Diet

8 Unsettling Facts Food Companies Don't Want You to Know

Find out where wood fibers, bugs and other strange ingredients are lurking in commonly consumed foods.

by Diana Kelly | COMMENT

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There's Also Wood in Your High-Fiber Bread and Cereal Cellulose is an ingredient you can find in cereals, breads and foods with added fiber. It's oftentimes in "lighter" or "low-calorie" breads.

According to the FDA, "Cellulose derivatives ... are virtually unabsorbed, and little or no degradation of absorbable products occurs in the human digestive tract. ... Consumption of large amounts appears to have no effect other than providing dietary bulk, reducing the nutritive value of such foodstuffs and possibly exerting a laxative effect."

In other words, humans can't digest cellulose, says Shelke. "You're better off getting fiber that's naturally occurring in veggies, grains and different kinds of foods." The worst thing that added fiber by way of wood pulp can do is cause flatulence and bloating, explains Shelke.

Bottom line: If you're eating packaged food that touts high fiber, check the label to see if it has cellulose.

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