by Melissa Diane Smith

I don’t write about the harmful health effects of gluten in the diet nearly as often as I used to in previous years. That is not because I don’t think gluten isn’t a major factor causing widespread ill health in our society. I do. The reason is because I’ve been writing about the hazards of gluten for 13 years and most people who are my clients have read my books and articles and have already removed gluten from their diets before they begin working with me. Nowadays I don’t have to do much convincing to encourage my clients to avoid gluten. Instead, I focus on letting people know how to eat a higher-quality gluten-free diet that promotes optimal health.

Though I’m not educating people about the hazards of gluten as regularly as in past years, new waves of people who never thought they had a problem eating gluten are learning that they do, sometimes in very unexpected ways and usually without any adverse digestive symptoms that people normally associate with gluten-related illness. Two cases in point involve two of my friends. They both happen to be named Anne.

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Be sure to look at the dried herb products you have in your pantry! Frontier Co-op, a brand of herbs sold in many natural food stores, is voluntarily recalling several of its products manufactured with organic garlic powder that were sold under its Frontier and Simply Organic brands and one Whole Foods Market product due to potential Salmonella contamination. If you have any of the products in question, take them back to where you bought them to get a full refund. Learn more about the recall and the specific products involved here.

Want to listen to my answers to common questions about GMOs, why growing numbers of people are avoiding GMOs, and guidelines and tips to help you steer clear of them? Be sure to tune into the “Easy Organic Gardener Radio Show” with host Sheri Frey on Sunday, March 29, 2015, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Pacific time (Noon to 1 p.m. Eastern time) when I’ll be the guest.

Sheri and I had a great conversation the last time I was on her show. I fully expect another lively chat in which we cover the most important information you need to know about genetically modified foods and how to eat non-GMO.

You can listen to the show online live by going to this link or by clicking the Listen Live image above. Or if you can’t catch the show live, go to the same page and look for the interview dated Sunday, March 29, 2015 in the archives.

Copyright 2015 Melissa Diane Smith

by Melissa Diane Smith

A fast-growing movement of shoppers want to avoid genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in foods, but many are confused or lacking knowledge about how to steer clear of them. A new survey conducted by the Hartman Group found that 40 percent of consumers say they’re avoiding GMOs in foods. But less than one-third of them say they know which crops are most likely to be genetically engineered; only 28 percent say they know which products have GMO ingredients; and 57 percent are not yet aware of the Non-GMO Project Verified Seal!

Just as people who wanted to avoid gluten years ago learned which foods contained obvious – and hidden – sources of gluten before national labeling guidelines were enacted, people who want to sidestep GMOs need to learn the same type of in-depth information. I spell out these details in my recently published book Going Against GMOs. It’s important to learn the nine at-risk crops, plus two other main direct GM sources, and have that information become part of your everyday shopping know-how.

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by Melissa Diane Smith

Amidst the noise, crowdedness, and sheer size of the 35th annual Natural Products Expo West – the world’s largest event devoted to natural and specialty food and beverages, organics, supplements, health and beauty, natural living and pet products – the trends that stood out to me were:

• A growing emphasis on non-GMO and organic foods and products
• Gluten-free, while still big, seems to be narrowing in favor of many more grain-free and Paleo food product offerings
• More options of minimally sweetened products made with simple, whole food ingredients and sweetened with just fruit or small amounts of better-for-you sweeteners such as organic coconut sugar.

These are all positive developments for me, my clients and readers, and the growing number of people who shop and eat against the grain and against GMOs.

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