Organic coconut milk and almond milk are common purchases at the health food store by those with dairy allergies. Usually, these people are savvy consumers who know enough nutritionally to avoid soy milk with its endocrine disrupting isoflavones and gastric inflaming phytates. Rice milk is also steadily declining in popularity as it is really not much more than a glass of sugar water nutritionally speaking.
Organic, unsweetened coconut milk and almond milk in cartons seem like great alternatives at first blush, but are they really as “healthy” as people believe?
Let’s take a look at the labels. I was shocked at what I found.
Check out the labels of the three brands I photographed. I checked all the brands, by the way, and they all contained the same dangerous additives I’m about to describe.
First, Vitamin A Palmitate is added, the synthetic version of Vitamin A. I personally avoid synthetic versions of Vitamin A like the plague. Every single multi-vitamin I’ve ever examined contains some form of synthetic A, including the so called “whole foods” multis.
Synthetic vitamins are the chemical mirror images of the real, natural versions. They can cause imbalances over time. Even small amounts of the synthetic fat soluble vitamins like Vitamin A can prove toxic and should be strictly avoided!
The Organic Consumers Association warns that isolated vitamins such as those produced synthetically cannot be recognized or metabolized by the body in the same way as the natural version.
Large doses of natural vitamin A are well tolerated by the body as established by researchers decades ago, however. Traditional diets contain 10 times or more of the RDA of this nutrient with no ill effect. However, synthetic vitamin A is associated with birth defects and bone fractures. It has no benefit in the diet whatsoever.
The second really bad additive in these organic cartons of coconut milk and almond milk is Vitamin D2. Vitamin D2 is a form of the wonder vitamin that you should take great pains to avoid.
In all known cases of Vitamin D toxicity where the dose was intentional, Vitamin D2 was the culprit. By comparison, Vitamin D3 is much less toxic and requires an enormous or even an accidental dose to produce any toxic effect.
Vitamin D2 is manufactured industrially by irradiating yeast. It is dangerous for D2 to be added to any food product particularly if this product would be given to children, where toxicity symptoms would appear at much lower dosages.
None of the store brands of cartoned coconut milk or almond milk were free of these dangerous and synthetic versions of the fat soluble vitamins!
Notice also that carrageenan is present in 2 of the 3 products as well! Dr. Andrew Weil has been telling people to avoid carrageenan since 2002.
Carrageenan is so toxic and inflaming to the human digestive system that this food additive is formally classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (part of the World Health Organization) as a potential human carcinogen.
In my view, it would be a mistake to purchase and consume these items. They are in no way health promoting or beneficial, particularly for growing children!
Healthy Alternatives to Coconut Milk and Almond Milk in Cartons
Coconut milk and almond milk should be healthy and they can be if they are produced at home without these dangerous additives. I wrote an in depth post on how to easily make these nondairy beverages yourself. This recipe for wild rice milk is a good option as well.
Believe it or not, even organic coconut milk in BPA free cans would be a better alternative to cartons of coconut milk based on my label inspection!
Check out my video on homemade coconut milk and my article on how to make healthy DIY almond milk, fermented to add probiotics and enzymes to boost immunity and improve digestion.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Sources
From Seafood to Sunshine: A New Understanding of Vitamin D Safety
Coconut and Almond Milk in Cartons Not a Healthy Buy http://t.co/1q387ful
Sarah, you are a wealth of knowledge! We are doing GAPS and the second I picked up the commercially produced cartons of milk (coconut and almond), I put them right back down. I was astonished at the additives. I made homemade almond milk last week and was pleasantly suprised at the ease (plus as an added bonus, I got almond flour out of the pulp- I love when I get two products in one).
Thanks for sharing this article!
I passed on the stuff in cartons the other day for *exactly* these reasons! All those ingredients? Synthetics? Why? http://t.co/dHZrOdTW
They add them to appeal to vegans. Coconuts and almonds have no vitamin A or D in their natural state as no plant foods contain natural vitamin A or D (beta carotene is not true vitamin A). But these synthetic additives are added to the processed versions to appeal to those who foolishly eschew all animal foods.
so you’re saying Vit A as beta carotene is synthetic too, or just not true Vit A?
Beta carotene is a real precursor of Vitamin A but many people can’t convert it to Vitamin A in their bodies, so it’s not the ideal way to take Vitamin A.
how dare you talk about a person’s choice to avoid animal products like there something wrong with it. I’m deleting your website from my bookmarks. Though some of what you say is true, If you are foolish enough to think that way, I certainly can not trust your obviously biased research.
Dani, I agree with you. This lady would rather have someone kill an animal for her, so she can buy it, cook it and eat it, but is upset that someone put Vit D2 into almond milk!.
Yup, No way I’m ever looking at this website again. She only provides one ‘source’ that doesn’t even seem to be peer-reviewed. Seems like a lot of fear-mongering to me, not to mention how rude and self-righteous it is to call vegans ‘foolish’ while partaking in one of the most unnecessary and environmentally degrading practices on the planet (consumption of animal products). I pity this woman.
They ARE foolish. Just look at all the research for yourself. Of course, you probably avoid ANY website with facts proving what a poor choice you’ve made as “rude” or “fearmongering”. So you will forever stay ignorant (and unhealthy!)
People, you have to remember. This is just a housewife with a blog. She is very opinionated and it’s her way or the highway. It’s bad enough that she is so aggressive about her meat and dairy choices but she literally attacks vegans/vegetarians with her smart-aleck and sarcastic comments. It’s truly is a turn-off and makes you feel like you are reading a blog from a junior high student with the immaturity level of her comments. She cannot handle criticism or that everyone doesn’t follow her dogma. And you are correct, she hardly backs up any of her many erroneous and biased statements and if she does, they are from her DENTIST mentor from the early 1900’s. Seriously?
And the saddest part is all the innocent people following her advice like sheeple without checking any other sources and just doing whatever she says to do. SHE IS A HOUSEWIFE, with no medical or nutritional degree.
Please! If you don’t like what you’re reading, delete it then! But don’t assume because “just a housewife” she isn’t educated enough to know what’s good and what’s bad. You sounded like an idiot as soon as you opened your mouth!
I can’t believe what i am reading from this “healthy” home economist!!!
“foolishly eschew all animal foods”?
This is dangerous advice and very very very irresponsible.
Not all alternatives are healthy, but animal products have been proven to cause cancers, heart disease, bone disease, etc. Nevermind the cruelty involved.
Look in the mirror and help your(herbivore)self, so you can help others.
Wrong! It’s animal foods (and non-animal foods) in America, thanks to all the CRAP they put in our foods for the sake of saving a few bucks. Hormones, shots, poor quality feed, etc. If you look to other places that consume animals regularly, such as Argentina, South Korea, or Germany, you won’t see all the nasty side-effects we have here, becuase they have standards.
Or, just look to the past, for over a million years, humans have been consuming animals without getting all those cancers and diseases associated with modern bought-out gov’t and penny-grubbing companies. It’s sites like this one (which inform you what to consume or avoid) which are going to educate the public to stop supporting companies that care more about their bottom-line than the country’s health.
What do should mean didn’t get cancer. When was the human race ever cancer free. Oh, that’s right, it wasn’t. We ( people) have the highest life expectancy in the history of the world and the fewest amount of diseases. Go ahead and believe everything you read, no reason to inform yourself of any facts.
I personally thing it is the government regulated foods, farms, dairy’s and so forth and so on that make things unhealthy.
People are so confused on what or what not to do, eat and not eat. That is enough to make anyone nuts.
One day it is fine to eat, drink or whatever and the next very bad for you. Plus the fact of Chem-trails and spraying heck it goes everywhere even on home gardens.
I don’t thin we have an honest chance in hell to honestly live healthy.
I thought this would be a great site to get some info, but I can’t sit by and condone your bashing of someone’s life choices, whether you agree or not it’s not your place to criticize them. You should be ashamed, to me you are nothing more than a bully.
Really, you call people who avoid animal products foolish? Should do some more research on how bad cow’s milks is, not to mention it’s from a different species. A lot of people write up lies to make people think that the only way is dairy, becaus ethe dairy industry will pay big bucks for it. You’re the foolish one.
coconut milk in can is the healthier way! “@realfoodmedia: Coconut and Almond Milk in Cartons Not a Healthy Buy http://t.co/xUkyX4W6”
I started sending the coconut milk in a carton to daycare for my 3yo son after having recurrent ear infections/tubes. I switched to raw milk at home (and stopped vax) and we haven’t had an ear infection since. What are my options for replacing the milk he gets at daycare? I wish I could send raw, but I don’t think they would give it to him. And I’d be afraid they would call DCF if I tried!
Send the raw milk in a thermos. How would they ever know? They will think it’s regular milk.
I have done this before for my older son when he was in daycare. I simply said it was ‘special’ milk for Alex and that was that. If they asked, I would have said it’s unhomogenized (which explained the layer of cream on top) and he can’t get regular homogenized milk from the store. The issue never came up.
Awesome idea…don’t know why I didn’t think of it!
I have a homedaycare, and serve my own child raw milk but all of the other children 2%. There is a form you can fill out to reject ANY milk given to your child. Just ask your provider.
Wow, pretty scary. Its amazing how little people bother to look at labels before putting something in their cart and into their body.
thank you! “@realfoodmedia: Coconut and Almond Milk in Cartons Not a Healthy Buy http://t.co/6aoDHDQm”
Can you share your sources on the vitamin information? Thanks!
Sourced at the bottom of the post.
I just finished researching the So Delicious Dairy Free Coconut milk, which I use in my coffee as a creamer. Sorry, you may be The Healthy Home Economist but you know nothing about INGREDIENTS and how to store NON-DAIRY creamers. First of all, Carrageenan is not a carcinogen, it’s not that harmful…but they are taking it out as we speak of all their products for 2014. Storing it in a carton is NOT harmful. Storing in an aluminum can is MORE harmful for you than in a carton!! You need to do more research when you comment about something …because you’re wrong!!
Hi Sarah,
Is Coconut Cream from Wilderness would be ok to use?
Thanks, JP
Yes, that brand is additive free from what I’ve seen.
Coconut and Almond Milk in Cartons Not a Healthy Buy: Organic coconut milk and almond milk are common purchases … http://t.co/Lw7tnByu
I live in Australia & I buy Australia’s Own Organic
Almond milk which is free from Lactose, Soy, Gluten,
Cholesterol, Preservatives, Artificial Colours & Flavours,
GM Ingredients.
Ingredients: Filtered water, Australian Organic Almonds (3%)
Organic Agave Syrup, Organic Sunflower Oil, salt.
The only thing I am bit concerned about is the container it
comes in (cardboard lined with what looks like aluminium foil)
excellent! I to am from oz n love almond milk… i find from all the range in australia Blue dimond unsweeterend has least added ingredient compared to the threee above 🙂 ive put alot of my own research in and wont just buy any almond milk! just like most products there will always be variety! with major differences in nutritioal values ! hope this helps.
ingredients: filtered water, whole almonds,calcium,tapioca,sea salt, carrageenan(seaweed extract),sunflower oil
I too drink and love almond milk. However whilst the Australian brands contain organic ingredients I am worried about the sunflower oil in it and I know sunflower oil, as a vegetable oil, is very bad for you. Is there an almond milk made without it in Aus? I have a feeling I am going to have to make it myself! 🙂
I drink either Silk or Blue Diamond Almond Milk and will have to check all that out.
Dang thought I had a good thing going on
Carageenan is actually really bad for you…studies have shown it is a carcinogen in humans. Silk is the best I’ve found as far as ingredients…but I think I’m still going to make my own soon.