The Dangers of Genetically Modified Foods

The Dangers of Genetically Modified Foods
by Linda Tremer

Did you know that over seventy percent of all processed foods on supermarket shelves contain at least one genetically engineered ingredient? Should you care? The answer is yes, you should care. These ingredients are untested and dangerous.

Food crops are engineered to resist potent pesticides and herbicides. The herbicides are taken up by the plants. And when we eat the plants, we eat the pesticides and herbicides. If these pesticides can kill insects and the herbicides can kill weeds they can certainly affect us.

To modify a plant a different gene must be transferred to the plant. Genes are being transferred between totally unrelated species. None of these combinations would occur naturally. To transfer the gene a modified virus is inserted into the plant. One especially dangerous virus that is being used is the pararetrovirus. It is very similar to the Hepatitis B virus and HIV. There is no way to predict what these transplanted genes will do to human health.

Studies have shown that GMO foods can cause birth defects, cancer, allergic reactions, and other health problems. Unbeknownst to most of the public, the Food and Drug Administration does not require safety testing of these foods. In fact there is no government testing whatsoever on these foods.

It is almost impossible to avoid eating GMO foods. Presently, over ninety percent of the soybeans, canola, sugar beets and cottonseed oil are bioengineered. Seventy-two percent of the corn is genetically altered. And more and more food products are being altered every day.

It is easier to list the processed foods that do not contain genetically modified organisms than the ones that do. Everything from candy bars to chips to popcorn, ketchup to mayonnaise, ice cream and cookies, cereal and soup, muffin mixes, frozen dinners and baby foods are contaminated with bio engineered ingredients. Everything from soda to margarine to animal feed is affected.

If you are not eating 100% organic food, you are eating genetically modified foods. There is no requirement in the United States to label foods that have been genetically modified. We are not given a choice of whether or not to eat modified foods. It is time for us to stand up to the government agencies and demand that all of our foods be labeled. Once our food is labeled we can make an intelligent decision on whether or not to continue eating these dangerous foods. So yes you should care about what you eat.

Linda Tremer is the author of Food to Die For a mystery novel about genetically modified foods. She has also written The Persistent Ghost, and 57 Tips on Where To Meet The Opposite Sex. She has written many healthy living and weight loss articles for the website The Center For Weight Loss. Visit her web site LindaTremer.com

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