Healthy nutrition: say no to GMO's

Image: www.foodfightthedoc.com

Are you ready for a food fight?! Sorry to disappoint if scenes from Animal House are running through your mind, because it's not that kind of fight to which I'm referring. The GMO conflict is waging on and at the risk of sounding overly dramatic, the very essence of our food and our health is at stake. One ongoing battle front for concerned American consumers is the call for GM food labeling. Unlike most other industrialized countries, the US doesn't label GM foods (1).

Just what is a GMO? -
I've posted about GM foods in the past, but in case you missed those posts (found here and here), I'll just briefly explain that GMO or GM are acronyms for Genetically Modified Organism. You may also see GE used, and this stands for Genetically Engineered. GM foods are the result of  taking specific selected gene(s) from one kind of organism and placing them into a related or unrelated organism (2). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), GMO's contain genetic material that "has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally" (2). In other words, not "present in, or produced by nature" (8).

"It's not nice to fool mother nature" -
What's wrong with the good, old, conventional, natural methods of breeding our crops? Well, it's seems they're just too time consuming and not very accurate. Never mind that this is how nature works. Biotechnology now allows scientists to modify plants in a lab in order to enhance certain desirable traits for crops such as drought tolerance and pest and disease resistance. For example, scientists can take a gene from a bacterium that is resistant to an herbicide like Roundup and insert it into a soybean plant cell to create a Roundup resistant soybean (1). This is viewed as a major benefit to farming because now farmers are able to plant these Roundup resistant GM seeds, known as "Roundup ready" seeds, and then use Roundup to kill the weeds without harming the crops. Are you sensing a theme here? The company that patented the Roundup ready seeds also patented the Roundup.

Well, I'm sure it will come as no surprise to you to learn that there's more to the story, but that's for another post. For now, it might be helpful to know how The World Health Organization answers the question of why foods are being genetically modified. After all, they are looking out for the world's health.  Here's what they have to say: 

"GM foods are developed – and marketed – because there is some perceived advantage either to the producer or consumer of these foods. This is meant to translate into a product with a lower price, greater benefit (in terms of durability or nutritional value) or both." [emphasis added]

Hmmm... Let's briefly examine two of the reasons stated in the WHO statement for why GM foods are developed and marketed:

1. product with a lower price
2. product with a greater benefit (durability or nutritional value or both)

Is less expensive food of greater benefit nutritionally? -
A product with a lower price that has a greater benefit than a product with a higher price would be outstanding. I love a bargain, but I'm no economist. However, it's probably safe to say most of us would agree that getting something valuable for a lesser cost seems like a good thing. So, in an effort to make food cheaper and more abundant, cost effective and time efficient farming practices have evolved over the decades. GM crops are one result. Some advantages of GM foods are pest and disease resistance, herbicide as well as cold, heat and drought tolerance, and even greater nutritional benefit (3).  On the other hand, as a very wise biology professor once said, "for every yin, there's a yang", or put another way, for every benefit, there's a consequence.  


Admittedly, the modernization and industrialization of farming practices have brought prices down significantly on some foods. But ultimately at what cost? Consider that the top GM crops are corn and soy which go into many processed foods (9). In fact, "thousands of products on supermarket shelves are made with ingredients from genetically modified crops" (9).  For example, high fructose corn syrup or soy protein is used frequently in the manufacture of prepackaged convenience foods. Yes, the benefits of these foods are that they're cheap and convenient, but there are consequences as well.

A 2006 report from the USDA Economic Research Service revealed some interesting statistical trends on the percent of income American's spent on food over the last 70 years. In 1930, Americans spent 24.2% of their income on food, compared with 9.5% in 2004 (4). Slate has broken it down further by food eaten at home and compared the percentages by country 

Image from: Slate.com

(shown in the bar graph at right). The point being, Americans are paying a lower price for their food than at any other time in history and are also spending less than most countries. If, as WHO states, GMO's are being developed and marketed as products with a nutritional benefit, is the benefit being reflected in the public health? Are Americans healthier?


The fact is obesity rates in America are at the highest rates ever recorded and the diseases that correspond with being overweight/obese are increasing dramatically (5). You can check out the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) interesting animated map here, that shows by state how obesity rates have increased since 1985. The map illustrates that during the past 20 years, "there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States and rates remain high. In 2010, no state had a prevalence of obesity less than 20%. Thirty-six states had a prevalence of 25% or more and 12 of these states had a prevalence of 30% or more" (5).


Is the American penchant for inexpensive, fast, processed and prepackaged, GM foods coming with the unexpected cost of diminishing health and rising health care costs? According to the US Surgeon General, "Obesity is the fastest growing cause of disease and death in America" (6). "One out of every eight deaths in America is caused by an illness directly related to overweight and obesity" and this statement was made back in 2003 (6). Sadly, things haven't improved since then. Does the cheaper cost of GM foods balance out the health care costs of poor nutrition? According to the National Institutes on Health, "on average, people who are considered obese pay 42% more in health care costs than normal-weight individuals" (7). Is there really a lower price/increased nutritional benefit to GM foods?


GM food labeling-
Considering the above information, the critical factor in maximizing our potential for good health is good nutrition. This is only possible by having access to healthy foods and having the ability to make informed decisions about what foods we choose to eat. The fact that GM foods are not labeled in the US makes this impossible. Bearing in mind a 2008 survey, found here, which showed 87% of Americans polled felt labeling of GM food was necessary, it would seem that the US government would enact a GMO labeling policy.  This has been proposed, but unfortunately still not enacted and surely standing to benefit most from GM foods will continue to insist the labeling of GM foods is unnecessary. Considering the mounting research that shows evidence of harm from GMO's (10), it seems prudent to let our government officials know that we feel the labeling of our foods is highly important.

The following statement sums up succinctly the importance of making healthy food choices:

"Every day, several times a day, you make food choices that influence your body's health for better or worse.  Each day's choices are repeated over years and decades, the rewards or consequences become major. That being the case, paying close attention to good eating now can bring you health benefits later"  (5).

Tips to Avoid GMO's:
So, until GM food labeling becomes a reality, and this is a big question mark right now, you will have to do a little due diligence to avoid GMO's. You can limit your consumption of GMO's by making careful food choices. Here are a few suggestions for ways to avoid GM foods:

1. Steer clear of the top 4 at risk ingredients found in prepackaged, processed convenience foods - corn, soy, cottonseed and canola.
2. Try to buy organic foods when possible. 
3. Try to buy only grass fed meat or wild caught fish.  Feed fed cattle and farm raised fish are likely to be fed GM food.
4. Watch out for GM sugar beet sugar which is on the market now.

For more suggestions visit the True Food Shopper's Guide, which includes specific name brand non GMO foods to buy or GM foods to avoid. They even have an app available for your smart phone.  Lastly, please consider signing the petition found at the Institute for Responsible Technology. We need to let President Obama know that Americans want meaningful GM food labeling now, because the stance the US government seems to be taking to human consumption of GMO's is that they are innocent until proven guilty.  This principle may work for the justice system, but seems reckless when applied to our food supply, especially considering how absolutely crucial food is to our health and very survival.
 
Sources
(1) Wikipedia, Genetically modified organisms, Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_organism August 2011

(2) World Health Organization, Food Safety retrieved from http://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/biotech/20questions/en/ August 2011
(3) Whitman, D. B., Genetically Modified Foods: Harmful or Helpful? April 2000, Retrieved from http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview.php August 2011
(4) US Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service Retrieved from http://www.ilfb2.org/fff06/51.pdf August 2011
(5) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/animated_map_slides/map26.jpg August 2011
(6) US Surgeon General Statement
(7) US Department of Health & Human Services National Institutes of Health, WIN, Retrieved from http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/statistics/index.htm#overweight August 2011
(8) Free Dictionary, natural, Retrieved from www.thefreedictionary.com/natural, August 2011
(9) True Food Now, Retrieved from  http://truefoodnow.org/shoppers-guide/ on August 2011
(10) Responsible Technology, The Campaign for healthier eating in America, Retrieved from http://www.responsibletechnology.org/docs/140.pdf August 2011

You really are what you eat: A tale of two eggs

Have you heard the expression, "You are what you eat"? This might call to mind images of heads sprouting into fast food cheeseburgers. Seriously though, have you ever wondered what the food you ate might have eaten, or was fed? If we are what we eat, and the food we eat is what it ate, than aren't we what they ate also. Huh? Perhaps an illustration might help better explain the thought I'm trying to communicate. 

Food chain -

Image from the Victoria Dept. of Education

You've probably heard of the food chain, or web. Princeton's Wordnetweb defines the food chain as basically "a community of organisms where each member is eaten in turn by another member" (1). This is depicted by the image at left which shows a very simple marine community food chain. So, this brings me to my tale.

The tale of two eggs -

It all began when I was making a recipe which required two eggs. One egg, the last in a carton I bought from the grocery store, came from a "cage free/grain fed" hen. The other was in a dozen I purchased from my local food co-op. This egg came from a foraging pastured hen raised on a north Texas family farm. As I attempted to crack the food co-op egg into the bowl, I noticed that the shell seemed thicker than the grocery store egg (a result of a diet providing the hen with more available calcium for egg shell formation) (10). However, what surprised me most was the difference in appearance between these two eggs. As you can see from the photo, the egg on the top is larger, has a much deeper yolk color and a cloudier egg white compared to the egg on the bottom.

Having been raised in the suburbs of Chicago and a suburbanite ever since, what I know about farming or livestock could fill a thimble.  What I did know was that both of these eggs came from chickens, and I expected them to be rather similar. So, this got me to wondering: 

1. why are these two eggs different from each other? 
2. what might these differences mean from a nutritional standpoint? 
3. which egg represents the healthier option? 

Prior to buying eggs from the local food co-op, I assumed I was making a wise purchase by choosing eggs from the grocery store that were marked as coming from "cage-free, grain fed" hens, and I felt the increased cost was justified because of this label. But all was not as it seemed in the land of eggs. As they say in the literary world, "the plot thickens". This tale of two eggs has reminded me, yet again, of the importance of being an informed consumer and it also underscores the need for "buyer beware".

Cage free vs. free range vs. pastured -

The carton my store bought eggs came in clearly states the eggs inside are from "cage-free/grain fed" hens. Okay, I'm sheepishly disclosing that the egg carton's labeling brought images to my mind of chickens happily roaming freely out in the sun and fresh air in a pleasant, green pasture, pecking away to their heart's content. The reality is that "cage free" simply means that the chickens don't live in cages. Admittedly, this is an improvement over the living conditions of caged chickens. However, according to the Humane Society of the United States, "hens laying eggs labeled as 'cage-free' [live] uncaged inside barns or warehouses, but they generally do not have access to the outdoors." Unlike caged birds, "they can engage in many of their natural behaviors such as walking, nesting and spreading their wings", although the cutting of their beaks is permitted (2).  Ouch. This type of existence is a far cry from my naive and idyllic view of how I thought cage free chickens lived.

Free range -

Free range chickens sound even better than cage free, right? Not necessarily. The University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources states that free range eggs actually come from chickens that are generally allowed to "graze or roam outdoors" (3). This sounds great in theory, but is this what is actually happening? Evidently, not very often (4). My understanding is that there are no certifications in the US that pertain to "free range" eggs, only to free-range chickens sold for their meat. As a result, the words "free range" can be loosely interpreted and even more loosely applied. For example, in many cases "free ranging" chickens may have access to a tiny doorway in the building where they are confined. The door may be opened for only five minutes, and perhaps only 2 chickens exit through it, but this still qualifies a farm to state its chickens are free-ranging. "No other criteria such as environmental quality, number of birds, or space per bird, are included in the term free-range" (4).

Now, some of you might be saying that this kind of cruelty to animals is a logical reason why we should not eat animal products. However, the purpose of this post isn't to discuss the issues pertaining to a vegan vs. non-vegan lifestyle.  So, I am not going to delve into the very real problems inherent in the large scale production of eggs that result from our consumption and desire for an inexpensive product. A primary concern for us as food consumers is that we should be able to make informed decisions and choices about what we eat. This tale of two eggs highlights that the product labeling on egg cartons can be misleading and the eggs inside the carton, forgive the pun, might not be what they're cracked up to be. So, back to the tale and the pastured eggs I purchased from the food co-op.

Pastured -

The food co-op egg carton's label said their eggs came from pastured hens.  Wondering what the term "pastured" really meant, I took my question straight to the source. According to Mrs. Connie Hale, who runs Windy Meadows Family Farm with her husband Mike and their children, the term "pastured" on their farm means that their "hens spend almost their entire life spans on grassy turf, most often protected [from predators] in large, movable bottomless pens, or electric netting enclosures." In this way, the chickens "have direct access to the forage and insects that make up their natural diet. The chickens are usually 'locked up' at night for added protection from predators, but at the first light of day are released to begin another day in the fresh outdoors."

Big differences between cage free, free range and pastured hens -

If you'd like a better appreciation of the differences between the way factory farm eggs are produced vs. the sustainable, family scale agricultural way of producing eggs check out the video below:

You can find the Cornucopia Institute's Organic Egg Scorecard here.

Chickens are what they eat too -

Eating eggs that come from hens raised on pasture have benefits beyond the more humane and sustainable aspects of this type of farming. Connie Hale from Windy Meadows Family Farm, also mentioned that because chickens are omnivores there are definite positive effects to the health of the hens and their eggs when they spend most of their lives outdoors foraging on the pasture in the fresh air and sunlight. This is because the natural diet of chickens consists of insects, worms, green plants, and seeds, among other things.  This type of diet includes more diversity than the feed grain mix that most caged, cage-free, or free range chickens are fed (7). So, this answers my first question: Why are the two eggs in my tale different? They are different because of the hen's diet.

Nutrition benefits from pastured eggs -

As Connie so aptly put it, "Everyone is healthier when he eats his greens, even our animals." Science is finding that animals allowed free access to pasture are generally healthier. Researchers have found that pastured foraging hens receive more beta carotene, magnesium and other vitamins and minerals than do animals who are not able to forage. When animals eat this type of diet this also translates into a healthier diet for those of us who eat the products that come from these animals (5).

One study by Penn State's College of Agricultural Science showed that "compared to eggs of commercial hens, eggs from pastured hens had twice as much vitamin E and long-chain omega-3 fats, more than double the total omega-3 fatty acids and less than half the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids" (5).  Western diets tend to be higher in omega-6's than omega-3's, but scientific evidence suggests that "higher dietary omega-3 intakes are associated with reductions in heart disease" (6). You can read more about the health benefits of these fats here. Researchers also found that the Vitamin A concentration was "38 percent higher in the pastured hens' eggs than in the commerical hens' eggs. Their research shows that nutrient levels present in the eggs are responsive to dietary changes in the hens.

Another study found that as compared to US Department of Agriculture (USDA) data for commercial "factory-farm" eggs, the eggs from hens raised on pasture contain:

• one third less cholesterol 
• one quarter less saturated fat 
• two thirds more vitamin A
• two times more omega-3 fatty acides
• three times more vitamin E
• seven times more beta carotene (this explains the bright orange color of the yolk)!
• three to six times as much vitamin D (it's good to get a little sun)! An example of what this translates to in our diet is "two scrambled eggs from pastured hens may give you 63 to 126 percent of the recommended daily intake of 200 International Units of vitamin D" (6). You can read more about Vitamin D here.

Well, that answers my other two questions. Eggs from pastured hens are more nutritious than conventionally produced "factory farm" eggs. So, considering the nutritional benefits, along with the more humane and sustainable farming practiced in raising pastured hens, for my dollar, the food co-op egg is the better choice. I would much rather support a small, local, family farm that raises their eggs in a humane, responsible and sustainable way. Best selling author Michael Pollan says it best - We can become responsible consumers. Consumers and farmers have shown with the organic movement "how they can work together as co-creators of an alternative food system.  We need to join together now, to recruit a larger and larger army of co-creators, to rewrite the rules of the game and create a different kind of food system" (9). 

I wish I could say this this tale ends happily ever after, but I can't. The underlying issues still remain. As Michael Pollan points out, we consumers have the ability to force a change in food labeling and production processes. However, until this occurs the tale continues.  Change is difficult and often requires concessions. As is evidenced by the price of the pastured eggs I purchased, one concession for consumers will come in the form of paying higher food prices. For many, this economy has brought a time of uncertainty where just getting any food on the table is difficult enough. Never the less, I encourage you to consider that cheap food is really more expensive in the long run.  This is because it's generally lacking in nutrients. As a result, it leads to more disease and higher medical costs (8). There really is no escaping the fact that we are what we eat.

PS - In case you were wondering...which egg in the photo was from the foraging pastured hen? The top egg.
What does a cloudy egg white mean? "Cloudy egg whites usually indicate very fresh eggs" (3).


Sources
(1) Princeton Wordnetweb -  http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=food%20chain
(2) Humane Society http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/confinement_farm/facts/guide_egg_labels.html 
(3) University of California Dept. Natural Resources - http://ucanr.org/freepubs/docs/8154.pdf
(4) United Poultry Concerns - http://www.upc-online.org/freerange.html 
(5) Penn State University - http://live.psu.edu/story/47514
(6) Linus Pauling Institute - http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/othernuts/omega3fa/
(7) Mother Earth News - http://www.motherearthnews.com/natural-health/health-benefits-free-range-eggs.aspx
(8) Dr. Mark Hyman  - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/why-quick-cheap-food-is-a_b_681539.html
(9) Ecoliteracy Michael Pollan - http://www.ecoliteracy.org/essays/we-are-what-we-eat 
(10) Skyline College - http://www.skylinecollege.edu/case/biol215/docs/eggshell.pdf 

"Frankenfish" and other GE food: friend or foe?

Remember when cloning became a reality? At the time it seemed unbelievable and amazing that scientists could create a genetic twin of another organism, in this case a sheep named Dolly. Then came cloned goats, pigs and cows, the meat and milk of which has been deemed safe to eat (Newsweek).  Now scientists can genetically engineer (GE), or genetically modify organisms (GMO) of all sorts. They do this by combining genes or sequences of DNA from one organism with another and altering things like hormones, plants and now animals, like the salmon.

So back to "Frankenfish". Why is this salmon stirring up controversy? After all, given the growing consumer demand for salmon, the fact that overfishing and other issues have caused salmon to decline, and combined with the world's need for increased food security, a farmed salmon that can grow more quickly seems like a good thing, right? Well, yes... and no.

As biotechnology continues to advance, even more questions are generated. Such as, what makes something natural as opposed to artificial? According to Dictionary.com, natural is defined as "existing in or formed by nature". Could a genetically engineered salmon be considered natural? After all it is derived from things that exist in nature. A few other questions. Are GE foods safe? Should we as consumers have the right to know whether or not what we are eating is a GE food?

The US Human Genome project coordinated by the US Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health, was responsible for identifying the human DNA sequence and was the first scientific organization to look at the ethical, legal and social issues arising from their genetics work. A few of the benefits and controversies relating to GE foods that they have identified are:
Benefits

• increased nutrients, yield and stress tolerance
• increased hardiness, resistance and productivity
• better yields of milk, eggs and meat
• enhanced taste and quality
• reduced maturation time

Controversies
"Potential human health impacts, including:

• allergens
• transfer of antibiotic resistance markers
• unknown effects

Potential environmental impacts, including:

• unintended transfer of transgenes through cross-pollination
• unknown effects on other organisms (e.g. soil microbes)
• loss of flora and fauna biodiversity"

One of the first things to jump out at me from the Human Genome Project's list of controversies relates to allergens. Would you be surprised to learn that food allergies are in the rise in the US?  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists the top food allergens here. Milk, soybeans, peanuts and wheat are included in the top ten.

Milk is genetically modified when cows are given a growth hormone called rBGH. You can read more about this here. Wheat and soybeans are two GE crops grown in the US. Interestingly, a protein in soybeans can have a "cross-reactivity with peanut allergies", so it's believed that soy allergens are linked to peanut allergies (Organic Consumers Association, OCA). It's significant that since the GE soybean was introduced in the US in 1996, peanut allergies have doubled from 1997-2002 (OCA). Also, intolerance to gluten found in wheat has quadrupled since the 1950's (LA Times).

As the Human Genome Project's list shows, the issue of allergens is just one area of concern. Additionally, the Union of Concerned Scientists includes antibiotic resistance, production of new toxins, concentration of toxic metals and increased risk of toxic environmental fungi as other potential harms to our health posed by GE food. As food consumers, it seems prudent to be aware of what foods are genetically engineered. The Union of Concerned Scientists has a list of the GE foods currently allowed on the market here. However, GE crops can also be found in many processed foods. According to the Colorado State University Extension, "the most common GE crops in the United States are soybean, corn, cotton, and canola.... Because many processed food products contain soybean or corn ingredients (e.g., high fructose corn syrup or soy protein), it’s estimated that 60 to 70 percent of processed foods in grocery stores include at least one GE ingredient."

So, how do we determine which foods contain GE ingredients? The reality is we aren't able to choose between GE foods and non-GE foods because we don't know which foods contain GE ingredients. It comes down to labeling. This concern has been raised in the past when other GE foods have been created. Aqua Bounty's GE salmon has brought the issue of food labeling to the forefront once again. Groups like the Center for Food Safety and the Truth in Labeling Coalition are requesting that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) require GE foods be labeled as such. As of this date, no mandatory labeling law is in place. The Colorado State University Extension has a current fact sheet on the labeling of GE foods here. There's also a non-GMO shopper's guide app for your smart phone available from here and a word document version here. 

What's the bottom line? Admittedly, there are benefits to GE products. The FDA states that, "Only food from GE animals that is safe to eat will be permitted into the food supply."  I wonder. How can we know at this early stage if the GE salmon will be safe for human consumption in the long run? Is this "Frankenfish" friend or foe? It's true that great accomplishments often come with an amount of sacrifice and risk. In this case, are the sacrifices and risks greater than the benefits? I think that remains to be seen. Until there is sufficient scientific data showing GE foods to be without risk, I believe we should be able to make informed decisions about what foods we choose through labeling. What do you think?

2/11/11 Update: Washington, DC – “On Tuesday [2/8], a bi-partisan group of U.S. House Representatives introduced critical legislation (H.R. 521) mirroring a Senate bill from the end of January (S. 230) to keep the first genetically engineered (GE) food animal, AquaBounty Technologies AquaAdvantage salmon, off our plates...At least 30 House members and 14 senators have written the Obama administration either expressing serious concerns about the manner in which the FDA conducted its review of Aquabounty’s GE salmon, or calling for the outright prohibition of its approval for human consumption." Stay tuned for the FDA's response.


Sources
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_engineering
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/natural
http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2010/09/22/130040472/a-tale-of-frankenfish-will-genetically-modified-salmon-hit-the-storeshttp://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/gmfood.shtml
http://www.fws.gov/salmonofthewest/overfishing.htm
http://www.newsweek.com/2008/01/17/would-you-like-fries-with-your-clone.html
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09371.html
http://www.latimes.com/sns-health-gluten-allergy-growing,0,1991692.story 
http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_agriculture/science_and_impacts/impacts_genetic_engineering/risks-of-genetic-engineering.html
http://www.gmofoodlabel.org/index.html
http://truefoodnow.org/?CFID=24889389&CFTOKEN=30132594
http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/DevelopmentApprovalProcess/GeneticEngineering/GeneticallyEngineeredAnimals/ucm113597.htm 
http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/pressreleases/congress-unites-against-fda-approval-of-genetically-engineered-salmon/