September 12, 2013
Genetically-modified (GM) foods and food ingredients have
infiltrated our food supply, tainting what was once healthy. While
agri-businesses continue to claim they are safe, increasing amounts of
research demonstrate that GM foods are harmful to human health, damage
ecosystems, cause financial calamity for many farmers, and release trans
genes that could randomly transfer to other life forms in the
environment with the potential for disastrous consequences. A growing
body of research links genetically-modified food consumption with
sterility, allergies, infant mortality, organ defects, childhood
illnesses, and cancer.
Avoid these top 20 foods and food ingredients to make your body GM-free*:
Alfalfa—Not in the habit of eating alfalfa? You
could be unknowingly eating this food in your beef and dairy products.
Used by dairy and beef farmers as feed for cows, genetically-modified
alfalfa is common in both beef and milk products.
Aspartame—Not only is aspartame a well-established
neurotoxin (brain and nervous system toxin), this laboratory-derived
ingredient is made from aspartate, phenylalanine, and menthol, all of
which are commonly sourced from genetically-modified ingredients.
Beef—Not only does most beef contain
genetically-modified alfalfa, it also contains GM corn and soy, which
becomes part of the meat. If you’re eating beef, choose only organic
beef that is grass-fed.
Canola Oil—Ninety percent of canola is genetically-modified to withstand the herbicide glyphosate (Round-Up).
Corn and Corn Starch—Almost all corn is
genetically-modified, making this once healthy food a suspected cause of
organ damage. Like corn, the starch extract of this GM-food is found
in almost all processed and packaged foods. If you like battered and
deep-fried foods of almost any kind, you’re getting lots of this
ingredient and lots of genetically-modified corn. Corn starch is
commonly-used to make deep-fried foods crispy.
Enzymes—Unfortunately many enzymes used in
food production are derived from GM ingredients. Some of these
processes include: preventing egg products from deteriorating, removing
bitter substances from beer, improving the clarity of fruit juices,
clotting milk to make cheese, increasing the rising speed of bread
dough, and many others. GM enzymes are also used in the manufacture of
many supplements. Check out the excellent book
Genetic Roulette for more information about GM enzymes.
Flaxseeds/Flaxseed Oil—Even flax has been contaminated with genetically-modified seed. Be sure to choose only certified organic flax and flax oil.
High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)—Because high
fructose corn syrup is made from corn which is almost entirely
genetically-modifed this ingredient is a serious threat to health.
Research links it to weight gain and diabetes.
Ice Cream—Ice cream typically contains multiple
genetically-modified ingredients, including high fructose corn syrup,
corn starch, and milk which contains bovine growth hormone (rBGH). If
that still doesn’t sound too bad to you, keep reading to learn more
about rBGH in milk products.
Infant Formula—Do the corporations behind
frankenfoods have no ethics at all? Even infant formula is contaminated
with frankenfood ingredients like soy and milk. Yes, milk typically
contains genetically-modified ingredients (keep reading!).
Margarine and Shortening—Made from
genetically-modified canola or vegetable oil blends, margarine and
vegetable shortening are not the healthy foods many people believe them
to be.
Milk—Genetically-modified bovine growth hormone
(rBGH) is injected into cows to increase milk output. Incidentally,
this process also increases the rate of infection in cows and results in
blood and pus in the milk, along with the genetically-modified
proteins. Maybe the dairy marketing board should change their slogan
from “Got Milk?” to “Got Gross?”
Non-organic and Synthetic Vitamins—You’ve read about
enzyme supplements, but other nutritional supplements are commonly made
from genetically-modified ingredients. Choose ones that are made from
natural (not synthetic) nutrients and organic ingredients.
Papaya (Hawaiian)—Papayas from Hawaii are largely genetically-modified. They contain genetic material from the Ringspot virus.
Sausage—Most sausages contain ingredients derived
from genetically-modified corn, including: corn syrup or corn syrup
solids. Choose only organic sausage free of these ingredients and
preservatives.
Soy and Lecithin—Most soybean crops are grown from
genetically-modified soy, which has been linked to a host of health
problems, including cancer. Lecithin, which is a product made from soy,
is also contaminated with harmful trans genes and used in many
processed and packaged foods as a thickener. Choose only certified
organic soy. Ideally, choose certified organic soy that has been
fermented (like miso).
Squash—Many varieties of squashes have been
created with genetically-modified gene sequences and are best avoided
unless they are certified organic.
Sugar Beets—Sugar beets are used to make about 35%
of the global supply of white sugar. Consider that the average person
consumes 150 pounds of sugar each year. That works out to over 52
pounds of genetically-modified sugar on average. That’s not only a lot
of sugar, it’s a lot of genetically-modified organisms, and potentially a
large amount of the herbicide glyphosate (Roundup) which is used on
many sugar beet farms.
Tomatoes—Since the release of Flavr Savr tomatoes,
the first genetically-modified tomatoes, many more frankentomatoes have
been released on an unsuspecting public. These tomatoes contain a DNA
sequence that has been reversed to prevent softening and allow for a
longer shelf-life, and therefore more money for the agribusinesses that
sell them. Research shows that they have lower nutritional value than
their organic counterparts.
Vegetable Oil—Most “vegetable oil” blends are
derived from genetically-modified corn, cotton, canola, or soybean
oils. These are four of the most heavily genetically-modified crops,
making foods made with vegetable oil among the worst frankenfoods.
*Sources:
Top 20 GMO Foods and Ingredients to Avoid by Dr. Edward F. Group, DC, ND, DACBN, DABFM.
Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Food by Jeffrey M. Smith.
Subscribe to my free e-magazine World’s Healthiest News to receive monthly health news, tips, recipes and more. Follow me on my site
HealthySurvivalist.com, Twitter
@mschoffrocook and
Facebook. The contents of this blog are the opinion of the author.
Please sign the petition to require the labeling of genetically-modified foods throughout the United States.
Please sign the petition to require the labeling of genetically-modified foods in Canada. Even if you‘
re not Canadian, please show your support.
Related:
Shocking Ingredients in McDonald’s French Fries
Investor Warns “Monsanto Stock Leaves Bad Aftertaste”
New Hampshire Initiates Bill to Label Genetically-Modified Ingredients
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