In the 1990s scientists began to alter the DNA of grains and crops.
The first GMO corn was produced in 1996, and now we have 243 varieties of GMO corn.
As of 2022, 93% of the corn planted in the USA is GMO (genetically modified).
Meanwhile, 58% of Americans are unaware of the GMO problem.
What's the hullabaloo?
GMO foods can be grown in harsh climates, so it's likely they would help in feeding the population in those difficult areas, but at what cost to the environment, the animals, and to human health?
Some GMO crops have a better flavor, and they all have a longer shelf life.
Some have better nutritional value than their ancestor crops.
They can grow in areas of salty soil or drought or heat.
They are more resistant to disease and insects, so fewer pesticides are used.
However, the concern is that
• New virulent strains of insects and weeds will multiply in the future.
• Biodiversity will be impacted, and existing animals will have altered genetics.
• GMO foods cause more allergic reactions.
• GMO may increase antibiotic resistance.
• Animal studies with GMO foods showed that they may result in infertility, accelerated aging, poor insulin regulation, immune issues, and damage to major organs - the liver, pancreas, and kidneys.
• GMO may increase carcinogenic substances in the body.
• Ongoing research must continue.
How to avoid GMO
- Cook and eat whole foods, not processed foods.
- Buy food labeled as "100% organic" (inherently non-GMO).
- Watch for items labeled "non-GMO" or "GMO-free."
- Buy grass-fed beef, if you eat beef.
- Try farmer's markets – but make sure items are non-GMO.
- Look at the stickers on your fresh fruits and veggies, as below. (Buy the "9s.")
Watch those number codes on the produce stickers.
A three or four-digit produce sticker indicates a conventionally grown crop (which is sprayed with fungicides and herbicides that wreak havoc on our gut).
A five-digit number beginning with an 8 is GMO produce.
A five-digit number beginning with a 9 is organic produce (non-GMO, our favorite, tastes better too).
So far, only a few types of fresh produce are GMO varieties, and they are sweet corn, zucchini, yellow squash, beets, potatoes, apples, papayas, and pink pineapples.
(Again, their ID sticker begins with 8.)
However, GMO crops are used in common ingredients like cornstarch, corn syrup, corn oil, soybean oil, canola oil, and especially granulated sugar.
Cows, pigs, and chickens are being fed GMO corn and soy.
Therefore most of our animal products carry an aspect of GMO.
Estimates say that more than 75% of processed foods at the grocery store - everything from meat, milk, soup, and canned items to soda pop, cereals, crackers, condiments, dressings, and baby formula - have GMO ingredients.
Some of the worst GMO cooking oils are:
laurate canola oil
high oleic soybean oil
stearidonate soybean oil.
Several big staples grown in the USA are predominantly GMO.
USA corn is 93% GMO
sugar beet 99.9% GMO (used for granulated sugar)
cottonseed oil 94% GMO
soybean products and oil 94% GMO
canola oil 95% GMO
Unfortunately, all of the above are put into our processed foods, even our bread.
Practically everything you don't make yourself has the potential to be high GMO, unless you keep an eye on it.
Since 2015, Europe has purposefully quit growing GMO crops. As of 2019, only 27% of their food supply was from GMO products. (Whereas the USA GMO is about 80% of our conventional food supply.)
Yeah.
What do you think of all this?
Take good care of yourself, my friends!
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Diane Stallings RN does distance healing, EFT tapping, and/or Biofield Tuning on the phone, Reiki and energy healing sessions and classes, Chakra Balancing, and health coaching.
(Thanks to public domain and Wikimedia for these images we combined.)
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