Mold is everywhere! When you are on a mold treatment program, it is important to avoid new mold exposures. But mold can be present in water-damaged buildings, homes, and structures; in a LOT of our foods; and mold is ubiquitous in nature, which means it’s everywhere. So avoiding it seems like a super daunting task. I’d like to make this easier for you.
First, if you are living in a place that you even think might have mold, your space needs to be tested. There are no exceptions. We absolutely can NOT get rid of mold if you’re living in it.
The company I and a lot of mold treatment doctors recommend for home testing and home treatment is EC3, which you can buy here.
Now, let’s talk about food:
The foods that have the highest mold content are: grains and all the things made from them (wheat, quinoa, spelt, rice, barley, corn, and on and on), cereals, nuts and nut butters, cheese, dried fruits, coffee, wine, beer, spices, seed oils, fruit juices, meat products, even infant formulas. This is not even an exhaustive list.
While completely avoiding mold in food is nearly impossible, adopting mindful practices can help reduce your exposure. Here are 5 tips for reducing your mold exposure in your foods:
- Be Mindful of Leftovers: Don’t let leftovers linger for too long. Aim to consume them within 24 hours.
- Dried Fruits and Nuts Have a Shorter Shelf Life: Once opened, dried fruits and nuts can quickly develop mold. Discard them after about two weeks if the bag isn’t empty. I keep a marker in the kitchen and we date the bags with the day it was opened to help us keep track.
- The “One Moldy Item Spoils the Batch” Rule: If you find mold on one item in a container (like berries or bread), it’s best to discard the entire contents. The mold spores can spread invisibly.
- Exceptions: Hard cheeses and firm fruits/vegetables with low moisture content might be salvageable if you can thoroughly cut away at least one inch around and below the mold spot without touching it. However, exercise caution.
- Wash Your Produce Thoroughly: Use a dedicated vegetable wash on your fruits and vegetables to help remove surface mold spores and residues.
- Proper Berry Storage: After washing berries, ensure they dry to prevent mold growth. Lay them flat on a paper towel-lined tray or pallet for better air circulation and so they are not stacked on each other. I just put them back in the refrigerator on their pallet then we eat them off the pallet.
Human bodies have a way of dealing with mold. If you’re currently struggling with mold colonization, there were other factors that made you susceptible. Once you’ve resolved the mold, you can talk to your doctor about what your personalized maintenance program looks like.