clean eating mistakes

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Mistake #1: Steering clear of all chemicals

Reading ingredient labels and saying no to products with unpronounceable ingredients is a good rule of thumb. (Ever check out the ingredients list on a processed snack?) But you shouldn't stick to this too rigidly, says Lauren Ott, RD, a registered dietitian in Houston: "Just because you can't pronounce it doesn't mean it's bad for you." Exhibit A: ascorbic acid, which is just vitamin C. Look up ingredients you aren't sure about on GoodGuide or (the admittedly unfortunately named) Chemical Cuisine.