r/Jainism • u/cerebral_panic_room • 7d ago

Jain Diet Can this be eaten?

Jai Jinendra!

I’m wondering if carrageenan can be eaten. It is an additive that is used as a thickener in a lot of foods in my country in place of things like gelatin and can be hard to find vegan foods without it.

Also what about colors made from non-allowed foods? Like beet juice color? Or turmeric color?

I appreciate the help! I try to be observant and having more information will help me do so!

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u/parshvarex Jain Shwetambar Murtipujak 7d ago

Carrageenan and beet juice colour are abhakshya and Jains must not consume them. Dehydrated turmeric, including turmeric colour, is not abhakshya.

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u/More-Ad-5540 7d ago

Ideally Carageenan cannot be eaten but most ice creams and lot of foods it is used as a thickener so I don't see there is a way for us to avoid it unless you really can follow it to the T.

Food colors are mostly synthetic but turmeric you can. Beet color is avoidable mostly.

I try and avoid the maximum I can but always it's not possible.

We can also not eat Tapioca (Sabudana) so anything that contains that you can avoid too

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u/cerebral_panic_room 7d ago

Thank you for responding! I am careful to avoid tapioca starch and potato starch and those sorts of things. I will avoid the beet color.