GMO foods?

[pinkytoe]

I have been reading such horrible things lately about GMO corn and other crops that I am having second thoughts about eating anything but organic. It sounds like this stuff is in everything involving corn and soy to name two. I try to stay informed but there is just so much information out there that it is hard to know. Plus, I don't want to spend my life over-analyzing everything I eat. Do you avoid GMO foods?

[ApatheticNoMore]

Good for you. Organic is the way to go for some many reasons if you can afford it. It's better for the environment, for the farmworkers and communities, and probably for your health.

I think I mostly avoid GMO food, but not perfectly (doubt one can in this country). I've basically been avoiding soy for the most part anyway for years (except soy sauce and miso). Mostly eat organic corn products. I buy organic in everything when I can find it (not all foods have yet been GMO-ed though, the big crops are indeed soy and corn).


I try to stay informed but there is just so much information out there that it is hard to know. Plus, I don't want to spend my life over-analyzing everything I eat.

Yea, it's just easier not to eat much packaged food. And better yet to eat non packaged food that has some standards = organic.

[IshbelRobertson]

We're lucky in the UK, we still don't allow gm foods - despite the best efforts of vested interests.

I have only bought organically raised meats and chickens/eggs for over a quarter of a century. I also buya lot of organically raised fruit andveg.

[Jemima]

After reading some articles online, mostly on Dr. Jim Mercola's site, I started buying organic vegetables and organically fed, free-range meat and eggs. There is evidence that GM foods are responsible for a lot of health problems:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/08/07/genetically-engineered-foods-hazards.aspx?e_cid=20120807_DNL_artNew_1

I also recently read an article where rats were consistently fed GM foods, the results being that their infant mortality rate shot up to 50% and the rat babies that survived were sterile.

The big culprits in the USA are corn, soy, wheat, and canola, but I've also seen a few really strange things like GM apples that were modified so the slices wouldn't turn brown. How crazy is that?

I don't know if it's intentional or just plain stupid, but the FDA's insistence that GM foods aren't harmful really puts poor people at a health disadvantage. My expenditures for food have gone up considerably since I went organic, and they are definitely more than anyone on food stamps could afford. >:(

[ApatheticNoMore]

The big culprits in the USA are corn, soy, wheat, and canola

There is no GM wheat at present (whether one should eat wheat period, haha possibly not, but that is another matter). Best to be accurate on what is and is not GM (GM is distinct from hybridization - with GM you get things that could *never* happen naturally - wheat is hybridized).

http://www.organicconsumers.org/wheat.cfm

[Gardenarian]

Is there a Trader Joe's near you? From their website (http://www.traderjoes.com/about/product-faq.asp), anything with the Trader Joe's name on it:

"If you see Trader Joe's on a label, then you can know that the product contains NO artificial flavors, colors or preservatives; NO genetically modified ingredients; NO MSG; and NO added Trans Fats. What does it contain? Quality ingredients. Trader Joe's… it's quite a name, if we do say so ourselves.

Not everything there is organic, but it's the next best thing. And, the prices are quite low.

[Tussiemussies]

Yes after reading material about what it is we are not eating soy, corn. All corn products, and sugar beets at this point unless the pagkage says :)non- GMO or organic. We are also trying to buy as much organic as we can afford.

[decemberlov]

I'm really hoping California will pass the bill for labeling GMO foods!! This will be a huge step...although I'm in NJ and not CA...it would give me hope.
We try our very best to only buy organic when we can. If you have a Big Lots in your area I would check the isles there...I often find Certified Organic products on their shelves at a discounted price.

[JaneV2.0]

Supposedly, you can ID GMOs by reading the tag:
http://naturalsociety.com/how-to-know-if-your-food-is-conventional-organic-or-genetically-modified/

[decemberlov]

Supposedly, you can ID GMOs by reading the tag:
http://naturalsociety.com/how-to-know-if-your-food-is-conventional-organic-or-genetically-modified/

I'm not sure I buy that they are 100% non-gmo even if labeled that way, especially after reading articles like these:
http://livingmaxwell.com/naked-juice-lawsuit

[ApatheticNoMore]

I'm really hoping California will pass the bill for labeling GMO foods!! This will be a huge step...although I'm in NJ and not CA...it would give me hope.

I will do what I can :)

[Tussiemussies]

After reading material and joining Occupy Monsanto on Facebook, I will not touch anything with GMOs. We are looking for those packages of soy, corn products that are voluntarily labeling their packaging. Sugar beets and cotton are also culprits. We are eating as organic as we can afford and next year will have our organic garden which I will be doing as much canning as I can. Do you have the space for a garden?

P.s. Monsanto is doing everything they can to stop labeling from happening...

[Tiam]

Supposedly, you can ID GMOs by reading the tag:
http://naturalsociety.com/how-to-know-if-your-food-is-conventional-organic-or-genetically-modified/



I've been told that the label method is unreliable as it is not monitored by anyone. Heres a linkhttp://www.snopes.com/food/prepare/produce.asp

[Tussiemussies]

Thanks Tiam, I really appreciate that as I drink Silk soy milk and they label it non-gmo along with soy beans that we eat. Good information to know. :)

[pinkytoe]

I have complete access to organic foods - Whole Foods is headquartered here. Cost is a factor though. I figure not buying processed food eliminates a lot of GMO soy and corn, ie chips, cereal, snacks so we no longer get those.

[decemberlov]

I have complete access to organic foods - Whole Foods is headquartered here. Cost is a factor though. I figure not buying processed food eliminates a lot of GMO soy and corn, ie chips, cereal, snacks so we no longer get those.

I love Whole Foods but I just can't afford it! I use to work there and got a 20% discount and it was such a blessing! Without that discount though it's tough! We have a Big Lots here where I often find certified organic foods that are super discounted, but it's hit or miss (if you're not familiar, they are a store that gets leftover stock from other stores...not meat or anything, just packaged stuff like Honest Tea and Garden of Eatin chips and such). I also got a mailer from BJ Wholesale with a free 1 day shopping pass..looks like they're starting to carry more & more organic foods over there as well. I'm going to go check them out this weekend.