Finding Propylene Glycol-Free Food

Since my body first forced me to realize the extent of my glycol allergies, I have spent a great deal of time thinking about food. Not only have I replaced nearly every staple in my house, but I keep looking for convenience foods that I can have around in case of needing a quick snack, […]


Does the Sulphite Drying Process Affect People with Glycol Allergies? Or…What’s Not in Dried Produce?

Sulphites (or sulfites, if you are American) are already an allergen of their own – so much so that in Canada they are considered a major allergen that must be reported on food products. Sulphites are a regular ingredient in wine production, so much so that finding wine without sulphites is uncommon. I heard a […]


Chinese Organic Food

One thing that the development of my propylene glycol allergy has done is to make me a human detector of certain chemicals in food. I haven’t figured out all the quirks of my condition yet, but a closing throat is a pretty clear symptom. I have read recently about the conditions of Chinese-grown organic foods […]


How I Became Allergic to Natural and Artificial Flavours (and Colours)

Just over a year ago, an allergist gave me a patch test that changed my life. Those chemical-filled patches taped all over my back helped him to identify five contact allergens that answered a lot of questions about why I had been feeling so awful, inside and out. A year later I am still learning […]


Misadventures and Lessons in Starting a Garden

I spoke on Wednesday about sourcing and growing food. I’m still in my first few years of gardening, but I’m slowly learning the ins and outs. The first year, I went on vacation and came home to lettuce four feet tall; we offered some to our neighbour, and our unwitting neighbour walked away with two […]


The Value of Organic and Locally-Sourced Food

I used to think that there was no value in organic food. What is organic, really? A label? Something more? Though I still think there are a lot of products masquerading as “organic” when they really are nothing of the sort, I am starting to see more value in the philosophy, even if I see […]