Avoid these 7 ingredients, sometimes hidden in
“healthy” foods By Vera Tweed
W
ouldn’t it be nice to have a personal chef who
shops for organic, locally produced food and
prepares all your meals and snacks from
scratch? It would certainly be a delicious way to eat a
diet that’s clean and nutritious. But most of us live in the
real world, where convenience is king, and packaged
and prepared foods substitute for the idyllic chef.
To help you navigate today’s complex food choices,
here are 7 pitfalls to avoid:1
GLUTEN OVERLOAD
Gluten sensitivity is skyrocketing, and it parallels the
increase of gluten in our food. We eat more wheat than
we did a few decades ago, and extra gluten is added to
many packaged and processed foods, from sauces and
soups to sausages, cold cuts, and even veggie burgers.
Oddly enough, whole wheat bread may well contain
more added gluten than its refined cousin, to counteract
the naturally dense consistency of whole grain bread. Added
gluten gives bread a spongier, more desirable texture.
Although the phenomenon isn’t fully understood,
eating large amounts of gluten may lead to intolerance.
In nature, gluten is found in all types of wheat, rye,
and barley, but oats, other grains, and other foods may
also be contaminated with gluten if they’re not labeled
“gluten-free.”HOW TO FIND
GOOD FOOD
MAY 2019• 37