This week headlines about GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) splashed all over major media outlets across the country. This media firestorm was in response to a new report released by Consumer Reports regarding GMOs in American food products. This report finally shared what I have thought all along: Non-labeled food products most likely contain GMOs if the ingredients include a corn or soy byproduct.
Before I get into the shocking results of the report, I want to share with you why I personally try to avoid GMOs in my diet:
- There are no mandatory safety assessments required before GMOs are introduced into our food system.
- GMOs have contributed to more toxic pesticide usage since their inception. I want the pollution of our earth to stop. The types of environmental chemicals we are being exposed to are what the President’s Cancer Panel says will destine 41% of us to get cancer in our lifetime.
- There are no long term human studies to prove GMOs are safe.
- GMOs are responsible for killing bee colonies. Without bees, we are in big trouble.
- I could go on with more reasons, but one in particular is very personal. I used to suffer from some of the worst allergies. I have been hospitalized multiple times because of them. I used to be on several prescription drugs to control them too. When I removed GMOs from my diet, eating a majority of organic whole, unprocessed foods, my allergies vanished and was able to stop taking all my prescription medications. I feel like I have ten times more energy now and feel incredible. For this reason alone, I take avoiding GMOs very seriously.
GMOs are running rampant in our food supply
Earlier this year, the Consumer Reports Food Safety and Sustainability Center sent out secret shoppers to purchase more than 80 processed food products in New York and Seattle, which included a wide range of products all containing corn or soy ingredients: breakfast cereals, bars, corn chips, corn tortillas, baking mixes and flours, baby formulas, meat substitutes, soy “dairy” products, and tofu/tempeh products. Then, they tested these products to see if they contained any GMO ingredients, and if so, how much. This is important because the overwhelming majority of processed food in America contains corn or soy ingredients, which are also the most prevalent genetically modified crops, yet most major food manufacturers are strongly against labeling GMO ingredients. We are being left in the dark in this country, and virtually the only way to know whether a product contains GMOs is to have it tested – and that’s exactly what Consumer Reports did.
What I love about their report is that Consumer Reports essentially just slapped a big fat GMO label on a few dozen everyday food products here in America, including many that are considered “Natural” and healthy. The manufacturers of these foods do not want you to know that their products contain GMOs and have collectively spent millions of dollars to fight against labeling laws, depriving us of our right to know. This is outrageous considering that 92% of American consumers want GMO labels on food and are becoming increasingly aware of how prevalent GMOs have become in our food supply.
The “Natural” Label: It’s a sham.
Consumer Reports tested several products that are labeled as “Natural” because they found that the majority of Americans still believe that the “Natural” label means that they are non-GMO. As I’ve written about in the past, the word “Natural” on a product means absolutely nothing in regards to GMOs – the FDA has failed to define the use of this term which allows food manufacturers to deceptively label their products as “Natural” to trick us into thinking their product is better than the others on the shelf. Consumer Reports notes that, “Consumers who want to avoid GE ingredients should not rely on products labeled “natural” to avoid GMOs. This label is highly confusing and generally misleading for consumers and Consumer Reports is asking the government to ban its use on food”. They should – because GMOs are not natural. As put by the Institute for Responsible Technology:
“A GMO (genetically modified organism) is the result of a laboratory process where genes from the DNA of one species are extracted and artificially forced into the genes of an unrelated plant or animal. The foreign genes may come from bacteria, viruses, insects, animals or even humans… With genetic engineering, scientists can breach species barriers set up by nature. For example, they have spliced fish genes into tomatoes. The results are plants (or animals) with traits that would be virtually impossible to obtain with natural processes, such as crossbreeding or grafting.”
Yet, GMOs remain in “Natural” foods all over the country.
Consumer Reports found that some “Natural” products contained similar amounts of GMOs as their counterparts without a natural label. For instance, they found substantial quantities of GMO corn or GMO soy in popular “Natural” foods such as Kashi GoLean Honey & Cinnamon hot cereal (owned by Kellogg’s), Utz All Natural Multigrain Tortillas, and Nature Valley Crunchy Oats ‘N Honey Granola Bars (owned by General Mills).
From Consumer Reports – Products guilty of using GMOs (A-Z):
Betty Crocker Authentic Cornbread & Muffin Mix
Boca Original Vegan Veggie Burgers
Corn Tortillas/Tortilla Flour
Doritos Oven Baked Nacho Cheese
Enfamil ProSobee Soy Infant Formula
General Mills Cocoa Puffs
General Mills Corn Chex
General Mills Kix
General Mills Trix
Gerber Good Start Soy
Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
Kashi GoLean (in the process of of getting Non-GMO project verified)
Kashi GoLean Hearty Honey & Cinnamon (Hot Cereal)
Kellogg’s Froot Loops
Kellogg’s Special K Protein Chocolatey Peanut Butter Granola Snack Bar
Krusteaz Natural Honey Cornbread & Muffin Mix
La Banderita Corn Tortillas
Maseca Instant Corn Masa Flour
Mission White Corn Tortillas
Mission Yellow Corn Tortillas
MorningStar Farms Chik’n Nuggets
MorningStar Farms Grillers California Turk’y Burger
Nature Valley Crunchy Oats ‘N Honey Granola Bars
Nature Valley Protein Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Chewy Bar
Nice! Oats & Honey Crunchy Granola Bar (Walgreens)
Old El Paso Crunchy Taco Shells
Ortega Yellow Corn Taco Shells
PowerBar Performance Energy Chocolate Peanut Butter
Quaker Life Original
Quaker Yellow Corn Meal
Similac Go & Grow Soy Infant Formula
Similac Soy Isomil
Snyder’s of Hanover Yellow Corn Tortilla Chips
Tostitos Multigrain Tortilla Chips
Utz All Natural Multigrain Tortillas (some lots tested were non-GMO)
Xochitl Totopos de Maíz (labeling claim “No GMO”)
See the complete report here and the final results here.
Just because it seems healthy doesn’t make it non-GMO.
Several products that many people think of as healthy (even without a “Natural” label) tested positive for GMOs, like Quaker Life Original cereal, PowerBar Performance Energy Chocolate Peanut Butter bars, MorningStar Farms Grillers California Turk’y burgers, and Boca Original Vegan Veggie Burgers. Most disturbingly, all soy-based infant formulas they tested (that are not labeled organic) are made with GMO soy, which included Enfamil Prosobee, Gerber Good Start, Similac Go and Grow, and Similac Soy Isomil. If you are looking for the safest baby formula, be sure to check out this full investigation.
Unverified Non-GMO claims: Don’t fall for it.
One of the most shocking things that Consumer Reports uncovered is that Xochitl Totopos de Maiz original corn chips (the non-organic variety) contain on average more than 75% GMO corn, although they claim right on the front of the bag that they contain no GMOs. Consumer Reports tested 6 packages of non-organic Xochitl chips from different lots and found GMOs in every single one. These chips aren’t verified by the Non-GMO project, but they contain the misleading statements “All Natural” and “No GMO” on the package. This just goes to show that because there are no regulations in place to ensure that non-verified claims can be trusted, the only way to be certain that you’re avoiding GMOs is to look for the verified seal or 100% certified organic food. Most of the products that Consumer Reports tested without a Non-GMO Project Verified or Certified Organic label contained GMO ingredients – with few exceptions. Consumer Reports concluded that the “USDA Organic” and “Non-GMO Project” seal is reliable. This is why I do not purchase products that contain high-risk GMO ingredients without a 100% certified organic or Non-GMO Project Verified label.
Tips to use this information and avoid GMOs at the grocery store:
- Never buy products purely based on “Natural” or “100% All Natural” label claims.
- Look for 100% Certified USDA Organic labels on food.
- Don’t blindly trust a non-GMO ingredient label claim that is not verified with a Non-GMO project seal or verification of 3rd party testing or certified organic.
- Read ingredient labels and watch out for this list of common GMO ingredients, particularly anything derived from corn, soy, canola, cottonseed, sugar beets, papaya, zucchini and squash.
- Do not buy any products that Consumer Reports verified contains GMOs (see the complete list from their report above).
Consumer Reports supports mandatory GMO labeling
“Despite this consumer demand, there are no requirements for labeling genetically engineered ingredients in processed foods and there is extremely limited safety testing required. Without labeling, there is a lack of transparency in the marketplace and Consumers’ Union, the policy and advocacy arm of Consumer Reports, is actively engaged in a campaign to have foods with GE ingredients (also known as Genetically Modified Organisms or GMOs) labeled. In the meantime, consumers are unable to make informed purchasing decisions”.
Consumer Reports dispel many of the myths (and lies) circulating about GMOs, such as:
- GMOs are necessary to feed the world (FALSE)
“it is interesting to note that the world already produces more than enough food to feed all its inhabitants. Hunger, whether in the US and or other parts of the world, is not caused by an insufficient quantity of food being grown. Rather it is caused by disparities in wealth, waste, wars, and market inefficiencies… Looking at the long term outlook, GE foods may actually threaten food availability and increase food costs”.
- GMOs are required to undergo pre-market safety testing by the FDA (FALSE)
“FDA, which regulates food safety, does not require any safety assessment of the GE crops, but invites companies to provide data for a voluntary safety review. This is in contrast to other major economies such as European Union, Australia, Japan, and China, which all require that a premarket mandatory safety assessment of GE crops is conducted”
- GMOs are safe for the environment (FALSE)
“GE crops can have a significant negative impact on the environment. Although the industry often claims that GE crops reduce pesticide use, in fact the opposite is true… The vast increase in herbicide use, especially glyphosate (trade name RoundUp), has caused weeds to become resistant to them, and this chemical is losing its effectiveness… In addition, studies suggest that glyphosate-tolerant crops and the use of glyphosate are likely more responsible for the large decline in monarch butterfly populations than are declines in the overwintering habitat in Mexico, since this herbicide use is wiping out most of the milkweed, which the Monarch butterfly depends on for food.”
- GMOs have been proven safe to eat (FALSE)
“There is global scientific agreement that genetic engineering has the potential to introduce allergens and toxins in food crops, to change the nutritional value, and to create other unintended changes that may affect human health.”
The tide is beginning to turn in this country – I can feel it!
The more knowledgeable we become about the use of GMOs in our food, the more quickly we will get transparency. When we voice our opinion to these companies, they have proven time and again that they are willing to change – and they have. Consumer Reports noted that, “between testing and publishing of this report, that there were manufacturers who were obtaining or obtained Non-GMO Project Verified certification. This demonstrates an actively changing market that seems to be responding to consumer demand.” There are few things you can do to help keep this moving in the right direction:
- If you live in Oregon or Colorado, cast your vote in favor of GMO labeling this November. More information can be found on the Oregon Right to Know and the Colorado Right to Know websites.
- If you know someone who lives in Oregon or Colorado, call them, facebook them, tweet them or go visit them and ask them to cast their vote in favor of GMO labeling.
- If you live elsewhere, contact your state legislators and tell them you support mandatory labeling of GMO food.
- Join the Food Babe Army here – it’s completely free and you’ll be the first to know about any new investigations.
- Spread the word by sharing this post with everyone you know.
Thank you for your commitment to a more transparent food system.
We have the right to know what we are eating!
Vani
Thanks for the article, but on and on I keep reading of such restrictions which can make it hard to function.
Despite the best intention and knowledge, seriously, how do you live a normal functional life wherever you are without becoming too rigid and dysfunctional? So, basically don’t eat anything and starve to the point of bad health or even death?
What do you Vani advise to a typical person who is temporarily unemployed or even homeless who would like to eat all GMO-free, but their only choice is GMO food at nearest food banks that offer free food? Or even to a person who is working a contractor job and placed in such rural areas with only a gas station or Wal-Mart nearby?
#1–What steps do you advise one to be “proactive and realistic” on certain herbs or other vitamins to take to counteract GMOs entering body? There have been top physicians and nutritionists who are all about a plant-based diet and all organic that recommend certain superfoods, herbs and oils to counteract GMOs that “inevitably” enter the body bc of certain situations. Today, a health professional who is very healthy and practices holistic healing says majority she focuses on eating her own grown food and local food, but at times fall prey to GMOs in outside food bc of certain social situations and eating out once in awhile. She recommended to stock up on turmeric, primrose oil usually to counteract GMOs and one herbalist recommended to stock up on pomegranates, lemons, etc.
2. Seriously, to make it simple, what all specific conventional foods that are not organic are GMO-free as it is not realistic to always find certified organic for everyone?
3.. I have no choice but to eat at Indian restaurants I find in nearny towns where they inevitably cook with “Vegetable Oil” because there is stove in motels I tend to stay in for my job and my mom is far away. Wish Vani and others can empathize with a situation like and understand.
Even though all information is good, the key is how to go about such realistically and proactively and see what situation. I like many others wish GMO were totally banned, but unfortunately it is not with such injustice despite such protests, petitions and knowledge passed around. Going Vegan, Vegetarian or Gluten-free seems much easier than going GMO-Free through personal observation.
Thanks!
I tell you Sam, it does seem as if there is nothing left to eat, when you are a person who does not cook, and have lived off processed, easy to grab foods (fillers) and were, like me, never taught that food is nutrition, not supplements, and food is not just to take the hunger pangs away. I had to do a lot of reading and clean out my fridge and pantry of crap foods that had been making me very bloated and unhealthy….you would not believe! I have managed to reduce the inflammation in my body and get rid of some very frightening fat accumulations in places I never thought it was possible to have fat, and all by just eliminating the processed, unhealthy foods. I eat only organic vegetable, fruits, and meats now, and I feel amazingly, great. It takes times, and you should only take baby steps. I suggest that you start with Vani’s list of things to stock your pantry with and what things to get rid of. There is a wealth of people online that can help you get started, and some great recipes that will having you wonder why you hadn’t been eating like this in the beginning. It will ruin you of restaurant foods and having you fix some really extraordinary lunches to take to work. The way that we ended up with a broken food system and the infiltration of GMO’s was when people stopped taking an interest in cooking and so, stopped taking stock in what was being put in those recipes! They trusted that our FDA would certainly never allow anything that was unhealthy to be sold to us for consumption! Hah! Guess again! Greed has stepped in and doesn’t care about you either…..so, the only thing to do is educate yourself on what IS healthy and only buy or grow your own if you can, foods that are healthy for you. I get a lot of information from people on Facebook that homestead, and are knowledgeable on what foods are truly, healthy. I have found that by taking an interest in cooking healthy foods, a joy, and I freeze things that can make up some quick healthy meals. You have to invest in yourself to make the time in your life to take care of you! It is nice to find people who share your goals in this area. Believe me, you will meet with a lot of resistance, and negativity in this area. I still go to battle with people about why I love eating healthy and why it is so important. When they come over, and I cook for them, they love it! It is so easy to make up snacks and meals that make you feel as if you are dining at a top gourmet restaurant. Jump in!
to Jan: I have given up on trying to find good food at the grocery stores and am taking steps to acquire land and homestead. I would like to find a group on facebook like you mentioned to correspond to other homesteaders that are growing their own food. I am northwest of Houston Texas.
Hi Larry,
You won’t fail to find connections to homesteader’s on Facebook. The Elliot’s are one and I believe it is called Homesteading. There are a wealth of other’s that I follow. You are in a great place for starting up your own homestead…I am a fellow Houstonian and know the area…you are fortunate to have found the land. There are a number of places in your area, Tomball being one that have ranches and farms who raise organic foods, i.e., Organic/Free Range Meats and you can obtain raw milk and raw milk products in that area. There is also an area north of Conroe with the same products available. I wish I still lived up there so that I could be near these places, as my having to move to South Texas to help my 93 year old mother has removed me from being able to access these people. There is a farmer’s market here that sells organically grown vegetable, and some fruits, and I can get grass-fed meats, but they are not a strict about the control of gmo grass/grain and antibiotics as they are in the Houston area’s that I mentioned. We are a bit behind the times down here and I have come to find out that the people in this area no longer cook, but eat out. The restaurants are packed day and night, every day, and the obesity is rampant! Not a great place to expect health minded sources. Good luck with your homesteading and I hope that you will start a homesteading page/blog on Facebook to hear about your experiences.
Thank you very much Jan. I agree with what you are saying, but please keep my current realities in mind below.
1. There is no way for me to cook bc of living in motels for my temporary, contract job and the motels I am placed in only have a microwave and fridge.
2. I am placed in rural areas on a whim and have no telling when I will move.
3. Please know that I do always get fruits, veggies,,nuts, hummus, avocado, almond butter whenever shopping in addition to vegan desserts like vegan cookies, cakes, etc when grocery shopping.
4. I very rarely eat out at fast food places anymore and the only time I would get Taco Bell or Subway is if they are the only place to go to late at night when I have nothing to eat at hand.
5.Realistically, I just don’t see it realistic to give up sit down restaurant eating bc of eating with friends time to time and eating homemade food for a change.
The big question that I have left is what to do in order to be proactive with use of certain supplements or herbs daily to fight off gmos that “inevitably” enter the body? I am sure there has to be some out there as it usually recommended to take turmeric, chia or other superfoods to kill cancer cells. In health food stores I have visited I have heard of a supplement to take to counteract toxins or pesticides that enter the body.
Lastly, I have noticed how I have felt as healthy as ever personally after going Vegan since past 2 years while eating certain conventional food in addition to organic and ditching even organic nonveg or vegetarian foods.
Isn’t there some conventional foods not organic that are still fine? I trust you understand that not everyone can buy everything organic due to their budget realistically and better to live within one’s means.
Thanks and I look forward to being in touch.
Hi Sam, I can now see part of the challenges that you have been facing. Vani travels all of the time and says there are certain things she packs for herself, like her lemons and teas. Do you drive or do you have to fly to your destinations? If you drive, your options are more open in taking things with you, such as an electric cook stove. Vani is always talking about drinking warm lemon water with a splash of cayenne first thing before she eats or drinks anything further. I amazed that you are able to eat vegan while on the road….I found it more difficult to find vegan supplies when I started the vegan way of eating. I made the mistake in my experimentation of how I was going to eat, buying and consuming soy burgers etc. They loaded the weight on me and inflamed my body to the point of bloating my body up like a balloon. I read on Dr. Joseph Mercola and Dr. Mark Hyman’s website that certain most soy is gmo and there are certain soy’s that are highly inflammatory, so I stopped consuming them and over time, the swelling went down and I felt better. I find that organic is not that expensive, if you eat it in season, and buy it only when you will be eating it within a couple of days. Organic meats are what are through the roof, so I don’t eat much meat. I order my fish from Vital Choice, because I trust that they sell only healthy sustainable fish. Mostly, I buy their Salmon and Haddock. In the rotation, I manage to eat well, without breaking the bank. I was going to suggest that you buy a food dehydrator and dehydrate some of your fruits and vegetables to take with you. Is that an option for you? You can dehydrate a lot of things for quick meals in the hotel, provided you are driving. Do you not get to make your own hotel arrangements? Perhaps, you could request that they select one with a kitchenette? I would be looking at what they would allow me around making those arrangements? I don’t know your entire situation, in order to look at the possibilities. Have you ever read Vani’s blog on food suggestions when she travels? It is possible to make protein bars with your dehydrator too. There are a plethora of recipes for those. If you can’t find them, you can e-mail me and I will send them to you. [email protected]. Kris Karr is vegan and you can probably look on her website for suggestions on traveling. My cousin, has the same problems finding good food while traveling for her company, but she is not open to trying anything, so she is 80 pounds over weight and has multiple health problems as well as her family. So, yes the time and effort is an investment in your health. I have read that the biggest hurtle for vegan’s and vegetarians, since they don’t eat meat, is getting a proper dose of B vitamins, mostly B12. I don’t know if any of this was helpful, but if you think it was, then you have my e-mail address and can ask away….I will help if I can.
people are not aware of organic apple cider vinegar with mother it’s an herb. Google it and you will find its been used thousands of years for digestion stomach intestine the bowels everything it’s good for weight loss and what it does is it correct the pH balance in your digestive tract which in turn keeps you from storing fat as much as you would otherwise. Another good natural herb is mastic gum no its not a gum it is an herb ancient sap and is also used for digestion. I have been using both togethet and for 2 months now and cannot believe the difference in my once gurgley tummy and I have lost 7 pounds without trying.
you can take the vinegar in water or you can take it by tablespoonfu which is what I do …actually I just turn the bottle up and take a big gulp…it’s an acquired taste and for probably the first week to two weeks you will find your digestive tract trying to get used to the vinegar and then once it balances out I think you will be very surprised. Who knew???
I find it relatively simple. I eat pasture raised local animals that I buy from my butcher. He goes to the farm and checks it all out for his customers, brings his employees, and has a personal relationship with his suppliers. I get my veg/fruits from my local farmer’s market, all beyond organic farmers. If I don’t have that option, with winter coming, then I go to my local market, where I get organic fruits and vegetables. I eat very little grain.
Once you switch your thinking, and start giving money to people doing the right thing, you’ll find it gets easier all the time. The more money you give to people doing the right thing, the more people doing the right thing there will be.
Vote with your dollar.
Great advice, Racheal!! & exactly right. Thank you for posting!! As the saying goes… “You can pay the farmer or the doctor.. Your choice”. People have to consider the cost of illness .. When budgeting their food dollars.. Organic & non-GMO products are more expensive, but so is being sick, or feeling lousy all the time. Nothing is of greater importance than your (& your families) Health.
I wonder how one can balance out what Terri said of a choice between spending one’s dollars on organic versus going to the doc? So basically it is a bind.
When will certain people on this forum or others realize and understand that various people have various budgets and have to live within their means as just reality which makes spending all on organic impossible. It is a slap in the face to tell people who are unemployed, a temp worker, limited income earner or an earning member with familyof several to feed to bust the budget and even be in financial debt or else go to the doctor later on. Seems like an ultimatam or having one locked in with no flexibility.
Everyone has a different situation and different income which at times can’t be changed. Also, I wonder when more and more emphasis will be given on how people can realistically take care of their bodies despite taking all conventional foods or any food that is available. Even if there are many people that always prefer to eat organic, “sometimes they can’t realistically”.
I hear of many other healthy exercises, meditation people can do in addition to trying to live healthy. While I hope for world to be gmo free and organic, it may not be realistic and hope everyone can find a way to be proactive despite at times having no choice but to eat conventional, gmo free food in certain pressing situations rather than starve or even die from no food at all. Also, I always hear how fruits, veggies, legumes and grains have much less pesticides despite some compared to even organic or conventional animal product food.
I agree with Sam. I get tired of people telling me the “pay the farmer or pay the doctor” line. Some of us can afford to do neither. I know many people can’t understand that, but it’s a sad fact.
I have been sick for a decade. I have been unable to work for the last 5 years due to my failing health. After spending thousands in tests, doctors were unable to help me 5 years ago. We could no longer afford them. So I spent the last 5 years learning about nutrition & organics & all these things going on in the food industry, cooking from scratch as much as possible, eliminating as many toxins from my life as possible, & trying to afford as many organic products as possible in an attempt to restore my health.
But our budget is very limited due to my husband being the only one able to work. After 5 years of going progressively healthier, I am now sicker than I have ever been. We have now started racking up thousands more in doctor bills we simply can’t afford & we’ve started going back to GMO foods here & there because we just can’t keep up with affording the healthy stuff. I also no longer have the strength to cook everything from scratch like I once was, in order to avoid so many processed things. I am in despair. We can’t afford the healthy stuff & we can’t afford the doctors either.
I am not saying that we should eat whatever we want because it doesn’t make a difference to our bodies. It does. I still whole-heartedly believe in this movement & healing through natural means, & I know many people have restored their health that way. It didn’t work for me for whatever reason, though. So my point is not that this movement is wrong or unimportant. I am simply tired of so many people acting like the issue is always black & white & simple, without leaving any room for those of us stuck in the middle ground category that people don’t seem to realize exists. People like us want to be healthy. We believe in this movement & wish for the industry to change because we know so many are sick because of the system. We keep following blogs like this to stay informed & see what is happening.
But so often it is the case that we go away from reading these new posts, not with feeling empowered to make better shopping choices this weekend, but feeling sad because even though we now know what we would like to buy & would choose to buy if we could, we know we will still buy a cheaper, unhealthier alternative because that is all we can afford. The cost of being healthy is simply too high for those of us who are so poor. Perhaps that is not something people can understand until they have been in this situation themselves, but it is the truth. I cringe every time I have to make a choice that supports something I don’t believe in, but the money in our account only stretches so far.
I feel ya Sam, it is frustrating sometimes but just try your best and also remember just enjoy life along the way even I who do pretty good with diet sometimes eats things I am aware is not best but sometimes when out or whatever just have to make a choice or go hungry. As far as the job thing goes I simply would not take a job that was really unhealthy or left me in such a difficult situation I would fail all the time and make bad choices, leave those jobs to people who don’t care about health there are tons of those people but we here care so we need to fight for better life, employment etc. For example . . I thought about being a city bus driver for my city I live in but… First off the job itself is not the healthiest occupation and for this particular company the drivers get no lunch break so they have to bring stuff (which can be very good) or sneak fast food.. I just did not like the options so I said no to that good paying job.. Recently I got a job at a health food store, yes! So of course good choices are at my finger tips but before this job I was at another retail establishment and I would bring good choices to work.. again not perfect but better than some of the crap I was doing. Where there’s a will there’s a way. For now drink purest water you can, like distilled, distilled will pull out the inorganic minerals from your body and not the organic minerals from food. It only pulls out the bad inorganic minerals that build up in your body causing problems. Research urine therapy as well… If eating fruits only can satisfy you then that is a great option too, whereas I need a combo of that and healthy fats etc. Just find your way you can do it if you really want to make it a priority, other than that I would not worry about it:)
Thank you very much Joey. I appreciate your concerns and inquiries. As a matter of fact,,I love my current temporary contractor job that pays monthly with offering me free motel accomodation and a rental car to drive. I have enjoyed driving each of the technicians I have worked with and even though there is no set time for lunch as we are on the road for work I have experienced us getting lunch or dinner whenever there is time. Also, we have to wait to find out when we are assigned a site. The job has been great for me healthwise.
Whatever I have taken on the road has been vegan bread with hummus or carrots nearby and a banana or other fruits.
There has been a situation once in awhile where I had nothing nearby so had to resort to Taco Bell. It is situations like these where I find out how the average, ordinary human can be proactive with such as taking supplements, herbs, etc to fight off toxins, additives that enter from the Taco Bell eaten as only food nearby. Wish anybodywith a brain understood this and gave realistic workable advice.
Also, I agree nobody should ever take a job generally bad for their physical, mental or even spiritual health. Clearly, there are office jobs out there with nice lunch breaks or other breaks with ok work but can consist of “unacceptable, toxic people”.
With my current job, I am placed in motels in rural towns and now at Candlewood Suites in Junction City, KS and have to move again on short notice.
I hear ya! What do people on very limited funds do. Food banks receive processed goods that are cheap and convenient to distribute. Poor people must get out and vote. Along with other voters maybe GMOS will be outlawed. I am unemployed but always vote.
Sam,
I have some practical tips for you. I spent a lot of time in motels, so I understand! I suggest getting a small hotplate and a small saucepan, that way you can cook in the room. Even an electric kettle to heat water would be great.
Pick up some oats – quick oats are easy – for breakfast. Even organic is cheap. Add some honey and/or fruit. Dried fruit works well, too. You can even make them in the microwave if you don’t have the hotplate.
Also any type of grains – couscous, rice, quinoa, tabouli are all cheap, even when you buy organic. The couscous, rice and toubouli all cook pretty quickly.
The couscous you could even make with just a microwave – heat the water til boiling in a microwave safe bowl, then add the couscous and cover. Wait a few minutes – done! Fluff with a fork, add chopped veggies, a little oil and vinegar and spices. You can probably find a hundred different couscous salad recipes online. They are good hot or cold, so you could make for dinner and take for lunch the next day. You can also add some beans for protein.
Canned beans are easy, quick and not too expensive. I can usually find organic canned beans pretty cheap, but even if you can’t find organic, there are no GMO beans at this time (except soy beans). You can put them on salads or mix with grain dishes. You can heat canned refried beans in the microwave and put them in a tortilla – with a little salsa if you have it, or a chopped up tomato. Burritos!
I also suggest miso soup – another thing you can make with just hot water. Miso, plus chopped green onions, soy sauce, and some tofu cubes – then pour hot water over the top. Easy Add other veggies if you want. And some crushed red pepper flakes.
Also, salads. If you can find some decent greens, you can make a salad anywhere. All you need is greens, whatever veggies you have on had/were on sale, a cutting board, a knife, oil and vinegar.
The sky’s the limit. Good luck!
i hate when people eat this food around me. it’s like, “get your secondhand gmo away from me!”
I hear what you mean and please know I am with you. I trust you have an understanding with empathy as mentioned above of unfortunately not everyone having the luxury or choice to always have Non-GMO food around 100% of the time and to always be extremely picky in all situations in life. Clearly, life is about being flexible and getting so rigid into what not to have does more good than harm with no enjoyment. I wish Vani took this into account as others on this forum have understanding. Plus, even though you have the best intentions and all, I can empathize with you if you have to take ‘canola oil’ when traveling as a tourist in places and in situations where you don’t have a stove to cook when staying in places. Also, clearly there is no single person heard of who has avoided GMOs 100 % since birth and surely there are people at some point can put a block. I hope in the world GMOs will be banned as only solution where we can eat anxiety free in restaurants, people’s homes, etc.
So with all the above and my limitations, I have a big pleasure for my ancestral Indian food and there is no way for me to cook as I stay in a Super 8 with just a microwave and fridge which means the only choice I have is the restaurant cooked Indian food and I am sure anybody would understand this and saying to avoid ‘vegetable’ oil which is the only choice doesn’t help. Also, it doesn’t feel good hearing such of this when a person has ditched sodas, chocolate or other packaged food with additives and focuses on fruits, veggies, legumes and certain grains.
#1 “Reasonable, Realistic and Pragmatic Hypothetical Question” :
What and how to be proactive for the body with what type of cleanse, herbs or supplements to take to counteract any GMO that enters the body with no choice?
I and others want GMOs and junk food banned totally and do not advocate at all, but most importantly we are looking for “realistic” and “simple-step” solutions to deal with them when they are not banned and in such situations we cannot avoid them such as a host of a house or restaurant using ‘Vegetable Oil’ as the only option or having conventional berries. Looking for something to counteract them. Have a good one and hopefully what I wrote made sense.
Thank you Vani! You are truly a Godsend
Coming into this discussion a couple months late but wanted to share my two cents. I completely understand how difficult it can be to find good quality foods that steer clear of GMO’s and nasty additives without breaking the bank. I especially feel for those who are on government assistance or are forced to rely on food banks or shelters for their meals, and to that group unfortunately not much can be done on a global level until overall policies change, which could take forever.
I am a huge proponent of teaching lower-class and impoverished people how to grow their own food, and if you are lucky enough to be located in an area that offers community gardens, this can be a great source for local grown organic foods at next to nothing; all it usually costs is a fee of $30 dollars or so for the year and a little elbow grease from time to time to till your space and harvest your items. In fact there are several in my city that will grow the food for you for a ridiculously small fee, and then pledge a certain amount of each harvest to local food banks. If you are lower-income, many will allow you to take food home for free if you are willing to help work in the gardens from time to time.
I believe in the case of homeless and impoverished, it really is up to the community around us, and those that can, should help in any way they can. Donate organic and natural foods to your food bank if you can afford it. Check with your local church to see if they have programs that feed the homeless and ask how you can help with offering fresh fruits and veggies. The sad truth is, if we as a society wait around for good things to happen to poor people by way of the government, we’re all going to be waiting a very long time.
I also think co-ops can be a godsend for those on a budget, and the one I go through offers a large variety of fresh fruits and veggies from local farmers at a fraction of the price of buying them at the grocery store. (Check out http://www.beautifulbaskets.org).
One thing you can do is to check out the Non-GMO Project website for a comprehensive list of all the products and brands that are verified. From there you can check your local grocer’s weekly ads and coupons to see when these products tend to go on sale and stock up. I also like to check with the butchers in my local grocery stores to see when they typically put meats on clearance; I’ve discovered that I can go to my local store early in the morning on Tuesdays and Sundays and get organic and grass fed meats for less than half the normal price.
And at the end of the day, sometimes you just can’t afford it to eat 100% organic and that’s okay too. If you can afford a bag of brown rice and a bag of beans, you can eat for a week. Cans of wild-caught tuna are $1.50 a pop in my area and chock full of nutrients. Carrots and peanut butter make a cheap protein-packed snack and neither will break the bank. If you can’t afford all your fruits and veggies organic, stick to the Dirty Dozen and go conventional for the rest.
Sorry, a correction to my post above, the website for co-ops is http://www.bountifulbaskets.org, not beautifulbaskets.
See Farmer’s markets in Houston and there is a co-op too.
Guide to Houston’s best farmers markets – Houston Chronicle
http://www.chron.com/…/Guide-to-Houston-Farmer-s-Markets-4457044.php
Sep 19, 2014 – Urban Harvest Farmers Market. A local ….. showcasing everything from dog biscuits and organic baby food to infused vinegars and local honey.
The Rawfully Organic Co-op – Houston
http://www.rawfullyorganic.com/
Discover more about raw food and how to life with uncooked, unprocessed and organic food. Rawfully Organic Co-Op is located on 10222 Westheimer Road, …
You present a very real situation and I empathise with you 100%. I hope you
find a solution to this!
Monsanto, Pepsi, Kraft, Kellogg’s and You!
Help Stop Monsanto, DuPont and the Junk Food Companies from Stealing Our Right to Know!
http://www.fooddemocracynow.org/blog/2013/sep/10/monsanto_pepsi_kraft_kelloggs_and_you/
Hi Vani,
Thank you for your commitment in establishing the truth about GMOs. It’s an outrage for what is happening with our food.
Here in Hawaii we are in a struggle to keep our land free of GMO. Here is a ballot, a moratorium initiative for the Island of Maui. As you can see at the bottom the opposition is spending a hugh amount of money funded, yes, non other than Monsanto. Here is the initiative – http://ballotpedia.org/Maui_County_Genetically_Modified_Organism_Moratorium_Initiative_(November_2014)
I know you are not about to go political, but I hope you could maybe expose more how destructive this method of chemicals are to our land, to our waters, and to human kind. Thank you for listening.
Wow I can’t believe xochitl chips are gmo!! I’m so mad I have been paying more money for this product thinking I’m doing the right thing and what do you know I have been lied to!!! I will never buy their products again
I suggest we all let Xochitl know how much we appreciate their lies. Send them an e-mail and of course, stop buying their products. Very occasionally I buy Beanitos, chips made of beans. But generally we should not be eating much in the way of chips, cold cereals, breads, etc. There is something unhealthy about breads and wheat products but I’ll leave that to Vani to bring to you in time.
Here is the address where Consumer Reports sent a letter reporting this company for what it considers false advertising. It might help to add our voices to theirs.
Mary Engle
Associate Director
Division of Advertising Practices
Bureau of Consumer Protection
Federal Trade Commission
600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20580
Dear Ms Engle
We have a right to know what we are eating and feeding our families!
Where is our govt? This is just beyond being scary!
Kathy,
The government is IN on it. We need to get rid of the Lobbyists in Washington, but afraid that won’t happen……..not unless I get elected as President. ;o) The gov’t agencies, FDA, USDA, and all the other organizations who ‘should’ be protecting us are happily content with their hands in the same money pot. Sad to say, they are protecting our enemies instead of us.
Kathy,
The predominance of GMOs in our diets, plants, crops, and food is due to supply and demand. Consumers demanded more product (in the form of processed refined foods) and Suppliers responded by genetically modifying corn, soy, and other natural products to resist pests, disease, and produce more.
If we want less GMOs in our foods, it is up to us, as Consumers, to demand less of these foods and more organic/unprocessed. This is our responsibility as Consumers, not the Government’s job to add more regulation to an already over-regulated world.
Keeping our children safe and healthy is our responsibility as parents and caregivers. It is our duty to keep their bodies away from as many GMOs as possible.
As long as consumers demand processed food, suppliers will happily meet the demand. Only when we change what we demand will suppliers change the product.
I agree totally Ame. Their is little that the majority can do since the elections are rigged or bought by big business .
UsDa, FDA are worst trashy 2-faced culprits. Even CDC or vA from stories I hear.
Wonder of any specific gvt agencies with a good reputation and transparency? I love the mission of Corporation for National and Community Service and PeaceCorps.
Ann for President! 😉
Grace Slow ~ LOL.
It is true that IF I were President, I’d be surrounded by those who those who had morals, who care enough about our country to actually TRY to turn it around (if it’s not too late) and I wouldn’t make empty promises to Clean up Washington, it would get done first! A lot of Senators, Congress people, etc. have gone there saying they intended to clean up, but then those darned $$$ $igns got in the way and somehow the promises were forgotten.
I would get out my Pen and my Phone (sound familiar?) to get rid of the controlling ABC Companies, along with the Lobbyists, and all who support them. Big Pharma is absolutely out of control and will only get worse, mandating all kinds of vaccines for every little thing they can think up.
We would support the small farmers, allow the farmers’ markets to continue selling without fear, get raw milk back in all states, grow gardens in your front yard without of having it torn out, GMOs out of our foods, find out exactly what’s in those wicked Chem Trails, and lots more……the list is endless. The gov’t is snooping into our very living rooms and it’s against our Constitution. The Constitution must be upheld.
Okay, vote for me………………….
Ann for President !!!
Thanks Vani for all you are doing to clean up the dirty mess we’ve been fed!
Our children are sacred and precious and deserve better.
GMO Formula? That is diabolical thing to do to an infant!
Take care Vani. I pray for your good health, safety, and happiness.
Bless you and yours.
Thanks Vani! Now I wonder about Amy’s, their pizza for example, says organic and non-gmo but they do not have either recognizable label for these claims.
I emailed Amy’s about the dairy products and eggs that they use and they fully admitted that they can’t find a non GMO source for their dairy and eggs. So yes you’re eating GMOs through animal products when you eat Amy’s. Same thing goes for Nasoya egg roll and wonton wrappers. They said non GMO in the package but aren’t verified. I emailed them about the eggs and after 3 weeks of hounding them they finally replied that they can’t even confirm where their eggs come from. Gross.
There are no GMO animals on the market or in development. The animals may have been fed GMO products during their life time but that doesn’t make *them* GMO. Are you specifically looking for animal products that haven’t been fed a GMO diet? That’s a different question than what you seem to be asking.
As an aside: there is no mechanism by which someone consuming an *animal* product that was fed GMO *plant* products could cause a problem.
“Decoded Science spoke to Dr. Kevin Folta, a molecular biologist with the University of Florida who also took some time to answer questions about the GMO Strawberry scare that was making its rounds on the Internet.
Dr. Folta tells us, “There is no way that you can feed a cow GM grain and see any trace of it in the milk. You could never test milk and find DNA from the plant. Milk production is a specialized process wholly independent from digestion. DNA from the plant is degraded in the gut, does not circulate in the bloodstream as plant DNA and is not in milk.””
By the way, Amy’s has sold out to a big food manufacturer (forget who). Not the same Amy’s anymore.
General Mills. So if you buy Amy’s now the $ goes to GM who happens to be against gmo labelling although Amy’s was for it. What a joke.
Whoops, I thought you said Annie’s – that’s who I’m talking about. Amy’s? I thought that they were still independent.
Wheat was hybridized in the 70’s by other means different from the methods used now-a-days. It has 40% more gluten than the wheat produced before that time. That’s why I stop using “organic wheat” a while ago. It is genetically modified anyway. I was paying much more for nothing. I have not consumed wheat for a year and I got much more energy than ever before.
So ‘natural’ peaches are the size of a large marble and are close to 40% pit. They have a taste that is sort of sweet but mostly earthy and a little bitter. Over the centuries since they started cultivating peaches (original in China) they’ve become the peaches that we see now. The peach you are eating – regardless of the source – is the result of hybridization, genetic manipulation, and so forth. If you eat corn – even no GMO organic corn – you aren’t eating anything like it’s natural predecessor (teosinte) a tall grass with ‘cobs’ containing maybe 12 kernels and less than 2 inches long. Corn, as we know it, is a product of human engineering. Most of what we eat never existed in the wild in a form we’d recognize.
Thanks for your input. I understand that and you are right. Anyway, I am not talking about a method that took a thousand years. It probably took just a few years to hybridize and because it has 40% more gluten many people are sensitive to it. I do not need it. Even if hybridized wheat does not mean it is a GMO, the new product made many people feel bad. I did not know until I cut it off of my diet. It was amazing the change of energy.
It’s a shame that we live in a world that requires such effort to eat food that is not poison. The government subsusdizes the “beef “industry and so many resources are used to grow beef and poison the enviornment. The “greed and corruptions” that the government ( most politician in the house and senate ) are involved in , benefits from stocks that pertain to the corporate interests that continue to make laws which benefit their interests over that of the “people” , are staggering. I am fighting against this “monster” by aligning myself with ” PUBLIC CITIZEN ” to try and stop the unlimited funds that the “super rich” can donate to a campaign. We have to unite with solidarity and donate for the people that are willing to go to battle.. and fight in the courts.
As always thanks for the article! I’m glad you are there to get the word out, We will Stop this together, hopefully sooner then later! I’m still battling smart meters and the danger they produce! I am because it is at my doorstep and doing research on the effects! They are not good! Keep up the good work, and I will continue to follow you!
Thanks,
Billy
Real simple. Stay out of supermarkets – particularly away from the middle aisles. Shop at stores like Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods or Sprouts, etc. – or whatever stores are popular in your area. These stores have made a conscious effort to refrain from stocking many GMO brands. Organically grown and truly “natural” foods represent the largest growth segment in the food industry. If given a choice people will opt for the healthy stuff. A safe bet is to look for the “Certified Organic” label. Even Walmart sells organic food now. And you might actually discover some very tasty alternatives to what you’ve been used to eating.
What if your town and state has none of these stores mentioned and you have to move from rural town to rural town on a whim with no access to a coop or no health food store?
Sam, No one seems to be listening to you. I am. To answer your question, yes, there are some healthy foods that won’t send you to the poor house at your local grocery store. Top of the list: legumes: red beans, black beans, butter beans, lentils, etc. It’s cheapest to cook from dry but canned are reasonable. Top notch nutrition and cheap. Potatoes are cheap but it is best to use organic if you can find them somewhat reasonably priced. Otherwise they aren’t that bad (not gmo). Rice is good and cheap. Cook from dry not mixes. Would it be possible to have a few home-cooked meals in the freezer to grab and go and reheat later? What about a thermos or two? If you noticed above, Vani’s list of GMO food is short but it is in almost everything so it isn’t hard to remember: corn, soy, – be sure its organic. Sugar beets buy cane sugar such as C&H. Look up Dr. John McDougall who tells you how to eat vegan, cheap and very healthy on a starch based diet.
I’m so thankful we don’t buy any of those boxed, bagged, or wrapped products. My husband and I are gluten and ‘mostly’ sugar free, which helps a great deal, as we not only feel better, but look better as well, and save a lot by not buying processed foods and supporting those companies. If you eat the organic (as much as possible) and buy only fresh, local foods, it’s not only going to cost less, but will show in your good health. We eat a lot of veggies and avocados, lots of eggs, wild caught salmon, and a little meat. I make everything we eat, and yes, it takes time, but we are happy to feel good and take no meds. We’re seniors, but we don’t feel our age and have lots of extra energy like yrs. ago.
We shop the farmers’ markets during growing season, and we even have 3-4 vendors who show up all winter long inside a heated tent with their products. We’re in the cold northeast, so winters can be brutal, but 2 Amish farmers and another with his meat products are there every Sat. The one Amish farmer sells raw milk, cheese and eggs, while the other Amish farmer sells root veggies, carrots, etc., greens as long as possible from his greenhouse, & GMO free eggs.
Thank you, Vani for keeping these topics out there so folks can realize the truth. And readers here, we need to spread the word to try and educate everyone we can. Otherwise, we’ll all be sick when there’s nothing fresh and healthy left to eat.
I’m absolutely outraged that this country has no regard for our health or our planet! I try my best to eat all organic and whole foods but every now and then I buy something processed and always make sure it says organic and non gmo and now come to find out that’s not the case is infuriating! I wish more people cared or informed themselves so we can make this change. Thank you food babe army for fighting the good fight
I have a right to have GMO free food and I will stand up and be counted to the big food company’s and say no GMO in my food. Our elders didn’t have to deal with this and neither do we. STOP GMO FOOD PRODUCES IN AMERICA.
I know that it is overwhelming especially when you are broke. I am on a very limited income and have a chronic illness. I find the easiest thing to do, other than all the research that I have done and knowledge I have gained,is to put it to use. I avoid just about all processed foods and once a week,plan a menu for the week. I prep everything ahead and some things I can prepare totally ahead. Bulk bins and good organic vegies that I pick by what is in season and on sale is my basis. Another help is to look for coupons online for healthy food choices and comparison shop. I am vegetarian as well,so that helps with my budget and my concern of farm animal welfare.
Hi Food Babe. Let me, from Italy, join in applauding your noble endeavor. Yet I wish to point out that you seem to convey the idea that dangerous foods are present only in America while Europe enjoys wholesome living. It is not so. The problems you describe in America are very much here in Europe. Meats and vegetables are raised industrially with wanton disregard for morality, compassion or health. Most pizza in Italy is made with toxic, ultra-refined flour, artificial mozzarella and tomato imported from China. No offense to China – its cuisine is magnificent – but that tomatoes can be brought from the other side of the World to Italy and sold to a pizzeria for less than ones grown two kilometers away ought to raise concerns about the methods used to grow the imported ones. I know firsthand that the nefarious Roundup herbicide is used copiously by most Italian (and European) farmers. Most Italian salami is made from meat shipped in from abroad and raised with unknown and therefore suspicious methods. The salami is loaded with chemical dies to color it red and mixed with preservatives to give it perpetual shelf life. Delicious cheeses actually come from milk laden with antibiotics. Fish is mostly farmed and thus grown on unnatural, venomous pellets. The European Parliament in Brussels succumbs to influence by the global “food” industry and passes laws against natural farming and food package labeling. Cancer wards are full. But quite a few of us are waking up and turning bio-dynamic vegetarian. You are absolutely right to say that cooking for ourselves is the way to good living. Only by cooking for yourself can you determine what is allowed to enter your body by way of the mouth. Eating in restaurants should be something we do just occasionally. Bravissima Food Babe!
Tomatoes from China? How ridiculous when they are abundant in Italy. This town in Italy took action:
http://greenpeaceblogs.org/2014/09/12/italian-village-bans-pesticides/
None of those foods i buy,I am glad nothing i eat is on that list so far…
I can not tell you how much my family and I have appreciated the information given to us by this website. The doctor and lab results have been great! But, I am like everyone else, WHAT THE HELL DO WE EAT? Even if we go to the store and buy organic, 2 weeks later, there is something negative about our purchase from this website. Unless, you are a true farmer, grow your own food, you are screwed, especially in this country. Look at the foreigners that have lived here and picked up our culture. They used to be so skinny and now they are fatter than normal Americans. They eat our food, pick up our habits. But the American Government have lied to us since the 60’s about what we eat. There are a lot of people that get paid big bucks for them to cover this up. I think all Americans should rise up and sue the government or something. You can’t keep putting labels on everything I buy. Then you find out the labels are lies. NO SODIUM! Then turn the can over and there are 200mg. of sodium per serving. I don’t know about you guys, but I am beyond FED UP. What do you eat? We have been eating at K&W cafeteria’s for years. Low price for senior citizens. The food has been salty lately. The Manager said that he gets 3 complaints from customers a week. Asked for us to go on their website and look at the nutrition page. I swear, you will drop where you are standing. Not a few grams of sodium, but thousands, per serving. F.Y.I.
Until we can get enough people to care enough to either stir up the government to do something, or sting the food companies by withholding our dollars, we have two choices: give up and eat whatever, claiming it is just too hard to eat healthy; or, care enough to do what is necessary and one of those things is cook your food yourself. Stay out of most restaurants. If you can find an organic one, support it by all means.
I would like to point out how important units are. GRAMS are very different than milligrams. Carrie says that there are thousands of grams of sodium in her food. First of all this is physically impossible. A thousand grams of sodium or a KILOgram as it is know would take up over a liter of volume. Not only that but a kilogram of sodium ingested at once would literally kill you. As the LD50 of NaCl is approx 3,000mg/kg body weight. Please I implore all of you who read these blogs and comment, just take 5 minutes and do some research yourself.
I’ve contacted the makers of Terra Chips (Hain Celestial Group) because their bags say “non GMO” on the label but there is no Project Verified non GMO label on their products. The representative told me that they are “in the process” of being project verified, but their suppliers still state that the ingredients they use are non-GMO. I’m not sure how much I really trust this, so until they are officially certified I’m going to steer clear of their stuff as much as possible.
God bless you for your efforts. 🙂
GMOs cause inflammatory bowel disease. Period. Bread with GMO canola oil, mayo w/ GMO soybeans, candy w/ GMO sugar. The GMOs have genes spliced w/ E.coli & BT Toxins, etc. that disrupt your gut ecology & of cause inflammation… which is your body saying, “What are you? You don’t belong in me. I don’t recognize you! I’m launching an attack on you!” If there is inflammation in your bowels everything gets trapped inside because of the narrowing of your intestines. Inflammation is the root of all diseases.
GMO corn & soybean prices are plummeting because no one can physically tolerate them…Figure it out FDA, USDA. People could tolerate small amounts years ago, but with 80%-90% market saturation, people can no longer physically tolerate GMOs
Silence is deadly. Speak up, everyone.
You can never go wrong when you do right! 🙂
Thank you Vani! Before cancer at 38, had no idea about America’s highly processed, genetically engineered, chemicals in a can, growth hormone & steroid injected, antibiotic ingested, arsenic feed, artificially flavored , sugar dumped, fat free, “naturally flavored”, fake colored, factory-farmed, franken-food supply, and I thought I was eating healthy!
As you mention, now I read labels and look for USDA organic or Non GMO Project or it doesn’t go in the shopping cart.
So true that the tide is turning. America (and her children) have never been fatter or sicker and it’s so strange we can’t seem to figure out why. Meanwhile, we’re told everything is fine with our food supply . . .
We’re hungry for change!
Best health always,
SuperMom-in-training
I think it is safe to say that I choose for my family to not participate in a study to determine whether gm0s are safe or not. (Which is exactly what you are doing if you eat non-gmo foods) We’ll just look for the right labels to choose what we eat. But I’ll be interested in the results in 30 years or so…. Wow! I can make that determination without any bio -whatever degree. You know my kids classmates at the age of 12 & 14 loss their mother to breast cancer. To know that she was a scientist that worked for Monsato years ago(listed on her obituary) – just gives you pause.
correction – (Which is exactly what you are doing if you eat *gmo* foods)
While I can appreciate this articles you write and what you are trying to do. However some of your information is false and is intended to scary people from eating or drinking foods and beverages that they have for many years and have done so possibly in moderation. Some may be more than others over indulge. You can consume foods and beverages in moderation and be just fine. You are completely wrong about the product chocolate peanut butter and I can prove it with a simple picture since you don’t allow pictures from others that blow your claims. I will simply tell you where you can find the information. On peanut butter & co dark chocolate dreams peanut butter product. On the back under the natural ingredients and nutrition facts there are a few stamps of approval. USA Quality, Certified GF Gluten -Free, Certified Vegan, Non GMO Verified (the very lable in question), and Green Palm Sustainability. It sounds to me if you had your way we would all by over priced organic foods, grow our own gardens and spend hours upon hours cooking in the kitchen and women back in the homes serving man. Quit with the scare tactics and just provide information that would truly harm you. Our food is required by law to go through the food and drug administration before sale. If it does not a warning lable will be on the product that says not approved by FDA. If your goal is to educate consumers educate them on moderation and limited quantities and what the average person should consume in a twenty – four hour period with a proper diet and excersice. There are people who don’t know how to read or understand labels. My feeling is if you cannot pronounce it and they cannot say that lecithin is sunflower or cocos nucifera is coconut oil then don’t buy it. Sunflower oil and other natural ingrediance have alternative names an are often not stated some companies to a good job in telling you what the alternative name is. If you want to educate consumers and change how companies write their ingredients on packaging then you are not being effective. If your goal is to scare consumers, annoy companies, and put women back in the kitchen raising babies and serving man. Then I applud you you are doing a fabulous job
Dear Stacy,
Yes! I am scared… very scared. I hope you can appreciate that after cancer at age 38, I had no idea about America’s highly processed, genetically engineered (GMO) crops, chemicals in a can, pesticide laced, growth hormone & steroid injected, antibiotic ingested, arsenic feed, artificially flavored , sugar dumped, fat free, “naturally flavored”, fake colored, factory-farmed, franken-food supply, and I thought I was eating healthy!
Now, I read labels and look for USDA organic or Non GMO Project or that “food” doesn’t go in the shopping cart.
And how does all this put women back in the kitchen raising babies and serving men? I’m more afraid of the food and beverage industry ‘cuz I took it all hook-line-and-sinker until my cancer.
America is riddled with diseases of affluence: diabetes, heart disease, cancer, etc…etc… and we’re hungry for change!
Best health always,
SuperMom-in-training
Do you honestly believe that your cancer is the direct result of food that is not organic or grown or raised on your own farm? Or could it have been directly part of your genetic make up? If we went by this logic I to at 38 going on 39 would have cancer too. These products have been on the shelves for years. By your logic everyone would have cancer. While I sympathize with you and understand why you are overly cautious I would have to say you should be living your life and taking on the world, rejoicing in the fact that you are cancer free, and not living in fear or in a bubble. I am a mother of 3 beautiful girls we do have a small garden and eat healthy foods and we do family friendly workouts. My husband and I add more to our workout. If there is something in the nutrition lable and ingredients that I cannot pronounce or don’t know what it is, it does not go in the shopping cart. With that being said I work my husband works to provide for our family, if I was to spend the day working a farm canning and other things that people did in the 20s’ or 30s’ that would place me at home. I don’t know about you but I rather not go back in time. I am in a male dominated field and I do have to prove myself to other males. I am not at the level I should be because I stayed home while I had my children. This is where the wage gender gap is people. Sometimes because of soccer practice, Girl Scouts and other school activities there is not enough time to make dinner so we will grill up some hot dogs and hamburgs corn and eat. Eating Kosher is another challenge in itself. Some people are not as fortunate as I or my husband to have money to spend on over priced organic food which in itself is a joke too. Read some of those labels real eye opener there plus look into some of their processes it makes you wonder. But there are strong believers out there that say organic is they way to go. Either way the point is, is that not everyone can afford those foods and instead of wasting your breath on nonsense that just does not educate consumers fully and annoys companies. Actually educate people on how to read labels, that there are other names for ingredient because they are their actual names and people have smiplified it. Teach others about moderation and how a balanced meal and excercise is important to sustaine a health lifestyle. Your doctors will tell you that. Plus if you ask doctors what is the one food they Wil not eat the will likely say ice cream because of sugar and fats and trans fats. So don’t blame the food you eat on your medical issues. Most cancer is hereditary either through the maternal or faturnal side of the family depending on the type of cancer and stran. Same is true with other things. Plus proper diet and excercise will help lower the risk of stroke, heart and diabetic issues
Dear Stacy,
Umm . . . wow – okay – don’t know where to begin. (Apologies up front for the length and truly hope you have the time to read and even respond.)
Yes, I believe that what I was eating made me sick and the chief of oncology that oversaw my care – supported by dietary change 100%. Here’s the truth: the breast cancer rate for women in rural China is 11 out of 100,000 and in the United States it’s 1 in 8 women will experience breast cancer during her lifetime. Yep! In mainland China they call breast cancer the rich women’s disease. (There is zero dairy in the traditional Chinese diet.)
Ask our children what I think about the “pink washing” month of October. How much $$ from a “pink” bucket of fried chicken actually goes toward breast cancer research or “awareness”? Or, do the sales just generate more profit for the company selling the pink sneakers, hats, newspapers, and pink plastic bags ? Here’s the truth: there are more carcinogens in a fried chicken leg than a pack of cigarettes – chickens are fed arsenic, etc. (This was a friend’s thesis that is a PhD in molecular biology.)
My mom (twice) and sister had breast cancer and they tested negative for the BRCA gene so it’s “not in the genes.”
When you read Vani’s post, she was sick and taking drugs and when she changed her diet… her allergies and pill bottles disappeared. Most of us stumble on to this world of “organic” and “GMO free” not because we want to question other’s belief systems but because we (or a loved one) is sick and we’re seeking our truth. For me, I felt duped when I started to study America’s food supply because I thought I was “eating healthy.”
I’m certainly not going to convenience you in a post, but I do invite you to open your mind to the small possibility that the mantra “moderation” might actually be fed (pun intended) by the food and beverage industries. And, if it’s the lack of exercise that has America so fat and lazy – check out the movie FedUp.
I’ve been blogging and hosting a local cable TV show for a few years now because once you start to peel back the onion – there are millions and millions of us with our stories to share and that’s all Vani is really doing here. She’s sharing the truth and her story, and I agree with her 100% and want to support her and her mission. (Remember, the GMO testing was done by Consumer Magazine – not Vani.)
I am truly thankful that she can draw the audience she does because most of the comments here are saying. . . .America is hungry for change!
Wishing you (and your family) good health,
SuperMom-in-training
Super mom keeping on keeping on and eating well, we all here got something in common this is the way we want to live our lives. And I will see it out that I do with mine:) Good food comes first, material things come second.
Dear Becky (and Stacy),
As you are aware, many countries ban the import of GMO crops in to their countries! So, the feed the world mantra doesn’t work.
After cancer at 38, I am GMO free and if doesn’t say “USDA organic” or “Non GMO Project” that “food” doesn’t go in the shopping cart or on my families plates.
I’m also free from thinking that I need a PhD or a scientific study to know that an apple a day helps keep the doctor away better than a poptart.
Best health always,
SuperMom-in-training
p.s. Thanks Joey for the support!
Best health to you too always,
SuperMom-in-training
Stacy it’s clear that you are not into eating organic and that is cool I am all about freedom, I choose to eat organic and I do pay more for food now and I am okay with it, I am into eating as clean as I can whether or not it would make a difference in my lifetime who knows… I can’t do it twice so I can’t compare 2 lives of my own 🙂 And because the demand is there prices have gotten better but yes it still cost more to eat well but you can still shop smart but you have to be into to even to do it in the first place.. I’m into it so I just do it.. Shoes too I like good shoes on my feet so I get good brands but even those prices are probably not honest. But at the end of the day we all like to spend money we just do it on the things we are into.. I have seen people use EBT on cheap garbage food while wearing Air Jordans.. 200 dollar shoes.. over priced.. but hey if that makes them happy I’m all for it I just rather buy organic food:) Ya feel me sister? I don’t want to gable with my health.. I could smoke.. I did think about it one point in my life could I do it without getting cancer.. some do.. I just did not want to gable with it… My family does and enjoys it.. But I rather not. God speed and party on!! You will find me munching on some Ezekiel bread later.
I’m pretty sure Vani’s recipe’s can be made by either men or women, lol. Women back in the kitchen serving men, indeed! More like all of us back in the kitchen serving our families’ health.
I received this information from my friend I live in Ontario Canada and I’m really interested to know we’re I can go about get this ,I am 63 allot of health problems and I’ve had colon cancer I’m ,dibectic,have high blood pressure,I would really love to feel better
I find it really scary at what is in our foods so are u saying as long as it says 100percent cerifed organic it is good .thank you
Jenettekerr
We have 4 acres and want to grow our own organic food. HOWEVER- Here in UPSTATE NEW YORK, 1 hr outside of NYC, WE ARE CONSTANTELY BARRAGED- ON AN DAILY BASIS- WITH these NASTY and TOXIC CHEM TRAILS!!!!!!!!!! HOW can you possibly trust ANY, TRULY, ORGANIC, NON-GMO FOOD-THAT HAS BEEN SPRAYED BY THESE HIGHLY TOXIC AND CARCINOGENIC CHEM TRAILS, FLOWING FREELY, DOWN FROM THE SKY- ONTO OUR INNOCENT CROPS….???!!! Just think about that, too…. Therefore, NOTHING IS SAFE. Very sad, indeed… : (
Leslie, I’m truly sympathetic about your situation. We used to live in upstate NY (loved it there!) so your post caught my eye. How awful that it’s going on there; I’ve heard it’s constant out west and some down south, but hadn’t heard too much going on here in the northeast.
I wish there was an answer, as it certainly does affect everything on the ground, including people and animals, as well as the gardens and it IS a toxic poison. Who even KNOWS what it really is?
The word despicable (or any other adjective I could mention) doesn’t even begin to describe how devastating this is for America. Many of us know this and other chemicals we’re exposed to, is all happening as a way to reduce the world population. And Bill Gates, with his push to mandate vaccinations for all and his millions to support it, is at the top. What gives him or any other agency/organization (Monsanto and others) to make decisions for the rest of us? This WAS a free country.
Ann~ Thank you for your response! Makes me feel a bit better, that I am not alone… ; ) Yes, we are very lucky. It is very beautiful and peaceful here, in New York…
FYI~ I was unemployed about 5 yrs ago- had the summer off…. SO, daily I would sit out by the pool and suntan…constantly looking up at the big, blue sky above… Well, I began to notice something really odd and quite noticeable… Even though we have 4 Airports within 1.5 hrs of my home… In the over 35 years of living here, I have NEVER IN MY LIFE SEEN, SUCH A BEAUTIFULLY, EQUALLY SPACED, “GRAPHED PAPER” SKY!!! Perfectly spaced white lines – equally lined up- pure white in color and lasting a VERY long time…Sometimes an hour! EVERY DAY- about the same time- for a few hours- this would happen… I watched it happen over several years! I told people about this and they all laughed at me… Little, by little I got people to see what I was talking about… CHEM TRAILS.
Fyi- Normal planes that fly above, give off normal Vapor trails ( NOT Chem trails) – the water dissipates and vanishes within a few seconds… LOGICALLY- there is a RANDOM PATTERN to all of these various planes , flying in and out of all of these airports… Hundreds of planes… IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ALL OF THESE “NORMAL” PLANES GOING INTO AND OUT OF THESE 4 – EVEN A 5TH AIRPORT- TO ALL BE FLYING IN PERFECT, STRAIGHT LINES AND FORMING ALL OF THESE PERFECT BOXES- ALL OVER THE SKY…. LOL… COMMON SENSE – that these planes are not normal and are not spraying normal “Vapor trails”…. Conclusion- There are 2 types of planes. The first, area the normal, commercial planes, giving off the normal, safer, “Vapor trails” , that disappears, seconds after it is released….. ( BTW- safer, “Vapor trails- now a days- no longer stay in the sky for more than a few seconds… THAT is why people are constantly confusing the two!- Modern Technology. ) The second, is the more nefarious type of plane. This plane gives off the long lasting, white, ” CHem Trail” , that have been known to contain certain Carcinogens and various toxic chemicals… Someone very knowledgeable said that it is our government – spraying nanotechnology – first line of defense -to protect us from foreign invaders- planes, etc… to prevent another Sept 11th… : ( Who knows?? That is what concerns me the most. We are doing our job, trying to raise a healthy, organic garden- when this crap is raining down on us – on a daily basis , for YEARS- causing us all harm.
MY super healthy 80 yr old Dad, got sick with Cancer and within 2 yrs passed away… He was always outside in the yard working…. We live in the clean, healthy suburbs of New York- not the city…Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not… ( His parents were in their mid 90’s when they passed. My Dad should not have gotten sick.)
People~Please take the time to look up in the sky- in the afternoons and hopefully, you will see what I am talking about. If you see it, question it. (If you don’t see it, then you are very lucky…. ) 90% of the people in this world are way too busy to even look up at the sky during the day. THAT is how they have been able to get away with it – for all of these years. People are sheep and clueless- UNLESS, they have to pay attention- or WANT to pay attention. THEN, they will get angry. If you don’t know what I am talking about. Please just Google it. Chem Trails. It is FRIGHTENING. I totally agree with you, Ann. Bill Gates/ Monsanto, etc… all have way too much say in what goes on in our lives… Last time I checked, this was NOT Communist Russia. : ( Thanks again, Ann! May you and your family be always blessed with good health! : ) ( Sorry to have gone on such a rant…lol…) : )
Leslie,
These days, I feel we all have good reason to ‘rant’, as our lives have been altered so much with all the concerns, that we can’t feel free to go about life as we used to, to just go about our normal daily chores, eat without worrying about which toxic chemicals we’re ingesting, and spend time simply relaxing with family and friends.
Now we have to try and stay on top of everything, knowing all that’s being done to our land and food is set about to destroy us. It’s awful having to be suspicious about everything, but with all that’s happening, and knowing how the gov’t is NOT protecting us, we are on our own…except for having our faith in God who will protect us.
About the chem trails, you are correct that most people never pay attention with such things. In fact, many dispute the fact and say we’re all nuts for even thinking it to be true. There are some who have said they no longer even see the sun, as the sky is cloudy all day due to the trails. How sad.
((By the way, up above someone suggested I run for President. So vote for me…..LOL))
There is no Reply button beneath your name, but I guess you’ll see this.
Leslie, There is no Reply button beneath your name, but I guess you’ll see this.
These days, I feel we all have good reason to ‘rant’, as our lives have been altered so much with all the concerns, that we can’t feel free to go about life as we used to, to just go about our normal daily chores, eat without worrying about which toxic chemicals we’re ingesting, and spend time simply relaxing with family and friends.
Now we have to try and stay on top of everything, knowing all that’s being done to our land and food is set about to destroy us. It’s awful having to be suspicious about everything, but with all that’s happening, and knowing how the gov’t is NOT protecting us, we are on our own…except for having our faith in God who will protect us.
About the chem trails, you are correct that most people never pay attention with such things. In fact, many dispute the fact and say we’re all nuts for even thinking it to be true. There are some who have said they no longer even see the sun, as the sky is cloudy all day due to the trails. How sad.
((By the way, up above someone suggested I run for President. So vote for me…..LOL))
Dearest Ann- As a matter of fact, No, I did not know that you had posted to me!!! : ( I am so glad that you took the time to even write it. At least you knew that I may not read it. Strange how there is no “reply” button underneath certain posts… I am so very sorry. I literally, JUST got an email, that said that I received a reply to one of my posts here. I just checked- but it wasn’t from you! : ( It turned out to be a very snotty post, from a little boy, named “TOM.” LOL… Tom Riddle from the Dark Side…. Apparently, he doesn’t like what we are talking about here. It bothers him tremendously. I invited him to go elsewhere-if he was not happy with the company or the conversation… LOL… (( Sorry- I am a bit punchy- had only 4 hrs of sleep last nite and am very sleepy now! After midite…)) Anyway, I try to always make the best of a bad situation. And, thanks to Tommy’s childish comment, I was led back to YOU! So, THANKS TOMMY BOY!!! YAY! : D Ann, I would vote for you for President in a heartbeat! You’ve got moxy and intelligence! : ) Isn’t it funny how many people come on here, just to try to mock and humiliate us simple folk ?? Why does it bother them so much?? They don’t pay our bills. They won’t take care of us when we get sick… Makes you wonder, eh?? Lol… I hope that you are doing well Ann. Well, as well as can be expected, under the circumstances! LOL.. ~ Leslie Gonna get some sleep! ZZZzzz p.s. I have to go prepare myself for TommyBoy’s big comeback to my reply- while I go brush my teeth… I am shaking in my boots… heh heh heh … Nitey- nite! : ) … Next time, just find one of my older posts and reply on that again. It’s okay- at least I will get your post! : )
Okay- what are you supposed to do when you have grown organic, non gmo healthy food outside, but it is CONSTANTLY BOMBARED , BY TOXIC, CARCINOGENIC AND MYSTIFYINGLY, NASTY, CHEM TRAILS … ON A DAILY BASIS… This stuff is being sprayed ALL OVER THE COUNTRY – all over even the GOOD CROPS! How do you rinse THAT OFF?? HOW DO YOU EVEN KNOW IT IS ON THERE??!
Doesn’t anybody read the few long-term studies that prove the GMOs cause tumors? One has been done in France, another few in Russia etc. The main one done in France has been retracted due to the biotech companies threatening the journals and the scientists. Here is a link:
http://truth-out.org/news/item/20516-in-depth-journal-retracts-independent-study-linking-monsanto-gmo-corn-to-cancer-in-rats
And someone can go and find a study that disproves your study.
Yeah a shotty less than 3 months study..keep eating your GMO, working for the biotech mafia and see how cancer feels like in few years..best of luck to you.
HELLO FOOD BABE AND FOLLOWERS! Just wanted to share a very cool trend that my brother in law started with his company in France.
The idea is to eat organic but the “not so pretty” fruits that are tossed daily just because of their looks. This is helping farmers and consumers because they cost even less than the perfect ones and are just as delicious.
The concept is simple bu it is a huge hit, he is humble and loves the support and appreciation of people that share his concept.
Please share your thoughts with him 🙂
website is:
http://lesgueulescassees.org/
Patricia- What a great idea! It is like picking the “runt of the litter” concept. Right?? LOL… Is there a way to translate that and post that on Pinterest?? If you can, then I will post it! Take care, Leslie
Where we need to focus, methinks, is at the top because we are losing the battle of having the ORGANIC label mean something. Why? Because the industry believes that the leading AG firm leaders are the very people who should be named to the Organic labeling commissions. This erroneous thinking is pervasive and it can easily be proved via news posts of positions recently having been filled . I did not take the time to present my proofs here, inasmuch as they are easily found. IF WE DO NOT FIGHT to tow the line and keep non major AG firm leaders from being the only folks in charge of defining what ORGANIC means, we have lost already. We cannot let sleeping dogs lie. We need to get major investigative journalists on this right away, and get well researched articles in print all over in major media points.
God Bless this woman for fighting for FOODS to be healthy for us. I feel the only ones who diss her are the companies that are killing us, making us ill, with their modified foods.
Purina killed my dog 4 years ago, because the food came from China. I spoke with the C.E.O. there (who thought we were the electric contractor working on his boat dock) who pushed this off on the distributor. That is an argument so stupid I was not impressed by this man. When a product states: DISTRIBUTED BY…..IN THE USA this does not mean that the food was produced in the U.S., it means they
transport the product.
I remember when the GMO’S were discussed by congress, and Rep. John Boehner,
dared to eat a piece of lettuce that had been modified to show it was safe. Gee, one bite of lettuce….give us a break!
We are not a country ran by congress, but we are ran by corporations. Wake up everyone, vote, change this country, bring the jobs back, bring back food that wont be imported from China or any other foreign land.
When I learned from Food Babe that our food is not welcomed in other countries, what does that tell you? Wake up everyone!!!
Yeah! I am buying the sausages from Germany because they do not have nitrates, nitrites neither MSG. I do not buy any from here.
Strange you never mention Kellogg Corn Flakes in your GMO food lists.
Not just an additive, a 100% GMO product.
Eat up kids.
Ian M.
Nasty ah? That’s why I just buy “organic” corn flakes. Who wants BT Corn alias “Round up Corn”? I stopped buying fresh corn a while ago. I do not know what type it was; if “regular” or “round up”. Hope “agent orange corn” does not get approve by EPA. Don’t we have enough diabetes cases in the USA?
That’s why I buy organic certified corn flakes. Who wants BT corn Alias “round up corn”? And the big chemical wants EPA to approve the new “Agent Orange Corn”. Don’t we already have enough cases of diabetes in the USA? I stopped buying fresh corn a while ago as I do not know if it is regular corn or round up corn. Well, now-a-days I guess “regular” might be “round up”.
My husband is Mexican and loves corn tortillas. Where can I find organic, non GMO corn tortillas? I’m even willing to make them if I can find non GMO masa. Any help would be appreciated.
Hey girl,
I’m loving Mi Rancho Organic Corn Tortillas. I get them at Krogers. No stomach problems w/ them. Ask for them. Also Food for Life Sprouted Corn Tortillas at Sprouts or Whole Foods. Also you can get Bob’s Red Mill Organic Corn Flour available at Krogers too…love me some Krogers. They know the tide is turning. People are sick of feeling like crap & they are providing unadulterated real food.
Ignore the disinformation these maggots put out. They work for people with an interest in keeping people misinformed & in the dark.
Health & happiness to you! 🙂
Vani, you are doing an amazing job in shedding light to all this lies. Keep up the good work.
I am coming from Europe and GMO food is banned in Europe. So it’s possible to do it here. Don’t give up people: we could do it here too. There is no shortage of food in Europe and before I came to the US, I have never heard of so many allergies like peanut allergy and etc. We don’t have them back home. This is just proves how much GMO and additives are in American diet. When I came here, I always felt sick and I realized that it was food, I switched my diet and I feel great now. My family can’t afford to buy everything organic, but we are doing our best with what we have. We go to a fresh farm and always try to stay away from highly processed food.
Eating healthy is my family’s priority. It takes effort and sacrifice, but it’s totally worth it. It’s an investment in your future. Take one step at a time.
I circulated the petition in California that became Proposition 37 in 2012 to Label GMO products. I voted for it. It was defeated. I sent contributions to Washington State to Label GMO products. Both propositions were defeated.
Now, Oregon has Proposition 92 on the ballot next month. I sent them $10.00 for the “yes” campaign. Please send your own contribution.
There is a lot of money being spent to defeat it. I think it is the website Oregon Right to Know.
John
Hi all,
I wish I had time to read all the comments, so maybe someone posted this already…but I was thinking to get the word out is print this list and post it in front of markets, laundromats or anywhere folks congregate:) Request that they leave the list and just go to foodbabe.com and search popular food products contain gmo’s.
I think people would appreciate it! And you go Girl!
From Emma, a concerned consumer
Each one of Vani’s “the Food Babe” articles are extremely well written and contribute greatly to our knowledge and power to get garbage out of the food supply and our right to have foods labelled. Thank you again Vani for another great article.
I’m really ticked off that Xochitl chips contain GMO corn. I’ve paid the extra money for those many times over believing I was feeding my family a safer food.
For anyone living in the Maryland/VA/DC/Penn area Mom’s Organic Market is the BEST place to shop for healthy, organic and non-GMO foods. You can read about their ingredient standards below and their food costs less than Whole Foods or even the local Harris Teeter. I am always surprised that my grocery total comes in under what I estimate it will be each trip.
They also have bulk bins for grains, nuts and spices – making inexpensive options for those ingredients!
http://www.momsorganicmarket.com/ingredientstandards
My way to start: My plan is to start my own small crate (organic) garden with greens, peppers, cucumbers, spinach, and okra. With the money that I save on buying veggies, I plan to invest in purchasing organic meats from a local farmer. Truthfully, I’m tired of meat. Perhaps I’ll do that with wild-caught fish instead. For the rest, it’ll take gradual adjustment. The real challenge for me will be the occasions that require going to a restaurant. I think that unless you plan to isolate yourself completely, you’re going to eat GMOs/non-organic foods. When you visit family for the holidays, I guess you can “not eat a thing” — if that’s the life you want — but they may not be on the same path that you are on. To not indulge and enjoy myself would depress me and in addition to eating healthy, I have to have a healthy life. I live in the abundance of the Lord and that includes being happy. I also think that if you do what you can to make sure that the majority of your meals are healthy, your body will recognize impurities for what they are and will perhaps begin to combat them more effectively. Our foods have been tainted for so long, our bodies probably don’t know that they should resist certain things. Anyway, I’m no expert and I’ve yet to start my project. I just started my research and do not claim to know anything except, I’ve got to do better by my temple. So, just my humble 2 cents. Good luck everyone. I wish you great health, joy, and longevity.
Anyone hear a class action law suit? #XOCHITL
Much love to the Food Babe following! We are changing the world! Namaste
The herbicide glyphosate is also sprayed on non-GMO foods. It is used as a drying agent on grains and other foods to kill off leaves & vines before harvesting. So even if something is “non-GMO verified”, it can still be contaminated with the chemicals that are sprayed on all GMO foods. This is why I buy only organic to avoid pesticide residues.
This is quite a fairy tale. I can’t quite find even one fact in it. Great job You go girl.
Kashi is actually in the process of going GMO FREE. They are systematically working through their cereals at the moment. They should be sometime 2015.
To Sam:
If you can’t find non-gmo food to cook for yourself, try eating at Chipotle’s or BurgerFi. Chipotle’s is all non-gmo (except the drinks) and it IS real non-gmo food. BurgerFi is a new chain with around 70 stores. One in Tampa opens October 28 and I can hardly wait! BurgerFi serves non-gmo coca cola from Mexico and they serve their burgers in a lettuce bun instead of a bread bun. I eat at Chipotle’s when I can’t find non-gmo foods. Try it! I love Vani Hari!
Yes, the tide is turning (albeit slowly) towards Non-GMOs. In just a few weeks, voters in these two states can make a big difference and I do hope those in Oregon and Colorado make the difference. I do think infrared saunas, detoxing smoothies, dry brushing and many other things help tremendously. But it also just makes sense to do what we can to avoid getting contaminants into our bodies in the first place so we don’t have to work so hard to get our selves cleaned up. Great article. Thanks.
https://www.yahoo.com/travel/drunks-horndogs-and-bad-parents-c1412782975445/photo-the-weird-eater-photo-1412814720527.html
Here is an interesting article listing the #1 person as worst people to meet while traveling who is a very picky eater and too rigid.
Wonder how we can not become like the person listed while still being flexible and having fun while we travel?
I know- I know, I really should know better, but as an American living in the UK, I was temporarily blinded and excited to find Borden Premium Egg Nog in my local grocery store’s new American food section. Reading the label went out the window as I grabbed the last one. Never again and it’s going back for a refund! As I peeled off the UK ingredient label to reveal the US one underneath I was even more shocked. There is carrageenan listed on both US and UK label but the UK label has a warning for tartazine and sunset yellow it states that ‘it may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children’ and that the corn syrup and lecithin are are from genetically modified soybean and maize. No mention of these warnings or GMO on the US label. I’ll bet if it was, they would be selling a lot less. Go Vermont and every state that forces new labeling laws but really it’s a basic human right to know what’s in our food. If it wasn’t for the Food Babe I would have no idea. Thanks for all the hard work you do and your investigations. http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20141104/NEWS03/711049905
Monsanto along with Syngen, Dow, Bayer and a few others are one of the axis of evils. All of them are run by the global elite and the plan of course is, population reduction in an incremental way.
My daughter (in MD) and I (in FL) have taken to increasing our garden spaces so as to be organic and self sustaining so we don’t have to depend on the grocery stores and manufacturers for our food. I shop mainly at our great local health food store, Earth Origins, and through your research I am starting to reduce my processed food purchases. Thank you for educating the public and me.