By Valik Rudd, syndicated from GeekGrass.com
Genetically modified foods, known in short as GM foods, are foods that have been altered to produce an unnatural, but desirable result. Although this may sound relatively benign, genetically modified foods contain high levels of toxicity. Consuming genetically modified foods has been shown to increase birth defects as well as a myriad of other diseases, from organ damage, to accelerated aging to fertility issues.
Many people are consuming food from genetically modified organisms without even realizing. Labeling foods that contain GMOs has been a controversial topic, and currently the FDA does not require companies to list on their packaging whether or not their products have been genetically modified. This compilation of foods are some of the worst culprits when it comes to genetic modification. However, more than likely consumers are purchasing these products without even realizing the potential dangers.
Corn
Almost all of the corn produced in the United States has been genetically modified. Corn has been altered so that it contains its own pest repellent. With this new inherent form of insecticide, instead of needing to spray crops, insects die by eating the corn. Consequently, Monarch butterflies are also being killed by these GMO corn crops. Although less spraying of crops is generally considered healthier for the environment, GMO corn isn’t just killing the insects that eat it, it is killing humans too. In animal based research studies, mice that were fed GMO corn products were shown to have reproductive problems, as well as an increased likelihood of developing cancerous tumors. Corn derivatives are found in many other products, from high fructose corn syrup, to breads, to chocolate and cookies. Avoiding this GM food requires carefully scrutinizing product labels.
Peas
Like corn, peas have been genetically modified to contain their own insect repellent. This was done by taking one of the genes from the kidney bean and grafting it into the peas. Eating GM peas has been linked to decreased functioning of the immune system.
Papaya and Bananas
Fruits are full of healthy vitamins and essential nutrients, right? Unfortunately, fruits are some of the worst offenders when it comes to GMO infused foods. Although genetically modified papaya is not legal in certain countries, the majority of papaya comes from Hawaiian crops where genetically modified papayas have been around since the late 1980s. Likewise, the majority of bananas that come from American crops have been genetically modified.
Dairy
Up to one fifth of all American cows are given genetically modified hormones. When consuming dairy, the safest route in order to avoid GMO products is to buy organic. Although the specific hormone that is used in the United States has been banned in almost 30 other countries around the world, it is still legal to pump one’s cows full of harmful GMOs.
Sugar Beets
Approximately 85% of all sugar beets grown in the United States contain GMOs. Producers genetically modified sugar beets so that they would grow faster and be more resistant to weeds. Environmentalists have voiced concerns about the impact that these genetically modified sugar beets are having on the environment. Although the growing of GMO based sugar beets was temporarily outlawed by the USDA, farmers are now able to once again plant this genetically altered vegetable.
Squash
Squash is especially prone to disease, which is why this vegetable was altered, enabling it to fight off diseases with more efficiency. Of particular concern is the fact that environmental experts fear that this GM food has someone begun to develop amongst wild squash species as well. Ironically, as a result of the genetic modification done to squash, insects that would normally attack only cucumbers have now started feasted on the squash instead.
Soy
Over 90% of soybeans grown in the United States now contain GMOs. Similar to corn, soy derivatives can be found in many other products, frequently unders names such as soy lecithin and soy flour. Consuming GMO soy products has been shown to increase mortality rates and create problems with fertility, including an increased incidence of birth defects in newborns.
Canola and cottonseed oil
Although these oils may seem inexpensive, they come with a lasting price. Canola crops are heavily sprayed with toxic pesticides. These oils were modified to create a more flavorful taste and increase their resistance to pests. It also allowed the crops to be sprayed with high levels of pesticides without killing them. This extreme genetic modification has begun to backfire by actually altering the natural organism in the environment and subsequently killing crops.
Tomatoes
Modified to induce a longer shelf life, consuming GMO has been shown in lab mice to increase the rate of mortality. In some studies, the lab mice died within weeks of being fed the GM tomatoes. GM tomatoes are illegal in Europe, however they have not yet been banned in the United States.
Golden rice
Although the intentions behing the genetic modification may have be positive, the outcome has been dubious. Golden rice was GMO infused in order to add increased amounts of Vitamin A, however, this altercation to the rice species has created environmental issues and has been shown to now cause increased allergies in humans.
There Is A Solution!
Buy organic! If a food is certified Organic it is basically certified to not be genetically engineered in any way. It may cost you a little more but what is your health really worth? Support organic farming methods and GMO and all the garbage will go away on its own for the lack of money to support it. If we don’t do this we will probably all extinct like the dinosaurs, within the next 100 years.
Valik Rudd writes for GeekGrass.com where this article first appeared