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.
