How to Live With A Carrageenan Sensitivity

For the past few years I thought I was lactose intolerant, however even switching to soy milk didn’t seem to alleviate my problems. I was fine with Lactaid milk, unless I dumped in a bunch of Nestle’s Quick chocolate and then it was painful cramps and diarrhea time. Sometimes I would have ice cream and be fine, other times I would eat it and be chained to the bathroom afterwards. I began to suspect I had irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and did some research on Dr. Weil’s excellent website www.drweil.com. He recommended that IBS sufferers avoid foods or products that contain the additive carrageenan. Sure enough, I checked my soy milk, the ice cream I had eaten, Nestle’s Quick, and they all contain this thickener. If you suspect you might be sensitive or allergic to carrageenan, here are some tips:

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Tell Your Doctor – You might be allergic to carrageenan or you might be experiencing symptoms of other diseases like Celiac’s or Crohn’s. Your doctor should be able to test for the carrageenan allergy as well as rule out any other related dangers.
2. Read Lables – If you aren’t already doing this, now is the time. Carrageenan is a popular thickener made from boiled down Irish moss (sometimes labeled as Irish Moss or Rock Moss) and can be found in a whole slew of products including toothpaste, frozen dinners (e.g. Weight Watchers Smart Ones), sour cream, frosting, dressings, ice cream (e.g. Ben & Jerry’s), chocolate milk, soy milk (e.g. Silk), lunch meats, soups, and candy. Keep a close watch on what you add to your shopping cart!
3. Eat at Home More Often – The only way to really have control over what you have for dinner is to make it yourself. There are plenty of carrageenan free foods out there to choose from and you should be able to make all of your favorite dishes with little worry about contamination (as long as you check the labels!).
4. Surf The Web – Many restaurants (especially chain ones like Panera) are aware that their customers have food allergies and are willing to list the ingredients for their meals. Scout out the ingredients on some of your favorite restaurant dishes and be prepared when you order. You can try asking the waiter/waitress if an item contains carrageenan but most of the time this is met with a blank stare (“cara-whatsa?”). You might try carrying around a card with the word carrageenan printed on it so the waitperson can take it back to the kitchen to check ingredients lists.
5. Relax – Unlike giving up gluten, nuts, or soy… carrageenan is relatively easy to forgo. Try to focus on the positive. Sure, I miss ordering sour cream in restaurants or eating Ben & Jerry’s from the pint, but there are plenty of other choices (thank you Haagen-Daz!).

Tips & Warnings

• Please consult your doctor if you think you have an allergy or serious illness.