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Category Archives: GMO

No GMO

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Genetically modified foods are no doubt the most dangerous to our health of all the adulterated “foods” available. As I’ve posted before, you can tell GM/GE produce by the number 8 at the beginning of it’s PLU code (a 5 digit code, beginning with 8. Organic produce has a 5 digit code beginning with 9. Conventionally grown – with herbicides, pesticides, etc. – has a 4 digit code.) But other food products do not have to disclose whether the ingredients are genetically modified/engineered.

Jeffery Smith, author of the #1 GMO bestseller Seeds of Deception, and Genetic Roulette,  is probably the most well-known figure for exposing the dangers of GM foods. He believes that consumers can quickly make a big difference in getting rid of these. It just takes education. Brochures are available on the health dangers of GM foods, as well as shopping tips for avoiding GMOs. (You can even download them for free.) Below is a great, highly informational video by Smith.

Everything You HAVE TO KNOW about Dangerous Genetically Modified Foods from Jeffrey Smith on Vimeo.

Organic?

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Anyone who follows my teaching at all, probably knows that if you value your health you should avoid foods grown/raised with conventional herbicides, pesticides, growth hormones, are genetically modified, etc. What you may not have gleaned is that organically grown/raised foods have more nutrients. So we highly recommend that you get organically grown foods whenever possible.

However, I know that it is not always possible. A list has been published on the top foods that are most important to purchase organic if you can, and  those that are least harmful, if you must purchase non-organic.

Produce is what we usually think of, when we think of buying organic. But butter contains the most residues (i.e. worst to buy non-organic), and meat is next.

Worst non-organic produce:

Peaches
Apples
Sweet bell peppers
Celery
Nectarines
Strawberries
Cherries
Lettuce
Grapes (imported)
Pears
Spinach
Potatoes

Safest non-organic produce:

Broccoli
Eggplant
Cabbage
Banana
Kiwi
Asparagus
Sweet peas (frozen)
Mango
Pineapple
Sweet corn (frozen)
Avocado
Onion

Another interesting bit of information I learned is:

* A conventionally grown product carries a 4-digit PLU code (Ex: conventionally grown banana: 4011)
* An organic product carries a 5-digit code, starting with the number 9: (Ex: organic banana: 94011)
* A genetically engineered (GE or GMO) product has a 5-digit code, starting with the number 8: (Ex: GE banana: 84011)

All info taken from – and more can be read at –  Mercola.com

The information on PLU codes is great info to have, but know that stores do not HAVE to use it. So just because an item only has a 4 digit code, it does not mean that it is NOT GMO. (Personally, I have yet to see one that IS labeled GMO. However they are happy to label the organic with the 5 digit code beginning with 9. So that is helpful for buying organic produce.)