What Is a Genetically
Modified Food?
The
process of genetic modification involves inserting a gene from bacteria or a
virus (or a gene that helps plants survive the application of highly toxic
pesticides) into an organism where it would normally not be found. The
purpose is to alter the genetic code in plants and animals to make them more
productive or resistant to pests or farming techniques, like being doused with
chemicals that would ordinarily kill them.
Soybeans that have been
genetically modified, for example, can survive applications of herbicides that
would destroy an organic soybean plant. Similarly, you might have read
headlines recently about the controversy over genetically modified salmon. In
this case, fish genes are tweaked with a growth hormone that causes the fish to
double in size far more quickly than it usually would, so fish farmers can
increase their profits. So far the GMO fish have not been approved for our food
supply, but I cannot say with any confidence that it will never happen.
What’s
the Problem?
Strengthening soybeans
and fattening fish might not seem controversial on the surface, but there are
some very real concerns here. Understand that the issue of GMOs is quite
complicated. I’ve created the chart below to help clarify some of the pros and
cons:
Pros
Growing GMO plants is supposed to allow
farmers to:
- · Spend less money producing more food.
- · Use fewer pesticides and herbicides.
- · Do less tilling to remove weeds, thereby protecting the soil.
Cons
The downsides of
farming with GMOs include:
- · Creating “super weeds” that have evolved a resistance to glyphosate, a common herbicide in GMO food production.
- · Plants that produce their own insecticide, a bacterial toxin Bacillus thuringiensis (BT), which has led to BT-resistant bugs.
- · A human population that is unwittingly consuming BT, too, since the insecticide is part of GMO plants.
- · Disappointing crop yields and doubt over the environmental benefits of reduced tilling.
Often, GMO advocates
claim that, since many plants already have the ability to produce their own
pest repellents, GMO plants, which can be engineered to produce their own
pesticides, are no different. Wrong! Yes, Mother Nature did give plants an
ability to defend themselves from natural enemies, but we’ve been eating these
plants for a very long time, so our bodies recognize these substances and are
accustomed to dealing with them.
The
pesticides from GMO plants are new to humans, and, right now, we don’t know how
our bodies will handle them. However, we definitely do know that
pesticides (a term that includes herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides) are
linked to cancer, neurological diseases, like Parkinson’s, and a number of
other very serious health concerns. They have also been shown to cause cancer
in children.
Another problem with
GMO crops was discovered earlier this year, when an Oregon farmer found GMO
wheat growing in fields where he had not planted it. Although that story is
still developing, it appears that other GMO plants have also escaped into the
nation’s farmland. If this cross-contamination continues, the consequences
could affect the entire food supply, making us all unwilling guinea pigs in a
massive and very dangerous experiment.
Common
Foods Likely To Contain GMOs
When I buy any of these
foods I shop for organic versions, or varieties bearing a “Non GMO” label.
- · Cereal
- · Non-organic dairy products
- · Soy in any form (oil, tofu, protein powder, meat substitutes, etc.)
- · Vegetable oil
- · Salad dressings
- · Granola bars
- · Chicken nuggets
- · Papayas
- · Zucchini
- · Yellow squash
- · Anything containing high fructose corn syrup
- · Bread and crackers
- · Rice
- · Potatoes
- · Tomatoes
- · Peas
Are
GMO Foods Safe?
To put it bluntly, no
one can really answer that question. Monsanto, the corporation that owns
patents on many GMO seeds, assures us that these foods are harmless and points
to studies – many of which the company has conducted itself – demonstrating
that. These studies, however, have been widely criticized for their obvious
bias, and I agree with those assessments. The Monsanto studies only prove that
data can be manipulated, not that the products are safe. So, without
high-quality, objective information, the debate quickly turns into a he
said/she said standoff, leaving us with more questions than answers.
Meanwhile, although
these foods are being sold in the U.S., GMO foods are either banned or severely
limited throughout much of Europe, including the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy,
France, and Germany. And a long list of other countries are following suit,
including Japan, China and Brazil. In fact, Monsanto has virtually stopped
lobbying for GMO planting in Europe due to low demand by farmers and consumers.
Here is another
concern: Monsanto has spent millions of dollars defeating legislation in states
like California that would have required foods containing GMOs to be labeled.
In addition, a recently passed Farm Assurance law, commonly referred to as the
“Monsanto Protection Act”, essentially grandfathers farmers’ rights to utilize
existing planting of GMO seeds and plants, even if we learn at a later date
that these products have serious health consequences.
The company’s
unwillingness to allow labeling and the fact that the Monsanto Protection Act
has become law – in spite of a tremendous number of consumers who petitioned
the government to veto the bill – certainly does not give me confidence that
these foods are safe to consume. In fact, it suggests the company has something
to hide. And Monsanto’s apparent “profits before people” attitude shows the
reckless disregard the company has for consumers.
Meanwhile, the shocking
outcome of a European study with lab animals has created even more questions.
Rats in the study that were fed a popular GM corn developed horrifically
oversized tumors and organ damage. That study has been widely criticized. But
so have studies done by the industry showing that GMOs are safe.
The fact remains that
there are no long-term studies demonstrating that GMO foods are healthy – or
unhealthy. But given the results of studies I’ve seen, I avoid GMO products
whenever possible for myself and my family, and I recommend that you do the
same.
What Does the Latest
Research Show?
Today, most people carry a heavy burden of
toxins, ranging from plastics to heavy metals to compounds found in
drugs and – nowadays – food and beverages. One
of my major concerns about GMOs is that they could easily increase our toxic
load, leading to even more cancer diagnoses.
And now, it turns out
that even supposedly “safe” levels of one substance can cause cancer when
combined with a “safe” level of another chemical. A new study from Texas Tech
found that when low levels of estrogen are combined with small amounts of
arsenic, lab animals were nearly twice as likely to develop prostate cancer as
animals that were not exposed to estrogen and arsenic.
Unfortunately, we don’t
have a choice about exposure to these substances. We are continually exposed to
estrogen through the plastic products we use every day, as well as
the lining of canned foods. Even small amounts of arsenic are very common in
the environment.
New studies on the toxicity
of various chemicals used to produce GMO products are not reassuring, either.
One recent clinical trial, for example, found that glyphosate,
a common herbicide ingredient used to grow GMO plants, caused human breast
cancer cells to grow due to its estrogen-like qualities. This
is significant because glyphosate was supposedly a safe ingredient with low
toxicity.
No wonder so many
people are confused and anxious about GMO foods. This is an extremely important
issue that raises questions no one can answer with any surety right now.
But, since the answer
affects the health of nearly everyone in the nation, here’s the advice I give
my patients:
Eat organic produce, grass-fed beef, free-range
poultry, and wild-caught fish whenever possible.
Yes, organic food,
which has been grown without chemicals or growth hormones, does tend to cost a
little more. But you can either pay a few cents more for organic produce, or
you can pay a lot more for doctor visits, prescription medication, and hospital
stays. Personally, I prefer to pay a bit extra for the peace of mind that comes
with knowing my food is GMO free.
