DEFINITELY not to eat !
The sad thing is, if you consume corn, soybeans, or canola in the United States, there is a good chance that it is GM.
So what are GMO's, you ask? GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organisms. Basically, these are foods that scientists have genetically altered to possess traits Mother Nature never gave them by utilizing viruses to sneak genes into the nuclei of these organisms. Before this was possible, the only way (and healthier way) was for farmers to use breeding techniques to produce different strains and selected the desired traits from each generation that followed. Which would you rather eat?
I'm a firm believer that if you weren't born with it, you weren't meant to have it! But I also understand the necessity in finding ways to increase the crops we yield to feed our expanding population. The concern I, as well as many others, have about GMO's is this: If these genes can sneak their way in and change traits in foods, by consuming them, can they do the same and alter our own DNA?
Scientists DON'T KNOW. And call me crazy, but I'm not into taking chances with my DNA! If this fear is true, the results could be devastating, although not necessarily apparent right away.
A good example of this possibility was printed in an article of Vegetarian Times :
"...if plants that are genetically engineered to produce their own pesticides were to transfer this ability to your gut bacteria, the result could be unintended toxicity." ( pg 26-27, April/May 2011, Vol. 37, Issue 384, No. 4)
The good news is that you can avoid MOST of these foods with a little bit of knowledge.:)
I FREAKED when I read about this, 6 months pregnant. I vowed to do all I could to keep these franken-foods far, FAR away from my baby. And the answer is simple: Eat organic!
Organic foods are grown using wholesome, basic farming techniques. They are free of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. They are not irradiated or genetically modified. They are as nature intended them to be. But I will talk more about organic foods in a future blog entry.
If you are not ready to commit to an organic lifestyle, you can seek out brands that are labeled as "not GM". In the way of produce, most oranges, bananas, broccoli, and apples are not GM, however, to be safe, you can check the PLU numbers. A PLU code is the number that cashiers use to ring up fresh produce, usually a 4-digit number. If the code is preceded by the number 8, it is genetically modified.
Admittedly so, organic foods can cost a little more than their irradiated/modified/potentially toxic alternatives, but it is well worth it. Whenever I am close to caving on a better deal, I think of a radioactive Kellan with three heads and missing vital organs, and that is enough to sway me. This is, after all, for him.
I look at him, a giggly, healthy 5-month-old, and I know that someday he will appreciate it. I want him to stay this way, not small and innocent, but as healthy and unpolluted as possible. And not only that, I'd like to be as healthy as possible for him as well, so I can live a long life and be around for him. I shudder to think of what our generation will look like when we are older, sick and cancer-stricken by the crap we call food nowadays. But I am doing my part, with the hope that someday everyone will follow. :)
For more on GMO's, their potential effects, and alternatives, visit:
http://www.saynotogmos.org/
If you're interested in protesting:
(and to scare you a little, hehe ;) ):
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