Have you heard of the term genetically modified food, or perhaps GMO meaning a genetically modified organism? You may have seen food labels in the grocery store stating that a food is non-GMO. What are GMO's and is there harm from genetically modified food? Let's see if Franz can shed some light on this growing problem in our food chain.

A genetically modified organism comes from the laboratory where the genes from the DNA of one species are harvested and unnaturally forced into the genes of another plant or animal. These genes from another species may come from a few sources: viruses, insects, pesticides, bacteria, animals, and even human beings. I don't know about you but that sounds pretty creepy to Franz!

Now this whole process is not precise and mistakes in the gene strand can have a terrible affect on the foods we eat if it is used to modify crops. And this is being done, and has been for many years. The harm from genetically modified food is of big concern to many agencies fighting against this process! Now this technology does hold promise for other applications like the medical profession, but since food is able to modify our genes, if it's natural, and in a good way, then what happens when an unknown organism enters our body that it does not recognize?

Natural foods given to us by nature are designed for our benefit. You may know them as whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes. Our bodies know how to use these foods to create vibrant health. Our bodies have been coded so that when they receive these foods it uses them for our benefit and in order to sustain life. What happens when we mess with the genetic code of natural foods and then eat them?

That's where the harm from genetically modified food comes into the discussion. It is still a new technology about twenty years in the making. The full effects of eating GMO foods like soy, corn, canola, sugar beets, papaya, zucchini, and squash, to name a few will, not be known for many more years unfortunately.

The harm from genetically modified food could possibly have a long lasting effect on our ability to fight viruses! There is only one published feeding experiment on GMOs and it showed that genetic material that was inserted into genetically modified soy was able to transfer into the bacteria living in our intestines, and it stays there! That means even if we stop eating genetically modified foods that the genetically modified proteins will stay inside us.

If the antibiotic gene those scientists are inserting into some plant foods were to transfer to our bodies, it could create powerful diseases, those that would be resistant to today's antibiotics. Animal studies have also given support to the evidence that the DNA in food can travel into the organs of our body. Perhaps even into a mother's fetus. Again, this is scary stuff!

Franz has been aware of the harm from genetically modified food for many years now. It is showing up in related nutrition articles more and more. I want you to be aware of this so that when you go shopping for foods from natures table you are sure that they are not genetically modified foods. Soy, canola, and corn are the largest concern right now. But the byproducts of these foods are used in so many other foods, so please be aware when you are shopping for your daily meal ingredients!