brand unsweetened almond milk does not have carrageenan. Ingredients are – “Almondmilk (Filtered Water, Almonds), Sea Salt, Locust Bean Gum, Sunflower Lecithin, Gellan Gum, Natural Flavor”. I am not sure about those last 4 items on there, though.

    1. Carol Avatar

      “Natural Flavor” could mean just about anything, so I wouldn’t trust that ingredient at all.
      I have only found one source for organic sunflower lecithin, and that was made by using hexane which is a toxic product to extract it. I contacted the manufacturer to confirm this, so although it’s better than soy, I wouldn’t trust that ingredient, either…..
      Why can’t they just make almond milk with JUST almonds?!?!

      1. Sian Avatar

        Because it would go sour within 48 hours, even with refrigeration. At least, mine does and I simply blend homegrown organic almonds, soaked overnight, with filtered water.

    2. Allyson Turner Avatar
      Allyson Turner

      The lecithin is soy based unless otherwise specified and “natural flavor” is DEFINITELY msg. Don’t know about the other ingredients. Also, keep in mind that all almonds in this country are radiated. I don’t know why, but this came to my attention several years ago. I don’t eat almonds, so I don’t really care, but think others should know.

  16. Randee Avatar

    One of the items in the picture at the top of your page…the Stoneyfield YoKids…I buy all the time. Carageenan is NOT an ingredient. It contains pectin. Which I’m guessing is used similarly as a thickening agent. Case in point some of those products don’t even contain the ingredient you are writing about in the first place!

    1. Cathy Avatar

      Randee, Check out unblindmymind.org! It is a revelation! There you will find a list of over 50 ingredients that contain Free Glutamates ie: MSG!! Pectin is on the list and so is Gelatin Katie! It’s absolutely everywhere!! The only way to eat is fresh, organic, homemade UNPROCESSED food! Here’s to your good health and happiness!

      1. Allyson Turner Avatar
        Allyson Turner

        OMG! Please! not gelatin. Even Great Lakes? Kaite, how can we find this out?

      2. Danielle Avatar

        If you make your own homemade stock… it is going to have MSG’s… The only way to avoid it is to eat raw everything… although, this isn’t always the best choice either…

        Everything in moderation… balanced nutrients from a rainbow of colors,textures…etc.

  17. Codie Avatar

    I just wanted to tell you my story. My son has been in and out of the hospital, all over the US, and medical profile sent all over the world. No one could figure out what was wrong with his liver. I started to change his diet and talk to researchers. I pulled him off carrageenan and his liver swelling, fatty liver, elevated liver enzymes, bloating, and copper storage all started to heal. I have told everyone, doctors and friends alike, about this. I too went off of it and have stopped having headaches.

  18. Carol Avatar

    I was just wondering: is agar agar (also made from red seaweed) the same as carrageenan? I have tried to search it, but can only come up with sites that sell it and/or carrageenan or think carrageenan is great stuff.
    I have recipes that call for agar agar, and just need to know if it is safe, or does it have properties like carrageenan that make it harmful to consume.

      1. berry Avatar

        Oh please look into it, We are vegetarians so Gelatin is out for us, and I literally just experimented with Agar today to try and make my boyfriend a sugarless jellied cranberry sauce out of cranberry juice and a few other things for thanksgiving…

        1. Roxanne Avatar
          Roxanne

          No, Agar is made from a completely different seaweed. It is a great vegetarian alternative to gelatin, BUT be careful about how long after making a product with Agar you continue to eat it- Agar is used in petri dishes to grow bacteria cultures because it has no antimicrobial features at all and because it contains simple sugars that are easily and quickly digested by bacterias. While that’s fine if you’re just making something same-day, anything you store could break down /disintegrate or grow some nasty goo based on what is floating around in the air.
          There’s an interesting tidbit I read about where a guy, for fun and experiment, created an ‘edible/biodegradable’ cup (like a solo cup) from Agar. It worked finefine for it’s initial use, then for fun he let it sit and showed how it quickly disintegrated.

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