Watch List for Genetically Modified Foods~ What is a GMO anyway?

WHY SHOULD I AVOID GMOs?

The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) recently released its position paper on Genetically Modified foods stating that “… GM foods pose a serious health risk”. The AAEM called for a moratorium on GM food, with implementation of immediate long-term safety testing and labeling of GM food. The AAEM is just one of many organizations worldwide calling for these steps to be taken. Read their position paper on GMOs

Hasn’t research shown GM foods to be safe?

No. The only feeding study done with humans showed that GMOs survived inside the stomach of the people eating GMO food. No follow-up studies were done.

Various feeding studies in animals have resulted in potentially pre-cancerous cell growth, damaged immune systems, smaller brains, livers, and testicles, partial atrophy or increased density of the liver, odd shaped cell nuclei and other unexplained anomalies, false pregnancies and higher death rates.

But aren’t the plants chemically the same, whether or not they are GM?

Most tests can’t determine the differences at the level of the DNA. And, even if they appear to be the same, eyewitness reports from all over North American describe how several types of animals, including cows, pigs, geese, elk, deer, squirrels, and rats, when given a choice, avoid eating GM foods.

Tip #1: Buy Organic

Certified organic products cannot intentionally include any GMO ingredients. Buy products labeled “100% organic,” “organic,” or “made with organic ingredients.” You can be doubly sure if the product also has a Non-GMO Project Verified Seal. Read more about organic standards…

Tip #2: 

Look for Non-GMO Project Seals

Products that carry the Non-GMO Project Seal are independently verified to be in compliance with North America’s only third party standard for GMO avoidance, including testing of at-risk ingredients. The Non-GMO Project is a non-profit organization committed to providing consumers with clearly labeled and independently verified non-GMO choices. Look for dairy products labeled “No rBGH or rBST,” or “artificial hormone-free.”

Tip #3:  Avoid at-risk ingredients

If it’s not labeled organic or verified non-GMO: Avoid products made with ingredients that might be derived from GMOs (see list). The eight GM food crops are Corn, Soybeans, Canola, Cottonseed, Sugar Beets, Hawaiian Papaya (most) and a small amount of Zucchini and Yellow Squash.

Sugar If a non-organic product made in North American lists “sugar” as an ingredient (and NOT pure cane sugar), then it is almost certainly a combination of sugar from both sugar cane and GM sugar beets.

Dairy Products may be from cows injected with GM bovine growth hormone. Look for labels stating No rBGH, rBST, or artificial hormones.

Genetically Modified Foods (GMOs)

With genetically modified foods (GMOs) becoming a hotter issue, I’m getting more and more questions about the subject and not just about eating GMO foods. People are also concerned about these dangerous genes being in the fertilizers and soil amendments we use and recommend. Here are the top 10 worst GMO foods for your “do not eat” list. But as you can see, several of the worse choices are also in our gardening products.

10 of the Worst GMO Foods 

1. Corn: Several food documentaries cover how corn is highly modified and much of it is intended for human consumption. Monsanto’s GMO corn has been tied to numerous health issues, including weight gain and organ disruption.

2. Soy: Tofu, vegetarian products, soybean oil, soy flour, and numerous other products are genetically modified to resist herbicides. About 90 percent of all soy is genetically engineered to resist Monsanto’s herbicide Roundup. The use of this dangerous herbicide is greatly increasing as a result.

3. Sugar: Genetically modified sugar beets have been altered by Monsanto to resist herbicides. Sugar beets are a common sugar source in the US and other countries.

4. Aspartame: This is a toxic additive used in numerous food products and should be avoided for several reasons such as it’s being made with genetically modified bacteria.

5. Papaya: GMO papayas have been grown in Hawaii since 1999. Though they can’t be sold to countries in the European Union, they are accepted in the U.S. and Canada.

6. Canola: This is one of the most chemically altered foods in the U.S. diet. Canola oil comes from rapeseed through a series of chemical actions. Even the “organic” version of this product is bad fat compared to olive oil, coconut oil and butter. The so called “health” grocery stores like Whole Foods, Central Market and Natural Grocers should stop using and selling this product.

7. Cotton: Cottonseed oil, especially that originating in India and China, has serious risks. This unhealthy oil is found in many fast food products such as potato chips

8. Dairy: Dairy products have several issues. Many contain growth hormones such as Monsanto’s health-hazardous rBGH. It has been banned in 27 countries, but is still in most US cows. Some of the “organic products” are even contaminated. For your health, demand raw milk and cheese.

9. Squash: Squash, zucchini and other related crops have been modified to artificially resist viruses and other diseases.

10. Wheat: This grain has been altered and made less healthy in a dramatic fashion over the years. The GMO addition is the latest assault.

Some of the dangers of some of these foods are well-known – for example, Bt toxin in GMO corn has been detected in the blood of pregnant women and their babies. But perhaps more important are the risks that are still unknown. There’s no way to be certain what risks these lab-created foods have hidden and are waiting for us.

The best advice is to steer clear of them altogether – but that is almost impossible.

If they are in the soil, how can we neutralize them? For now, all I can suggest is continuing the natural organic program and doing everything you can to stimulate life – the biological activity in the soil. Healthy microbe activity helps with various other contaminations in the soil, such as pesticides, salt fertilizers, heavy metals etc., so hopefully they will take care of the GMO contamination as well.

Sources: Howard Garrett the Dirt Doctor

Non GMO Buying Guide and App