{"id":3858,"date":"2018-12-26T20:30:53","date_gmt":"2018-12-27T04:30:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/naturalwire.com\/?p=3858"},"modified":"2018-12-26T20:06:34","modified_gmt":"2018-12-27T04:06:34","slug":"dangers-of-eating-genetically-modified-gm-food-just-say-no-to-gmo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/naturalwire.com\/dangers-of-eating-genetically-modified-gm-food-just-say-no-to-gmo\/","title":{"rendered":"Dangers of Eating Genetically Modified (GM) Food – Just Say No To GMO"},"content":{"rendered":"

Are you aware which of your foods are GMO and which are not? If not, maybe you should be.<\/h2>\n

GMO has found its way into some of the most consumed food in the world. This could pose a potential health risk for many people.<\/p>\n

\"GMO<\/p>\n

What Are Genetically Modified Foods?<\/h3>\n

Genetically modified food is the type of food produced from either plants or animals by altering their DNA through genetic engineering.<\/strong> We usually call them GMO for short. This process of modifying and changing organisms includes manipulating the genes directly<\/strong> by either changing them or transplanting them from other organisms.<\/p>\n

This is a lot different from the conventional way of breeding animals in order to get certain traits.<\/p>\n

The GMO science has been around since 1970 and scientists welcomed it as the bright future of biology. In 1994, GMO has been introduced in the U.S. market with the Flavr Savr tomatoes<\/a> that promised to stay fresh for a lot longer<\/strong> than regular ones.<\/p>\n

Genetic engineering can be used for many different things. For example, most of the corn and soy that you consume are genetically modified to be resistant to herbicides. <\/strong>Other plants have been modified to withstand pests<\/strong>. In the future, we might see plants designed to survive the drought or to be more nutritious than average plants.<\/p>\n

On average, the most commonly GMO altered foods are corn, canola, papaya, sugar beet, and soy products.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Some scientists say that current GMO products available on the market pose no significant health risks. But, others are doubtful and believe GMO foods could have long-term negative side effects.\u00a0<\/strong>The majority of studies have been conducted by those in the GMO industry, such as Monsanto, and casts doubt on the reliability of their reported results.<\/p>\n

Fans of GMO say that the tech promises that modifying plants will improve shelf lives, nutritional value and increase the amount of food available. However, most of the plants are engineered to boost the manufacturers bottom line<\/strong>\u00a0by withstanding pests and herbicides.<\/p>\n

People across the globe are doing their best to avoid eating GMO items – they buy organic, local food. Some people, however, are not even aware that the food they consume is genetically modified.<\/strong> This is why labeling which clearly states whether the food was altered in any way is necessary.<\/p>\n

\"Genetically<\/p>\n

How Can GMO Food Negatively Affect Your Health?<\/h3>\n

This is a commonly asked question. The research so far has been focused on the long-term effects of GMO. The preliminary results of some tests done on animals say that several risks are possible.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The American Academy Of Environmental Medicine stated that physicians should largely advise against GMO in food<\/a> because of some immune system issues. These also involve problems with infertility, insulin regulations, aging and so on.<\/p>\n

Scientists also say that the GMO could lead to some unpredictable health problems<\/strong> and side effects. There have been new allergies, diseases and nutritional deficits. The effects of bacteria and viruses into the plants we eat are uncertain and unpredictable.<\/p>\n

Here are some of the issues people might experience because of GMO:<\/p>\n

Food Allergies<\/h4>\n

Organic Consumers Association says that since GM intersects with common allergens like eggs, milk, peanuts and so on, there could be some serious allergic reactions. Some of the gene-spliced elements have never been tested or eaten by humans before.<\/p>\n

Infertility<\/h4>\n

A study in Austria on mice has shown that the intake of GMO corn in the long-term reduced the number and size of offspring.<\/p>\n

Gluten Disorders<\/h4>\n

Institute of Responsible Technology has realized that when they remove GMO altered foods from the diet of people with gluten disorders, their recovery is much faster and smoother. Thus, they believe that GMO is one of the reasons for the rise of gluten diseases in the US.<\/p>\n

Toxicity<\/h4>\n

There have been 19 studies which all show that when mammals feed on commercialized GMO food, they suffer some toxic effects on the liver and kidneys.<\/p>\n

DNA transfer<\/h4>\n

There are some concerns that the DNA inserted into plants we consume can be transferred to humans and the environment as well. Studies have shown that the DNA from the genetically altered foods can survive in the digestive tract and enter the bloodstream.<\/p>\n

Birth Defects<\/h4>\n

Glyphosate is an ingredient in the herbicide they use on GMO plants. Embryology Lab in the Buenos Aires say that this element is causing birth defects, infertility, reducing sperm count and eventually, cancer.<\/p>\n

Cancer<\/h4>\n

A study was performed on rats in 2012 and it showed that they are more likely to develop tumors after eating Monsanto GM corn. Monsanto is one of the biggest producers of GM corn in the world.<\/p>\n

So, why are these products still available on the market if there is even a slight notion of them being bad for us?<\/p>\n

Well, the answer is simple – it works for manufacturers<\/strong> and the global economy.<\/p>\n

\"Locally<\/p>\n

The Importance of GMO Food Labeling<\/h3>\n

Since there are so many uncertainties in GMO foods and their influence on humans and the environment, labeling is a necessity.<\/strong> While some information on the genetically modified food exists, most of the public\u00a0 is unaware of which foods are GMO or not.<\/p>\n

A great number of scientists believe that the technology used in GMO is harmless and thus they don\u2019t see the necessity in labeling the food any differently.<\/p>\n

However, the concern exists and considering the size of the industry, no one is completely convinced that this is true. Some even go as far as to say that the scientists claiming that GMO is not harmful are actually corrupted.<\/p>\n

But, further research is required to prove some of these points.<\/p>\n

One thing is for sure, though – consumers should be aware of the positive and negative sides<\/strong> of the conversations. They should also know which products are GMO and which are not when they go to the store.<\/p>\n

Choice – the ability to make that decision for themselves – is necessary.<\/h4>\n

Labeling, thus, becomes necessary as well.<\/p>\n

This may add some extra costs to the production of food but scientists believe that educating people on the issue is important.<\/p>\n

Some countries are already investing time and resources into doing the research<\/strong> and labeling products accordingly. Some have even been putting laws in place to make this obligatory.<\/p>\n

This is the best solution we have until we can determine how bad GMO products may be for us.<\/p>\n

These countries have gone a step further and have banned the cultivation of GMO products on their soil. (Some still allow the import of GMO items)<\/p>\n