Friday, February 24, 2012

Genetically - modified - what?

GM or GE organisms are prevalent in our grocery stores.  If you are unaware of this term, you likely are eating a large proportion of them and not even knowing it.

GMO = Genetically Modified Organism

GE = Genetically Engineered

These foods have been altered from their natural form.  They are everywhere, but the U.S. doesn’t require them to be labeled as such.



How can you avoid them?

Buy organic – they cannot be GMO or GE; this applies to animal products too, as they cannot be fed GMOs.

Look for foods labeled GMO/GE free.

If you cannot always buy organic, make sure to avoid nonorganic products made with corn and soy, as these are often GE.



Buy organic eggs to avoid GE egg-laying chickens.

Facts:

Thirty percent of the crops in US are GMOs.  An Italian study found mice fed GM corn had increased allergy and inflammatory responses.  An Austrian study showed GM corn decreased fertility.

Most soy, corn, canola, and cottonseed oil in the US is GM, and most of our livestock is fed GM food.  Avoid corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, corn meal, dextrose, maltodextrin, oils (corn, cottonseed, canola, soybean, unspecified vegetable), soy protein, soy lecithin, and TVP.

OR – eat organic versions, which can’t be grown from GMO seeds or fed GMO food.

(Sorry, the source seems to have escaped me...)

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