Genetically-Engineered Foods: What Are You Really Eating?

According to the USDA, "U.S. farmers have adopted genetically engineered (GE) crops widely since their introduction in 1996, notwithstanding uncertainty about consumer acceptance and economic and environmental impacts." The top three GE crops produced in the U.S. are corn, cotton, and soybeans. Proponents argue that to protect the food supply and ensure that it keeps pace with population growth, genetically-engineered foods are necessary.( http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/BiotechCrops/ )

But, why is it necessary to alter a plant species? Two reasons are offered: to protect crops from herbicides and to protect crops from insects.

"Herbicide-tolerant (HT) crops, developed to survive application of specific herbicides that previously would have destroyed the crop along with the targeted weeds, provide farmers with a broader variety of options for effective weed control. Based on USDA survey data, HT soybeans went from 17 percent of U.S. soybean acreage in 1997 to 68 percent in 2001 and 92 percent in 2008. Plantings of HT cotton expanded from about 10 percent of U.S. acreage in 1997 to 56 percent in 2001 and 68 percent in 2008. The adoption of HT corn, which had been slower in previous years, has accelerated, reaching 63 percent of U.S. corn acreage in 2008."

"Insect-resistant crops containing the gene from the soil bacterium Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) have been available for corn and cotton since 1996. These bacteria produce a protein that is toxic to specific insects, protecting the plant over its entire life. Plantings of Bt corn grew from about 8 percent of U.S. corn acreage in 1997 to 26 percent in 1999, then fell to 19 percent in 2000 and 2001, before climbing to 29 percent in 2003 and 57 percent in 2008. The recent increases in acreage share may be largely due to the commercial introduction in 2003/04 of a new Bt corn variety that is resistant to the corn rootworm, a pest that may be more destructive to corn yield than the European corn borer, which was previously the only pest targeted by Bt corn. Plantings of Bt cotton expanded more rapidly, from 15 percent of U.S. cotton acreage in 1997 to 37 percent in 2001 and 63 percent in 2008." ( http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/BiotechCrops/adoption.htm )

Opponents say that although genetic engineering all but guarantees high crop yield, the long-term effects of ingesting these foods has not been tested. Many argue that the abundance of these crops, corn and soybeans in particular, better serve food manufacturers' profits rather than improve the nation's ability to feed the masses. Turn your attention to a bottle of salad dressing or a box of cereal. Read the ingredients. Do you see soybean oil or high fructose corn syrup (a highly refined sweetener derived from corn) as one of the top three ingredients? Take a look at a loaf of bread or a bottle of juice. What do you find? Few packaged goods lack one or both of these ingredients. It is no coincidence that obesity rates have skyrocketed. Obesity has been linked to a shift in the American diet from home-grown and cooked foods to fast foods and packaged foods. The scales continue to tip.

For some statistics on obesity, take a look at a very telling power point presentation entitled "National Epidemic of Overweight and Obesity" created on February 16, 2005 by George A. Mensah, M.D. Acting Director, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pay attention to the increasing trend of obesity in the U.S. since the late 1990's:

http://www.doh.state.fl.us/Family/obesity/summit/20050216/01_Mensah.pdf

By the way, this technology is expensive, so big corporations have a huge advantage over the small farmer. They can produce more "food" and offer it to food manufacturers at a lower price while earning a huge profit. Therefore, unless you are purchasing certified organic foods, it is more likely that what you are eating is something genetically-engineered--including fresh fruits and vegetables.

So, what are you really eating when you partake of genetically-engineered foods? No one really knows. But, you can be sure that this fruit fell a little bit farther from the tree!

More next time...

High Fructose "Corn" Syrup

It is likely that you have all seen the latest commercial that promotes high fructose corn syrup. It is sponsored by the Corn Refiners Association. Because Americans consume so many products that contain this processed sugar, the food industry has created its own marketing plan to counter the bad press it is presently receiving. Take a look:

href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEbRxTOyGf0">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEbRxTOyGf0



(I am having a really hard time with this portrayal. One mother is aware enough to know that some bad things have been said about HFCS, but can't articulate it because she didn't research the facts for herself. She is easily defeated by the almost rehearsed response of the sister who is pouring some red punch from a jug that we know is worse than Kool-Aid. Sans the stereotypes, they represent the average American consumers: the uninformed and the ill-informed.)

So, What is High Fructose Corn Syrup?

Brandie Trigger, LMT, Nutritionist of http://www.nourishyourfamily.com writes the following response:

"Its made from corn"- True. High Fructose Corn Syrup is made from corn syrup that has been highly processed to increase its fructose content then mixed with pure corn syrup, which is 100% glucose. The result is a cheap, widely available and utilized sweetener, so highly refined that saying it is 'made from corn' (in support of its safety) is like saying cocaine is made from a plant so its safe to snort up your nose.

"Doesn't have artificial ingredients"- True. HFCS doesn't have artificial ingredients, however, unless you're buying HFCS off the shelf in its 'raw' form, the products that contain it, most likely DO have artificial ingredients. This is just another attempt to use the emerging interest in 'natural' foods as a ploy to push harmful foods to increase profits. Just because actual HFCS doesn't have 'artificial' ingredients doesn't negate the fact that it is HIGHLY REFINED.

"Like sugar, its fine in moderation"- Questionable. To say that HFCS is like sugar is hardly accurate- at least in the way we metabolize it. The term 'sugar' is used widely to refer to many varied forms of sugar cane, which is sucrose, a disaccharide made up of glucose and fructose (the same components of HFCS). Our bodies have an innate mechanism that regulates the release of insulin to uptake the glucose and fructose from the bloodstream as enzymes break them down. However, in HFCS, these molecules are already 'broken down' (they're two separate 'monosaccharides' or single sugars), so our body's natural regulation mechanism is not triggered. Rather than absorbing and utilizing the excess fructose, our liver is forced to convert those molecules to fat and store them as such. This places a tremendous burden on the liver, our already overworked and often underpaid amazing organ working to detoxify our body every moment of our lives. Because HFCS is so sweet, the body registers that it has eaten, however, little of the actual 'fuel' the glucose and fructose is actually used at the cellular level, stimulating cravings for guess what.....more sugar!!

Organizations like the Corn Refiners Association is citing studies that were done on lean women only. What about its effect on a developing body and liver, such as in your child?"

Is It Really Worse Than Sugar?

Dr. Mercola (http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/11/06/corn-syrup-s-new-disguise.aspx) offers the following:

"By now you’re probably familiar with the advertisements claiming that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is “no worse for you than sugar.” What gets me about this campaign, run by the Corn Refiners Association, is this: What decent food product has ever needed to spend up to $30 million to convince consumers it’s inherently safe to eat?"

"If you need to lose weight, or if you want to avoid diabetes and heart disease, fructose is one type of sugar you’ll want to avoid, particularly in the form of high-fructose corn syrup. Part of what makes HFCS such an unhealthy product is that it is metabolized to fat in your body far more rapidly than any other sugar.

According to Dr. Elizabeth Parks, associate professor of clinical nutrition at UT Southwestern Medical Center, and lead author of a recent study on fructose in the Journal of Nutrition:

"Our study shows for the first time the surprising speed with which humans make body fat from fructose. Once you start the process of fat synthesis from fructose, it's hard to slow it down. The bottom line of this study is that fructose very quickly gets made into fat in the body."

How does this happen?

Well, most fats are formed in your liver, and when sugar enters your liver, it decides whether to store it, burn it or turn it into fat. Fructose, however, bypasses this process and turns full speed ahead into fat.

"It's basically sneaking into the rock concert through the fence," Dr. Parks said in a previous interview with Science Daily. "It's a less-controlled movement of fructose through these pathways that causes it to contribute to greater triglyceride [i.e. fat] synthesis.”

Ironically, the very products that most people rely on to lose weight -- low-fat diet foods -- are often those that contain the most fructose! Even “natural” diet foods often contain fructose as a sweetener."

So, What Can We Do?

1) Educate yourself. Don't be the person who walks around quoting "what they say" about anything. Be informed and make better decisions for the good of your and your family's health.

2) Read the ingredients before you buy a product. Ingredients are listed in the order of highest to lowest percent content. If sugar is in the top 5, put it back on the shelf.

3) Consume more foods that don't have labels like organic fruits and vegetables. (The ingredient list for an apple would say "apple".)

4) Don't drink soda! The average can of soda contains about 40 grams of sugar (8 teaspoons) per serving. The American Medical Association recommends that we limit our daily sugar intake to less than 32 grams per day which is still 25.5 pounds per year!

5) Cook. If you prepare your own food, you will have a better idea of what is in it, right?

6) Use Natural Sweeteners. If it is in a bag or in a packet, leave it alone. Some better options include stevia, agave nectar, and locally-grown honey. Use them in moderation.

More next time...