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Most of the food consumed in the U.S. has been chemically treated, genetically engineered, or heavily processed—and none of it requires a warning label. It’s hardly even real food anymore, and it is negatively impacting our health. Find out how you and your family can reduce your risk and make healthier choices.
The GE threat
Do you think it’s a good idea to combine the genes of plants and chemicals? Genetically engineered food is created with technology that alters the makeup of organisms we consume, such as plants and animals, by modifying them with foreign DNA or synthetic genes, often through radiation or chemicals.
An estimated 70 percent of foods sold in teh supermarket contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
Some genetically engineered food in the U.S., by percentage:
Corn = 85 percent
Cotton = 88 percent (NOTE: Cottonseed oil is used in many food products)
Soybeans = 91 percent
Sugar beets = 95 percent
The hidden GMOs
Hundreds of additives derived from GMOs are also in most ingredients we consume daily.
Ingredient: What is it: Likely in your:
Glucose Simple sugar chemically made from corn Soft drinks, baked goods
Lecithin An emulsion made from soy Chocolate, ice cream
Maltodextrin Additive made from cornstarch Instant soup, crackers and snacks
Taking a health risk
Over 70 percent of the corn grown in the U.S. is now grown from genetically modified seeds patented by the company Monsanto. Monsanto also controls patented seeds for soy, cotton and alfalfa crossed with chemical pesticides.
Because GE is a new process, more testing is needed. Consumption can produce:
Severe allergic reaction, antibiotic resistance, immune suppression, cancer
30 countries, including France, Germany, Italy and Japan have already banned or restricted GMOs, while the U.S. still doesn’t even require GMO labelling!
A note for the carnivore
Conventional burgers, steaks, and lunch meat may mean your family is munching on synthetic hormones, bacteria and genetically modified organisms.
The most processed meats on the market:
Sausage, hot dog, bacon, hamburger
Eating 2 ounces of processed meat a day means you are:
42 percent more likely to get heart disease, 19 percent more likely to get diabetes
To reduce your family’s risk of allergies, eColi or even cancer, buy meats that are certified organic. Also look for grassfed labelling, which means the animals was raised under humane, best practices without chemical intrusion.
A thought on dairy
Thinking of turning to dairy products? Tread carefully: animals injected with growth hormones likely produce chemically altered products. This means you are also getting hormones that can wreak havoc on your endocrine system.
Bovine growth hormone (rBGH) injected into cows produces IGF-1 milk. The presence of the same hormone increases the risk of human development of breast, colorectal and prostate cancer four times more than those avoiding IGF-1.
Cows injected wtih rBGH have a much higher rate of udder infections. Farmers treat them with antibiotics, which eventually end up in the dairy products we consume.
Eating smart
The only way to protect your family from chemically treated and genetically engineered food is to buy real food that’s certified organic. Think of it this way: if you grandma wouldn’t recognize the product or the ingredients, you probably shouldn’t be eating it.
Sources: Naturalnews.com, nrdc.org, ewg.org, worldwatch.org, centerforfoodsafety.org, care2.com, raw-wisdom.com, nongmoshoppingguide.com
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