First of all, I just have to share that I spent a big part of my childhood on my grandparent’s farm and this corn field picture brings back wonderful memories for me. That was before the days of genetically modified crops.
I think that by now, you all have likely heard about GMOs. Maybe you try to avoid them when you do your grocery shopping. Perhaps you’ve even watched a documentary about GMOs. As a result, you have likely developed an opinion on GMOs one way or another. Either you think they are dangerous and are to be avoided or you think they’re just a part of life these days and can’t do much harm.
I actually love watching documentaries, but I would caution you to not put too much stock in what is presented in any documentaries about the food industry. Whereas there is often some truth presented in these films, they are prepared with very heavy bias and it is not always easy to discern the people or organizations backing the final product, which is what drives the bias that is presented.
This is actually a problem with information about GMOs in general. Most searches for information will yield articles that are clearly biased one way or the other. With some digging, you can sometimes find out the organization or company ultimately behind said article and then make a decision about whether or not it is to be trusted, but many times the true source of the information is not clear. Most of what you can find are opinions.
My goal with this post is to present facts and only facts. I’ll explain what GMOs are, why they were created and what they were promised to do. I’ll summarize the research that currently exists and consult with functional medicine experts who have earned my trust and thereby hopefully provide you with the tools you need to decide if you want to avoid GMOs or not.
Bear in mind that every piece of information is presented with bias, even this one. I’m sure you can figure out on which side of this issue I fall, but I’m trying very hard to present a fair picture. Also know that these research round-ups come out at the very end of the month because there is always more to research. Every time I think I have one of these posts finished, I find another article I want to review and then end up tweaking the post. So this is by far a complete picture of the issue. I could actually summarize the topic by saying, “Some say GMOs are fabulous and can solve many problems and some say GMOs are poison and are to be avoided at all costs. The end.” The truth has to lie in there somewhere and I’ve tried to uncover it.
This quote from the well-respected British Medical Journal sums up these thoughts well,
“In 2015, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) identified glyphosate, the world’s most commonly used herbicide, as a probable human carcinogen. It quickly became evident that separating science from politics and economic interests would be difficult for glyphosate.
IARC’s assessment prompted a major controversy between health evaluation agencies, led to unprecedented lobbying by Monsanto (the primary manufacturer of glyphosate and genetically modified products resistant to glyphosate), and resulted in high profile court cases in the US.
Glyphosate typifies the problems associated with research, evaluation, and regulation of pesticides. These include serious difficulties in the conduct of human research; important gaps in post-market research into exposure and risk assessment, particularly in low and middle income countries; lack of information on environmental effects; extensive industry involvement in evaluation and regulatory processes; and the major legal implications of these evaluations.”
Now that we understand how difficult this topic is, let’s dive in, shall we…
What are GMOs?
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are living organisms whose genetic material has been artificially manipulated in a laboratory through genetic engineering. This creates combinations of plant, animal, bacteria, and virus genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods.
Most GMOs have been engineered to withstand the direct application of herbicide and/or to produce an insecticide within the plant. However, new technologies are now being used to artificially develop other traits in plants, such as a resistance to browning in apples.
You are most likely to hear about GMOs in combination with Glyphosate, Round-up, Round-up ready crops, and Monsanto. The reason for this is that the most famous of the GMOs is Round-up ready corn, which is a variety of corn made by Monsanto that has the glyphosate (the active ingredient in Round-up) built right into the plant’s DNA. This supposedly saves the farmer from having to spray this particular herbicide (weed killer) on the plants in the field because the plant is now serving as it’s own herbicide. So discussion of GMOs and their safety naturally involves a discussion of glyphosate and its safety. The two go hand in hand.
Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in the world and is applied to more than 150 food and non-food crops. In addition to its agricultural uses, glyphosate is also commonly used on lawns, gardens and parks where pets and kids play. Glyphosate is considered by many in the scientific community to be a carcinogen. There is enough data to strongly suggest that glyphosate is carcinogenic, but the company that makes this product is very large and has many resources at its disposal and is continually fighting against that reputation. The good news for savvy consumers is that there is a lot of ongoing research so expect to hear more about this for years to come.
Potential Health Implications
Genetic modification involves the transfer of genes from one species of plant or animal to another, through techniques that can cause mutations in the genome that may have unintended consequences for the crop’s safety and ultimately, the consumer. The imprecise rearrangement of genes can create new proteins in these plants that may trigger allergies or promote disease. Our immune systems often do not recognize these new proteins and may mount an immune attack against them if they enter our bloodstream intact. This could even be the beginning of an autoimmune condition. These are thoughts that have been presented in the scientific community, but have not yet been proven in human studies.
In addition to Roundup-Ready crops, the other very common GMO field crops include Bt-potatoes, Bt-corn, and Bt-sweet corn. In these genetically modified plants, a gene from a bacteria called Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) is inserted into the DNA of the plant, which causes a toxin to be produced within the cells of the plant. This Bt-toxin kills insects that eat the plant by breaking down its gut lining and killing the insect from septicemia caused by the ensuing blood infection. While this toxin has not been proven to be toxic in this way for humans and other mammals, several recent studies have suggested this toxin could have effects on immune health, gut health, liver and kidney function, and fertility. The gut seems to be most susceptible to the potential dangers of GMO consumption. Some argue that gut bacteria are capable of acquiring DNA sequences from genetically modified plants, which could lead to the development of antibiotic resistance.
Analysis of Monsanto’s own research and that of an independent laboratory in France determined that mice and rats eating Bt-toxin producing corn sustained liver and kidney damage. Additionally, harmful effects were noticed in the heart, adrenal glands, spleen and hematopoietic system of these GMO corn-fed rats. Bt toxin has also been demonstrated to reduce fertility in mice, with fewer offspring being produced than by mice fed on natural crops.
Potential Benefits
Modern agricultural practices, like the creation of genetically modified (GM) plants, provides the potential for sustainable feeding of the world’s increasing population and there are reports that genetically modified products have enabled increased yields and reduced pesticide usage. When GM plants were introduced in the late 90s, farmers were promised less work, more yield and therefore higher profits.
Growers have turned to genetically modified crops to address their challenges with insects or weeds that affect their yield and their bottom line in the long-run. They have been told that planting GMO crops will benefit everyone.
Current Data on Benefits of GMOs
We now know from recent reports that genetically modified foods do not meet their promise of increased yields and decreased use of pesticides; in fact, the opposite might be true. In 2016, The New York Times released an extensive examination in which they compared two continents – North American (which embraces genetically modified crops and Europe (which banned them). What the researchers found was that there was no difference in crop yield, and the U.S. growers saw a 21 percent increase in herbicide use with the introduction of these crops. By contrast, in France, use of insecticides and fungicides has fallen by a far greater percentage — 65 percent — and herbicide use has decreased as well, by 36 percent.
Remember, the promise of genetic modification was twofold: By making crops immune to the effects of weedkillers and inherently resistant to many pests, they would grow so robustly that they would become indispensable to feeding the world’s growing population, while also requiring fewer applications of sprayed pesticides and herbicides, increasing profits for farmers. An analysis using United Nations data showed that the United States and Canada have gained no discernible advantage in yields — food per acre — when measured against Western Europe, a region with comparably modernized agricultural producers like France and Germany. A report by the National Academy of Sciences found that “there was little evidence” that the introduction of genetically modified crops in the United States had led to yield gains beyond those seen in conventional crops. Supporters of GMOs still tout the increased yields as the reason for needing GMOs, but so far, the data do not support this.
I could not find any recent data that supported the theory that GM crops would financially benefit the farming community, specifically in the United States. I found one “scientific” article that seemed to report data contradictory to everything else I found – data that supported the theory of increased yields and increased profits for farmers. Because this information was so different than everything else I had found, I began to dig. An article that is posted by what appears to be a scientific magazine may seem reputable, but if you dig, you often find that they are either financially supported by or have their editorial boards composed of executives from the seed and biotechnology companies that are producing these GM products. Other sources were not from scientists at all, but from economics firms that provide consulting services to these biotech companies. Personally, I didn’t feel that type of data was trustworthy. What is more widely reported in the US is that many farmers found their expenses increased after years of GM crop growth because the surrounding and troublesome weeds became resistant to the herbicides, requiring the application of much more product (which increases labor and cost).
Difference between Heirloom, Hybrid and Genetically Modified
If you are a gardener, you have surely run across these terms and might be wondering if your hybrid vegetables are actually GMOs. Let’s break it down: In plants, these terms refer to how the plants are reproduced: whether by simple seed saving (heirloom), by cross-pollinating two different species (hybrid), or by introducing foreign genes (genetic modification). None of these methods are easily labeled good or bad and you won’t find much agreement on which is the best, either. Heirlooms are plants that have stood the test of time, hybrids are often more disease-resistant or higher-yielding, and GMOs, although still the subject of many studies, are still being touted to have the potential to positively impact the world’s food supply.
Heirloom Vegetables
Heirloom vegetables are not a special species of plants. The term heirloom is used to describe any type of vegetable seed that has been saved and grown for a period of years and is passed down by the gardener that preserved it. It has a provenance, of sorts. To be capable of being saved, all heirloom seed must be open-pollinated, so that it will grow true to seed.
Hybrid Vegetables
Plant breeders cross-breed different types of plants in an effort to create a plant with the best features of both parents. Usually, the parents are naturally compatible varieties within the same species. This hybridization, or the crossing of compatible varieties, happens naturally in the wild; plant breeders basically just steer the process to control the outcome. These are called hybrids and many of the modern plants are the results of these crosses. In fact, it may be difficult to find something other than hybrid varieties at your local garden center. The hybrids dominate the selection these days.
Humans have been cultivating new plant varieties since the beginning of agricultural development, but until fairly recently, the process required patience. Developing a non-hybrid, open-pollinated (OP) variety using classic plant-breeding methods takes six to 10 generations. Not anymore.
For example, each year new hybrid tomato varieties are offered. You may see them labeled as hybrids or F1, also known as the first filial generation (first-generation hybrid) or F2, also known as the second filial generation. These may eventually stabilize, but for the moment, a tomato such as the popular ‘Early Girl’ does not produce seeds that reliably have the features you expect in an ‘Early Girl’ tomato. Seed from hybridized plants tends to revert to the qualities of the parents, so tomatoes grown from the seeds saved from your ‘Early Girl’ tomatoes might still be tasty, but will not be the same as your “Early Girls.”
Plant breeders like F1 seed because it’s faster and easier than breeding new open-pollinated varieties. You can cull the bad traits from the parents while stacking their good traits in the F1 offspring. For gardeners, hybrids sometimes provide advantages compared with OP varieties, such as better disease resistance. Big seed companies also like F1 hybrids because the process gives them proprietary ownership of each new variety. And because seed from F1 plants won’t produce uniform offspring, gardeners must buy new seeds each year.
Genetically Modified Plants
Hybrids should not be confused with genetically modified organisms, which can be any plant, animal, or microorganism that has been genetically altered using molecular genetics techniques such as gene cloning and protein engineering. Plants like corn that has the pesticide Bt engineered into its genetic makeup to make it resistant to certain pests are GMO crops. Bt is a natural pesticide, but it would never naturally find its way into corn seed.
Unlike hybrids, which are developed in the field using natural, low-tech methods, GM varieties are created in a lab using highly complex technology, such as gene splicing. These high-tech GM varieties can include genes from several species — a phenomenon that almost never occurs in nature. With GM varieties, genes are transferred from one kingdom to another, such as bacteria to plants. So far, only commodity crops with GM traits — such as corn, soy, alfalfa and sugar beets — have been approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for use, primarily in processed foods and animal feeds. The exception is GM sweet corn, which is now available at your grocery store.
The trouble is that nobody knows how these unnatural new organisms will behave over time. The seed companies that develop these varieties claim intellectual property rights so that only they can create and sell the variety. In some cases, companies, such as Monsanto, even refuse to allow scientists to obtain and study their GM seeds. For some crops, such as corn, wind can carry the pollen from GM varieties and contaminate non-GM varieties. And there is no mandatory labeling of GM content in seed.
Though few vegetable seeds are GM now, they may be soon. One way to avoid GM seeds is to buy certified organic seed, which, according to the National Organic Program, must not be genetically modified. If a seed catalog doesn’t say a seed has been tested, ask the supplier.
In a nutshell: Hybrids are the product of guided natural reproduction, while GMOs are the result of unnatural, high-tech methods used to create untested organisms that would never emerge in nature.
Cookies/Snacks/Chips. Almost all include high-fructose corn syrup; soy, corn or canola oil; soy lecithin and other soy isolates; or other additives derived from GM corn and soy.
Pasta/Rice/Beans. You’re pretty safe here, because wheat, rice and beans are not (yet) genetically modified, but watch out for the heat-and-eat pasta meals that include GM ingredients.
Ice Cream/Frozen Prepared Meals. Unless labeled organic, these are virtually guaranteed to have GM ingredients, including corn and soy products, whey protein from rBST milk, and GM beet sugar.
Oils/Fats/Shortening. Olive oil is non-GM. “Vegetable oil” usually is GM, as are corn, soybean and canola oil. Solid shortenings are hydrogenated canola, corn and soybean oil.
Condiments/Prepared Foods. All of these items contain GM soy, corn and/or canola unless labeled organic.
Bread/Crackers. Almost all commercial bread is made with corn syrup and soy-based ingredients.
Summary
The bottom line is that there is a lot we still do not know about GMOs and their potential health implications or their benefits to the farmer and the food supply. Since GMOs are still relatively new, we do not have long-term study data to prove their safety or otherwise. My advice would be to stick to real, whole, minimally processed foods, and as a result, you will be consuming very few genetically modified foods. And remember that organic means it will not be genetically modified. So if you want to forget all the details, but want to avoid GMOs, just look for the organic label.
References:
https://www.bmj.com/content/365/bmj.l1613.short
https://www.thespruce.com/hybrid-vs-heirloom-vegetables-1403361
https://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/hybrid-seeds-vs-gmos-zb0z1301zsor
https://www.iarc.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/MonographVolume112-1.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28645870
www.seedalliance.org
www.drhyman.com
http://gestacolectiva.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/2018-Davoren-REVIEW.pdf
https://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/food-policy/how-to-avoid-genetically-modified-food-zmgz12onzphe