Thursday, March 31, 2011

on GMOs

Please Read this article about Genetically Modified Organisms in the everyday foods of Americans. Bottom line, they aren't good, they are probably really bad, and they are everywhere. The more we reject them the less they will be used. There is a lot of information out there but this article puts it forward clearly.....
Read it here --->Better Nutrition :: Features :: Feature Articles
I've extracted my favorite parts \/
"According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 93 percent of all soybeans, 78 percent of all cotton, and 70 percent of all corn grown in the United States in 2010 were genetically modified to be herbicide tolerant."

"The one and only published GM study on humans revealed that in some people, herbicide-resistant genes from soybeans transfer into the DNA of bacteria living inside the intestines—and continue to function. “This means that long after we stop eating GMOs, we may still have potentially dangerous GM proteins continuously produced inside of us,” says Smith."

"How to Avoid GMOs

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.

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.

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. The top GM food crops are:

  • Corn (as in cornmeal, cornstarch, corn oil, and other corn-based ingredients)
  • Soybeans (as in soy protein, soy milk, tofu, soy lecithin, soybean oil, and other soy-based ingredients)
  • Canola (as in canola oil)
  • Cottonseed (as in cottonseed oil)
  • Sugar Beets* (as in “sugar” in an ingredient)
  • Most Hawaiian papaya
  • A small amount of zucchini and yellow squash

Also, beware of dairy products, which may be from cows injected with GM bovine growth hormone. Look for dairy products labeled “No rBGH or rBST” or “artificial hormone-free.”

* GM sugar beets have been introduced into our food supply but are involved in legal challenges that could eventually take them off the GMO list. In the meantime, read labels and understand that if a non-organic product made in North America lists “sugar” as an ingredient (as opposed to pure cane sugar or evaporated cane juice), then it is almost certainly a combination of sugar from both sugar cane and GM sugar beets.

tip #4: Use non-GMO Shopping Guides
Download either the new Non-GMO Shopping Tips brochure or redesigned Non-GMO Shopping Guide at nongmoshoppingguide.com to help you identify and avoid GM foods and hidden GM ingredients on food labels. If you have an iPhone, download the ShopNoGMO guide for free from the iTunes store.

Source: Non-GMO Shopping Guide, nongmoshoppingguide.com, by the Institute for Responsible Technology.

To stay informed on the latest news on GM food, including the most recent developments on alfalfa (used as animal feed), sugar beets, and salmon, visit responsibletechnology.org and gmwatch.org."