One of the latest buzz words in the world of nutrition is GMOs, or genetically modified organisms. Just hearing the phrase genetically modified makes me go hmmm, especially when it comes to our food. In my integrative health program, we watched several documentaries on GMOs. The documentary Food Evolution is pro GMO, but I am not sure I agree.
First, let's talk about what GMOs are. GMOs are organisms in which DNA has been altered using bioengineering techniques. Genetically modified crops increase crop yields by making the crops resistant to bugs, GMOs are thought to increase nutrition, increase growth, and make farming easier. For example, one of the most common crops containing GMOs is Bt corn. Bt comes from naturally occurring bacteria, Bacillus Thuringiensis. This bacteria lives in soil and produces a toxin that kills insects by making their intestines burst. Corn is then genetically modified to express the gene Bt toxin, allowing it to produce its own insecticide, therefore resistant to pests and decreasing the need for pesticides. Bt corn is found in many processed foods in the form of high fructose corn syrup. Many livestock consume Bt corn on factory farms. GMO crops are very common in the United States and about 80% of food found in the grocery store contain at least one genetically modified ingredient. These foods include canola, soybeans, corn, cotton, alfalfa, sugar, beets, potatoes, summer squash, and some apple varieties. Labeling of GMO foods is currently not mandated, but in 2022 it will be required for food produced with GMOs to have the term “bioengineered food” somewhere on the packaging.
So we have learned that GMO crops increase crop yield, allow crops to be resistant to pests, increase nutrition, make farming easier, decrease pesticide use, and lower consumer costs. The FDA, USDA, and the EPA have deemed GMOs safe for consumption. Sounds great, right? So why the worry? We would hope that Bt toxin would be destroyed once in our digestive tracts, but this is not the case. A Canadian study found that Bt toxin was present in 93% of pregnant women tested, 80% of umbilical blood in their babies, and 67% of non-pregnant women. There is concern that the Bt toxin may be transferred to our gut and the bacteria in our gut will then be able to replicate this toxin. Scientists have found that mice fed Bt corn showed elevated antibodies and increased white blood cells associated with allergic and immune responses. It has been determined that the genetically modified soybean contains a unique protein that binds to IgE and may evoke dangerous allergic reactions. Rats fed GM potatoes mounted a slower immune response and mice fed GMO peas developed inflammation. Further studies have shown rats fed diets high in GMOs had higher death rates and greater organ damage. We also need to remember that we are consuming foreign genes.
These studies make me question if GMOs could be one of the reasons why so many auto-immune disorders have been diagnosed along with food allergies. The FDA ensures that researchers who develop GMO foods run tests to make certain that allergens aren’t transferred from one food to another. In the mid-1990s, a study found that adding a protein from Brazil nuts to GMO soybeans could trigger an allergic reaction in people sensitive to Brazil nuts. After scientists discovered this, they discontinued this GMO food. This sounds like good news, but can this ensure no negative health consequences from consuming the Bt toxin? Another concern is GMOs being linked to cancer. Since cancers are caused by DNA mutations, some people worry that eating foods with added genes may affect DNA. The American Cancer Society reports that there are no links to GMO containing foods and cancer, but there have been no long-term studies on the effects of consuming GMOs.
One of the “positive” attributes of GMOs are crops being resistant to herbicides, such as Roundup. This means that farmers can use Roundup without fear of it harming their own crops leading to greater crop yield. This sounds like a great benefit for the use of GMOs, but is it really? Insecticides sprayed onto food can be washed off, but genetically modified crops containing Bt can't be separated. The food is modified from its natural state and the toxin is part of the food. In 2010 the American Academy of Environmental Medicine recommended that physicians tell patients to remove GMO foods from their diets.
GMO is a fairly new technology and more long-term studies need to be done to determine health effects. Currently, the only way to know if GMOs are not in your food is to see the label “non-GMO” on the package. You can also shop at a grocery store that tries to limit the number of GMO containing foods. We are told that they are safe, but so were cigarettes and vaping until correlations to illness were recognized. Will this be the case with GMO’s? I don’t know but I choose to limit them in my diet because if something is genetically modified then I feel there must be some health consequence. You can choose to consume them or not, although right now it might be difficult to remove them completely since food manufacturers aren’t required to disclose them. Do your own research and see what you find. Be sure to look at research that covers the pros and cons. If you are suffering from autoimmune issues or food sensitivities do your best to take most of them out of your diet and see what happens. You may be surprised. I have heard stories from people who focused on removing GMOs from their diets leading to improvement in their health and the health of their children. The choice is yours.
References
Chutkan, Robynne MD, The Microbiome Solution. A radical New Way to Heal Your Body from the Inside Out, Penguin Random House, New York, New York, 2015.
Frazier, Karen, Nutrition Facts. The Truth About Food, Rockridge Press, Berkeley, California, 2015
Charu Verma , Surabhi Nanda , R.K. Singh , R.B. Singh and Sanjay Mishra, A Review on Impacts of Genetically Modified Food on Human Health, The Open Nutraceuticals Journal, 2011, 4, 3-11 2011,
Raman, Ryan MS, RD, GJournaling alMOs; Pros and Cons Backed by Evidence, Healthline, July, 2, 2020.
First, let's talk about what GMOs are. GMOs are organisms in which DNA has been altered using bioengineering techniques. Genetically modified crops increase crop yields by making the crops resistant to bugs, GMOs are thought to increase nutrition, increase growth, and make farming easier. For example, one of the most common crops containing GMOs is Bt corn. Bt comes from naturally occurring bacteria, Bacillus Thuringiensis. This bacteria lives in soil and produces a toxin that kills insects by making their intestines burst. Corn is then genetically modified to express the gene Bt toxin, allowing it to produce its own insecticide, therefore resistant to pests and decreasing the need for pesticides. Bt corn is found in many processed foods in the form of high fructose corn syrup. Many livestock consume Bt corn on factory farms. GMO crops are very common in the United States and about 80% of food found in the grocery store contain at least one genetically modified ingredient. These foods include canola, soybeans, corn, cotton, alfalfa, sugar, beets, potatoes, summer squash, and some apple varieties. Labeling of GMO foods is currently not mandated, but in 2022 it will be required for food produced with GMOs to have the term “bioengineered food” somewhere on the packaging.
So we have learned that GMO crops increase crop yield, allow crops to be resistant to pests, increase nutrition, make farming easier, decrease pesticide use, and lower consumer costs. The FDA, USDA, and the EPA have deemed GMOs safe for consumption. Sounds great, right? So why the worry? We would hope that Bt toxin would be destroyed once in our digestive tracts, but this is not the case. A Canadian study found that Bt toxin was present in 93% of pregnant women tested, 80% of umbilical blood in their babies, and 67% of non-pregnant women. There is concern that the Bt toxin may be transferred to our gut and the bacteria in our gut will then be able to replicate this toxin. Scientists have found that mice fed Bt corn showed elevated antibodies and increased white blood cells associated with allergic and immune responses. It has been determined that the genetically modified soybean contains a unique protein that binds to IgE and may evoke dangerous allergic reactions. Rats fed GM potatoes mounted a slower immune response and mice fed GMO peas developed inflammation. Further studies have shown rats fed diets high in GMOs had higher death rates and greater organ damage. We also need to remember that we are consuming foreign genes.
These studies make me question if GMOs could be one of the reasons why so many auto-immune disorders have been diagnosed along with food allergies. The FDA ensures that researchers who develop GMO foods run tests to make certain that allergens aren’t transferred from one food to another. In the mid-1990s, a study found that adding a protein from Brazil nuts to GMO soybeans could trigger an allergic reaction in people sensitive to Brazil nuts. After scientists discovered this, they discontinued this GMO food. This sounds like good news, but can this ensure no negative health consequences from consuming the Bt toxin? Another concern is GMOs being linked to cancer. Since cancers are caused by DNA mutations, some people worry that eating foods with added genes may affect DNA. The American Cancer Society reports that there are no links to GMO containing foods and cancer, but there have been no long-term studies on the effects of consuming GMOs.
One of the “positive” attributes of GMOs are crops being resistant to herbicides, such as Roundup. This means that farmers can use Roundup without fear of it harming their own crops leading to greater crop yield. This sounds like a great benefit for the use of GMOs, but is it really? Insecticides sprayed onto food can be washed off, but genetically modified crops containing Bt can't be separated. The food is modified from its natural state and the toxin is part of the food. In 2010 the American Academy of Environmental Medicine recommended that physicians tell patients to remove GMO foods from their diets.
GMO is a fairly new technology and more long-term studies need to be done to determine health effects. Currently, the only way to know if GMOs are not in your food is to see the label “non-GMO” on the package. You can also shop at a grocery store that tries to limit the number of GMO containing foods. We are told that they are safe, but so were cigarettes and vaping until correlations to illness were recognized. Will this be the case with GMO’s? I don’t know but I choose to limit them in my diet because if something is genetically modified then I feel there must be some health consequence. You can choose to consume them or not, although right now it might be difficult to remove them completely since food manufacturers aren’t required to disclose them. Do your own research and see what you find. Be sure to look at research that covers the pros and cons. If you are suffering from autoimmune issues or food sensitivities do your best to take most of them out of your diet and see what happens. You may be surprised. I have heard stories from people who focused on removing GMOs from their diets leading to improvement in their health and the health of their children. The choice is yours.
References
Chutkan, Robynne MD, The Microbiome Solution. A radical New Way to Heal Your Body from the Inside Out, Penguin Random House, New York, New York, 2015.
Frazier, Karen, Nutrition Facts. The Truth About Food, Rockridge Press, Berkeley, California, 2015
Charu Verma , Surabhi Nanda , R.K. Singh , R.B. Singh and Sanjay Mishra, A Review on Impacts of Genetically Modified Food on Human Health, The Open Nutraceuticals Journal, 2011, 4, 3-11 2011,
Raman, Ryan MS, RD, GJournaling alMOs; Pros and Cons Backed by Evidence, Healthline, July, 2, 2020.
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