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You’re in the supermarket isle reading a nutrition panel (because you’re health conscious right?) and you see the words “Non GM” or “GMO FREE”. What does it mean exactly, and is it safe? Let’s look at some pros and cons and see if it’s worth putting into your body. What are GMOs? what is gmo GMO stands for ‘Genetically Modified Organisms’. This means that plants and animals have been manipulated at a cellular level. Cells are inserted with genes from another species that are not related to the targeted species. In doing so, the organism takes on specific traits that have been acquired from the inserted gene. Basically, a product is made from merging DNA from two separate species. Although you may have heard GMO a lot more recently, GMO’s are nothing new. They have been a large part of our food system for the past two decades. Genetically modified animals have not yet been approved for human consumption. However, a large majority of our fruit, vegetables, wheat, corn, soy and other products are genetically modified. In order to get a better understanding of GMOs, let’s focus on both the pros and cons. Pros Here are a few arguments for the use of GMOs. Most of us probably haven’t experienced true hunger first hand but there are massive populations who are starving. Somewhere around the world, a child dies every two seconds due to starvation. The main argument is that by genetically modifying crops they can be made to be resistant to disease, pests, and weeds and will therefore yield more crop. Foods that are GMOs tend to have a longer shelf life which is advantageous for shipping ingredients long distances. Some argue that GMO foods create better texture and flavour. Cons There have been many concerns regarding GMOs, our health and our environment. Here are some of the main negatives associated with GMOs: It affects the nutritional value of our foods. May be creating new allergens, or toxins to accumulate in our food. GMOs are not comprehensively tested and the long term effects are not yet clear. They are herbicide and pesticide resistant, meaning farmers can spray more chemicals without harming the crop. This has caused an increase in chemical use. Concern for organic crops, due to cross pollination. Are They Safe To Eat? Just like any other controversial topic, there will be information from both parties. Some believe that GMOs are completely safe, while others do not believe that they should be sold for animal consumption, let alone humans. The fact is, there is not even evidence verifying that GMOs are safe as research conducted so far is inadequate. It is too early to tell how GMOs will effect our immune function, digestive system and our overall health. It is due to these unknowns that some countries have banned GMO products. Others require products to be labelled so that consumers are aware of what they’re purchasing. In Australia, GMO products must be labelled. This helps you to decide for yourself but unfortunately there are many exceptions. Keep in mind that evidence supporting safety is very limited, and this controversy is due to valid concerns. GMOs are such a large part of our current food industry that they’re bound to stick around for quite some time. Yes, they may provide solutions to hunger issues but they also raise concerns about our health. If you have concerns about GMO products, make sure you’re reading food labels. I suggest you look for organic, non-GMO products. Better yet, look for foods that don’t have labels – fresh fruit and veg! Although nothing is proven in terms of worsening health, sometimes it’s better to err on the safe side. Would you like to add to the argument above? Leave a comment! For more natural health tips visit our blog at: http://www.alkalife.com.au/blog
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