Ellie: > Toxins are stimulants and my food addictions were an addiction to them. Well, until I find a counterexample, I would say that stimulants (like coffee, etc) are toxins, but that the converse is not true. I don't think mercury, or poisonous mushrooms are stimulants. On the question "what is toxic", I think that, apart from deadly foods, there is no good definition of a toxin. Almost every food has its advantages and disadvantages, and a good diet is more about *balance* of nutrients than about avoiding toxic foods. Even alcohol has some beneficial effects (on cholesterol). It doesn't seem right to me to consider any food as inherently toxic: the body's needs, and thus the balance cost/benefit, varies from one person to another, and changes over time. It seems that all diets have their own definition of toxicity, and some food avoidances easily become irrational fears: fear of cooked food, of animal foods, of fruit, of carbohydrates, whatever. Now, let me add an appendix to my recent post "Toxic foods": **The Zone: High glycemic index foods, like bananas and carrots, can be extremely detrimental to your health. On the other hand, thanks to the high-fat content, you can eat ice-cream. Take one ice-cream cone, add a little quantity of protein (extra-firm tofu if you are a vegetarian) and two Macadamia nuts, and you will obtain a perfect healthy meal in the Zone. You will soon enjoy, not only perfect health, but also Olympic fitness. **SAD: Warning. Despite all our precautions and rigorous USDA inspection, we cannot guarantee our product to be absolutely baacteria-free. Wash your hands with plenty of soap and water before opening this package, and cook thoroughly. Then, wash your hands again before serving. Don't let children play with raw food: they might even ingest it accidentally. If that ever occurs, don't induce vomiting, since contamination has probably occurred already, and immediately consult a physician. And wash your hands with plenty of soap and water. Best wishes, Jean-Louis [log in to unmask]