Fruit juice

Don’t let that word “fruit” fool you. Some fruit juices are just as bad for you as soda. Many are full of sugar that comes from genetically engineered sugar beets or high-fructose corn syrup. What’s worse, companies try to up the fiber content by adding maltodextrins, fiber-like carbohydrates that come from corn. And finally, you have the artificial flavors, which have a good chance of being contaminated with GMO ingredients. Here’s a safer choice: make your own juices.

Chewing gum

Just because you spit it out doesn’t make it harmless. Most chewing gum plays host to a whole spread of ingredients derived from genetically engineered corn or soy, such as maltodextrin, aspartame, natural or artificial flavors, and xylitol to name a few. For your chomping needs, try Glee Gum, a GMO-free alternative that’s sweetened by ingredients from birch and beech trees.

Canned fish

When your tuna says it’s “in oil,” that’s typically soybean oil which comes from GMO soy. Even the canned fish “in water” can contain a broth that’s made with soy ingredients. Your healthiest choice is canned fish that contains just fish, and nothing else.

Bread

Almost any commercial loaf of bread you pick up will contain high-fructose corn syrup, as well as sugar derived from genetically engineered sugar beets, soy flour, soybean oil or soy lecithin. Unfortunately, “natural” breads aren’t a good fallback plan since the term “natural” is not regulated. For this kitchen staple, buy organic loafs.

Your own baked goods

Even your own baked goods aren’t totally safe from GMOs. Baking powder is a mixture of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), cream of tartar (a byproduct of wine making) or some other acid like aluminum or phosphate salts, and cornstarch. The cornstarch is in there to prevent your dough from clumping, but it can be derived from GMO corn. If you love to bake, pick up organic baking powder available at most health food stores, or make your own by blending two parts cream of tartar with one part baking soda and skipping the cornstarch.

Your produce basket

Even produce has been affected by GMOs. Squash, sweet corn and papayas have been found to contain the sneaky component. Six varieties of zucchini and yellow summer squash have been engineered to fight off viruses that can ruin crops, but a large part of the engineering was using GMOs. Most papayas grown in Hawaii have also been similarly engineered to resist a virus and a Monsanto variety of genetically modified sweet corn was approved for sale in markets in 2012. To avoid the guessing game, just buy certified-organic produce.

Dairy alternatives

If you’re lactose intolerant or adapting a dairy-free diet, there are tons of alternatives like soymilk, rice milk, coconut milk and almond milk. But be sure to grab the organic brands since nonorganic brands contain “natural flavors” and thickeners such as canola oil, each of which can come from GMO crops.

“Healthier” dairy products

If you still consume dairy but are trying to cut calories by grabbing low-fat milk, or if you’re a baker who always has half-and-half on hand, you could be at risk of consuming GMOs. Normal half-and-half is half whole milk and half cream, but in the low-fat or fat-free varieties, companies will add skim milk, cornstarch and other artificial thickeners derived from soy and canola to maintain the creaminess. If you need creamer in your coffee, Organic Valley makes a low-fat, dairy-free creamer using organic soy.

Dried fruits and vegetables

Do you keep dried fruits or veggies around as a “healthy” snack? Bad news: in order to keep dried fruits shelf stable, soft and moist, companies add sugar and typically cheap, genetically modified high-fructose corn syrup. As for those tasty, chip-like dehydrated vegetables—they’re usually coated with canola oil to prevent sticking. If you want produce around that won’t spoil, pick up organic, freeze-dried fruits and veggies.

“All natural” foods

We touched on this in the bread section, but it applies to all foods labeled “all natural.” There is currently no Food and Drug Administration-approved definition of “all natural.” So one company might, for example, slap the label onto their product because they know that product is made entirely from fruits and vegetables, but the company may not have looked into the farming of those vegetables to see if any GMOs were used.