Dirty Dozen Guide to Food Additives

How safe are the artificial colors
and dyes added to candy? Would it surprise
you to hear they're banned throughout Europe?

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  Many of us have been exposed to the Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15 'clean eating' lists. I've previously written about both of them several times.

  The Dirty Dozen are fruits and vegetables we should always buy organic (if you're trying to avoid pesticides, etc), while the Clean 15 are foods that are okay to buy conventionally (many times, produce that has thick skins or rinds).

  Unfortunately, our entire diet is not made up of only produce. For convenience's sake, processed foods are a part of our daily lives. Foods we buy in a box (meaning, they're processed), come with a plethora of added ingredients.

  Wouldn't it be nice to know what ingredients we should really try to avoid -- just like those pesticides found on produce?

Cured meats contain nitrates and nitrites.

  The Environmental Working Group (EWG), the same group that publishes the Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen, followed through, and released the first Dirty Dozen Guide to Food Additives.

  The list does exactly what it sounds like it does: identifies the top food additives that are harmful and why consumers should avoid eating foods that contain these additives.

  There are over 10,000 additives allowed in the US Food Supply. Most of the additives identified for the dirty dozen are controversial because they are generally recognized as safe in the US, but are known carcinogens or disruptors, and are banned or restricted in other countries around the world.

DIRTY DOZEN GUIDE TO FOOD ADDITIVES:

1. Nitrates and nitrites -- very common; found in cured meats, can react to form cancer-causing compounds
2. Potassium bromate -- used in bread and cracker dough; a known carcinogen
3. Propyl paraben -- a weak synthetic estrogen found in tortillas and muffins
4. Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) -- very common; found in chips, cured meats, etc; categorized as a possible human carcinogen
5. Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) -- chemical cousin to BHA
6. Propyl gallate -- preservative found in edible fats
7. Theobromine -- found in chocolate
8. Secret flavor ingredients -- 'artificial' or 'natural' flavors; mostly synthetic chemicals that can contain 100 different substances (that do not have to be disclosed by the manufacturer)
9. Artificial colors -- used to increase the appeal of a foods with little nutritional value; are banned throughout Europe because of effect on children
10. Diacetyl -- in microwave popcorn, yogurt, cheeses, etc; concerns over working closely with flavoring chemicals in food factories have been raised as of late
11. Phosphates -- most common additive -- found in over 20,000 products; leaven baked goods, reduce acid and improve moisture retention and tenderness in processed meats; concerns over cardiovascular/heart disease in high phosphate levels
12. Aluminum additives -- used as food stabilizers

  If you have further questions, follow the link to the EWG's guide to explore and learn more about the specifics of these additives and their health concerns.

  So what does this mean? From the looks of it -- as you walk down the grocery store aisles -- most of us are reading food labels these days anyways; the latest list from the EWG just gives us something specific to look for!

  There is a lot of information out there; the key is getting it. And once you have the information, it's up to you to do with it as you like!

LINKS:

Dirty Dozen Guide to Food Additives

Environmental Working Group (EWG)

RELATED POSTS:

Clean or Dirty? Produce Rundown

Supermarket Sweep

Produce Clean Up: Pesticide Removal

Subway Food Fight

Click to sign the petition!

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  I always try to find the right balance between sharing my own thoughts and things that are going on in my life, with things I come across that I think are worth sharing.

  You can go ahead and put today's entry into the 'things I think are worth sharing' category.

  Previously, I've written about the US Food Supply in comparison to the European food system.

  There are particular American companies that have made it a practice to alter their products' recipes for the European market (because of their usage of banned ingredients), meanwhile leaving the potentially harmful ingredients in the same foods distributed in the US.

Why the altered recipes?
  Many times, recipes are changed because a banned (in the European Union, that is) ingredient is used. For example, the US version of Betty Crocker Red Velvet cake has artificial colors, which are banned in the United Kingdom because they are linked to hyperactivity in children, food cravings, and obesity. In order for that product to be sold on European shelves, the recipe needs to be reformulated to match stricter foods laws.

  In the US, there are no such bans, so Betty Crocker leaves the questionable ingredient in, more-often-than-not because it is the cheapest way to produce the food.

  Other times, they alter the recipe in Europe simply to avoid a genetically modified organism label being slapped on their product. In the EU, GMOs are required to be labeled. To avoid that stigma, recipes are altered, and genetically modified ingredients are removed.

  So they can adjust their recipes for overseas distribution, but refuse to do the same for their American consumers.

  This happens across the board with processed foods -- from cereals, to candy, to chips. The recipes are altered to provide safer products for European consumers. While in the US, companies continue to produce their foods in the least expensive way, with little regard to public health (hello, FDA?).

Consumer action in action. It works!

  There's a woman who goes by the name Food Babe leading the charge against these companies. Don't let the cutesy nickname fool you, the Food Babe is one tough cookie. She takes these huge corporations head-on, and doesn't back down.

  In the last year alone, consumer interest, participation, and outrage has lead to Chipotle, Chick-fil-A, Kraft, General Mills (Cheerios), Gatorade, and even Johnson & Johnson to change their ways.

  They've become more transparent, and they've listened to the consumers. That's an incredible starting point.

The Food Babe versus Kraft Mac & Cheese
  Almost one year ago, the Food Babe set her sights on Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. In the US, the recipe contained the artificial food dyes Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. In the EU and UK, these dyes are not in Kraft Macaroni and Cheese because they are considered harmful and were removed due to consumer outcry.

  The Food Babe started a petition, over 300-thousand people signed it, and soon enough, Kraft listened to its challengers, and removed the artificial dyes from some of their products.

New Challenge
  Now, just last week, the Food Babe has re-focused on Subway and their breads.

Even Jimmy Fallon is in on the fight against yoga mat breads.

  She discovered that Subway makes bread with an ingredient called azodicarbonamide. This ingredient can be found in almost all the breads at Subway in the US, but not in Europe, Australia or other parts of the world.

  Azodicarbonamide is the same chemical used to make yoga mats, shoe soles, and other rubbery objects. Given those uses, it probably isn't meant for human consumption.

  Subway uses this ingredient as a bleaching agent and dough conditioner which allows them to produce bread faster and cheaper without considering the following health consequences and facts:

• The World Health Organization has linked it to respiratory issues, allergies and asthma. 
• When a truck carrying azodicarbonamide overturned on a Chicago highway in 2001, it prompted city officials to issue the highest hazardous materials alert and evacuate people within a half mile radius. Many of the people on the scene complained of burning eyes and skin irritation as a result.
• The U.K. Health And Safety Executive has recognized azodicarbonamide as a potential cause of asthma.
• When azodicarbonamide is heated, there are studies that show it is linked to tumor development and cancer.
• Not only is this ingredient banned in Europe and Australia, but you also get fined 450,000 dollars if you get caught using it in Singapore and can serve 15 years in prison.

  Go here to join over 90,000 others, and ask Subway to remove azodicarbonamide, because we deserve the same safer ingredients Subway serves in other countries.

  Subway has responded to the Food Babe, saying that they they would be removing azodicarbonamide from their breads 'soon'. However, they did not respond when asked for a timeline, or a new ingredient list.

Healthy versus Safe
  While none of these foods scream healthy, sometimes convenience takes precedence. And that's why many of these foods are consumed, because they are convenient.

  We all want to be able to make a nice home cooked meal for our families all the time. But sometimes, we're in a time crunch, or we're tired. It's in the those times, we might call on these products. So we might as well make sure they're safe, right?

  All anyone is looking for is a safe food supply. Why a recipe is deemed harmful in one country, yet allowed in another, is beyond me. That's a blog for another day.

  The foundation is there, the recipes have been altered around the world. Now, all we need is the execution in the US.

RELATED LINKS:
Ingredients Banned in Other Countries, Remain in US Food Supply
Subway Petition Update
Subway Petition

RELATED POSTS:
M&M Analysis: Altered Recipes in Europe Remove GMOs
Do You Know What GMOs Are?
Banned Foods We Eat Every Day

Banned Foods We Eat Every Day

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  Countless countries around the world have taken a much more proactive approach to regulating their food system, in comparison to how things work in the US.

  They've taken a more 'natural' approach, if you will. I say natural, in quotations, because here in the US, natural really doesn't mean much when it comes to food. It sounds like it should mean something: that a product is close to its natural state, unprocessed, no chemicals. But it doesn't.

  A result, of this more proactive approach to food systems, is that these countries around the globe have taken the initiative to ban food items they deem as harmful products. Something we also do in the US, but our 'banning bodies' must not agree with their counterparts.

  In many cases, those same products are not banned in the US. In fact, they're products we continue to consume on a regular, and far-too-frequent basis.

  I've made two graphics that detail the ten items in the US Food Supply that have not been banned from our shelves, even though they have been deemed harmful by much of the rest of the world.

  For me, in the previous ten years, I've spent the majority of my time overseas in Europe. During that time period, I grew accustomed to those stricter, more hands-on food laws. And I grew to appreciate them. A safer food supply was fine by me.

  In the summers, when I would return home to the US, it would take some adjusting, but not much. Summertime is relatively easy. Fresh fruits and veggies, barbecues; you can't go wrong there.

  Now that I'm living in the US full time again, and the summer crops have been picked clean, I'm having to relearn a few things. What food items I need to work to avoid, for example. What I have grown-used to not needing to think about, I am now having to put to the forefront of my mind.

  Hopefully these graphics help me, and you, decipher the foods we should be steering clear of. And hopefully, with stricter regulation, are things we won't have to concern ourselves with much longer.

  What do you think, would you like tighter food regulations? Are you happy with our food system? Who is responsible for putting safe, healthy food on our shelves?

  For more detailed information on the banned items and their effects, see the links below.

RELATED LINKS:
10 Banned Foods Americans Eat Every Day
11 Banned Ingredients We Continue to Eat

RELATED POSTS:
M&M Analysis: Altered Recipes For European Consumers
Banned Ingredients Remain in US

M&M Analysis: Altered Recipes in Europe Remove GMOs

The two wrappers.

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  I had a brilliant idea for a blog. At least I thought I did. It was a little exploratory project I thought would be interesting.

  I had two empty wrappers of Peanut M&Ms: one from Europe, and one from the US.

  I'd previously read articles about how food companies such as Kraft, Kellogg's, Heinz, Coca-Cola and Pepsi have altered recipes, and removed GMO ingredients, for distribution in Europe. So I wanted to see that practice in action.

  Obviously, these two wrappers would illustrate those changes, right? I simply had to translate and compare the ingredient lists from each wrapper.

  As it turned out, there was nothing glaringly different! I was bummed, and thought my project was a failure.

  Then the light bulb went on: there weren't any differences on the labels because the US still does not require genetically modified foods to be labeled (while countries in the European Union do)!

The ingredient list: basically the same. Or so it seems.

Different Label Requirements

  In the US, genetically modified sugar or canola oil, for example, is listed simply as 'sugar' and 'canola oil'.

  In countries where GMO labeling is required, the ingredient list says 'genetically modified sugar' or 'genetically modified canola oil'.

  In France, where I got the 'Euro-edition' wrapper, GMOs are required to be labeled. So the question is: why weren't the ingredients listed on my two Peanut M&M wrappers different?

Changing Recipes and Removing GMOs
  Well, that's simple. Because the candy company, Mars in this case, has altered its recipe and has taken out the genetically modified ingredients for European distribution. They want to avoid having the GMO label on their product, so they adjust.

  So they can do it! They just choose not to for their American consumers! To be honest, I find the practice extremely disturbing.

  Together Hershey's and Mars make up 70% of the US chocolate market, and spent $1.1 million combined to defeat California Right To Know (Proposition 37) last election. They would rather spend money to oppose labeling, than listen to the demands of US consumers and label GMOs.

  My goal isn't to take away your joy, and ruin your candy experience. I love Peanut M&Ms just as much as the next person. I just want to show that the food companies can make the same products without putting genetically modified ingredients in them.

"There's nothing sweet about GMOs".

Nothing Sweet About GMOs 
  They're not going to make any changes on their own however. They need a push. And it seems it needs to be a big push.

  We, as consumers, need to keep providing that push, and ask that genetically modified ingredients be removed from our food, just as it has been done in Europe.

  The push comes in the form of the 'there's nothing sweet about GMOs' campaign. It's simply asking Hershey's and Mars to break their ties with GMOs, and to remove them from products offered in the US.

Why no GMOs?
  I have previously written several posts (links listed below) that go into greater detail, but first and foremost: consumption of GMOs have never been proven safe. They have never been tested long term, and we are just now witnessing the potential health hazards that GM foods have on our health: spikes in infertility, obesity, Diabetes, Autism, Parkinson's, asthma, cancer, etc rates since GMOs' wide-spread introduction in the US in the late-1990s.

  There are environmental impacts as well: biodiversity loss, an increase in pesticide use, the emergence of super weeds that are threatening our farmlands, and the unintentional contamination of non-GMO and organic crops.

  And if you're curious, here are 10 GMO Ingredients in Candy:

1. Sugar (GMO Sugar Beets)
2. High Fructose Corn Syrup (GMO Corn)
3. Corn Starch (GMO Corn)
4. Soy Lecithin (GMO Soy)
5. Soybean Oil (GMO Soy)
6. Modified Food Starch (GMO Corn)
7. Fructose, Dextrose, Glucose (GMO Corn)
8. Cottonseed Oil (GMO Cotton)
9. Canola Oil (GMO Canola)
10. “Other” Ingredients (Isolates, Isoflavones, Food Starch, Vegetable Oil)

  I suppose my failed blog idea wasn't such a failure after all. Candy is just one small example of international companies changing their product to reflect the demands of their consumers; in Europe. It's done in many other products including soda, cereal, and other packaged foods.

  Here's my question: why can't American consumers enjoy the same 'luxuries' as European consumers?

 

RELATED POSTS:
Do You Know What GMOs Are? 
The Dangers of GMOs
The Harmful Effects of Soy
GMOs: What Can We Do?
California's Prop 37

LINKS: 
There's Nothing Sweet About GMOs Campaign
Going GM-Free. In Europe, But Not the US
Altered Recipes & Risks Associated with GMOs
GM Ingredients in Candy
Labeling Requirements: Europe
California Right to Know

There's an App for That

Nike Training Club app

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  Eating healthy, sticking with our workouts, finding new, refreshing recipes -- living a healthy lifestyle really can be overwhelming! It can consume a lot of time. And if we don't have that time in abundance, it's far-too-easy to slip into the status quo, the do-what-we've-always-done routine.

  As always, I just want to help! I've found a few tools that hopefully will help keep us on the healthy-living track.

  Many of us have made the jump, and now enjoy the benefits of using a smartphone. Whether it's an iPhone, an Android, or whatever else there is to choose from, there are a few more things that our smartphones could be doing to make our lives easier.

Fooducate app

  I'm sure everyone knows about the calorie counter, recipe finder, or fitness tip apps. But what about when you're in the grocery store, and you find yourself staring at a list of ingredients that requires a PhD in chemistry to understand? Or maybe you have a food allergy, and you're unsure if a product is okay for you to have? Or, it's late in the day, and you really want to get a workout in, but you can't get out of the house, or you find yourself fresh out of ideas?

  Fortunately for you, there really are apps for all that! And they're free! (And most are available for iPhone/iPad and Android.)

Food Apps

• Fooducate - Scan the bar code of any product in the grocery store, and this app will grade the product nutritionally, point out red flags (high fructose corn syrup, high salt, GMOs, etc), provide alternative suggestions, and more.
• True Food - Trying to avoid GMOs? This app will help you do just that! Though it looks to be a bit outdated, most the information remains relevant. 
• Shop No GMO - This app is a shopping guide to help you identify and avoid GMOs. Good idea, but the app freezes a lot. Hopefully they're working on a fix. 
• What's On My Food? - Lists and identifies the foods that have the most chemicals on them, which of those chemicals may be most-harmful, and how you can avoid them. Again, a little out-dated.
• Epicurious - Lets you search almost 30,000 healthy recipes from various resources. 
• Harvest to Hand - This app helps you find locally harvested food, farmers markets, specialty shops, etc.

True Food app.

Fitness Apps

• Nike Training Club (NTC) - Basically like having a personal trainer in your phone. You choose from dozens of set workouts that you can do almost anywhere. Has instructional videos. Push play, and go! (iPhone/iPad only)
• Nike BOOM - Similar to the NTC app, but geared more towards men, in my opinion. Can be sport-specific, and has modes for warm up, workout, and interval training. 
• MapMyRun GPS Running - Allows you to search for new running routes, maps/tracks your runs. Also available for cycling (MapMyRide).
• Livestrong.com MyPlate Calorie Tracker - Tracks your daily calories and exercise.
• Nike+ Running - Similar to MapMyRun. Tracks and maps your workouts. 

  These are just a handful of apps I either use myself, just downloaded and intend to use, or have read about. I'm sure there are many more than I haven't yet stumbled onto. And chances are, if there's something specific to you, or something you want to know more about, there's an app for that as well!

  Have you found an app that you use, and want to share? Let me know!

  LINKS:

8 Free Mobile Apps for Delicious and Healthy Eating
Top 50 Health Apps 

Supermarket Sweep

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  Between sneaky food labels and grocery store-tricks, navigating our way through the supermarket can be a difficult task.

  I think a lot of us are making the effort. We're reading labels, we're being conscious of the things we are buying at the store. Or at least we're trying.

  But how many times have you looked at a box at the store, and had no idea what you're looking for? No matter how much we talk about it, deciphering food labels is still confusing!

  Why? Because advertisers and food companies play on the health-buzzwords of the moment, and adjust their packaging and advertising accordingly. They're trying to sell their product, and make money. Period.

  I listened to a few podcasts recently that had some great information in regard to helping us decipher those tricky food labels, and navigate through supermarket traps. 

Food Label Tricks
  Whole foods, fruits, veggies, etc, are at the top of everyone's 'eat right' list. But we also know how convenient, and readily-available processed foods are. Here are a few pointers in distinguishing between healthy options, what may appear to be a healthy option. 

• Local does NOT mean it's healthy

 - The phrase 'buy local' or 'locally produced' just means you're helping the environment because energy does not have to be used to ship products across the country/world. And buying local obviously benefits local farmers, who live in your own community. Since the food doesn't have to travel as far, nutrient content is greater because the fruits/veggies don't sit and oxidize. 

- Local does not mean Organic. At farmers' markets, don't presume just because they're LOCAL, that they're ORGANIC. Ask!! 

•  Gluten Free foods are not health foods

When zero doesn't mean zero.

- Gluten free does NOT mean 'healthy'. Production of gluten free foods have exploded in recent years, but they should not be the latest health rage. Gluten free foods are for people who are ALLERGIC to gluten, and suffer from Celiac disease. If you don't have Celiac disease, you don't need to be eating gluten free foods. Many times, gluten free foods are higher in calories, have less fiber, and are more expensive! 

• Trans Fat Labels

- We've all seen the label across the top of the bag of chips, or crackers: 'Zero Trans Fat'. But in actuality, there still can be up to a 1/2 gram of trans fat per serving. Most baked, packed goods (processed foods) purchased from the grocery store have trans fat. For example, a box of Ritz Crackers contains 14g of trans fat.

- Why all the hubbub over a half gram of trans fat? Studies show a strong link between consumption of trans fat and an increase in LDL (bad) cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, obesity and depression. The American Heart Association says that we should have no more than TWO grams of trans fat per DAY. If just 3% of our daily calorie allowance comes from trans fat, we've increased our risk to develop heart disease by 23%.

Whole Grains, it says. We know better.

- The take home: stay away from processed foods and you'll steer clear of trans fat! If you see 'hydrogenated' ANYWHERE in the ingredients list, there's trans fat. Put it back on the shelf. 

• Whole Grain/Whole Wheat Labels

- It needs to say '100% Whole Grain/Whole Wheat' NOT just 'Made with whole grain'. If it's 'made with' there can be just a fraction of actual whole grain used. 

• Natural food label

- I did an entire blog last year on the Natural food label. It's completely unregulated, and honestly, doesn't mean a thing. Natural is no healthier than a product not labeled  'natural'. But it surely will cost more.

  For the food companies, it's all about making a profit. They will do all they can to keep their production costs down, all while telling us their product is healthier than the competition's. Even if that means playing on words, looking for loopholes, and tricking the consumer.

Click to enlarge.

Navigating the Supermarket
  There are two supermarket tips many of us have already heard. 1) Stay on the perimeter of the store -- because the refrigerated/produce sections are on the periphery; while processed foods are in the center aisles. And 2) Never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach.

  While those are helpful, the following tidbits are a little more specific, and hopefully will keep us on the right track!

  - Can you categorize the food into either a) Animal, b) Vegetable/Fruit or c) Mineral? For example, what is a chocolate chip cookie? Or a Cheeto? If you can't put it into one of those three categories, it's not food! It's chemicals and artificial ingredients, also known as, processed.

  - Make the cashier work! Things with bar codes = no. Those are processed foods. Things the cashier has to enter-in numerically = yes. That's produce.

  - Go with a gameplan. Don't buy things that aren't on your list.

  - Choose the shortest lines (obviously!). But studies have shown the longer you wait in line, where all those goodies are so nicely displayed, the more your will power is tempted, and the more-likely you are to buy those impulse items.

Navigating the supermarket can be tricky!

  - Invest in NUTRIENTS  not CALORIES. We complain that good food is costly. Instead of buying a bag of sweet potato chips or fries (at $3 a bag), buy sweet potatoes (at roughly $1 per pound). Broccoli instead of Cream of Broccoli soup. Buy strawberries instead of Smuckers jam. These options are 1) Less costly, 2) Less processed, and 3) More nutritious. Products in it's natural/original state are more healthful, and less expensive than when in the processed state.

  - Choose what you buy organically wisely. I've written previous blogs on the Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15. Produce that should always be bought organically (because of their thin skins, and the presence of pesticides and toxins on them), and produce that is okay to buy conventionally. Organic meat & dairy to avoid the anti-biotics and hormones.

  - Be wary of the natural food stores -- the Whole Foods of the worlds -- many times they grossly overcharge for certain products. Compare prices between markets. Sometimes Safeway has the same product for far less money. Pay attention, you'll be surprised!

  Do you  have any tips for avoiding supermarket tricks and money traps? Sharing is caring!

  Hope this was a helpful entry, at finding the true healthy buys, and keeping a few extra dollars from being thrown down the drain! 

LINKS:

Jillian Michaels Podcast 8/18/2012

Jillian Michaels Podcast 8/25/2012

5 Sneaky Supermarket Food Labeling Tricks

Voting Time! Yes on Prop 37

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  Election season is here. And shouting at us. If you're like me, you grew tired of the political ads, and the back-and-forth bickering long ago.

  But it's time to get on with it, and exercise our right to vote. (I actually voted last week -- my absentee ballot should be making its way back to the Election Office any day now!)

  As I wrote a few months ago, California is voting on Proposition 37 -- the GMO Labeling referendum. Since election day is fast-approaching, I wanted to issue a friendly reminder before votes are cast.

  California is trying to become the first state in the US to label genetically engineered ingredients in foods. As much as I wish this were a national vote (or one I at least could take part in), it's not. So it's up to voters in California to get the ball rolling.

  No pressure.

  Truth is, California's vote on Proposition 37 impacts the entire country. If the legislation passes in California, other states probably will follow suit, or the food industry might very well decide to reformulate their products nationwide, in order to avoid the liability that these labels might carry. Resulting in the removal of GMOs from their products and replacing them with alternatives, much like they have done in over 50 countries around the world, where GMOs are already labeled.

  As it is now, GMOs have zero regulations and were never even tested before they entered the market in the early-90s. GMOs quickly became a fixture in our daily diets and now makeup nearly 80% of the food in supermarkets. Even worse, GMOs have become nearly impossible to identify and avoid on a daily basis.

  Unforeseen consequences on both human health and the environment have pushed this issue to the forefront in recent years. The time is right to do something about it.

  It seems that there is a food movement on the verge of occurring in the US. We're questioning the food supply. We're reading labels. We're concerned about where our food comes from, and what we are putting into our bodies. We want real food.

  So isn't it time?

  Public polling shows that 90% of Americans want to know exactly what is in their food, and want GMOs labeled. We need to make that a reality.

  If you're a voter in California, please vote YES on Prop 37 (and if you have friends or family there, please pass this along to them!).

  After all knowledge is power. Knowing what is in our food allows us to make informed decisions!

RELATED LINKS:

New York Times: Vote for the Dinner Party

The Battle Over Genetically Engineered Food Heads to Voters
Proposition 37 Facts 

RELATED POSTS:

What are GMOs?

The Effects of GMOs

Just Label It

Dangers of Soy

Prop 37

GMO Labeling and California's Proposition 37

Just Label It Campaign

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  It's been a while since we talked about GMOs. And unfortunately, not much has changed in the past few months in regard to the prevalence, production, crops, or labeling of genetically modified foods in the US.

  But that could be changing, come November.

Proposition 37
  This election season, Californians will be voting on a mandatory labeling referendum of genetically engineered foods: Proposition 37. If passed, it would mean that genetically engineered foods, and food products, must be labeled in California.

  My question has always been this: why are the US (and Canada) the ONLY (wealthy) countries with ZERO regulations and labeling laws regarding GMOs?

  Since GMOs were never tested prior to entering the food supply, North Americans have essentially been the guinea pigs in an enormous experiment running 16 years strong. And unfortunately, we've seen a huge decline, across the board, in our health since the introduction of GMOs: chronic disease rates have nearly doubled. And food allergies, Autism, Diabetes, asthma, obesity, Parkinson's, cancer and infertility rates have exploded.

  But now that we are becoming more and more aware of GMOs, and what they are potentially doing to our health, it still remains nearly impossible to identify them, and thus, avoid them if you're in North America.

  A simple label would rectify that. Having a label, like the one found all over the world (50 other countries either require labels for GM foods, or ban them all together), would allow the consumer to make educated choices at the grocery store. No more guessing. No more blind faith in the food system.

  Imagine that. We'd know exactly what was in the food we were buying, and feeding to our kids. 

Why is California so important?
  It is believed that once one state passes a GMO labeling law, a precedent will have been set, and more states will be able to follow suit.

  And even though 90% of Americans believe GMOs should be labeled, politicians have repeatedly failed to serve their constituents (just two months ago, a GMO labeling amendment was voted down in the Senate). So we might as well do it ourselves.

  But it won't be easy.

  In the coming months, millions of dollars will be spent by 'big pesticide' and 'big processed food' companies to fight food labeling in California. In a report released this week, it was revealed that nearly $10 million has been contributed by companies such as Dupont Pioneer, Bayer Cropscience and BASF Plant Science (pesticide companies), and Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Nestle USA, General Mills and ConAgra, among others, to oppose Proposition 37.

  And just yesterday (August 15th), Monsanto contributed $4.2 Million to help defeat the labeling referendum.

  They obviously don't want their products 'outed' as being potentially unsafe. But then again, how long did the tobacco industry fight warning labels on cigarettes?

  Threats of lawsuits have also dissuaded states from pursuing GMO labeling bills. On two occasions  in 2012, Monsanto, the nations largest producer of GM seeds and the innovator of 'Round Up Ready" seeds, has threatened states (Vermont and Connecticut) with lawsuits if they dared to pass a labeling law.

  Needless to say, this election season will be very interesting (in more ways than one). And even though I don't live in California, I will be paying close attention to the Proposition 37 results.

  Please check out the infographic below (sorry, if it's difficult to read -- you can click on it to see it full size). It is a fabulous illustration of the pressing issues regarding GMOs (arguably the biggest issue facing our bodies and our planet)! 

  And one last thought, if GMOs are so safe, why not proudly display it on the front of packages?

GMOs in a nutshell.

 RELATED LINKS:

Labeling GMOs Frequently Asked Questions

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  Labels, labels, labels -- they can be so confusing at the grocery store!

  We have 'USDA Organic', 'Natural', 'Gluten Free', 'Zero Trans Fats', 'Made with Real ...', 'Range Free', '100% Organic', and so on, and so on. And that's just the front of the box!

  So what do they all mean?

  Unfortunately, they're not easy to differentiate, or keep track of. The inclusion or exclusion of just one word, can make or break your 'healthy' purchases at the grocery store.

  Today, I'm going to tackle possibly the most-misleading, and most-useless label we have: 'Natural'.

  Anytime you see Natural on a food label -- in any capacity -- it doesn't mean a thing. The FDA has no definition, and no regulatory meaning for Natural. So whether the label says '100% Natural' or 'All Natural', it means the same thing: it's unregulated.

  In its description, the FDA says: "...it is difficult to define a food product that is ‘natural’ because the food has probably been processed and is no longer the product of the earth."

  Wow, no longer a product of the earth -- that's NOT natural.

  The ONLY time Natural has a meaning, is in regard to meat and poultry. But that definition isn't much clearer. The USDA has defined it as any product “containing no artificial ingredient or added color and is only minimally processed (a process which does not fundamentally alter the raw product).”

  What does 'minimally processed' mean? And that definition doesn’t address whether or not the animals given hormones or antibiotics, or raised in confinement.

Organic vs. Natural vs. Conventional.

  However, if the label says 'Naturally Raised' it means "no growth promoters, antibiotics, animal by-products, or fish by-products" we used on the animal.

  Confused yet?

  Two things are clear: natural certainly does NOT mean Organic, and it doesn't mean it's healthier either. So let's lose those assumptions right away.

  By the FDA's 'definition', High Fructose Corn Syrup can be labeled as natural. So what can be in/on foods, and still be considered
natural? Pesticides, fertilizers,
and Genetically Modified ingredients (GMOs) for starters.

  And guess what -- those foods with the Natural labels, more often than not, are more expensive than foods without any sort of labeling.

  If you're spending extra money buying Natural, make the jump completely, and buy Organic.

  Organic is the only way you can be certain the foods you're buying contain no artificial coloring/preservatives/flavors, GMOs, and weren't sprayed with fertilizers and pesticides. Otherwise, save your money and buy conventional.

  Conventional and natural foods are roughly the same junk anyways.

  The labeling situation in the US is a mess. We, as consumers, regularly play guessing games when purchasing food at the grocery store. There is too much uncertainty; too many meaningless labels. Marketers are taking advantage of people who are making an effort to eat more-healthily, but can't keep track of the ever-changing lingo.

  Hope I was able to clarify the uselessness of our 'Natural' food labels!

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LINKS:
FDA Meaning of 'Natural'
Misleading Food Labels
Food Politics: Natural Food Label
5 Sneaky Super Market Tricks
Certified Organic Label Guide