Carageenan Update

Updated again! October 15, 2008

I have a meter that monitors visitors to my site. It is often a search done on Carageenan. So, I thought that I would add a few additions to this list. I hope that anyone reading this blog can leave with some information that helps them. I know that learning about carageenan has helped me! I had unexplained stomach issues for more than 11 years!

*Carageenan is actually spelled carrageenan---I have left it because I have at least 2-4 people a day do a search with this spelling.

*I have discovered that Haagen Das ice cream does NOT have carrageenan in it! Yeah!

*Ben and Jerry's ice cream DOES have it in it!

* I have discovered another sugar alchohol that makes me sick. Ethanol---as in corn alchohol! I found it in some(not all) of Fiber One granola bars. If you have a problem with carageenan you may also be sensitive to sorbitol, maltitol, ethanol.

-Another installment in my stomach issues!

I wrote earlier about Carageenan, here is the latest!

Carageenan is found in many, many products. I have been doing a little research about carageenan and it is quite disheartening. It has links to ulcerative colitus, colon cancer and many stomach issues.

I have found a few other products that have carageenan in them. Sour cream---not all sour cream--I found this out because the tub I bought didn't have it so I thought sour cream was safe. I went to a Mexican place and had the sour cream. The next day I was sick. Still didn't connect it. I was looking in my Mom's fridge and she said that the sour cream probably has it in it. I said no--but looked. It DID have it in it. So, I looked at the local store. All the brands that store carried except DAISY had carageenan in it.

Why am I writing all this down? Because I hope that if someone does a search about Carageenan that they might find my site and it might help them.

Other products that I have found Carageenan in:

whipping cream -read labels, one local company doesn't use it.

sour cream -Daisy brand does not have it.

ice cream -Bryer's all-natural does not have it ---Costco brand vanilla does NOT have it in it!

frozen yogurt -ice cream type

almost all soft serve ice cream or frozen yogurt has it

cottage cheese -I have only have Knudsen's that doesn't have it, but have only found it in individual containers.

soy milk products(read labels)

granola bars -not all but some

condensed milk(if it has this on a label it still may contain carrageenan even if it isn't listed) -I have found that regular evaporated milk has carageenan but skim/fat free does not.Think about pumpkin pie before you just go ahead and eat it!

powdered chocolate milk--Nestle does have it (Western Family powdered milk does NOT)

premade chocolate and strawberry milks, this includes many of the canned meal replacement drinks.

Turkey sandwich meats (not all, but many) it is in the brown jelly like coating.

Many store bought or restaurant cheescakes have it. Went to the Cheesecake factory--yes theirs does have it.

I know that this seems a bit wacky but I have had strange stomach problems for 11 years. No real explanation. Since I have discovered the problems with sorbitol and carageenan I have had very few unexplained stomach problems. I hope that this can help someone.

If you have discovered Caragennan or sorbitol in other foods please leave me a comment on my current blog posting. My little corner of chaos.