Carrageenan-free products
You may be avoiding dairy alternatives because many are thickened with carragenan, a thickener/stabilizer/emulsifier. The food additive has been linked to a number of diseases, including gastrointestinal inflammation, colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, lesions and cancer.
Dr. Andrew Weil on www.drweil.com lists carrageenan as a food additive to avoid by those with irritable bowel syndrome or other gastrointestinal disorders. He also cites a study, done in 2001 on animals, which linked carrageenan to ulcerations and cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.
I have put products made with carrageenan on my do-not-buy list for years because the food additive caused me digestive problems. However, I was pleasantly surprised on a recent shopping trip to discover Califia Farms almond milk, which is carrageenan-free.
Califia Farms removed carrageenan from its products a number of years ago. They replaced carrageenan with the natural thickener locust bean gum, which is extracted from seeds from the carob tree and gives creaminess to their drinks.
Califia Farms markets five flavors of almond milk which are non-GMO and use 100 percent recyclable packaging (BPA-Free PET bottles). Other brands of almond milk use roasted almonds while Califia uses blanched “raw” California almonds. This process seems to retain more of the fresh almond taste and natural nutrients.
I tried the almond milk and the toasted coconut almond milk, both unsweetened. I was delighted with both beverages, especially their creaminess and delicious flavor, despite being sugar-free. I loved both in my coffee. Some of the other flavors are vanilla, creamy original and seasonal holiday nog.
If you are avoiding carrageenan-thickened dairy alternatives, I would recommend you try the Califia products. Need more reasons to avoid carrageenan which can be found in both organic and processed foods including many non-dairy alternatives (almond milk, rice milk, soy milk, hemp milk), some dairy products (sour cream, yogurt, ice cream) and deli meats.
In 1972, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) compiled enough evidence from animal studies to limit the type of carrageenan that could be used in foods. However in 1979, the FDA decided to continue to allow the use of carrageenan and since then, has taken no action on its use in products.
Basically, your best control is knowing what goes into the foods you eat. Read labels, keep carrageenan-containing foods out of your shopping cart, do most of your own
Dr. Andrew Weil on www.drweil.com lists carrageenan as a food additive to avoid by those with irritable bowel syndrome or other gastrointestinal disorders. He also cites a study, done in 2001 on animals, which linked carrageenan to ulcerations and cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.
I have put products made with carrageenan on my do-not-buy list for years because the food additive caused me digestive problems. However, I was pleasantly surprised on a recent shopping trip to discover Califia Farms almond milk, which is carrageenan-free.
Califia Farms removed carrageenan from its products a number of years ago. They replaced carrageenan with the natural thickener locust bean gum, which is extracted from seeds from the carob tree and gives creaminess to their drinks.
Califia Farms markets five flavors of almond milk which are non-GMO and use 100 percent recyclable packaging (BPA-Free PET bottles). Other brands of almond milk use roasted almonds while Califia uses blanched “raw” California almonds. This process seems to retain more of the fresh almond taste and natural nutrients.
I tried the almond milk and the toasted coconut almond milk, both unsweetened. I was delighted with both beverages, especially their creaminess and delicious flavor, despite being sugar-free. I loved both in my coffee. Some of the other flavors are vanilla, creamy original and seasonal holiday nog.
If you are avoiding carrageenan-thickened dairy alternatives, I would recommend you try the Califia products. Need more reasons to avoid carrageenan which can be found in both organic and processed foods including many non-dairy alternatives (almond milk, rice milk, soy milk, hemp milk), some dairy products (sour cream, yogurt, ice cream) and deli meats.
In 1972, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) compiled enough evidence from animal studies to limit the type of carrageenan that could be used in foods. However in 1979, the FDA decided to continue to allow the use of carrageenan and since then, has taken no action on its use in products.
Basically, your best control is knowing what goes into the foods you eat. Read labels, keep carrageenan-containing foods out of your shopping cart, do most of your own
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