Before my cancer journey, I knew nothing about Genetically Modified Organisms or GMO foods. I certainly didn’t realize I was eating them daily. The World Health Organization defines them as organisms in which the genetic material or DNA has been altered in such a way that does not occur naturally. This is just one reasons why I avoid GMO foods.
Some GMO foods may be perfectly fine such as taking an apple and altering within its genome to be sweeter or tarter. But according to Dr. Russell Blalock, some GMO crops are genetically altered to resist insects, produce higher levels of nutrients, and also resist the toxicity of herbicides such as glyphosate. My video on “What You Need to Know about Glyphosate” and “Six Ways to Reduce Your Exposure to Glyphosate,” will be referenced below. This controversial herbicide has conflicting evidence with some seeing it as a superhero and some seeing it as a villain.
These stronger herbicides such as glyphosate are quite effective at killing weeds, but they have a more toxic residue which is passed on to us when we eat these foods—and in some crops more than others. Dr. Blaylock shows in a video that when we eat these foods which have been heavily sprayed with glyphosate, it’s like serving your children a bowl of cereal with milk and spraying each bowl with a dash of poison.
Here are six reasons I avoid GMO foods:
- Some have a high pesticide residue and some may not. When a crop is genetically altered to withstand multiple sprayings of an herbicide and everything around the crop dies except that crop—we have a problem. This is why GMO crops which are altered to withstand multiple sprayings with toxic chemicals may survive, but they pass a pesticide residue on to us. GMO crops which are genetically altered to be sweeter or tarter and stay within the genome for the plant family may have no more pesticides that the average sprayed crop.
- You can identify a GMO crop by the Price Look Up (PLU) number on the label. PLU codes are four-digit numbers that identify different types of produce. If the number begins with a 4 such as #4011, then this is a standard banana conventionally grown. The number 9 prefix added to a PLU tells us that an item is organic. The code #94011 is the code for an organic yellow banana. A number 8 prefix added to a PLU signifies that a crop is genetically engineered in some way. The code #84011 tells us that the yellow banana is genetically engineered. Learning how to identify these products can helps you to avoid them.
- The USDA now requires grocery stores to label GMO products. The label might say BE or bioengineered or contains a bioengineered food ingredient. Non-GMO foods are foods that have not gone through any sort of genetic modification. It is certainly a relief for me to see a packaged food with Non-GMO on the box. It lets me know that no ingredients in that packaged food have been genetically altered. So we can look at the PLU on produce, but when a packaged food, we need to look on the box. Frankly, I don’t know how many companies are actually complying with this new regulation, but now that RFK Jr is at the helm, I’m sure this will be enforced. People have a right to know what they are eating.
- These are the main GMO crops that we must be aware of.
Soybeans – A large percentage (90%) of soybeans are GMO. This is significant because soybeans are used in many processed foods. Organic soybeans are fine.
Corn – A large percentage (90%) of corn are GMO. Corn is also used in many processed foods and in animal feed for cattle, hogs, and poultry. Organic corn is fine and I use this in many recipes.
Sugar beets – These root plants contain high levels of sucrose and are second to sugarcane as a major source of sugar. If an ingredient says sugar beets, it’s probably GMO because 95% of sugar beets in the US are GMO. If a processed food contains sugarcane, then it may contain some pesticides, but is not GMO.
Canola – You might be thinking, “But I don’t eat canola?” But canola oil is found in many processed foods such as chips, cereals, breads, snack bars, etc.
Cotton – Again, we don’t eat cotton, but we do wear it—a lot! And we consume it as cottonseed oil which is found in many processed foods including chips and margarine.
Alfalfa – But we don’t eat alfalfa, do we? Well, in a way we do. Alfalfa is a major crop used in livestock feed along with corn. Have you ever heard the phrase “You are what you eat eats?” It’s something to think about. When you eat meat or milk from a cow fed feed made from GMO alfalfa or corn, some of that is passed on to us. So in a way, we do!
Papayas – 90% of these grown in Hawaii are GMO, but at least we have some protection with the rind as most of the pesticides and herbicides collect in the rind.
Potatoes – Five potato varieties are GMO including White Russet, Atlantic, Russet Burbank, and Ranger Russet. The potato is the most frequently consumed vegetable in the US and white russet is the most common. These GMO potatoes are genetically engineered to reduce browning and bruising, and to reduce a naturally occurring chemical called asparagine. To find out if your potato is GMO, check the PLU code. It’s unknown whether genetically modifying in this way is harmful or not.
Zucchini and yellow squash – These are favorites of mine, but because many are GMO, I opt for organic and even grown them in my backyard.
Animal derivatives – Recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) which is used to increase milk production in cows is widely used in the US. Although it is banned in the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Canada, it is made in a lab using genetic technology. In addition, products such as eggs, meat, and milk are considered high risk simply because GMOs are usually found in animal feed. Again, you are what you eat eats.
- GMO ingredients are in 75% of our foods. I’ll never forget the day that I went through my pantry like a mad woman throwing most of it out the door. Why? Because I looked at each item and found that most of them contained GMO ingredients. Look for corn oil, cornmeal, corn starch, corn syrup, hominy, polenta, canola oil, cottonseed oil, sugar beets, soybean oil, soy protein, soy lecithin, and oy milk—just to name a few. Unfortunately, many processed and packaged foods contain ingredients derived from GMO crops like corn, soy, canola, and sugar beets.
- The research on GMO foods is conflicting. Some scientists claim that GMO foods are harmless because the herbicides and pesticides dissolve in the soil and do not accumulate in our bodies. But my urine tests indicate otherwise as high levels of several pesticides were found in my body at high levels. But I’m just a case study—not research. However, I choose not to succumb to research that has been paid for by the companies that profit from their use. To be fair, as I mentioned before, making an apple sweeter or more tart may not be an issue. To be perfectly honest, the full impact of GMO foods on human health is not known. There is a study called the Serolini Study done by French and Italian researchers published in the Food and Chemical Toxicology Journal in 2012 which found that death rates were five times higher among male animals fed GMO corn, and six times higher among GMO-fed females. On top of that, both male and female animals rapidly developed massive cancer tumors. Although Big Agriculture companies have debunked this research and pressure put on this journal caused the editor to retract the research article, more and more scientists, doctors, and researchers are concerned. A later study in 2014 in which Seralini was involved also showed alarming results in rats over a 2 year period suggesting that more research needs to be done.
Now you know why I eat organic food as much as possible and why I avoid most GMO foods—especially those which have been genetically engineered to withstand heavy sprayings with glyphosate. The straw that broke this camel’s back was when my urine results showed both high levels of glyphosate and 2-4, D, one of the Agent Orange pesticides. My husband and I will never forget the day I went through my pantry in a rage. Reading the labels forced me to realize that I was mainly eating GMO foods. I was angry at the EPS, the Department of Agriculture and the FDA? I felt betrayed that they weren’t protecting me, the consumer. And now that I have grandchildren, I’ve even more enraged. But in the garbage these God move over foods or Frankenfoods went, and now my pantry contains much healthier foods.
What about how? Have you read the labels on the food in your pantry, and the PLU labels on your produce? I’ve never been more excited about the confirmation of RFK, Jr. as the head of DHHS. Big companies won’t like what he’s doing to make our food and personal care products safer, but I for one cheer him on!
Before today, had you heard of GMO foods? How many of these GMO foods are you eating daily?
View this message on YouTube:
Related messages on YouTube:
What You Need to Know about Glyphosate
Six Ways to Reduce Your Exposure to Glyphosate
For Your Health,
Ginny
Ginny Dent Brant is a speaker and writer who grew up in the halls of power in Washington, DC. She has battled cancer, ministered around the world, and served on the front lines of American culture as a counselor, educator, wellness advocate, and adjunct professor. Brant’s award-winning book, Finding True Freedom: From the White House to the World, was endorsed by Chuck Colson and featured in many TV and media interviews. Unleash Your God-Given Healing: Eight Steps to Prevent and Survive Cancer was released in May 2020 after her journey with cancer and was recently awarded the First Place Golden Scrolls Award for Memoirs, a finalist in Serious Writers Book of the Decade, and Second Place in both Selah Awards for Memoirs and Director’s Choice Award for Nonfiction at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writer’s Conference. It recently received the Christian Authors Network’s (CAN) Gold Award for Excellence in Marketing for reaching 62.5 million people with a message of cancer prevention and survival. It was written with commentary from an oncologist and was featured on CBN’s Healthy Living Show, Atlanta Live, and CTN’s Homekeepers along with over 75 media outlets. Learn more and cancer and wellness prevention blog and book information at www.ginnybrant.com. Ginny is on YouTube
Invite Ginny to speak at your church or group and download her speaker brochure
Link to buy book at Unleash Your God-given Healing
Click to sign up to take Conquering Cancer Course
Ginny is a cancer coach. Make an appointment to meet with her:
***** This content is strictly the opinion of Ginny Brant and is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of medical advice or treatment from a personal physician. All viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Ginny Brant nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program. *****
You might also like
