Are you wondering what the letters GMO mean? Have you seen or heard about the controversy surrounding GMOs? Food labeling is a hot topic and one that is often debated, misunderstood and equally confusing. I recently wrote about the “natural” food labeling (if you missed it, CLICK HERE) and wrote about buying foods labeled “USDA organic”. Another label we are looking for these days is pictured below:

It is the label ensuring that the food I am purchasing was not made with genetically modified food, in whole or parts. When purchasing 100% certified organic food, that the foods you are eating are non-GMO, but organic versions of foods are not always readily available to everyone and don’t always fit into all budgets. The “non-Gmo Project verified” label is an extensive labeling process that ensures you are getting non-GMO foods. Foods (in whole or part) cannot bear the USDA 100% Certified Organic label if they are gentically modified. The concern comes in when organic crops are contaminated by GM crops. (wind, animals)

In keeping it simple, GM foods are ones that are engineered, or genetically altered. Sometimes these foods are called “Frankenfoods”. One of the biggest names behind the GM food controversy is Monsanto. They are the company that makes the herbicide, “Roundup”. They are also a company that provides the means to genetically alter foods such as corn, soy and canola, sugar beets, to be resistant to the weed killer ” Roundup”. This way the plants can still be sprayed with the herbicide without falling victim to it. THIS infographic put out by Nature’s Path is an easy way to better understand GMOs.

There are too many risks associated and connected to eating GMOs, so we are choosing to avoid them as much as possible. (connections to food allergies, exposure to synthetic pesticides/chemicals, as well as long term health risks, are just a few of our main concerns). You may or may not have an opinion about eating GM food, but I think the real issue is whether you KNOW you are eating food that has been genetically modified.
There is currently no law (in the USA) that requires food to be labeled for GMOs or not. Recently the food store, Whole Foods, announced that it will work to label all the foods it carries by 2018. Five years may seem like a long time, but the testing and labeling is an enormous task. For now, I am looking for the “non GMO project verified label” and sticking to 100% organic foods as much as possible. (a few brands I trust and can recommend include Cedar’s hummus, Udi’s breads, Nature’s Path cereals, many of the 365 items (Whole Foods’ own brand)…)

If you are looking to cut down your consumption of GMO foods, there are ways to do so. Top GMO foods include soy, corn and canola. They estimate that about 90% of US grown corn, soy and canola are GMO. Again, this goes back to being a label reader.
We try to avoid corn as much as possible and if you’re avoiding processed foods, you’re well on your way to avoiding corn too. Corn is often disguised by other names. Corn can be listed in general terms like “artificial colors” or more specifically like, “dextrin”, or the product derived from corn is listed. (see infographic below or CLICK HERE for a full list) You can look on the label for a stamp that says “contains no soy, or corn products”. These 2 are common known allergens and are often indicated on the label.

Soy has a much shorter lists of other identifiers, look for soy lethicin, bean curd, or tofu. I keep THIS helpful list with me. I got it from the “Kids with Food Allergies” website.
Soy sauce
Soy sprouts
Soya
Soya Flour
Soybeans
Soybean granules
Soybean curd
Soybean flour
Soy lecithin*
Soybean paste
Supro
Tamari
Tempeh
Teriyaki sauce
Textured soy flour (TSF)
Textured soy protein (TSP)
Textured vegetable protein (TVP)
Tofu
Yakidofu
Yuba (bean curd)

*Products that are covered by the FDA labeling laws and contain soy lecithin must be labeled “contains soy”.

May Contain Soy:

Artificial flavoring
Asian foods (e.g. Japanese, Chinese, Thai, etc.)
Hydrolyzed plant protein
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP)
Natural flavoring
Vegetable broth
Vegetable gum
Vegetable starch

Also remember that you’re most likely ingesting GMOs if you’re eating conventional poultry, dairy or meat. The animals are either treated with hormones (to increase milk production, for example) or GMOs are present in their feed (corn, soy).
We only trust 100% certified organic meat, poultry and dairy. If we can’t find organic, we don’t buy it. Mother Earth Living had a comprehensive article on GMOs, for a more in- depth description, CLICK HERE to read the full article.
I already don’t like trips to the grocery store and it is a bit daunting to add another element to the mix. I am learning more every day and try to stay on top of issues about food, food labeling and do my best for the welfare of my family. I find support helps me to make this obstacle less overwhelming.

Choosing foods that have been minimally processed helps to avoid additives (which are often sources of GMO) as well as getting to know and love brands that are tasty, support labeling and for us, don’t contain GMOs, is an important step in living a healthy and more natural lifestyle.

I was not compensated for this post.

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