7 foods that may contain mold and alternatives

What if I told you that over 70% of homes in the United States have mold in them. Yikes!

But what if I told you that mycotoxins – toxic compounds from mold – can be hiding in your food? Dr. Will Cole, a well known functional medicine doctor, often sees these compounds have a profound effect on the health of his patients.

Not everyone will be affected in the same way by mycotoxins, but even still they are definitely worth talking about.

1. Rice

Rice is extremely versatile, so it is often used in gluten-free foods and in many cultural dishes around the world. Most people tolerate rice well but it is worth noting that it can also be contaminated with mycotoxins.

What to look for: Always opt for organic rice and rice-based products over conventional whenever possible.

2. Coffee

Coffee beans are one of the more likely foods to contain mycotoxins since the roasting process isn’t enough to destroy them.

What to look for: Choose brands like Bulletproof and Purity Coffee that test for mycotoxins to ensure the coffee you are drinking on a daily basis is mold-free.

3. Nuts

Nuts are a great snack option because they are high in both protein and healthy fats. However, nuts like Brazil nuts, walnuts, peanuts, and cashews have a higher chance of containing mold.

What to look for: If you do eat nuts, make sure to buy the freshest nuts possible and follow best practices of soaking and dehydrating your nuts before eating. Not only is this best practice to avoid mold but it also makes them easier to digest (yay!). Choose seeds like chia, sesame, sunflower, and pumpkin over nuts as they have lower mold content overall. And if you’re a peanut butter lover, look for brands that use only Valencia peanuts as they grow in a drier climate that is less likely to facilitate mold growth.

4. Dried Fruits

Because dried fruits like raisins and dates retain moisture, they are more likely to contain mold especially considering their packaging and time spent on the shelf is the optimal environment for growth.

What to look for: Consider swapping dried fruit for fresh or frozen berries as a sweet treat.

5. Alcohol

While you might think that alcohol would kill off any mycotoxins, certain alcohols like whiskey, beer, red wine, and brandy can actually have high mycotoxin levels.

What to look for: If you want to stay as far away from mycotoxins as possible, stick to tequila, white wine, and organic red wine from Europe as they usually follow stricter guidelines and testing requirements for mold.

6. Processed Meats

Processed meats can contain mycotoxins in one of two ways – either the animal was fed with feed already contaminated with mold or there was mold on the final product.

What to look for: Choose products that are grass-fed and brands that follow organic practices since they are less likely to feed their animals moldy feed. Bonus- get your products fresh from a local farm! Also, make sure the final product is salt-cured as salt helps to inhibit mold growth.

7. Corn

If you look at any ingredient list, corn is in almost every product in some form or another whether it be popcorn, cornstarch, or corn syrup. However, since this crop is highly susceptible to mold it makes choosing corn products a little more difficult.

What to look for: Since you can’t avoid all corn, the best practice is to choose organic corn products as much as you can over conventional, processed corn.

It is important to be aware of the food we are eating on a daily basis and understand how certain foods and exposures may affect us. Not everyone will be impacted in the same way, but awareness is always the first step.

Find original article here: https://drwillcole.com/detoxing-toxins/7-foods-most-likely-to-contain-mold-what-to-eat-instead