You’ve probably heard of GMO foods – genetically modified organisms, or genetically engineered foods. GMO food is engineered to be resistant to pests and diseases, to being sprayed with weed killing chemicals, or to be more productive or productive in a different manner. It’s a huge farming practice.
One of the main reasons to avoid GMO foods is that your body may not recognize them as a food from nature, but, rather, as a toxin. You don’t get the nourishment from the food and overburden your liver at the same time. Eating a lot of GMO foods can lead to a host of digestive and health issues!
Some of the most common crops in the US that are GMOs are soybeans, cotton, sugar beets and corn. Other crops that might be GMO are alfalfa, canola, papaya, yellow squash and zucchini. Seventy percent of processed foods contain some type of GMO ingredient.
So, what can you do to avoid GMOs?
- Buy organic foods.
- Buy foods certified as Non-GMO Project Verified
- Read food labels, and watch out for ingredients like corn starch or syrup, soy lecithin, dextrose, fructose and canola oil.
- Watch out for corn-derived products, like corn chips, corn starch, popcorn, baking powder and whiskey as well as soy-derived products, like tofu and tempeh, soy sauce, and processed deli meats. If you eat a lot of these foods, think about buying them as organic.
While working on a paper for my degree, I came across a story from a farmer who told of an experiment he did with GMO and non-GMO feed corn. His cows, able to choose to eat from separate troughs, chose to ignore the GMO corn, and fed on the non-GMO corn only. This is not a scientific study, but rather a look at nature and the wisdom of animals.
Be aware as a consumer and spend your food dollars wisely. If you’d like help with your shopping, Food Circle Vitality can provide Shopping with a Nutritionist. Give us a call!
To Your Vitality!