Submitted by Eastland Chiropractic & Wellness Center
Some scientists, government officials, and food industries are extremely vocal about their support of genetically modified foods (GMOs) because of the benefits these foods can have for agriculture, human nutrition, and feeding the booming population. However, many consumers, activists, and religious organizations respond with equal strength, giving warnings of the unknown effects of GMOs on human health and the environment. Many Americans are not even aware of GMO foods, and many others are concerned about how GMOs could affect them and their children, but it is difficult to sift through all the conflicting information out there to know exactly what foods are typically genetically modified and how to avoid them.
What exactly are GMOs anyway? For centuries, farmers have grown crops using selective breeding techniques—a trial and error system that provides knowledge of the particular plant strains that have desirable qualities, such as a high disease tolerance or a resistance to fungus, for example. However, genetically engineered foods, in which scientists can insert specific genes directly into a plant or animal to suit their purposes, first appeared in the mid-nineties and, since then, have seen a dramatic increase in prevalence in our diets as well as profits for the companies engineering them.
Some argue that genetic modification is the basis of agriculture and evolution in general. Plants and animals genetically modify themselves all the time, and modern methods of this modification are simply quicker and more precise. Still, the fact remains that we know very little about the effect these inherently altered foods have on our bodies. Another glaring issue with this technology is that whoever controls the food also controls the people. These food products are now in the hands of large companies, many of which forbid testing to check for unintended side effects or to compare characteristics with other brands of GMOs and non-GMOs from other companies.
Genetically modified ingredients are usually in the form of modified enzymes in processed foods like breads, cheeses, soda, and beer and in crops such as soybeans, corn, potatoes, and canola oil. Most meat and dairy also comes from animals that have been fed GMO feed. Many food additives and flavorings contain GMOs, and artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, are the product of genetic engineering. Surprisingly, there are very rarely whole fruits or vegetables on the market today that have been genetically modified.
It is difficult to know how prevalent these foods are in our diets because companies combine raw ingredients from many different sources in one processing system, mixing GMOs and non-GMOs. In the U.S., producers are not required to label genetically modified ingredients, so it is difficult to know what you are consuming and how to avoid them. There is also no evidence of consumers getting sick from GMOs because there is not a way to trace them back to their source.
Perhaps the most famous example of genetic modification was the invention of what was dubbed “Golden Rice” in 1999 by the Rockefeller Foundation. Rice provides as much as 80 percent of the caloric intake for over half the population of the world. “Golden Rice” is genetically altered to contain more nutrients, mainly beta-carotene, with claims that it would correct a vitamin A deficiency and the subsequent health issues for millions of people. With more research, scientists found that the rice would actually have no effect unless eaten in massive quantities and along with other nutrients that facilitate the uptake of vitamin A. While this rice appears safe and is marketed under the intent of aiding in malnutrition in developing countries, it is undeniable that the rice represents a corporate control over agriculture, and it opened the door for more widespread use of GMOs.
GMO foods have been banned in Europe for over a decade without any government assistance. The people simply pressured the food industry to remove GMO ingredients from their products. But Americans are surprisingly accepting of GMO foods, most likely because they don’t really know much about them. If Americans want to avoid GMO foods, it is virtually impossible to do so since the government prevents GMO labeling. Eating organically is a good place to start because even the non-organic ingredients in foods labeled “organic” are not allowed to contain GMOs. Everyone should educate themselves about genetically modified foods and be cautious of how readily we accept GMOs in our diets.
For more information on nutrition, healthy lifestyle, chiropractic care, and physical rehabilitation, please contact Shawn Bladel, D.C. at Eastland Chiropractic & Lifestyle Center, 2406 E. Washington St. in Bloomington. Dr. Bladel offers food sensitivity testing through the lifestyle program “Nourish.” To learn more, contact them at 309-662-8418.
Photo credit: Cathy Yeulet/iStock
Additional Resources on GMOs
Center for Food Safety www.centerforfoodsafety.org/campaign/ genetically-engineered-food/crops
World Health Organization’s 20 Questions on GMOs www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/biotech/20questions/en