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28 Organic Milk Alternatives Without Carrageenan

best milk alternatives

I’m a dairy girl for the most part, since I truly believe that organic, pasture-raised cow’s milk is the most nutritious milk you can buy. But sometimes it seems like everyone else I know is into almond, coconut, soy, grain, rice and other alternative milks.

Though these milk alternatives are a great option for people with allergies or special diets, most don’t provide much nutritional value in terms of naturally-occurring protein (except soy) and calcium. They also frequently contain a potential harmful additive called carrageenan, which is better to avoid whenever possible.

For those of you who buy non-dairy milks, I thought I’d put together a list of organic options that don’t have carrageenan, so you could taste them and find your favorites.

Almond Milk

  • Homemade – it’s easier than you think 🙂
  • 365 (Whole Foods private label)
  • Beber
  • OMilk NYC
  • Westsoy Organic (the conventional line may contain carrageenan)

Soy Milk

  • Earth Balance* (Older formulations containing carrageenan remain on shelves. Watch ingredients!)
  • Eden Soy
  • Natur-a
  • Organic Valley
  • Pacific Foods (organic unsweetened original)
  • So Nice (Natural flavor only)
  • Soy Dream (Shelf Stable: classic vanilla and enriched chocolate; Refrigerated: classic original)
  • Sunrise Soya (all except light fortified sweetened)
  • Tofu Shop
  • Trader Joe’s Unsweetened in shelf-stable package (refrigerated does contain carrageenan)
  • Twin Oaks
  • Westsoy (original, unsweetened, lowfat)

Chocolate Soy Milk

  • Organic Valley
  • Tofu Shop
  • Organic Soy Dream (enriched chocolate)

Rice Milk

  • Kirkland Signature
  • Natur-a
  • Nature’s Promise
  • Rice Dream – shelf-stable (organic classic original, organic enriched original)
  • Trader Joe’s (Check labels, as their private labels vary)

Other Milk Alternatives

  • Pacific Foods Oat Milk
  • Pacific Foods Hemp Milk
  • Pacific Foods 7 Grain Milk
  • Pacific Foods Coconut Original or Vanilla

Any other organic brands you like that I’ve missed? Please share your favorites in the comments!

*Some of this information sourced from Cornucopia Institute 

46 Comments

  • Liz S.
    April 16, 2015 at 4:37 am

    Silk is definitely my favorite brand for carrageenan-free milk alternatives (I especially love their almond milk and cashew milk).

  • Erika
    April 16, 2015 at 7:17 am

    Trader Joe’s refrigerated almond milks do not have carrageenan. They also recently came out with a new Trader Joe’s boxed almond milk without carrageenan, but I only spotted it a couple of weeks before it disappeared.

  • Samantha
    April 17, 2015 at 12:38 pm

    Thank you. I enjoyed reading this post. I have been just grabbing any of these milks from the supermarket shelves without looking at the ingredients for the last few years. I have now decided to switch back to organic cows milk as i don’t have any special dietary requirements. I also watched a television program about the recent studies from the university of Copenhagen about how good dairy can be for us. So I’m keen to reintroduce these foods. But this is one of the reasons i love your blog as you cater for all dietary requirements.

  • Amelia Winslow
    April 17, 2015 at 12:54 pm

    Thanks for your comment, Erika. I think Trader Joe’s brand milk alternatives vary by region (some of the time) so I didn’t include these in the list. The ones in your area may not have carrageenan but some others may.

  • Amelia Winslow
    April 17, 2015 at 12:54 pm

    They do have yummy milk alternatives! They are not organic though, which is why they’re not on the list. Silk’s organic versions DO have carrageenan.

  • Liz S.
    April 17, 2015 at 5:41 pm

    Ah, so sorry! I stupidly included my favorites that weren’t organic. I appreciate the list you shared, since I definitely/actively avoid carrageenan.

  • Amelia Winslow
    April 19, 2015 at 10:44 am

    Don’t worry, Liz! I’m sure we all want to hear about other available carrageenan-free products!

  • vanessa
    June 18, 2015 at 7:14 am

    I think Flax Milk is one of the best tasting that’s carrageenan free…

  • Serena
    July 26, 2015 at 12:04 pm

    Great article! With some trepidation I checked my carton of Silk unsweetened vanilla almond milk today and didn’t see carrageenan on the ingredient list.

    INGREDIENTS: Almondmilk (Filtered Water, Almonds), Sea Salt, Natural Flavor, Locust Bean Gum, Sunflower Lecithin, Gellan Gum.

    Did they change their ingredients? Should I be worried about those gums?

  • Amelia Winslow
    July 28, 2015 at 10:43 am

    Hi Serena,
    This article is only about organic soy milks, and Silk almond milk is not organic. That’s why it’s not listed 🙂

  • Serena
    July 28, 2015 at 9:47 pm

    Eek! Sorry, blonde moment. 😛 Whole Foods 365 here I come… Love the blog by the way!

  • Amelia Winslow
    July 30, 2015 at 12:26 pm

    No worries, Serena – it’s hard to keep track of all these products!!

  • karen
    August 1, 2015 at 4:12 pm

    I was interested in Pacific Coconut Milk until I read the ingredients-they have two synthetic isolated vitamins A and D2. http://thehealthcoach1.com/?p=1640

  • Kelley
    September 2, 2015 at 5:44 pm

    I buy So Nice, that doesn’t contain carageenan. It’s delicious.

  • Amelia Winslow
    September 3, 2015 at 11:13 am

    I haven’t heard of So Nice, I’ll check it out.

  • Ted Robb
    September 10, 2015 at 12:12 pm

    Hi All – our almond milk (The New Barn) doesn’t have any carrageenan, natural flavors, or many other necessary ingredients. We are in the process of launching across the country at Whole Foods Market, so it will start to be more widely available. We would be honored if you gave us a look. Thanks and take care! Our website is http://www.thenewbarn.com.

  • Amelia Winslow
    September 10, 2015 at 2:43 pm

    Great to know! I love that there’s no natural flavor – as this seems to be present in many organic foods, though it’s not usually an organic ingredient and very hard for the consumer to know exactly what it means. Thanks for sharing!

  • sb
    December 20, 2015 at 9:56 am

    365 (Whole Foods) Almond Milk doesn’t have CARRAGEENAN, but it DOES have a LOT of ADDITIVES, including Vitamin A Palmitate (not Good).

  • Allistarr
    April 2, 2016 at 4:19 pm

    The Pacific Foods hemp milk that I found online DOES have Carrageenan in it.

  • Rena
    April 4, 2016 at 12:51 pm

    Pacific oat milk also has Carageenan. I’m trying to find an oat milk without it, but no luck yet.

  • Sandeh
    April 4, 2016 at 10:21 pm

    Yes, most all the Pacific Foods milks have carrageenan in it, except the Oat Milk and was it the Chocolate Hemp milk?

    Tempt Hemps do not, and neither do many of the new coconut and almond creamer pints in the fridge section.

    Sadly, many new innovative products do have carrageenan, and potato starch, so looking for nightshade free alterna-cheeses.

    Thanks for the article.

  • Cynthia
    May 7, 2016 at 5:16 am

    Do they actually list carrageenan as an ingredient or is there a “hidden” ingredient like flavor we have to look out for. I buy the silk original cashew. Thnx

  • Amelia Winslow
    May 11, 2016 at 12:35 pm

    Carrageenan would be listed in the ingredients list.

  • Mary
    June 21, 2016 at 9:59 am

    It was good that Liz mentioned silk. I was wondering about that brand

  • Amelia Winslow
    June 23, 2016 at 8:56 am

    Keep in mind this post is only about Organic milk alternatives, not conventional. The Silk products don’t have Carrageenan but they also aren’t organic.

  • Kati R.
    July 31, 2016 at 5:58 am

    Califia Farm almond milk is also carrageenan free

  • Amelia Winslow
    July 31, 2016 at 3:53 pm

    But it’s not organic, and this post is only a list of organic almond milks.

  • Collette Turner
    September 1, 2016 at 8:57 am

    Does anyone out there know of a brand of canned condensed milk that doesn’t contain carrageeban? I’ve searched everywhere. I realize you can make your own, but I would love to find it in a can.
    Thanks!
    Collette

  • Amelia Winslow
    September 3, 2016 at 9:00 pm

    I didn’t know any of them did contain it, to be honest. There are a few kinds at Whole Foods, perhaps check there?

  • Stephanie
    September 5, 2016 at 5:52 am

    I have Pacific Foods Hemp milk (unsweetened vanilla) and it does contain Carrageenan! Maybe depends on the flavor?

  • Amelia Winslow
    September 7, 2016 at 2:59 pm

    I think flavor does matter, and I only listed flavors that I knew didn’t have it, but this is good info to have and I’ll make sure I’m reporting correctly. Thanks, Stephanie!

  • Harriet
    October 9, 2016 at 11:58 am

    Costco recently discontinued the Blue Diamond-Almond Breeze Almondmilk. I use to buy the UNSWEETENED VANILLA. They replaced it with their brand- Kirkland Signature Organic Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk. Can anyone tell me how it compares and if it is the healthier choice.
    Thank you,
    Harriet

  • Amelia Winslow
    October 12, 2016 at 2:01 pm

    Hi Harriet, I’m not familiar with the Kirkland Signature brand of almond milk. However, in my experience, Costco sources high quality products for their private label. I’ll check it out next time I’m at Costco.

  • Giovanna Nease
    February 5, 2017 at 9:24 pm

    Pacific milk has “milk products” like hemp milk that has carageenan and other fillers.

  • Amelia Winslow
    February 7, 2017 at 10:49 am

    I’ve listed the carrageenan-free types here. It’s hard to find a dairy-free beverage with no emulsifier/filler — even the carrageenan-free ones have other emulsifying agents. Unless you make your own, or buy the fresher high pressure pasteurized versions (HPP) in the refrigerated section, you won’t find a nut/alternative milk with no fillers.

  • Lisa
    May 25, 2017 at 2:01 am

    I checked TJ soymilk in refrigerated area today. It has carrageenan on the list of ingredients.

  • Amelia Winslow
    May 26, 2017 at 10:41 am

    Hi Lisa, was it organic? When I wrote this article, the organic soymilk did not have carageenan, but the conventional soymilk might.

  • Karen
    August 2, 2017 at 3:45 pm

    If you think cows’ milk is healthy for humans, please watch the documentary “What the Health” on Netflix, read “The China Study” (the largest running, most comprehensive and peer reviewed nutritional study ever conducted in the history of the planet), read the article “21 leading sources on the breast cancer/dairy connection”
    and watch “Dairy is Scary” on youtube by Erin Janus.

  • Elizabeth Capuzzo-Peixoto
    September 17, 2017 at 4:35 am

    can you please clarify again about what does or not contain this filler?
    Better I will just read the labels…

  • Jack B
    October 19, 2017 at 8:47 am

    I have stage 3 kidney disease, thus I must limit if not eliminate dairy products. My renal diet says rice milk is the best alternative. But finding alternative milks without carrageenan, low in potassium , phosphorus & sodium. Still looking. Can you help?

  • Amelia Winslow
    October 25, 2017 at 12:27 pm

    Hi Jack, I would recommend consulting a clinical RD – you may find one in a directory on eatright.org – because I am not an expert when it comes to clinical nutrition-related conditions. Best wishes to you though.

  • Diana
    February 26, 2018 at 9:13 am

    Soy Dream Enriched DOES have carrageenan, which I think should be highlighted even with the parenthetical list of Soy Dream products that do NOT have carrageenan. The packaging for various Soy Dream products is almost identical across their line, so buyer beware.

  • Amelia Winslow
    March 21, 2018 at 12:25 pm

    Thanks, Diana. I am specifically referring to Organic lines only – but I’ll give Soy Dream another look!

  • Carrie
    April 8, 2018 at 9:28 am

    ha! Carrageeban! Love it!

  • Bex
    May 18, 2018 at 9:06 pm

    I am searching for an organic dairy alternative that makes a good foam–is this even an option? Thanks.

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