It is uncommon for oat milk to have carrageenan. While this plant-based milk often contains thickeners and emulsifiers, carrageenan is not one of the ingredients typically found in it.
Carrageenan-Free Oat Milk
We verified the following oat milk flavors had no carrageenan at the time of this article. Since ingredients can change without notice, be sure to read the ingredients printed on the product labels for the most accurate information.
| Oat Milk Brand | Flavors Without Carrageenan |
|---|---|
| 365 By Whole Foods | Original, Vanilla. |
| Califia Farms | Chocolate Oat Milk, Extra Creamy, Original Protein Oat Milk, Organic Oat Milk, Vanilla Oat Milk, Zero Sugar Oat Milk. |
| Chobani | Extra Creamy, Original, Original Barista Edition, Vanilla, Zero Sugar Original. |
| Elmhurst | Chocolate, Sweetened, Unsweetened. |
| Forager | Organic Oatmilk, Organic Unsweetened. |
| Good & Gather | Barista Blend, Less Sweet, Original, Vanilla. |
| Malk | Chocolate, Original, Vanilla. |
| Oatly | Barista Edition, Chocolate, Original. |
| Oatsome | Barista, Original. |
| Pacific Foods | Organic Original, Organic Vanilla. |
| Planet Oat | Dark Chocolate, Extra Creamy Original, Original, Original Full Fat Chilled, Original Low-Fat Chilled, Unsweetened Original, Unsweetened Vanilla, Vanilla. |
| Publix | Extra Creamy, Original, Zero Sugar Original. |
| Rise Brewing | Barista Blend, Chocolate, Original, Vanilla. |
| Silk | Extra Creamy, Original, Unsweet, Vanilla. |
| Simple Truth | Original. |
| So Delicious | Extra Creamy Organic, Original Organic. |
The common additives, thickeners, emulsifiers, and/or preservatives found in oat milk include:
- Calcium Carbonate
- Calcium Phosphate
- Dicalcium Phosphate
- Dipotassium Phosphate
- Gellan Gum
- Locust Bean Gum
- Potassium Carbonate
- Tricalcium Phosphate
- Xanthan Gum
Not all oat milk products are loaded with the above ingredients. For example, Elmhurst and Forager are oat milks with minimal ingredients. Forager’s Organic Oat Milk is simply made with filtered water, gluten-free oats, sunflower oil, and sea salt to give you an idea of a milk alternative without additives or gums.
Is Carrageenan Safe?
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has deemed carrageenan an acceptable ingredient to be used in foods. It is classified as “Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS)” by the FDA and has been approved for use in foods since 1961.
However, some studies have shown that it may cause inflammation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), colon cancer, allergies, glucose intolerance, and bloating (source).
Additional studies need to be completed to determine the health effects of carrageenan, if any. Given the potential side effects of carrageenan, you may wish to avoid foods and beverages that contain it.
Keep in mind that carrageenan will be listed in the list of ingredients on the product packaging if a product contains it. Simply read the ingredients at the store to determine if a given product has carrageenan and don’t buy the food if it doesn’t fit into your diet.
The good news is the majority of store-bought oat milk is carrageenan-free so avoiding it should be easy if you are a lover of this type of beverage.