GMO”s are still under a constant debate. Here is my take as a Hidden Consumer on why not all GMO’s are created equal.
My husband and I are planning a trip to FRANCE! This means I have to have a full understanding of the their food regulations before I leave to know if I can eat safely. (The short answer here is yes I can, unlike living in the US). One of the areas I was looking into was corn in France. My initial research showed that GMO’s are not allowed. Which lead to me texting this to my husband: “I’m researching blog topics. Animals are fed corn but not GMO corn.” It turns out I was wrong. But he called me to say “it depends on how you look it.” Which led to this blog.
Let’s cover the basics of what Genetically Modified Organism (GMO’s) actually are and where the confusion is. Then we’ll take a look at where I was wrong in my text and answer the question: can Amy enjoy bacon while in France?
GMO’s of Yesteryear vs Modern GMO’s
Genetic Engineering of our food has been done in a lab since 1973. according to the FDA. But the debate on GMO’s always goes back to all of our food is “technically” a GMO. This argument is based on how for centuries people have been cross-pollinated or bred plants and food for a specific trait. Technically, this is also genetically modifying an organism. Let’s look at the Banana.
Are Banana’s GMO?
No, not in modern terms anyways. The Non-GMO Project wrote an article on this very topic. There has been a lot of questions because bananas have seeds. But over time the bananas that produced the least amount of seeds were kept and grown into new trees. This makes bananas genetically-modified.
So, What’s the Big Deal with GMOS?
Today GMO’s are genetically modified in labs. More often than not the altering of its DNA is done by adding corn DNA to the structure. This is supposed to provide the plants with better protection against pests, higher yield, and other benefits. Reality is, not even close.
The farm practices of modern-day GMO’s is where the issues truly lie.
The farming practices around GMO’s are not traditional. The process of applying fertilizers and pesticides is 1)harmful to the environment and 2) depletes the soil of all nutrients. This means modern day GMO’s have little to no nutrients and loaded with calories. Look at your favorite health-food, like granola bars or healthy cereal, you will see high calorie count but lower nutrients. Think about the corn kernel, it is been genetically-modified to such an extent your body cannot break it down.
France, Corn, and Livestock
I wanted to know if I could safely eat pork. That answer is no. Even though France has banned GMO’s for human consumption; they have not banned GMO’s for animals. The feed for livestock is imported, most likely from the Untied States. This means, no bacon for Amy or other Alsatian Traditional foods that involve pork. I will need to tread carefully eating any meat in France. Thank goodness I am used to that after living in the United States.
Learn More
Amy has written the book on how to understand ingredient packing labels. You can buy your copy where ever you buy books. Check out The Hidden Consumer: Uncovering the Power of Health-Conscious Buyers to find out more and where you can buy your copy.
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This blog was published first by Amy as a LinkedIn Article.