What you should know about Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) is that we don’t know a lot. GMOs are organisms that have had their genetic material altered through genetic engineering in order to create traits in the organisms that are considered desirable. However, we may be trading short term gains for long term risks to the health of the environment and the people who consume these products.

A good example of genetic engineering in our food supply is corn. Corn has been genetically modified in   multiple ways. Bt-corn is a type of GM corn that is genetically designed to be lethal to insects as they try to eat it. This means farmers don’t need to add pesticides to get rid of the insects. This sounds great, but the impact on the ecology can be devastating. Other GM types of corn have been modified to resist insecticides or herbicides.

This has resulted in weeds becoming resistant to high doses of herbicides, creating “super weeds”.

The other issue that is not known is what the long term consequences may be to humans who consume these genetically modified foods. Studies have linked GMOs to everything from life threatening allergic reactions to cancer. As consumers, we are guinea pigs in an experiment that no one asked if we wanted to participate in.

Unfortunately it can be difficult to avoid GMOs when shopping. Several years ago there was pressure from consumers to have standardized labeling for organic products. There is a similar movement for GMOs. As more people become educated about this subject, there is going to be more demand to understand exactly how our food is grown and processed.

There is much to learn about GMOs. I am not of the opinion that every technological advancement in regards to food must automatically be met with criticism and disdain. However, I do believe in being careful and in being educated about the foods we consume.  I encourage you to educate yourself further about this topic and let your political leaders know how you feel.

Remember, you are what you eat!