All things almond + milk mischief

Almonds are one of my favorite power foods. I recently learned about two harmful chemicals that often find their way into almonds and almond products (and, it turns out, much more) - PPO and carrageenan. Let's take a quick look at each of these and how to avoid them:

PPO
Propylene oxide is a racing fuel additive that was recently banned by the NHRA for safety reasons. It is labeled a probable human carcinogen by the EPA, and also happens to be used to fumigate almonds as a means of pasteurization. The FDA requires that all almonds being sold (including those labeled "raw") are pasteurized, either with PPO or with steam. If you'd like to avoid exposure to PPO, you can choose almonds that have been steam pasteurized - A handy list of brands that use PPO versus brands that use steam is available here. I've stopped buying my almonds from Costco (PPO) and started buying them from Trader Joe's instead (steam), which is also where I buy my almond butter. If you're curious about brands of almonds other than those listed, I'd recommend making a couple phone calls and asking if the almonds in question are pasteurized using a steam treatment or using PPO fumigation. One thing that's nice to know - Organic almonds cannot be treated with PPO, so they are always steamed.

Carrageenan
This food additive is found not only in almond milk but in nearly every kind of nondairy milk and in many dairy products. The main problem with carrageenan is that it can be highly inflammatory, causing gastrointestinal distress and potentially contributing to GI diseases such as IBS and colon cancer - More details on the long-term research is available in this fantastic report from The Cornucopia Institute. Whether or not you suffer from GI distress, carrageenan is best avoided since even low levels of chronic inflammation can contribute to heart disease, cancers, and Alzheimer's. The tricky thing is that carrageenan is a natural additive (it is derived from red seaweed), which means that it is often found in organic foods. Thankfully, it is always clearly listed as an ingredient, and The Cornucopia Institute has put together a handy shopping guide to point you towards carrageenan-free products. If you enjoy yogurt, kefir, and ice cream, or if you drink soy/almond/rice/coconut/etc milk, I'd recommend checking out the guide to make sure your brand of choice is carrageenan-free.

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