Avoiding GMO Modified Foods

Look For The Sticker On Loose Produce

Whether you are living the raw food lifestyle or simply enjoy a good salad or fresh fruits and vegetables, you need to be aware of what type of produce you are consuming. It is not enough just to decide between conventional grown produce or organic produce. You also need to be aware of the GMO produce that is on supermarket shelves today. GMO food is in many pre-packaged foods as well as in the produce section.

What Is GMO

GMO stands for genetically modified organism. This could be a plant, animal or micro-organism that has been created outside the laws and boundaries of Nature. Most commercial GMO crops include soybeans, cotton, corn and canola. These are major products which the general public consumes everyday. GMO modification was first introduced to grow crops that would be resistant to insecticides and herbicides. This would make them more tolerant of the abuse of these chemicals that take place in conventional farming practices. A field can now be sprayed with a wide array of chemicals, and everything in the field will die except the GMO crop.

Some crops such as corn, cotton and soybean also have a gene inserted so that they produce their own herbicide and insecticide. This is the same corn, soybeans and cotton on our market shelves.

When Did GMO Become Part Of Food Supply

GMO produced products have been in our food supply since 1996. This was well before any research had been done to determine any health effects from GMO foods. This was also done while the public was unaware of the fact the GMO products were being placed on supermarket shelves.

The Health Dangers Of GMO

There are relatively few unbiased studies on the effects on GMO modified foods. Unlike other food and medicinal products that are on the market, GMO modified foods do not undergo rigorous safety testing. There are no strict guidelines in place and even the FDA only suggests “voluntary” testing measures.

The studies that you will find on the Internet vary greatly because of what side of the fence you stand on in the GMO debate. However, the lack of unbiased studies and the increase in food allergies over the last decade clearly point to a problem with GMO modified foods. There have been many cases of increased allergies to soy product that is directly linked to GMO modified soybean crops. Lab tests in rats and other animals have shown increased liver and kidney disease. The fact that the GMO modified food is producing its own pesticides and herbicides clearly indicates that the food still has these genetically modified chemicals in them when they sit on your supermarket shelf.

Recognizing GMO Produce

So how do you avoid GMO food products? First look at labels on any product that contains soy or corn. GMO free products will be clearly labeled as such. Also on loose produce such as apples, zucchinis, yellow squash and papaya look for a small sticker. On that sticker is a 5 digit number. If the first number in that series is a 3 or an 8, stay away from it because it is GMO modified. Non-GMO produce will have a 9 as the first number.

More Related Reading:

How The FDA Is Failing To Protect Us From GMO Foods

GMO Health Risks Fact Sheet