What Are GMOs?

I was teaching a class on sugar addiction the other day and got to the subject of beet sugar. So, I asked the class if they knew what GMOs are. Their answers varied from “a very large chicken” to “tomatoes that can’t freeze.” It’s one of those terms that has been around for a while now and is in the news periodically, but there still seems to be some confusion among the general public.

What, exactly, is Genetic Engineering? 

GE (genetic engineering) is the same thing as GMO (genetically modified organisms) and GM (genetically modified). They all mean the same thing… but what exactly does it entail?

Genetic engineering involves taking genes from one species and inserting them into another, unrelated species. For example, genes from fish which has "antifreeze" properties may be spliced into a tomato to prevent frost damage. So, that student was on the right track.

This type of technology is called “transgenic” technology and has been used in over 40 species of plants for food and fibers.  In crops, the technology has generally been used to incorporate genes that enhance resistance to insecticides, herbicides or pesticides, enhance drought tolerance, encourage higher yields or promote the ability to plant more in a smaller area.

What are GMO foods?

• Today, over 80% of US corn, soybean and cotton crops are genetically modified.
• GM sugar beets were introduced in 2008, and today 90% of the sugar beets grown in the U.S. are genetically modified. Sugar beets are used to make sugar.
• 75% of all processed foods contain genetically modified foods.
• The eight GM food crops are corn, soybeans, canola, cottonseed, sugar beets, Hawaiian papaya (most) and a small amount of zucchini and yellow squash. 

How do you know if you eat GM Foods?

If you drink milk or eat beef, bacon, chicken or processed foods such as cereals, breakfast bars and desserts with ingredients like high fructose corn syrup and soy lecithin, then yes, GM crops are part of your diet.

Remember that the majority of our corn and soy come from GM seed, and that these crops are generally used as feed for cattle, hogs and poultry, or otherwise used in the many processed foods found in grocery store aisles. Alfalfa is the fourth largest crop grown in the US and is most commonly used to feed dairy cows and beef cattle.

GM soy bean is in about 60% of all processed food as vegetable oil, soya flour, lecithin (a byproduct of the soybean oil production) and soy protein. GM maize is in about 50% of processed foods as corn, corn starch, corn flour and corn syrup.

What are the dangers of GMOs?

Animal studies have revealed that GM foods have an increased risk of causing:

• Allergic reactions
• Immune problems
• Infertility
• Accelerated aging
• Changes in major organs and the gastrointestinal system
• Environmental hazards

Why are kids at a higher risk to GMOs?

 Kids’ bodies develop at a fast pace and are more likely to be influenced and show the effects of genetically modified (GM) foods.

• Children are 3-4x more prone to allergies than adults. Infants below two years old are at greatest risk because they have the highest incidence of reactions, especially to new allergens encountered in their diet. Even tiny amounts of allergens can sometimes cause reactions in infants and children.
• Children are more susceptible to problems digesting milk - milk and dairy products from cows treated with the genetically engineered bovine growth hormone (rbGH) contain an increased amount of the hormone IGF-1.  rbGH and its digested products could be absorbed from milk into the blood, particularly in infants, and produce hormonal and allergic effects.
• Kids are more susceptible to nutritional problems – research has suggested that unexpected changes in estrogen levels in GM soy used in infant formula might affect sexual development in children, and even small nutritional changes could cause bowel obstruction.

 How can we get GMOs out of our diets?

• Eat organic. Certified organic products cannot intentionally include any GMO ingredients. Buy products labeled “100% organic,” “organic,” or “made with organic ingredients.”

NOTE: The release of GM alfalfa puts several organic foods at risk for un-intentional contamination—so even if we go completely organic to keep away from GMOs, we can’t be 100% sure we’re avoiding them.

• Look for "Non-GMO Project" verified seals. Products that carry the “Non-GMO Project” seal are independently verified to be in compliance with North America’s only third party standard for GMO avoidance, including testing of at-risk ingredients.

•  Look for dairy products labeled "No rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone) or rBST (recombinant bovine somatotropin),” or “artificial hormone-free.” rBGH and rBST are artificial growth hormones and are injected into cows to produce more milk.

NOTE: Dairy alternatives have become more common, as we have seen more lactose intolerance and allergies to dairy. These alternatives such as soy milk, almond milk and rice milk, are made from soybeans so beware that they may contain GMOs. Again, look for “Non-GMO Project” labels on these products.

• Avoid at-risk ingredients including corn, soybeans, canola, or cottonseed. If it’s not labeled “organic” or verified “non-GMO”, then avoid products made with ingredients that might be derived from GMOs.
  

• Take note of sugar listed in ingredients. If a non-organic product made in North America lists “sugar” as an ingredient (and NOT pure cane sugar), then it is almost certainly a combination of sugar from both sugar cane and GM sugar beets.

•  Avoid processed foods - I always advise my clients to read food labels. My basic rules are to buy products with the fewest number of ingredients and to be able to read and understand what the ingredients are. Once you start to read labels, you will come across certain common ingredients that you don’t normally keep in the pantry. One, in particular, is soy lecithin.

Soy lecithin is extracted from soybeans either mechanically or chemically. Soybeans are one of the cheapest crops to grow in the US. Because soy lecithin is cheap and can be used as an emulsifier to keep water and fats from separating in foods such as margarine, peanut butter, chocolate candies, ice cream and baked goods, it is everywhere in processed foods. It also helps to prevent spoilage so it can extend products’ shelf life substantially.

Do candy, sugar and sweeteners contain GMOs?

 Yes, many sweeteners, candies and chocolates can come from GMO sources. Look for “organic” and “non GMO” sweeteners such as products made with 100% cane sugar (this is instead of GM beet sugar), evaporated cane juice or organic sugar. You are also apt to find soy lecithin and corn syrup in candy.

Aspartame (NutraSweet or Equal) also comes from GMOs, and is used in yogurt, gum, candy, desserts and more. Stay away from it.

For more information, here are some recommended resources:

http://www.non-gmoreport.com

http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com

http://www.farmaid.org

http://www.saynotogmos.org

http://www.kingcorn.net