Now that we have made it
through the macronutrients and some specifics about them; Hannah and I have we
will now be exploring some interesting nutrition topics that we are curious
about. For myself I try very hard to eat “real” food. I try to stay away processed
food, but they are everywhere. A recent movement that has caught my attention
is the Non-GMO Project. GMOs are genetically modified organisms. So in other
words, it is the modification of living organisms, which in this case is mostly
our food. Many countries including: Japan, Australia and those in European
Union consider that these foods are not safe. United States as of now has very
limited regulations and allows GMOs due to advantages in food production and
agriculture. I do not want to go into the politics that revolve around GMOs and
the labeling rules, but instead I want to give the facts and truths about the
food and how it affects us.
According the Non-GMO Project
website, not all the GMO food is labeled even though 80% of processed food contains
GMOs. A recent list of high-risk foods contains alfalfa, canola, corn, cotton,
soy, and sugar beets. Without knowing it, we eat genetically modified food
every day and this is how it has been for hundreds of years. Genetically
modified food does not mean that we injecting chemicals in the food we eat, but
rather taking seedlings, for example, and trying to enhance its growing year or
resistance by another plant organism. Genetically changed by other plant antibacterial
makes our mass crops more stable against disease and higher in production.
Safety concerns arise because the changes to the plants will have effects on us
as humans. The health risk to humans though is not fully known. According
to the CDC, antibiotic in our meat are impacting us as humans and the risks are
increasing with a higher amount of consumption over time. This is meat
specifically not all foods. Organizations who feel that GMOs are safe
disagree with the GMO Project. Reasons for their argument include: altered
crops are more resistant to stress, have additional nutrients, land is being
used efficiently therefore more production and longer shelf life of our foods.
The GMO Project website emphasizes how “bad” GMOs are but I also wanted to
share other points of view so you yourself can decide and further look to make
your own decisions.
Avoiding the modified food is
the most difficult part because they are also place alongside organic labeled
food. Requirements for organic food are: not be grown with certain pesticides,
synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge or genetically modified seeds. Organic
food is a great option to avoid to pesticide, fertilizers, and GMOs, but it
comes at a cost. Some organics food are double “regular” prices, you would
think with less fertilizer and pesticide spent for agriculture it would bring
prices down?! On the contrary, the price is raised due to the decrease in
overall amount of food that can be grown. Crops may not be as bountiful
compared to those who used commercial fertilizers and pesticides simply.
Organic and non-GMO options are intriguing to most people, but yes it does come
with a price. If this is something that you are interested in more, the Non-GMO
Project website has many links that lay out their cause, current policies along
with list of foods and brands. Some brands they have listed are:
- Annie’s
- Angie’s Boom Chicka Pop
- The Gluten Free Bar (GFB)
- True Goodness by Meijer
Being GMO free may not make you look “healthier” and more “fit”, but our food and what we put into our body has to be our decisions and if we want to eat cleaner for ourselves and our environment a GMO free or organic diet may be an option for you.
GMO Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved November 13, 2015, from http://www.nongmoproject.org/learn-more/
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