It is estimated that 70-80% of the foods we consume contain GMO ingredients by the Grocery Manufacturers Association. The first approved GMO product was developed in 1996. Today upwards of 90% of all corn and soybean acreage is GMO devotes. Canola, alfalfa, papaya, sugar beets, summer squash, potatoes, and apples are also popular GMO foods.
Food industry continues to maintain that GMOs foods are more nutritious, durable, and pesticide resistant than traditionally grown crops. The US FDA regulates GMOs in conjunction with the Agriculture Department stating these altered foods are safe for human consumption as these modified foods meet the same requirements as conventionally grown and/or produced foods.
Holistic health experts warn of GMO use and note there are ways to avoid GMO, but acknowledge while there is no evidence tying GMOs to human health problems recent studies have found differences in various systems and organs in rats and mice that have been fed GMO diets. Lack of proper labeling is also an issue, 64 countries worldwide require foods to be labeled whether they contain GMOs, The Agriculture Department has 2 years to write up the rules on this, which is seen as a positive step forward.
If you should wish to avoid GMOs in your diet there are some steps you can take, starting with looking at the label.
If you buy your food fresh from a local farmers market it’s less likely that it will contain GMOs, but you can always ask to make sure. If you can grow your own, but that’s not always an option.
Go go organics! It’s best to always try to avoid all processed foods that contain soy or corn that lack USDA Certified Organic labeling as much as possible.
Use olive oil, coconut oil, grape seed, or hemp seed oils that are made from organic sources and avoid anything made with GMO soy, corn, canola oil, cottonseed, vegetable fat or oil, and margarines that are made with processed vegetable products.
Whenever possible stay away from soybeans, and avoid anything soy such as isolates, protein, flour, isoflavones, lecithin, vegetable proteins, TVP, tofu, tempeh, tamari, and soy protein supplements.
Anything containing corn derived ingredients should be avoided, better yet don’t buy things such as corn flour, corn syrup, corn gluten, cornstarch, corn masa, and high fructose corn syrup. It’s recommended to make sure that popcorn is labeled 100% USDA Certified Organic.
Always check the ingredient lists for sugar, unless it says pure sugar cane sugar is almost always made from a combination of sugar from cane mixed with GMO sugar beets.
Avoid aspartame which is a GMO artificial sweetener used in things such as Equal and NutraSweet.
Fruit juices should be labeled 100% juice, always read the labels for the sweeteners used as many contain high fructose corn syrup which is almost always derived from GMO corn.
Try to eat whole grains and choose 100% whole wheat, whole wheat couscous, rice, oats, sorghum, quinoa, and barley.
PLU labels are currently optional in most grocers, but they are to designate how produce is grown. A 4 digit label means it was conventionally grown. A 5 digit code starting with an 8 means it is GMO. A 5 digit code starting with a 9 means it is organic.
