The Inflammatory Food This Nutrition Expert Wants You To Nix

In The Virgin Diet and my Sugar Impact Diet book, I often talk about gluten. This protein—found in grains, mainly wheat, rye, and barley—is on my list of the top high-FI (food intolerance) foods that can put your immune system on high alert, and even set off a domino effect of unwanted chemical changes in your body. 

These changes can also lead to digestive issues, headaches, trouble sleeping at night, joint and muscle pain, and even shifts in your mood and mental health. Even if you don’t have celiac disease (which only a small percentage of Americans do), there’s a good chance you might be one of the 18 million people that have gluten sensitivity, which makes getting rid of gluten a helpful choice.

That said, in my experience, gluten is just one of seven high-FI foods that may be impacting your well-being. Another one I often recommend nixing? Corn.