Here in the US, there are GMO ingredients in most processed foods that are NOT labeled that way, because our government and food producers alike don't think you have a right to know what's in the food you're eating.
SO
How can a health conscious consumer find out if the food they want to purchase contains GMOs? Here are some tips that I'd like to share with you as avoidance strategies. These tips are hard and fast, hold them in your mind every time you're in the grocery store.
Assume that all non-organic corn, soy, cottonseed and canola ingredients are GMO. In the US today, these plants are very likely grown from genetically modified seeds. Essentially, if it's a food from the center aisles of the grocery store, than it is highly likely to contain one or more of the four ingredients I've just named. If you need something made with corn or soy, be sure to seek out certified organic products. Certified organic products have gone through that certification process because it guarantees that they cannot contain GMOs. This is a food shopping imperative; knowing what a certified organic product truly means.
Keep away from any and all artificial sweeteners! I cannot emphasize this enough. Aspertame is made using GM bacterial strains of E. coli. In addition, more and more research indicates that consumption of aspartame carries a whole range of very negative health side effects. (I highly recommend watching the story of how aspartame received FDA approval, it is both chilling and informing.)
Acknowledge and beware of "invisible" GM ingredients that you will read on the food label, without necessarily understanding their origins. Some scientifically-sounding ingredients are derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Here's a short list of the most common ones found in almost all processed foods: whey, xanthan gum, glutamate, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, lactic acid, cellulose, citric acid, maltodextrin and mono and diglycerides.
Be vigilant about choosing organic/certified organic dairy products. At the very least, you need to choose rBGH-free dairy products. All of the conventional dairy products produced here in the US are made from cattle raised with rBGH. This growth hormone very likely contains genetically modified components. Fortunately for food shoppers, there are many options out there to choose from and they are being distributed much more widely, as a result of consumer demand. For instance, there are dairy products with labels that declare the product "rBGH free". If you look carefully, they are becoming available in mainstream grocery stores. This option was unavailable even a couple of years ago.
Beware of produce stickers and PLU codes on fruits and vegetables. There are many myths out there concerning these small coded stickers on produce. Specifically, I've been informed that these codes can help identify GMO fruits and vegetables. However, while many people are convinced that a 5-digit code beginning with an 8 identifies a GMO, that kind of identification is completely optional. As far as I'm aware, no produce providers have chosen to be so transparent.
WITH THAT SAID
There is one you can trust. It is a 5-digit code starting with a 9. 9 identifies organic fruits and vegetables and by this classification, they are non-GMO.
I've talked about this before, but I want to just emphasize the worst 10 foods for GMO ingredients. Obviously these are the ones you and your family must absolutely avoid.
They are: corn, soy, sugar, aspartame, papayas from Hawaii, canola, cotton/cottonseed, dairy, zucchini and yellow squash.
If you want to eat these foods, consider organic but to be truly safe, I recommend certified organic. You can think about gardening at home and growing some of these items yourself. It's always a good idea to get to know a local farmer from your farmer's market and you can find out about the quality of the produce she/he is selling by building a personal relationship with her/him. To me, this is getting to be one of the safest things we can do---eat locally from a farmer we've built a personal relationship with.
For great informational reading on all things natural, visit http://naturalsociety.com
Friday, February 7, 2014
Thursday, January 16, 2014
What's NOT Listed in the Food Label
So, food labels are important to read--that's obvious. But what can you do about ingredients that are not listed? I'm talking once again about GMO ingredients, because they do not have to appear on the label.
This is where consumer savvy comes in. You need to spend some time reading about food crops that are GMO. Then you need to make a list or create a little jingle that you'll always remember so you can use that information when you are food shopping.
As a short aside to this, and concerning additives that ARE listed, make up a list of the ones you want most to avoid when shopping and keep it handy in your wallet or purse so you can refer to it when food shopping. It's up to you to safeguard your family's health.
Getting back to what's not listed on food labels, today in America, as many people are aware, most of the soybeans and corn that are produced are GMO. If you have been reading food labels, you'll know that two of the most common ingredients used in most processed foods are soy and corn. And they are not listed as GMO soy or GMO corn, because they don't have to be.
But there are other ingredients frequently used that are also GMO, but not listed that way. They include: sugar beets, canola (think canola oil) and cotton (think cottonseed oil).
I call these the Big 5 and I count them off the fingers of my right hand as my personal jungle to be aware of when I'm food shopping. Corn, soy, sugar, canola and cotton. For the sake of our health, we must absolutely avoid these food ingredients, unless they are labeled organic.
Different states have been working on their own state laws requiring the labeling of GMO ingredients in food. People may remember Proposition 37 here in California, requiring such labeling. It was narrowly defeated at the polls. Recently, California's neighbor state, Washington went through the same process by putting the initiative in front of the voters (I-522) and again it was very narrowly defeated.
All together, about 30 states have drafted legislation on this issue. To date, only Maine and Connecticut have successfully passed it.
But other groups who are players in the way food is manufactured and distributed in this country have decided to take matters into their own hands. The GMA (Grocery Manufacturers Association has plans of its own concerning GMO foods labeling. According to a draft bill outline leaked by Politico last week the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) is proposing a federal voluntary labeling bill that would preempt states from passing meaningful mandatory labeling bills, redefine GE food as “safe” and even allow GE foods to be labeled as “natural.” I urge your strong opposition to this or any similar bill.
With all of this said, it is basically a situation of "consumer beware" when you are food shopping. Read all the labels carefully, consult your list or jingle so you can avoid GMOs and safeguard your family's health. Refer to you additives list so you can avoid the ones you feel are the worst.
Fortunately, there is some help for consumers who want to avoid GMOs in processed foods. The Center for Food Safety has published the True Food Shopper's Guide that is available on line. Use this link to get it and print off a copy. www.centerforfoodsafety.org/.../true-food-shoppers-guide-to-avoiding-g
The Institute of Responsible Technology has published a Non-GMO Shopping Guide that is available on line. Use this link to get it and print off a copy www.responsibletechnology.org/.
Both these guides are small and can fit into a wallet or purse for your easy reference when shopping.
Last, but not least, the Non GMO Project has dedicated itself to preserving and building sources of non-GMO products, along with education of consumers about GMOs.
Look for these images on any food product and you can rest assured that it is GMO free.
It's our job to guard our health and the health of those dear to us. Be vigilant with reading food labels and doing your own research. Good luck to you in doing this!
This is where consumer savvy comes in. You need to spend some time reading about food crops that are GMO. Then you need to make a list or create a little jingle that you'll always remember so you can use that information when you are food shopping.
As a short aside to this, and concerning additives that ARE listed, make up a list of the ones you want most to avoid when shopping and keep it handy in your wallet or purse so you can refer to it when food shopping. It's up to you to safeguard your family's health.
Getting back to what's not listed on food labels, today in America, as many people are aware, most of the soybeans and corn that are produced are GMO. If you have been reading food labels, you'll know that two of the most common ingredients used in most processed foods are soy and corn. And they are not listed as GMO soy or GMO corn, because they don't have to be.
But there are other ingredients frequently used that are also GMO, but not listed that way. They include: sugar beets, canola (think canola oil) and cotton (think cottonseed oil).
I call these the Big 5 and I count them off the fingers of my right hand as my personal jungle to be aware of when I'm food shopping. Corn, soy, sugar, canola and cotton. For the sake of our health, we must absolutely avoid these food ingredients, unless they are labeled organic.
Different states have been working on their own state laws requiring the labeling of GMO ingredients in food. People may remember Proposition 37 here in California, requiring such labeling. It was narrowly defeated at the polls. Recently, California's neighbor state, Washington went through the same process by putting the initiative in front of the voters (I-522) and again it was very narrowly defeated.
All together, about 30 states have drafted legislation on this issue. To date, only Maine and Connecticut have successfully passed it.
But other groups who are players in the way food is manufactured and distributed in this country have decided to take matters into their own hands. The GMA (Grocery Manufacturers Association has plans of its own concerning GMO foods labeling. According to a draft bill outline leaked by Politico last week the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) is proposing a federal voluntary labeling bill that would preempt states from passing meaningful mandatory labeling bills, redefine GE food as “safe” and even allow GE foods to be labeled as “natural.” I urge your strong opposition to this or any similar bill.
With all of this said, it is basically a situation of "consumer beware" when you are food shopping. Read all the labels carefully, consult your list or jingle so you can avoid GMOs and safeguard your family's health. Refer to you additives list so you can avoid the ones you feel are the worst.
Fortunately, there is some help for consumers who want to avoid GMOs in processed foods. The Center for Food Safety has published the True Food Shopper's Guide that is available on line. Use this link to get it and print off a copy. www.centerforfoodsafety.org/.../true-food-shoppers-guide-to-avoiding-g
The Institute of Responsible Technology has published a Non-GMO Shopping Guide that is available on line. Use this link to get it and print off a copy www.responsibletechnology.org/.
Both these guides are small and can fit into a wallet or purse for your easy reference when shopping.
Last, but not least, the Non GMO Project has dedicated itself to preserving and building sources of non-GMO products, along with education of consumers about GMOs.
Look for these images on any food product and you can rest assured that it is GMO free.
The Non-GMO Project
It's our job to guard our health and the health of those dear to us. Be vigilant with reading food labels and doing your own research. Good luck to you in doing this!
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
The Food We Eat and What's In It
So, continuing on with the discussion about reading food labels. I think it's important to realize that the way food is processed and made has been changing over the years. We need to take time when shopping to read the labels so we know what's in the food we're buying (and eating/feeding to our families).
A good summary to examine is the % Daily Value section of the label. Based upon a 2,000 per day calorie diet, this % daily value of a food tells you how much this food meets that daily requirement.
It's important to check on the serving size that the % Daily Value summary is based on. It will be clearly listed on the container. For example, it might be one cup of a cold breakfast cereal. That will be the portion that the % daily value is figured on.
It's unbelievable, but there are over 300 food chemicals that are used in processed foods today. With that in mind, here's a list of 12 - 15 that I think are the most important to avoid:
sodium nitrite/sodium nitrate
BHA/BHT
propyl gallate
MSG
Aspartame/Acesulfame-K
food colorings: Blue 1, Red 3, Green 3, Yellow 6
olestra
potassium bromate
high fructose corn syrup/white sugar
sodium benzoate
artificial flavoring
You can do more reading on your own to learn more about hazardous food additives. I trust Dr. Mercola's advice and research, so I'm including a link to one of his articles on this topic here.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/06/24/12-food-additives-to-avoid.aspx
In summary, realizing that the way food is processed and made has changed greatly over the last 5 years means we need to food shop with caution. Take your time andslow down while shopping in order to read the food labels carefully. Avoid as many dangerous food additives as possible---use this list or do some research and make your own. Take that list with you when you shop, so you can refer to it if you need to. Then you'll be in a good position to shop for the healthiest food for you and your loved ones. Good health to you!
A good summary to examine is the % Daily Value section of the label. Based upon a 2,000 per day calorie diet, this % daily value of a food tells you how much this food meets that daily requirement.
It's important to check on the serving size that the % Daily Value summary is based on. It will be clearly listed on the container. For example, it might be one cup of a cold breakfast cereal. That will be the portion that the % daily value is figured on.
It's unbelievable, but there are over 300 food chemicals that are used in processed foods today. With that in mind, here's a list of 12 - 15 that I think are the most important to avoid:
sodium nitrite/sodium nitrate
BHA/BHT
propyl gallate
MSG
Aspartame/Acesulfame-K
food colorings: Blue 1, Red 3, Green 3, Yellow 6
olestra
potassium bromate
high fructose corn syrup/white sugar
sodium benzoate
artificial flavoring
You can do more reading on your own to learn more about hazardous food additives. I trust Dr. Mercola's advice and research, so I'm including a link to one of his articles on this topic here.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/06/24/12-food-additives-to-avoid.aspx
In summary, realizing that the way food is processed and made has changed greatly over the last 5 years means we need to food shop with caution. Take your time andslow down while shopping in order to read the food labels carefully. Avoid as many dangerous food additives as possible---use this list or do some research and make your own. Take that list with you when you shop, so you can refer to it if you need to. Then you'll be in a good position to shop for the healthiest food for you and your loved ones. Good health to you!
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Reading Food Labels Carefully
So, let's continue the discussion about reading food labels. I talked briefly about the salt and sugar content so I'd like to address fats, in particular trans fats, that may be in the food you're considering. Trans fat is found in a variety of processed foods like vegetable oil or shortening, margarine, crackers, cookies and many snack foods.
What is trans fat? It's a chemical fat formed when manufacturers change a liquid oil into a solid fat. The manufacturer uses a process called hydrogenation to make this new chemical fat. Manufacturers like to use trans fat because it helps them to reduce their costs of production. They also use trans fat to increase the shelf life of the food product.
What are the health problems associated with trans fat? Researchers have found that increased heart disease, diabetes and obesity have all been linked to regular consumption of trans fat.
What can you do to avoid it? First, take your time when food shopping. Read the food label carefully and look for the words partially hydrogenated vegetable oil or shortening. If it appears, look for another product that does not have this ingredient listed because it's a healthier choice for you and your loved ones.
What is trans fat? It's a chemical fat formed when manufacturers change a liquid oil into a solid fat. The manufacturer uses a process called hydrogenation to make this new chemical fat. Manufacturers like to use trans fat because it helps them to reduce their costs of production. They also use trans fat to increase the shelf life of the food product.
What are the health problems associated with trans fat? Researchers have found that increased heart disease, diabetes and obesity have all been linked to regular consumption of trans fat.
What can you do to avoid it? First, take your time when food shopping. Read the food label carefully and look for the words partially hydrogenated vegetable oil or shortening. If it appears, look for another product that does not have this ingredient listed because it's a healthier choice for you and your loved ones.
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Eating right and keeping healthy
Today we live exceedingly busy and demanding lives. As a result of this hectic daily pace, many of us are interested in streamlining daily activities as much as possible. One of those major daily activities is time spent in food preparation. It's nice to be able to use prepared foods to keep food prep. time down.
When we are purchasing prepared foods, we need to look carefully at the label to be sure about the ingredients that are included. These days, reading a food label may be just like reading a table of contents of a book. It takes time to check each label out. That is making food shopping more complicated than it used to be. So, careful food shopping takes a little longer than it used to.
The first thing to keep in mind when reading a food label is to know that it is based on a daily adult diet of 2,000 calories. This is the average amount that an adult consumes. So when a food label gives a percentage, it's telling you how much of that nutrient is provided based on the adult daily caloric intake of 2,000 calories.
The other thing that's important to read is the ingredients list. They are listed in order of the amount of each ingredient that is in the food. So, if the first ingredient is tomato, then there's lots of tomato in that food. Be aware of salt and sugar ingredients that appear high on the ingredients list-----they are likely to be salty or sweet foods that are not particularly healthy.
When we are purchasing prepared foods, we need to look carefully at the label to be sure about the ingredients that are included. These days, reading a food label may be just like reading a table of contents of a book. It takes time to check each label out. That is making food shopping more complicated than it used to be. So, careful food shopping takes a little longer than it used to.
The first thing to keep in mind when reading a food label is to know that it is based on a daily adult diet of 2,000 calories. This is the average amount that an adult consumes. So when a food label gives a percentage, it's telling you how much of that nutrient is provided based on the adult daily caloric intake of 2,000 calories.
The other thing that's important to read is the ingredients list. They are listed in order of the amount of each ingredient that is in the food. So, if the first ingredient is tomato, then there's lots of tomato in that food. Be aware of salt and sugar ingredients that appear high on the ingredients list-----they are likely to be salty or sweet foods that are not particularly healthy.
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