The Age of GMO Food: What It Is & Health Risks

Often, we hear phrases like “My health isn’t the same as it used to be” or “My mom/dad was so much more active at my age than I am today. I doubt if I can be as healthy as they are today when I reach that age.” While we can partly blame ageing and our sedentary lifestyles, the food we eat is also important. Healthy food options include fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy and legumes. However, many ingredients added to processed foods are genetically modified.

What is a GMO?

A genetically modified organism (GMO) is an organism with artificially altered genes as a result of lab work. The result is not something that occurs in nature or through traditional cross-breeding methods. GMOs were introduced to reduce insect and weed problems. Modifying seeds enables plants to repel insects that feed on it and also become resistant to herbicides, making weed control easier and cheaper than before.

Over the years the motive behind GMOs has changed vastly. The developers of genetically modified foods believe that genetically modified organisms will have lower prices, higher nutritional value and taste, and durable in terms of produce quality. The capitalist motive behind encouraging genetically modified food has yet to see the light of day. Despite biotech industry promises, there is no evidence that any of the GMOs currently on the market offer increased yield, drought tolerance, enhanced nutrition, or any other consumer benefit.

Health Concerns Around GMO Food

It is surprising to see research papers and studies declare there are no visible differences in one’s body after consuming genetically modified food. While many believe that food should not be modified at the DNA level because they would lead to escalating health problems, several companies and researchers believe the opposite. As such, the health effects of GMO food is a topic of hot debate.

Here are a few potential health risks to consider:

• allergic reactions

It is possible for GMO food to be a factor in the rising number of people with food allergies. According to the CDC, there has been a 50% increase in the number of children with food allergies between 1999 and 2009.

• cancer risk

Eating GMO food can increase risk of cancer. The perfect example for this would be the Roundup herbicide by Monsanto. Roundup-ready crops are crops genetically modified to be resistant to this herbicide. The active ingredient in it, glyphosate, is a known carcinogen (cancer-causing) substance for humans.

• antibiotics resistance

There is a growing global concern that people are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics. Some research has indicated GMO food could be contributing to this trend.

Making Informed Food Choices

When we see produce and food on supermarket shelves, it is hard to determine if it has been genetically engineered. 64 countries around the world, including Australia, Japan, and all of the countries in the European Union, require companies to label genetically modified foods as such. Canada and the United States do not require any labelling as of now. Let’s hope this changes in the near future. Currently, there is no real reliable way to know for sure what is a GMO food and what isn’t.

We can only continue to educate ourselves about healthy eating, question the facts, and not rely on research papers at face-value. Digging deeper into the authenticity of information sources and learning to analyze ingredient lists for store-bought products will help us to make better decisions.

At Green Schools Green Future, we aim to build a school to teach children how to grow their own food sustainably and make healthy eating choices, thus paving the way for them to become to responsible leaders of tomorrow.