https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 09 May 2026 03:35:56 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-gmos-are-they-really-bad#post-1461601 Sun, 02 Mar 2014 15:10:54 +0000 PurplePeony 1461601@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Personally, I make a distinction between modification through selective breeding and modification through gene splicing. Yes, the first is technically a GMO, but it's something that *can* occur naturally. Breeding for desired traits has been done since humans started to become agrarian, as opposed to being hunter-gatherers, and I don't really have an issue with it being done with a scientific advantage instead of pure trial-and-error. I do have a problem with gene splicing, though, because in most cases the added or changed genes could *not* get there naturally. I'm particularly concerned with the Roundup-Ready type genes, both for environmental and possible health reasons.</p> <p>In practice, it's hard to tell what you're getting so I do buy as much organic food as I can. It may turn out to be a lot of extra money spent for little return, but I'd rather play it as safe as I can. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-gmos-are-they-really-bad#post-1461573 Sun, 02 Mar 2014 14:50:29 +0000 lamariniere 1461573@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Pen: I totally agree about the money trail! As another example of differences with US/EU, I remember how in the US a lot of milk is labeled hormone free. The EU doesn't allow those hormones in milk in the first place, so none of the milk is labeled as hormone free. </p> <p>@looch: I wish I could garden too! But that would require a garden and then a green thumb! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-gmos-are-they-really-bad#post-1461560 Sun, 02 Mar 2014 14:39:24 +0000 looch 1461560@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: agreed. I didn't worry as much as I do now, but I think as with most things, you have to do what you can and try not to get nuts with it.</p> <p>For example, I would love to garden, but I really don't have the time and the deer would eat everything, so I stick to local farms in the summer. In the winter, well, I buy frozen veggies and at best, we're canceling out the good from the summer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-gmos-are-they-really-bad#post-1461347 Sun, 02 Mar 2014 12:03:45 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1461347@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: I was actually thinking about tbe EU on this! Sometimes it is very telling when other countries ban things, and we don't - you can see why when you see the money trail, unfortunately. I don't exactly trust that the FDA has Americans health at heart. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-gmos-are-they-really-bad#post-1461174 Sun, 02 Mar 2014 09:30:54 +0000 lamariniere 1461174@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I live in Europe and the EU has very strict policies on GMOs. From Wikipedia:</p> <p>"All food (including processed food) or feed which contains greater than 0.9% of approved GMOs must be labelled."</p> <p>I don't have to worry quite as much about food choices as when I lived in the US, but I always buy organic dairy producers (except butter), organic eggs and organic meat when possible. Organcics in general cost less here than what I was paying for them in the US, so I buy organic when I have the choice.</p> <p>Edit: read more about the EU and GMOs here. <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/biotechnology/gmo_ban_cultivation_en.htm" rel="nofollow">http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/biotechnology/gmo_ban_cultivation_en.htm</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-gmos-are-they-really-bad#post-1461088 Sun, 02 Mar 2014 07:24:40 +0000 threeplusme 1461088@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Grace is spot on. If you think of it in terms of humans we are all genetically modified through breeding and environmental influences. That's not saying sometimes science doesn't go too far but I agree that the impact is more environmental. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-gmos-are-they-really-bad#post-1461051 Sun, 02 Mar 2014 05:07:52 +0000 Grace 1461051@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Keep on mind that regular cross- breeding of plants does the same thing as a GMO. It selects for traits you want in a plant and makes all the plants the same (just faster and more specfic with GMO). If you want veggies that have less alteration and better nutrition, you are looking for veggies grown from heritage seeds, not organic. I think the environmental impact is a real concern though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-gmos-are-they-really-bad#post-1460999 Sun, 02 Mar 2014 00:33:51 +0000 hummusgirl 1460999@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>On the organic issue, I recently read a Slate piece on how we shouldn't be *so* concerned with organic produce: <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/the_kids/2014/01/organic_vs_conventional_produce_for_kids_you_don_t_need_to_fear_pesticides.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/the_kids/2014/01/organic_vs_conventional_produce_for_kids_you_don_t_need_to_fear_pesticides.html</a> </p> <p>I still buy organic but that article made me a little less crazy about it. :-) We do buy organic/local/humanely raised meat, eggs and dairy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-gmos-are-they-really-bad#post-1460984 Sun, 02 Mar 2014 00:11:48 +0000 Corduroy 1460984@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Pen: thanks, I forgot to list sugar beets. I didn't know about zucchini though. </p> <p>I realize how telling my previous post was. I work in the food industry. If GMO labeling was a requirement I would be the one to do said labeling for my health-focused company. It's not even on our radar yet. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-gmos-are-they-really-bad#post-1460671 Sat, 01 Mar 2014 20:11:16 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1460671@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Corduroy: sugar is a huge GMO crop. A very large percentage of sugar is GMO. Cereals like Cheerios also have GMO's, I think a lot more contain GMO's than you might think. Here is a list of the top ten most common: <a href="http://www.nationofchange.org/top-10-gmo-foods-avoid-1343568178" rel="nofollow">http://www.nationofchange.org/top-10-gmo-foods-avoid-1343568178</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-gmos-are-they-really-bad#post-1460652 Sat, 01 Mar 2014 19:55:14 +0000 pinkcupcake 1460652@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Corduroy: good to know, thank you </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-gmos-are-they-really-bad#post-1460626 Sat, 01 Mar 2014 19:26:31 +0000 Corduroy 1460626@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pinkcupcake: Organic food cannot contain GMOs so you can look for organic certification. There aren't that many GMO crops commercially available. I think the list is limited to soy, wheat, corn, canola/rapeseed and papaya. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-gmos-are-they-really-bad#post-1460622 Sat, 01 Mar 2014 19:24:03 +0000 avivoca 1460622@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For anything we buy regularly, we stick to organic and/or local. Dairy comes from a local delivery service that gets the products from local, non-GMO farms where the animals are treated humanely. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-gmos-are-they-really-bad#post-1460598 Sat, 01 Mar 2014 18:54:59 +0000 MrsSCB 1460598@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't think you can say a blanket yes or no. "Genetically modified" is such a broad term. Technically much of the produce we all eat today was genetically modified at some point. I recommend reading up on golden rice to see some of the pros of gmos. Of course there are cons too, but IMO much of the hysteria over gmos is due to not really understanding. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-gmos-are-they-really-bad#post-1460576 Sat, 01 Mar 2014 18:19:10 +0000 Maysprout 1460576@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>One of the biggest ways to alter crops is to make them 'Roundup Ready'. Roundup is an herbicide, so being 'roundup ready' enables the crop to be liberally sprayed with Roundup without dying. Herbicide use has increased because of this and food is more likely to have herbicide residue on it. </p> <p>I don't think additions of genes are necessarily bad, it's just that a lot of times what genes are added aren't adding any health benefit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-gmos-are-they-really-bad#post-1460574 Sat, 01 Mar 2014 18:18:11 +0000 pinkcupcake 1460574@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Jacks: right? That's my concern :T we try our best not to buy modified foods, but it's so hard to find any information out there. Our state rejected an initiative that would require labeling modified foods. Ugh. Such a bummer. </p> <p>To answer the OP - we try to eat and buy as organically as possible. We used to stick to just the dirty dozen but now if there's an organic option, we almost always choose that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-gmos-are-they-really-bad#post-1460570 Sat, 01 Mar 2014 18:12:37 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 1460570@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pinkcupcake: You only know if they tell you because all the GMO labeling initiatives that have been put forward in various states have failed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-gmos-are-they-really-bad#post-1460567 Sat, 01 Mar 2014 18:08:47 +0000 pinkcupcake 1460567@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For those of you who avoid GMOs- how do you know if a certain fruit / vegetable has been modified, or if a food contains modified ingredients? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-gmos-are-they-really-bad#post-1460532 Sat, 01 Mar 2014 17:20:11 +0000 birdofafeather 1460532@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i also agree that the big deal is more about environment and monopoly. we try to buy from non-GMO sources as well as local and/or sustainable. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-gmos-are-they-really-bad#post-1460530 Sat, 01 Mar 2014 17:19:02 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1460530@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My thinking is that in general, try to eat food as close the way it appears in nature. That is its healthiest form. Once things become process and changed; nutrient, vitamin and mineral content is altered. I have seen charts comparing GMO vegetable nutrient content to those of regular or organic vegetables, and usually normal/organic vegetables have higher vitamin and mineral contents. </p> <p>I avoid GMO's at all costs. The way I see it, the big companies are controlling the market and so they want to say GMOs are fine - or else they lose money. Follow the money-trail. I think a lot of it is politics, unfortunately. </p> <p>Like @Mrs. Jacks: - there is a real threat to bee colonies and other insets because of the contamination by GMOs, I think that is pretty telling.</p> <p>As for grocery shopping - I attempt to stick to the dirty dozen for produce. Buy local eggs when possible, or else organic and free range, and local organic meat, when possible. I buy organic, grass fed butter from a coop so that the price is actually better than conventional. Sometimes the prices are cheaper when they are certified naturally grown/raised because they don't have the organic price tag. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-gmos-are-they-really-bad#post-1460529 Sat, 01 Mar 2014 17:17:30 +0000 Mae 1460529@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's hard because stuff isn't really labeled as GMO that often currently. Personally I try to buy organic milk and meat and produce where I eat the skin (so-- yes to organic strawberries, no to organic bananas) and organic when a product has much corn or sugar in it because I know corn and sugar are basically always GMO unless organic. Otherwise I don't worry about it too much. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-gmos-are-they-really-bad#post-1460523 Sat, 01 Mar 2014 17:12:16 +0000 Silva 1460523@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I suspect that the impact will be environmental. When all crops become too similar, bad things happen.<br /> I doubt there is any impact on your health. I think those concerns have been overstated, and most people I've met who are against them for health reasons don't really have a lot of science to back it up.<br /> I'd try to Prioritize local and seasonal foods above all else. In my family We also prioritize organic for environmental reasons. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-gmos-are-they-really-bad#post-1460502 Sat, 01 Mar 2014 16:53:01 +0000 MrsRcCar 1460502@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We buy non-GMO when we can. It may cost a bit more but I feel better about it. There is food and there is junk but no such thing as junk food. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-gmos-are-they-really-bad#post-1460499 Sat, 01 Mar 2014 16:47:22 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 1460499@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The truth is that nobody really knows yet.</p> <p>I think there are a lot of suspicions because mega-corporations rule the science on this, but long term studies take, well, a long time.</p> <p>We do know there is a real impact of monoculture and GMO on butterflies and probably contribute to colony collapse in bees. That was enough for me, but I definitely prioritize. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-gmos-are-they-really-bad#post-1460488 Sat, 01 Mar 2014 16:40:19 +0000 googly-eyes 1460488@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I can't seem to find any definite answers. I'm not sure any of the info on the internet is credible, and honestly, I don't really understand a lot of it.</p> <p>With our move moving our grocery budget is going to be a bit tighter. I'm not sure whether non-GMO, organic stuff is going to be a priority anymore.</p> <p>I'm not sure what to prioritize, either. Do I continue to buy organic milk and animal products or prioritize produce/the dirty dozen? What do you do? </p>