Genetically Modified Ingredients in Our Food

Hello Everyone!

As I get my thoughts together to write this, I start to think about what I really want to say. I love giving all of you the updates on my (and the Almighty Gardener Lad) garden.

But almost more than that I like giving you sites and information on how to be healthy...physically AND mentally. I love finding all of those little "tidbits" about trying to give the Earth a break or how to get back to living naturally or what's going on with the food we buy/eat or hot-button topics like food in our kids' schools.

So, as my gardening season winds down, I am going to transition into a more "natural" and "whole living" type blog. I know it will be more relevant to today's thinking and I am positive it would be very beneficial to EVERYONE.

All right, I know I posted earlier this week, however, I am trying to be more consistent in terms of posting every week. Not much has changed in the garden, except while I was harvesting my dill, I found a carrot!!! Only about an inch long...but, sure enough, it was a carrot!!!! (I personally think the Almighty Gardener played a trick on me and planted a seed there — something he COMPLETELY denies!!!) Other than that, the garden is pretty much the same as it was on Monday!

My topic today that seems to be the "in" topic concerns genetically modified food. Is it safe to eat? I was reading an article in More, and it was pretty eye opening. Currently, there are hearings being held at the FDA (Food & Drug Administration) about approving the first genetically modified salmon for sale in the U.S. There was an immediate outcry by many groups and organizations. This was puzzling to the FDA as 80 percent of the processed foods that are sold in the U.S. have been made with genetically modified ingredients. Soy lecithin, high fructose corn syrup...just to name a couple.

So, maybe the American people were not so upset with the genetically modified trend because we have not been fully aware and advised about how it has REALLY been present in our lives for a very long time. The GM movement and process has been marketed to farmers as a way to almost guarantee successful crops and save time and money for the farming industry. The consumer was not involved in this marketing tactic and since the FDA deemed genetically modified products as "safe" (minimal amount of toxins...or "safe" levels of toxins), there was no need to let the average consumer know what was really in the ingredients in their food!

I don't know, but I don't like this. Do you?

As of 2010 93 percent of the soy beans raised in the US are genetically altered. Eighty-six percent of the corn grown here is genetically modified and altered. A common "modifier" involves a derivative of the peanut. I find this disturbing. Who is to say this derivative of the peanut will not affect people with peanut allergies and cause a serious (life threatening?) reaction?

The FDA states it has tested and retested all genetically modified products for reactions etc...but how can a peanut derivative NOT harm someone with a peanut allergy? I am allergic to blueberries and had a terrible reaction to blue cauliflower, not realizing it was blue because the DNA was "crossed" with blueberry DNA. I could have died. Yet, nowhere in the store where I purchased the cauliflower did it say ANYTHING about it containing blueberry DNA. This crossing had to be approved by the FDA. Acceptable levels of blueberry? I don't think so!!!

I find it extremely disturbing that the FDA approves "acceptable levels" of toxins in our food. Why should there be ANY toxins in our food? Genetically modified foods sold in Europe and the European Union are required to label their foods as having GM ingredients in them. However, in the U.S. we have no way of knowing if there are any in our food as they are not required to be labeled. Another disturbing fact.

So, how do you avoid these types of food? Well, eating and buying organic food helps. I find this difficult as buying organic is expensive and I know I don't have the funds to purchase all organic.

Avoiding processed foods is a start as well. We should all be doing this anyway...

Lastly, look for a NON-GMO PROJECT VERIFIED label on the product. This is a grassroots group that has made it their mission to label the foods that are free of GM's. The down side? Unfortunately, only available in natural food stores and food co-ops.

Maybe we need to let our FDA know GMs are not acceptable. Maybe we need to let the manufacturers know GMs are not acceptable. We need to do something. Right?

Read the full article on genetically modified food in More magazine. Check it out!!!!

Thanks for reading!!

As always eat well, enjoy your food and be healthy!!!