HEALTH: GMOs Pose a Risk to our Kids

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HEALTH: GMOs Pose a Risk to our Kids GMOs are banned from organic food. Unfortunately, many American families eat genetically modified (GM) food every-day, most unknowingly. Studies suggest as much as 80% of processed foods in the US contain a component from a GM crop such as corn starch, high-fructose corn syrup, canola oil, soybean oil, soy flour, lecithin or cotton-seed oil (Food Policy Institute, 2005). Because children convert more of their food into body-building material, the potential risks of GM food may be much higher for them.

Smith (2005) claims kids in the US are regularly fed GM soy-based infant formula. The digestive capacity of small children is less than adults, suggesting more GM DNA might survive, with more transgenes ending up inside gut bacteria or possibly inside organs. But as very little is done to monitor the impact of GM food consumption on humans, it may take years (or even decades) for health problems to emerge. One of the best ways to avoid the uncertain risks of GM for our children and ourselves is by switching to organic food. Thousands of schools around the world, particularly in Europe, have decided not to let their kids be used as guinea pigs and have banned GM foods completely (Smith, 2005). References: Food Policy Institute (2005), National Survey Shows Americans are in the Dark Regarding Genetically Modified Foods, www.foodpolicyinstitute.org. Smith, Jeffrey (2005), Genetically Engineered Foods Pose Health Risk for Children,

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Caroline Collard

 

World's first fully certified organic skin, body, oral and health care products

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