GMOs and the right to know what's in your food.

Most people think about avoiding chemical pesticides and fertilizers when they think about organic, and knowing about the presence of those things in our food is certainly important.  But the lesser discussed tenet of organic, at least until recently, is that of the genetic modification of food.  You may have heard the term "GMO" or "GE" which stand for "genetically modified organisms" and "genetic engineering" respectively.  Foods certified organic by the USDA cannot, by definition, be genetically modified.

Now, I have to be a little careful on this topic because I am not an expert.  There are soil scientists and agriculture experts who have dedicated their lives and professions to understanding this topic, and to their opinions, I will always yield.  But I do want to share my  opinion, based on what I know.

According to the book "Integrative Nutrition" by Joshua Rosenthal, "The most prevalent GM crops were created to resist harsh chemicals;...Farmers who use GM crops can spray their fields to kill everything growing in the area except the food crop."  That all actually sounds very cool technologically per the above, and if we can prove with certainty that there is no harm to humans, great.  But what worries me in the absence of that proof is that we ingest those same killer chemicals when we eat those plants...so, what are they doing inside our bodies?

The reality is, we don't know yet.  Supporters of GM crops would contend its a worthwhile risk to take because crops that can resist certain pests and adverse growing conditions, in theory, produce higher yield and therefore allow more people to be fed.   Even though we now have more over-nourished people in the world than we have under-nourished, but that's another story.  There is, however, some debate about whether crop yields have in fact increased, according to studies like this one from 2009.  Supporters would also remind me that farmers have less wasted crop due to greater pesticide and weather resistance and less time spent spraying and doing other activities that are rendered unnecessary when your crops are the output of modified seeds; therefore, there is an economic component to it.

How does the rest of the world feel?  Per this October 2011 graphic from Scientific American, the US and Canada do not require labeling of genetically modified food, but in 40 other countries (the green dots), there are significant restrictions or outright bans on production as they have not yet been proven safe.  

I'm not asking for bans on production necessarily, just information.  What I want is the ability to make an informed decision in the grocery store.

By several estimates, including this one from Scientific American article mentioned above, 80% of the packaged food in our grocery stores contains GMOs.  That pretty much means if it’s not organic, or labeled “no GMOs,” it probably is genetically modified.  Corn and soy are the usual suspects, but all sorts of crops can be modified.

Shopping tip: If you decide you want to minimize GMOs in your home, look for the USDA organic label or a “no GMO” indication.  According to this and other sources, produce can be identified as:

- Conventionally grown/non-GMO with a 4- or 5- (e.g. 4011 is bananas)

- Organically grown with a 9- (e.g. 94011)

- GMO with an 8- (e.g. 84011)

Brands: Silk and Amy’s are two of my favorite brands that don’t use GMOs.  Silk makes soy milk, yogurt and other dairy alternatives and Amy’s is a California company that focuses on frozen and canned goods for those on-the-goers who don’t always have time for fresh.

Click here for a short 3-minute video worth watching.  If you agree, pass it on.