Healing with Food Article
Avoid Genetically Engineered Foods
Accompanying recipe: Better than Fried Chicken
Genetic engineering, which has been in use for a decade, transfers genes between species. Genes can be taken from any plant, animal, insect, bacterium or virus and inserted into a plant grown for food. For instance, a bacteria gene that secretes an insecticide was moved into corn to presumably decrease farmers' insecticide use.
It's with good reason that many European countries refuse genetically modified (GM) food commerce. Unlabeled genetically manipulated foods are on our dinner plates without adequate long-term safety tests. Today virtually every American has consumed GM products as over 60 percent of all processed foods contain manipulated corn, canola or soy. I invite you to take a tour of your pantry and fridge to see how many packaged foods do not contain these top three GM ingredients. Note: they appear under numerous guises including: fructose, lecithin, soy isolates, soy protein, soy nuts tvp, autolized yeast, flavorings and more.
Additionally, there are 43 other approved GM grains, oilseeds, vegetables and fruits in our markets, and many more foods pend approval. Unless that jar of salsa or the deli sandwich clearly states that it is GM free, you may assume that some of its ingredients are altered.
What is the obvious response to this sobering news? Purchase organic food. This crisis in public confidence has made organic farming the fastest growing component of world agriculture today. By definition and regulation, organic foods are GM-free. That means that organic eggs and poultry come from chickens raised on natural, not tainted, foods. The same is true for dairy products and meat. Favor sustainably-harvested foods and enjoy more home cooking. That is how you can be well nourished. For additional details and resources, see the April Update.
The accompanying recipe is Better Than Fried Chicken. Thanks for visiting and may there be an increasing number of tasty organic foods in your diet.
May you be well nourished,
Rebecca Wood