GMO OMG!

Bite This: Over 90% of Americans are for labeling GMOs in our foods, yet for over 20 years, this has not happened. However, 64 other countries around the world require labeling for foods containing genetically modified ingredients.

GMOs. Do you know what that is?

For some reason, this has come up a lot in conversation lately, so I thought I’d write about it. Many people do not know what GMOs are and if they do, they do not necessarily know what foods contain GMOs. Don’t you think you have the right to know if you’re consuming GMOs?

GMOs are genetically modified organisms. What this means in regards to food and nutrition is that seeds for crops are genetically altered. They do this mainly in order to make crops resistant to herbicides so they can continue to spray their crops and kill the weeds with this without causing harm to the crops. Basically in our food system, 94% of soybeans, 96% cotton, and 93% corn are genetically modified. Now think of all of the products made from these crops and how much we are eating of each one every day.

There is much controversy surrounding genetically modified foods including potentially toxic or allergenic properties, genetic contamination, and toxic or lethal impact on other living things. I won’t go into all of the potential dangers of GMO crops, but one of the controversies worth mentioning is how these foods should at the very least be labeled. The big wigs do not want the labeling of GMOs to be required, but shouldn’t the consumer have that option to choose if they want to eat it or not?

I don’t exactly know where I stand on genetically modified foods. I think there is potential that just because they are genetically modified doesn’t necessarily mean they’re not safe for human consumption, but the fact that these crops have been sprayed with so many chemicals makes them potentially harmful. And now that I am pregnant, I think about this a lot more. What is happening to our bodies if we’re ingesting crops that have been genetically altered to be Roundup Ready resistant and are being coated in the chemical all of the time?

There has been some research on mammals on what can happen when fed genetically modified foods (such a tumors), but of course this cannot be extrapolated to humans. But, there is something to be said for that, right? And there’s something happening either environmentally or genetically that is causing the Autism rate to go up from 1 in 2,000 in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s to 1 in 68. Now maybe we’re just diagnosing it more now (like with ADHD) or maybe it’s really increasing at an alarming rate.

Not only that, but there are at least 26 countries that ban GMOs. BAN! Why is the US not requiring labeling on foods that are banned in other countries? We should compare Austism rates and other medical conditions to one of these countries (yes, I know other factors can play a role because of the different environments, but still…)

I was never one to be too extreme about the foods I eat, even being a dietitian. But going through what I went through just to get pregnant, I am much more aware and conscious of what is going into my body in order to give these babies a healthy, fighting chance.  I have been buying a lot more organically raised meats, eggs, and dairy, and purchasing and growing organic fruits and vegetables.  I have also been much more conscious about buying GMO free cereals, and other snack foods. Now, I am not saying you’re a bad mother or person for eating GMOs, I am just wanting to limit my consumption as much as I can.

Maybe something else that has been fueling my passion about this is a documentary that I watched the other night. Yes, I know documentaries can be biased, but it brings up some good points. The documentary is called “GMO OMG: Is this the end of Real Food?” Totally worth watching. You can check out the website here.

What do you think about genetically modified foods? Do you eat them?

Sound bite: This week take a look at what you eat. Check packages and labels of foods and see if any of them are “GMO free”.