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{The Certified Gutsy post was originally published on March 19, 2014. It has been updated as of April 12, 2016, with the release of the Travel and Snack Guide Companion.}

After my recent traveling adventures, I realized that while 24/7 home cooking and controlling every single ingredient consumed is unrealistic, eating quality products on-the-go must now be non-negotiable. It is my only option.

The problem with this is that, as consumers, we are tricked daily into believing that all “all-natural” and “good-for-us” packaged foods will always fit this description.

This could not be further from the truth, and if you’re Gutsy like me (in other words, you have IBS or IBD, an autoimmune condition or need to follow any special diet in general), you need to know the truth.

Gut healing is not a 40-hour work week job. It is a 24/7 lifestyle that requires the best option possible at all costs.

And so, I decided to help fill the Gutsy community in on products I deem Gutsy……aka “Certified Gutsy.”

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What is Certified Gutsy?

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• contains no ingredients which are impossible to pronounce
• gluten free
• dairy free (unless raw or organic dairy with nothing added, but the organic dairy itself)
• soy free (unless it’s fermented soy and in minuscule amounts)
• corn free
• contains no sugars other than honey, liquid (organic) stevia, coconut sugar or coconut nectar
• does not use labeling “natural flavors/natural flavor/natural flavoring” (unless I am certain of what that means, and can tell you exactly where those specific natural flavors come from)
• products, brands and/or things in packages – not my recipes (which always have my stamp of approval!) 

What Certified Gutsy Does Not Have to Be

• organic (just because it’s organic doesn’t always make it a great product)
• natural (see above)
• fat-free (fat is not the enemy)
• sugar-free (sugar is not always the enemy)
• food only (ex. Dr. Bronners – see below)
• low carb (don’t fall for that gimmick)
• grain free (I believe that in the very beginning of gut healing, we must all remain grain free. I do not believe that it has to be a forever Gutsy lifestyle for all grains.)

How Will I Know if it’s “Certified Gutsy?”

Moving forward, I will place this symbol (my logo with “CG” in the middle) on all product images that I deem Certified Gutsy.

I have an entire category for CG products I have written about. You can bookmark it HERE.

Here is an example of an image with this symbol.

 

Other Certified Gutsy Goodies

There is a Pinterest Board dedicated to the Certified Gutsy Products only. You can follow the board and/or pin the images to your own board(s)!
Follow Sarah Hoffman’s board Certified Gutsy on Pinterest.

Wondering if your favorite packaged food/brand or, product in general, is CG? Submit it to me for further review!

Xox,
SKH