Quote of the Month
“The problem is we’re not eating food anymore, we’re eating food-like products” ~Dr. Junger
I went grocery shopping the other day and saw some awesome Mangos…I love mangos and it’s mango season now. I saw 3 types and decided to grab 2 of each since they were on sale.
In my excitement, I made a mistake and forgot to check the codes on the produce. If you’re not sure what I’m referring to, there are little stickers or labels on all produce that you buy. Apples, pears, bananas, tomatoes, lemons and broccoli are some examples.
The codes are either 4 or 5 digits long.
If the code is 5 digits and starts with a 9, it’s organic.
If the code is 4 digits long starting with a 3 or 4, it’s conventionally grown.
If the code is 5 digits and starts with an 8, it’s genetically modified, containing genes from other organisms.
Here lies the problem…there are no regulations on labelling. It’s really up to the retailer to decide how they want to label produce. Therefore, those that are genetically modified may be labelled as conventional. This is a very disturbing!
If you are still unaware of the dangers of genetic modification (GMOs), let me give you a quick overview….
…A desired trait is injected into the DNA of a food with help from a bacteria (to prevent rejection by the food). A real life example would be injecting the DNA of Round Up (a proven cancer causing herbicide) into the DNA of corn, soy and wheat, so crop isn’t destroyed when the fields are sprayed.
In order to avoid GMO’s, here are a few tips:
- Buy organic whenever possible
- Look for items labelled ‘verified non-GMO’.
- Avoid problematic foods such as corn, soy and sugar