Having gluten intolerances or allergies means you have to modify your diet and be wary of your product consumption. Being wary consists of reading ingredients lists, product information, and the manufacturing guidelines. Despite not all products containing gluten, you have to consider the risk of cross-contamination, i.e. the environment and preparation process of which the product is made and manufactured.
Not all ingredients are familiar to us. You’ve probably picked up a product and see a list of ingredients that you’ve never even heard of. And if you haven’t heard them, how do you know that they’re safe to consume?
Although products should follow allergen-safe measures, mistakes can be made, and so you must be on the bull and are checking everything too.
Carrageenan is a food additive that’s been extracted from red seaweed. It’s used for a variety of different reasons in food products, including preservation, thickening, and emulsifying. Often, carrageenan is found in products like meat, yogurt, and nut milk.
As carrageenan is made from plants, it’s often used in dairy-free alternatives too, as a way to replace gelatin. Of course, gelatin comes from animals and isn’t suitable for vegetarians or vegans. Carrageenan has similar properties to gelatin, i.e. thickening, and is, therefore, a suitable alternative found in a lot of products. But, is carrageenan gluten-free?
Yes, in its purest form, carrageenan is considered to be gluten-free. However, carrageenan is said to cause gastrointestinal inflammation. If you’re allergic to gluten, this could potentially cause even more damage and there’s a high chance that it could affect your health. So, you should try to avoid products with carrageenan in.
Ingredients
As it’s a natural product, carrageenan doesn’t contain any other ingredients.
Nutritional Information
There’s limited nutritional information as carrageenan doesn’t contain any calories, fat, cholesterol, or sodium.