Eat-In at the FDA to Label GMOs

Monday, April 8, 2013 – College Park, MD

Many different versions of the fable “Stone Soup” have been written throughout history. One story is about a hungry soldier who, when passing through an impoverished village, announced that he would make ‘Stone Soup’. The promise of mysterious Stone Soup persuaded the small village to pool its resources and offer up its hidden onions, carrots, and spices to feed everyone in town. By working together, with everyone contributing something, a greater good can be achieved.

Today, America can be a food desert, devoid of healthy options and corporate transparency, but with our resources combined, we can move toward a more informed, healthy, and just food system. Mandatory GMO Labeling, Testing and Regulation is a BIG step along the way to an honest and sustainable food democracy in the USA.

• Jump on an action-bound bus from your region to the FDA!
• Pack a picnic, bring an arm full of (vegetarian) ingredients (herbs, spices, veggies, stock) from your region to add to the (Giant) “Stone Soup”.
• Join a demonstration at the FDA and enjoy a day of sunshine and picnic-style protest.
  Are YOU hungry for some food democracy?

On Monday, April 8th, Americans will head to the FDA, to face down the institution that chooses Monsanto’s industrial interests over policy transparency and public health. Join this historic event to make your voice heard as we begin to take back our food system.

Who: Concerned Citizens, Farmers, Families, Students, Safe Food Activists, Food Justice Organizations

What: Eat-In for GMO Labeling at the FDA, Stone Soup Style.

Where: Outside of the Food And Drug Administration’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, 5100 Paint Branch Parkway College Park, MD 20740

When: Monday, April 8, 2013, 8am – 6pm

Why: The FDA is supposed to be the watchdog that protects us. Their purpose is to safeguard the consumer against industry, but instead they often seem to do the absolute reverse. The FDA has failed in its core purpose. FDA policies have lead to: a Lack of Transparency, Revolving Door with Industry, Market Bullying, Widespread Illness, Seed Privatization and Well Documented Risks to our Health: Lets take back our Food System!

RSVP on Facebook

http://occupy-monsanto.com/eat-in-at-the-fda-to-label-gmos/

So who would like to go? Maybe we can car pool? I plan on having a table there for the store.

Do you know what is in your sweetner?

DEXTROSE: glucose- grape sugar 

MALTODEXTRIN::. Maltodextrin is a type of carbohydrate with a high glycemic index. Although it is technically a complex carbohydrate, it is quickly digested and broken down into glucose. It’s effects are more like that of a simple sugar than a complex carbohydrate, leading to spikes in blood sugar levels and potential weight gain. For most people, the side effects of maltodextrin are the same as those of sugar in general, including the stimulation of the secretion of insulin, a hormone that has a number of functions, one of which is to increase the storage of fat in the body’s fat cells. One of the challenging things about maltodextrin, is that people often consume it without being aware of it. It is commonly added to processed foods, and the nutrition information on the label usually classifies it as a complex carbohydrate rather than a sugar, even though it’s effects on the body are more like that of a simple sugar. Evidence is mounting that excessive sugar consumption is a primary culprit in weight gain, obesity and a host of related chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease. It has also been suggested that sugar may be more addictive than cocaine.


ASPARTAME: 
Aspartame is, by far, the most dangerous substance on the market that is added to foods. " I have spent several days lecturing at the WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL CONFERENCE on "ASPARTAME marketed as 'NUTRASWEET', 'EQUAL', AND 'SPOONFUL'.In the keynote address by the EPA, they announced that there was an epidemic  of multiple sclerosis and system lupus, and they did not understand what toxin was causing this to be rampant across the United States. I explained that I was there to lecture on exactly that subject. When the temperature of Aspartame exceeds 86 degrees F, the wood alcohol ASPARTAME coverts to formaldehyde and then to formic acid, which in turn causes metabolic acidosis. (Formic acid is the poison found in the sting of fire ants). The methanol toxicity mimics multiple sclerosis; thus people are being diagnosed with having multiple sclerosis in error. The multiple sclerosis is not a death sentence, where methanol toxicity is. In the case of systemic lupus, we are finding it has become almost as rampant as multiple 
sclerosis is not a death sentence, where methanol toxicity is. In the case of systemic lupus, we are finding it has become almost as rampant as multiple sclerosis, especially Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi drinkers. Also, with methanol toxicity, the victims usually drink three to four 12 oz. cans of them per day, some even more. In the cases of systemic lupus, which is triggered by ASPARTAME, the victim usually does not know that the aspartame is the culprit. The victim continues its use aggravating the lupus to such a degree, that sometimes it becomes life threatening." 
Read more at : http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/aspartame.asp#sbBHeZCUcYfIzLjI.99

Roundup Herbicide Linked To Overgrowth of Deadly Bacteria

Could Monsanto's glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup be leading to the overgrowth of deadly bacteria in animals and humans consuming genetically-modified food contaminated with it?

This question follows from a new study published in the journal Current Microbiology titled, "The Effect of Glyphosate on Potential Pathogens and Beneficial Members of Poultry Microbiota In Vitro," which found that the active ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup herbicide, known as glyphosate, negatively impacted the gastrointestinal bacteria of poultry in vitro. The researchers presented evidence that highly pathogenic bacteria resisted glyphosate, whereas beneficial bacteria were moderately to highly susceptible to it.

Some of the beneficial species that were found to be suppressed by glyphosate were Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, Bacillus badius, Bifidobacterium adolescentis and Lactobacillus spp. The pathogenic species which were found to resist glyphosate toxicity were Salmonella Entritidis, Salmonella Gallinarum, Salmonella Typhimurium, Clostridium perfringens and Clostridium botulinum.

The researchers stated that "A reduction of beneficial bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract microbiota by ingestion of glyphosate could disturb the normal gut bacterial community."   Even more alarming was their observation that the toxicity of glyphosate to the most prevalent beneficial species, Enterococcus, "could be a significant predisposing factor that is associated with the increase in Clostridia botulinum-mediated diseases by suppressing the antagonistic effect of these bacteria on clostridia."  Clostridia are a class of anaerobic bacteria including some of the most dangerous known to man, such as C. tetani and C. botulinum, which produce tetanus and botulin toxin, respectively.

CLICK THIS LINK TO READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE:

GMO Food Labeling Map of Countires

I like this video because shows a map of the world and what countries must label there food with GMOs

Baby Formula Containing GMO Soy!!

Here are some of the bad GMO Soy Formulas.

And some great alternates for GMO FREE Formula!

http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com/brands/baby-food-and-infant-formula.html

Remember what GMOs do to your body here is a video to see how they affect your health. This is affecting your babies life not only now but the rest of there childhood.
Please watch this video to the completely. It is very heart wrenching and has all the facts.

Ask your doctor if cancer is right for you

Read an amazing article here!

Source: http://m.naturalnews.com/Video/video_detail_7235E96644083ED1A95689D8105F8FFB.html

Wrinkle in the voting count for prop 37

Read below how California Secretary of State is being Questioned about 18,000 votes dropping off the charts.

Source: http://m.naturalnews.com/Video/video_detail_7235E96644083ED1A95689D8105F8FFB.html

"Right To Know" - Music Video - Yes On California Prop 37 - No GMO - EVe...

What is Soy Lecithin and Why is it in my Chocolate?

What is Soy Lecithin? Why is it in every piece of chocolate I want to eat?
I have been wondering this for a while and finally research on it.
Here is what I found.
In the early 1900′s, the yet to be named ‘soy lecithin’ was just a waste product produced during the “degumming” process of soybean oil. By 1908 the soy bean crushing and soy oil refining companies had expanded and they were having trouble disposing of the large amounts of foul smelling, fermenting waste product. Soy plants in Germany decided to name this waste product ‘soy lecithin’ and looked for ways to utilize it. By 1939 scientists had found more than 1,000 different ways to use soy lecithin.

When I read this my jaw about dropped. So gross.  It reminds me of hot dogs or scrapple all the gross scrapes left over just thrown in to products to make money and get rid of it. Now remember Corn, Soy, Cotton, and Sugar are four of the most GENETICALLY MODIFIED PLANTS!! That left over soy that is called soy lecithin is filled with GMOs and in your chocolate. Go organic and eat GMO FREE chocolate!  
Source: http://www.highonhealth.org/what-is-soy-lecithin-and-why-is-it-in-my-chocolate/

Dr.OZ turns on GMOs and not the good direction!

It really blows my mind how people believe this.
http://www.cornucopia.org/2012/11/organic-food-justice-for-the-99/

P.s. remember today starts our no fast food month :)

Companies that Paid to have Prop 37 Defeated.

I found this on Natural News tonight. It is pretty sad and a shell shocker. To view the whole article it will be posted at the bottom of this post.

The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) is calling on honest food advocates everywhere, not just in California, to boycott the following brands for betraying their customers by opposing GMO labeling. OCA Director Ronnie Cummins is urging the public not only to stop purchasing the following brands, but also to call their corporate hotlines and demand that they reverse their position and begin supporting GMO labeling initiatives nationwide, including upcoming GMO labeling ballot initiatives in Vermont, Washington state, Connecticut, and elsewhere.

1) Naked Juice, Tostitos Organic, Tropicana Organic. Each of these popular brands is owned by PepsiCo, which donated $2.5 million to the No on 37 campaign.

2) Boca Burger, Back to Nature. These two brands are owned by Kraft Foods, which donated $2 million to defeat Prop. 37.

3) "O" Organics. This organic brand is owned by the grocery store chain Safeway, which is a member of the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA). GMA spent $2 million to defeat GMO labeling in California.

4) Honest Tea, Odwalla. Both of these popular "natural" brands are owned by the Coca-Cola Company, which donated $1.7 million to the No on 37 campaign.

5) Muir Glen, Cascadian Farm, Larabar. All of these brands are owned by General Mills, which donated $1.2 million to defeat Prop. 37.

6) Orville Redenbacher's Organic, Hunt's Organic, Lightlife, Alexia. Each of these brands is owned by Con-Agra, which spent $1.2 million to defeat Prop. 37.

7) Kashi, Bear Naked, Morningstar Farms, Gardenburger. These popular "healthy" brands are all owned by Kellogg's, which spent $791,000 to kill Prop. 37.

8) R.W. Knudsen, Santa Cruz Organic. These two brands are owned by Smucker's, which spent $555,000 to defeat Prop. 37.

9) Ben & Jerry's. This ice cream favorite is now owned by Unilever, which spent $467,000 to defeat Prop. 37.

10) Horizon, Silk, White Wave. These three brands can be found in health food stores all across the country, but their parent company, Dean Foods, donated $254,000 to the No on 37 campaign.

When these companies start to feel the consequences of a nationwide boycott in the form of decreased profits, it just might cause them to think twice about deliberately blocking future efforts to bring truth and honesty to food labeling.

You can also make your voice heard more loudly by directly contacting each of these companies and expressing your thoughts using the following petition portal. It explains that, in order to regain your business, these anti-labeling conspirators must agree to publicly speak out in favor of all future GMO labeling efforts, as well as contribute more money to each of these campaigns individually than they spent fighting Prop. 37: http://www.capwiz.com

Source: http://www.naturalnews.com/038112_Prop_37_boycott_brands.html#ixzz2DachlT31

GMOs Explained

How did I discover GMOs?

Hello All!I wanted to take a minute and explain why we chose to go organic. It actually was not that long ago probably about a month ago and we are working through this change to see what we like and do not like. One day I was at work talking to our brew master, Matt. We started talking about eating healthy and how it affects your body when you do not. He also introduced me to Genetically Modified Organisms or better known as GMOs. It was like a whirl wind I was so confused what are these things, is this true? I came home and did some research about what GMOs were? Well to my discovery GMOs were about to turn my world upside down.

What Are GMOs?

So instead of explaining what a GMO is in my words I want you to see the true hard facts. This is a video by Jeffery Smith  who is The leading consumer advocate promoting healthier non-GMO choices, Jeffrey M. Smith, is the author of the world's bestselling and #1 rated book on the health dangers genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
When and if you have time watch this video. The most important information is in mostly the first fourteen minutes. But if you have time I encourage you to listen to the whole thing. I just turned it on while I was cooking since it was so long. Just an idea. I am not a big reader so I prefer videos.
 Here a link to Jeffery Smiths website to understand who he.

Some information from a study by Ohio State University.

A genetically modified organism (GMO) is an organism whose genetic structure has been altered by incorporating a gene that will express a desirable trait, often termed gene splicing. Most often the transferred gene allows the organism to express a trait that will add to its desirability to producers or consumers of the end product. For example, the first food produced from gene splicing and evaluated by the FDA was the Flavr Savr Tomato. Tomatoes generally get softer as they ripen because of a protein in the tomato that breaks down the cell walls of the tomato, which makes it difficult to transport a quality ripe tomato across the country. The Flavr SavrTomato had a gene spliced into its DNA to prevent the breakdown of the tomatoes’ cell walls. The result of the incorporation of the new gene is a firm ripe tomato for consumers on store shelves. Ohio State University Study

How do GMOS affect us?

This is my favorite video by far! Please watch...

IN WAY TO MANY WAYS! Here are some articles for you to glance over.  What GMOs do to your body

If you really have time this is the most amazing site I have found so far. Its hard actual facts no questions!! They are asking the big guys who are in charge and in control of these things at the FDA. Monsanto History

Now what do I do?:

And please understand I do not wish to make you believe in this. I just want you see what is going on and make your own decisions after seeing the facts.  And if you are overwhelmed after reading this trust me I understand. I about cried when I watched all these videos. I was a junk food kind of girl all carbs, sugars, salts, and fats(not the good ones). It takes time to convert your diet. I am very cheap so we ate  at least half the GMO filled food in our home. Yet when we went to the grocery store we made sure it was organic or non-GMO when we put it in the cart. This is difficult and a big change. But the best thing about eating differently you feel so much better, lose weight, and it actually tastes better than regular GMO food. It is so sweet and tasty and doesn't need extra toppings and unhealthy condiments. I literally use to eat ranch dressing on everything I mean EVERYTHING! Eggs, corn, pizza and not just the crust, steak, mash potatoes it's actually pretty gross looking back. Now I can literally eat these things and enjoy their tastes without the ranch and its nice. I save the calories and fat, plus do you know how many places don't have ranch or don't serve a good brand let me just tell you not many. So  trust me if I can do it I believe you can too. You can do anything you put your mind to, you are the only one standing in your way.

 If you are worried about money here are some options. Trader Joes is cheaper than giant just regular food! In the MD-DC-VA area a banana costs 69 cents and some times on sale for 50 cents an organic banana is 99 cents. At Trader Joes  it costs 19 cents for regular and 29 cents for organic!  So as you can see it is a big difference. Also I spend for the two of us about $100 a week give or take. What can I say we spoil ourselves:).  That is the average amount of money a family spends a week on grocery's and organic I know this is crazy to hear but organic is not that much more!! If you shop at the right places and read your labels and compare prices you will be fine. In the beginning of this adventure I was talking to a very wise woman ,my grandmother better know as MEME, complaining about how expensive this lifestyle was going to be. She said to me Tori you can either pay now or pay later. And that really hit me. I can pay an extra 15-20 a week or every two weeks now or later I can have cancer, reproductive problems, high blood pressure, heart disease, intestinal problems, diabetes, enormous amount of allergies. Is that worth it No way!! I believe anyone would pay any amount of money to not lose a loved one to a diseases or cancer or to just have a child of their own. Just a thought....   If you got through this hole post I commend you because it was so longgg!

Thanks for listening. Until next time

-Tori.

Sources:

http://www.nongmoproject.org/learn-more/

http://www.nerc.ac.uk/publications/other/documents/gmo.pdf

http://hort201.tamu.edu/YouthAdventureProgram/GeneticEngineering/GeneticEngineering.html

http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2012/10/how-gmos-ramped-us-pesticide-use\

http://tv.naturalnews.com/v.asp?v=D748613FA611D066CE1A4F1EFD8926F2

Shopping Organic & GMO Free

OH MY GOODNESS!
I just  found the most amazing site! This site has all Organic foods like flours, grains, and everything you need that you can not find in the stores. It is so amazing, I haven't even finished my order yet I was to excited I had to share with you! The prices really are not bad at all very comparable. It really drives me crazy to have to go to like 5 different websites just to get 5 different organic things. So here is the answer to all of our problems:) yay! I hope this helps every one!

www.shoporganic.com

PLUS: You can get 10% off your first purchase. Type in GRGDS at checkout.  I found this coupon off of Retailmenot.com

I will tell you what I ordered:

Product Item # Qty Price Bob's Red Mill - Baking Soda, 16oz 1010 1 $2.99 Bob's Red Mill - Organic White Unbleached Flour, 5 lbs 729 1 $6.49 Bob's Red Mill - Active Dry Yeast, 8 oz 3152 1 $4.79 Cadia - Veggie Chips, 6oz J0666 1 $2.89 Cole's - Portuguese Sardines in Olive Oil, 4.4 oz 3356 1 $4.69 Kettle Foods - Organic Country Style BBQ Potato Chips, 5oz 4728 1 $3.49 La Preferida - Organic Chickpeas, 15oz 4239 5 $10.95 Once Again - Organic Tahini, 16 oz 1429 1 $9.99 Organic Wild Rice Blend - Greater Goods Organic Wild Rice Blend, 1lb 3417 1 $5.79 Rapunzel - Organic Corn Starch, GMO Free, 8 oz 139 1 $4.15 San-J - Organic Shoyu, 20 oz 623 1 $5.49 Simply Organic - Cayenne Pepper, 2.89 oz 1315 1 $4.99 Wanjashan - Organic Worcestershire Sauce, 10oz 4248 1 $3.79 Subtotal: $70.49 UPS Ground Shipping Rate: $28.84 Total: $99.33

Complete Order Total

Subtotal: $70.49 Promo Discount: -$7.05 Shipping Total: $28.84 Tax Total: $0.00 Grand Total: $92.28

Okay now I need you to pick your jaw up off of your keyboard and let me make it seem a bit better. When I saw that price of this shipping my jaw dropped too! But I bought a lot of stuff that I can not get anywhere else. I bought products to make hummus, caesar dressing, green goddess dressing, and most importantly to make homemade bread!Yum:) I am so excited about making my own stuff. I just can not find it anywhere organic and enjoy it. Plus in the long run it will be sooooooo much cheaper, fresher, and fun to have homemade food:)!
All these things usually last people a long time. So it is just like getting started and it is expensive in the beginning to get everything organic. It is like when your a first time home buyers and have to buy everything to start.

Once I get my shipment and begin cooking I will post some recipes of what I am making with them :)

Now I want to get a little personal. Tonight I was at work and was told some devastating news. A regular, great man, loving husband, and an amazing friend named John died on Wednesday November 21,2012 from thyroid cancer. I was devastated, literally I feel like it is not happening. It seems like I will see him and his wife walk in to the restaurants like any other day to eat dinner. It is so sad and shocking. After I found out about it I was thinking how is this possible he was over half way done with his kemo and they said it was shrinking. This really make no since!  Then it just made me mad. It made me realize I have to eat GMO free and Organic foods it has been studied by many scientists that GMOs CAUSE CANCER! I should not do it because I have to but because I want to. I want to live a healthy happy life and I want Anthony and our future kids to as well. This is something I need to do to stay healthy and live a long life and I will not only do it for my family but for John because maybe if he knew about the affect of GMOs 40 years earlier he would still be alive:(.
Just wanted to share.

Tori<3

100 Non Processed Dinners!!

I was searching through Pinterest and found a great site. On this site they have 100 non processed dinners. I thought it would be fun to pick some recipes out of there.

CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPES

I am pretty excited because most of time I just can not think of things to make. Most of these recipes seem easy to make GMO free:) and not processed.

There is also a 10 day challenge to eat processed free dinners or 100 days if you are really keeling up to it.

After you take a look at the site let me know what you think? Any recipes scream out at you? Do you have any recipes to share that I could make and will post on my blog after making :)
Tori <3

Celebrities Speaking out about labeling GMOs

I got an email late last night from Just Label It. And I though I would share it...

Anthony,

Look who's joining you in speaking out for labeling of genetically engineered foods: a slew of artists, actors, chefs, and other well-known celebrities.

I'm talking about Michael J. Fox from Spin City and Family Ties, Julie Bowen from Modern Family, Tom Colicchio from Top Chef, Emily VanCamp from Revenge, and many more. That's right – some pretty famous folks are on our side and raising awareness about labeling. We thought you'd enjoy watching what they had to say in this fun video featuring new music from Ziggy Marley.

Please take a minute to watch this new video and share it with family and friends!

Here's the thing though: this video doesn't do us any good if only we watch it. You and I have already told the FDA to label genetically engineered foods, but now we need to raise the issue with the broader public. That's where you come in – I want you to take this video as an excuse to show your mom, your sister, your friends on Facebook, why labeling GMOs is so important. Only with more people on board will we be able to convince President Obama to prioritize this issue in his second term.

It was about a year ago today that we decided to push to get one million signatures to the FDA urging them to require labeling of GMOs. Look at what you've done since then: 1.2 million signatures! And now, a host of high profile, well-known individuals joining our cause. Make no mistake, none of this could have happened without your support, enthusiasm, and passion.

Together, we're realizing a vision for our country where every family and every child knows what they're eating.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

David Bancroft
Campaign Director
Just Label It

We're building a movement of concerned citizens – parents, health care workers, small business owners, farmers, and more – who care about what's in the food we eat.

In October 2011, the Just Label It campaign was formed when the Center for Food Safety filed a petition with the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to require the labeling of all foods produced using genetic engineering. Days later, we asked citizens from around the country to join us and tell the FDA to "Just Label It." More than 1.1 million Americans have contacted to the FDA urging them to label genetically engineered foods. Ask others to sign on at justlabelit.org

How YOU can help get labeling of GMOs

Watch this video its great. It explains how YOU can help get labeling on GMO foods. As most people believe that one persons change in food will not matter, but we are wrong! Jeffery Smith says that if  ONLY 5% of consumers in the U.S.changed there grocery list to NON-GMO foods it could change America.  Listen how:

What do you think of this video? Do you believe we could change America with only 5%?

Are you going to try to have a GMO free shopping list?

A GMO Free Shopping Guide

I found this list & I though this could help everyone a lot! It is from GMO free project of Tucson. I mentioned it in my last post (Trip to Trader Joe's in Alexandria). 

GMO Free Challenge

Welcome to the Eat GMO Free Challenge

The GMO Free Project of Tucson presents a tip a day on how to avoid GMOs during an entire month in the first-ever online Eat GMO Free Challenge. Start whenever you’d like, and follow the tips for 31 consecutive days to learn step-by-step how to say no to GMOs in real-life, day-to-day living.

Tip # 1

Freely eat all types of vegetables except for zucchini and yellow squash, a small amount of which is genetically modified. Seek out organic zucchini and yellow squash, or use Mexican grey squash in recipes that call for zucchini

EXTRA TIP ABOUT VEGETABLES: Most people think corn is a vegetable but isn’t really. It’s a grain. Genetically modified sweet corn started to appear in grocery stores in the autumn of 2011, so avoid sweet yellow corn unless it’s specifically labeled USDA organic or non-GMO.

Tip # 2

Enjoy all types of fruit except papaya grown in Hawaii. More than 50 percent of the papaya grown in Hawaii is genetically modified. Papaya grown in other areas, such as Mexico, is not.

BONUS TIP: By “going against the grain” and eating more fresh vegetables and fruits instead of processed foods with grains and oils in them – as our nutritionist Melissa Diane Smith wrote in her book Going Against the Grain – we automatically avoid most GMOs and eat a diet that is more health producing in numerous ways and that helps people lose weight when they need to.  Think of all the foods you can enjoy without worry: cucumbers, tomatoes, leafy greens, celery, avocadoes, cabbage, peppers, spinach, broccoli, asparagus, apples, pears, berries, and so many more!

Tip # 3

Learn the 3 “C”s and 2 “S”s as a way to imprint the 5 major genetically modified crops in our food supply in your mind. The 3 “C”s are: Corn, Canola, Cottonseed. The 2 “S”s are Soybeans, and Sugar from sugar beets. More detail about each of these foods will be covered in the next five tips.

BONUS TIP: Make  “label reading” a habit so you become aware of what’s in your food. If you have a spouse or young kids who go shopping with you, teach them to read ingredients so they become aware, too, and they can help you spot at-risk ingredients.

Tip # 4

To avoid GM corn, read food product labels and avoid those with obvious corn-based ingredients by looking for ingredients that contain the words “corn” or “maize” in them. Common examples include: corn oil, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, corn starch, corn meal, corn masa (as in tamales), and maize starch. Steer clear of sweet corn and all foods that contain corn-based ingredients (including corn tortillas, corn chips, and corn grits) unless they are labeled USDA Organic or Non-GMO Project Verified.

BONUS TIP: The great Tucson remedy to the GMO problem with yellow corn is you can find unique whole and ground GMO-free corn products (as well as other Southwestern foods, including grains, sweeteners, baking mixes, beans, and chiles) at a Tucson treasure of a resource: Native Seeds/Search retail store at 3061 N. Campbell Ave.

Tip # 5

To avoid GM canola, look for canola oil in lists of ingredients and avoid those that contain it unless it is labeled organic or Non-GMO Project Verified. Canola oil is found in a wide range of products, including pasta sauces, salad dressings, mayonnaise, snack foods, prepared foods, and frozen entrees.

Tip # 6

To avoid GM cottonseed, look for cottonseed oil in food product ingredients and avoid those that contain it. Cottonseed oil is sometimes in roasted nuts, snack foods, bread, and certain canned fish items.

Tip # 7

To avoid GM soy, look for food products that say: Contains Soy (it should be clearly listed because Soy is a common allergen); or for obvious ingredients that contain the words “soy” in the food product’s list of ingredients. Common examples of soy-based ingredients include: soy protein, soy flour, soy sauce, soybean oil, soy milk, and soy lecithin. Tofu, tempeh, and miso are other sources of soy. Steer clear of foods with all of these ingredients unless they are labeled USDA Organic or Non-GMO Project Verified.

Tip #8

To avoid sugar from GM sugar beets, read food product labels and don’t buy foods that contain “sugar” or “beet sugar” in lists of ingredients. When not specified as sugar from sugar cane, “Sugar” in a list of ingredients almost always means a combination of sugar from sugar cane (which isn’t genetically modified) and sugar from sugar beets (which is genetically modified).

BONUS TIP: When you first start to realize how many foods GMOs are hidden in, it can feel overwhelming and intimidating. It’s a difficult process to gradually reduce or remove GMOs in your diet because GMOs are in a lot of foods! Don’t get discouraged or beat yourself up or give up. If you feel overwhelmed, we in the GMO Free Project of Tucson understand. Every single one of us felt that way when each of us began going non-GMO. Just stay resolved to keep at it and do the best you can today and we promise that it will get easier. When changing any longstanding habits, the more you stick with it, the easier it becomes.

Tip # 9

Stay away from soft drinks – both regularly sweetened and artificially sweetened. Regular soft drinks are sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup or sugar, both of which are derived from common GM crops (corn and sugar beets). Other soft drinks and sweetened waters are sweetened with fructose, another product derived from corn. “Diet” or artificially sweetened soft drinks are sweetened with aspartame (also known as Equal, Nutrasweet, Spoonful, or AminoSweet), another genetically modified product.

Tip #10

Ditch plain sugar in baking, and use honey, agave nectar, maple syrup, stevia, unrefined cane sugar, coconut sugar or coconut nectar instead. These sweeteners don’t contain GMOs.

Tip # 11

Avoid processed foods and convenience foods as much as possible. Because almost all conventional corn and soy grown in this county are genetically modified and these crops are subsidized by our government, they are cheap and end up in about 70 percent of processed foods in different forms.

Tip # 12

Eat without worry all raw or dry-roasted nuts and seeds (without risky oils) and all legumes except for soybeans, and organic or non-GMO unrefined grains such as Lotus Foods heirloom rice, Lundberg Farms brown rice, and Eden Foods quinoa or wild rice.

Tip #13

Avoid eating bread, or try baking your own or buy organic bread.  Most breads available at grocery store chains contain multiple genetically modified ingredients including: high fructose corn syrup, sugar, soy flour, soy oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil, and other soy and corn derivatives. Gluten-free bread often contains cornstarch, dextrose, fructose, and/or xanthan gum (all from GM corn) and often a genetically modified oil, such as canola, corn, or soybean oil.

BONUS TIP: On your refrigerator, put up a Post-It note to keep reminding yourself why you’re participating in the Eat GMO Free Challenge. The note might say: I do not want to be an unwitting lab rat in the feeding experiment going on that I didn’t sign up for; or I am taking back my right for pure food – or anything that keeps you strong and motivated. Also keep reading information about GMOs and sign up for newsletters from organizations on our Resources page to stay educated. Keeping the information fresh in your mind about why it’s important to keep staying away from GMOs is a very important part of sticking with eating non-GMO.

Tip #14

Cook with extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil instead of conventional butter, canola oil, vegetable oil, corn oil, or soybean oil. The first can contain GMOs and the latter four almost always contain GMOs. If you want to cook with butter, buy organic butter, which is free of GMOs.

Tip # 15

If you eat milk products such as cheese or cream, look for organic or “rBGH- and rBST-free” milk products. rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone) is a genetically engineered, synthetic growth hormone that is not approved for use in most other countries besides the United States because of the health conditions it creates in dairy cows and the resulting pus, antibiotic and vaccine residues in milk.

Tip #16

Buy organic chocolate.  Most conventional chocolate bars contain high fructose corn syrup, “sugar” (does not specify whether it is cane sugar (not GMO) or beet sugar (GMO), milk (could be from cows that were injected with a genetically modified growth hormone), and soy lecithin.

Tip #17

Be careful about what you drink. Besides soft drinks that likely contain GMOs (tip #9), so too do any type of commercial sweetened beverage, including sweetened iced tea, and hot tea or coffee drinks such as lattes. To keep GMOs out of the beverages you drink, choose water, sparkling water (plain or with fruit essence), unsweetened iced tea, and coffee, tea or herbal tea (plain or sweetened at home with non-sugar sweeteners). To make a latte-type drink, use organic half-n-half or unsweetened canned coconut milk.

BONUS TIP: Buy organic items when possible. Certified Organic products cannot contain GMOs. Because they contain no GMOs or toxic chemicals, eating organic foods offers health protection in many ways. Fortunately, it’s easier than ever to buy organic items for often the same price or even lower than the price of conventional items. To get organic items affordably, watch the weekly grocery store ads carefully for organic items on sale, purchase local produce grown without pesticides at farmer’s markets around town, or grow some of your own organic vegetables. When you can’t buy organic, make sure to buy non-GMO conventional items.

Tip # 18

For parties or snacking, buy corn chips that have the USDA organic seal or the Non-GMO Project Verified seal on them. For extra insurance, choose those that are both organic and Non-GMO Project Verified. RW Garcia, the 365 brand, and Cadia are three companies to look for that make organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, corn chips. For even more insurance against GMOs, choose blue corn chips with those two seals on them: blue corn is not genetically modified but most yellow corn and some types of white corn are.

Tip # 19

To avoid corn-based chips altogether, purchase Non-GMO Project Verified bean-and-rice chips, such as those by Beanfields or Beanitos, rice chips or rice crackers such as those by Lundberg Farms, Edward & Sons, or Mary’s Gone Crackers, or flaxseed-based snack foods, such as Flax Snax by Go Raw or Flax Crackers by Foods Alive. These products often can be found or special-ordered in natural food stores, such as New Life Health Centers or Whole Foods Markets here in Tucson.

BONUS TIP: Shop at your local health food store, which will contain many GMO-free alternatives that you won’t find in regular grocery stores. Natural food stores in Tucson include New Life Health Centers, the Food Conspiracy Co-op, Aqua Vita, Whole Foods, and Sprouts.

Tip # 20

Take a zip-lock bag with your own organic chips to restaurants or events where you know that non-organic corn chips will be served. Keep in mind that 85 percent of corn is genetically modified, so it’s important to eat only organic or non-GMO Project Verified chips. If you’re going to a Mexican restaurant particularly, bring your own chips and tell the waiter why you’re doing so. If enough people speak up and say they’re eating non-GMO, restaurants will make the switch to non-GMO chips.

A WORD OF MOTIVATION: Congratulations! You’ve made it three-quarters of the way through the Eat GMO Free Challenge and have learned all the basics of how to eat GMO free. Way to go! Now keep going…

Tip # 21

If you fall off the non-GMO wagon and eat a food that you know or think contains GMOs, don’t be hard on yourself. Let it go, and get right back on the non-GMO bandwagon as quickly as you can. It’s not helpful to berate yourself for any “mistakes” you may have made with your diet. In learning to eat GMO free, we all have made mistakes, but those mistakes help us learn to be savvier consumers. Just get back onto the Eat GMO Free Challenge as quickly as possible and continue to be as GMO-free as possible. Doing so will help protect your health from unknown risks and will collectively help lead to the tipping point of consumer rejection against GMOs that we seek and create the healthier food system we all want and deserve.

Tip # 22

When you eat out, look for restaurants that cook exclusively with 100% pure olive oil (and that don’t use vegetable oil, canola oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, or soybean oil). That means mainly Greek, Italian, and Middle Eastern restaurants. Opa! restaurant at 2990 N. Campbell Ave. is one such restaurant that uses olive oil in the preparation of its salads, appetizers and entrees (and peanut oil in its fried items).

BONUS TIP: Inquire at restaurants, especially locally owned restaurants, about ingredients in the foods on their menu. Even if they do not post labels for organic or GMO-free products, asking about ingredients and telling them that you avoid GMOs, will raise awareness to staff and managers.  It is surprising how many restaurant chefs do not know about GMOs, but once they hear about them, they don’t like the idea – and chefs and owners of locally run restaurants often can make changes on their menu fairly quickly compared to those at chain restaurants.

Tip # 23

When eating at restaurants, order items that do not contain any “at-risk” ingredients such as corn or soy unless they are organic. Common corn-based items on restaurant menus are corn tortillas, tamales, enchiladas, and tacos, and soy-based items include tofu, tempeh, miso, and soy sauce.

Tip # 24

Choose salads as a relatively safe food choice to order in restaurants, as long as the salads don’t contain at-risk foods, such as corn, corn tortilla strips, and soy sauce or vegetable oils in the salad dressing. Specifically ask what type of oil is in the salad dressings, and if they say “vegetable oil” or one of the four oils derived from GM foods (see tips 4-7), ask them if they can bring you 100% pure olive oil (not an olive oil/vegetable oil blend) and lemon or red wine vinegar to use on your salad.

Tip # 25

Seek out restaurants with organic choices. Buying organic items is rule number one to safeguard against eating GMOs. Some examples of good restaurants to go to are The Tasteful Kitchen at 722 N. Stone Ave., Pasco Kitchen & Lounge at 820 E. University Blvd., Harvest restaurant at 10355 N. La Canada Drive, and Renee’s Organic Oven at 7065 E. Tanque Verde Rd. These restaurants use a lot of organic ingredients (plus for those who avoid gluten, these restaurants have a lot of gluten-free choices, too).

BONUS TIP: Pasco Kitchen & Lounge, The Tasteful Kitchen, and Harvest are restaurants that were pioneers in hosting the first three Non-GMO Pure Food Dinners that our group held in the summer and early autumn on 2012. We applaud them for leading the way in learning about how to avoid GMOs for our dinners, and we eat at these restaurants often because we appreciate the quality ingredients they are using (but we still ask questions to double-check ingredients!). We encourage you to frequent these restaurants, too, and tell them how important it is to you that they have GMO-free options. Also, watch this website for dates and locations of future Non-GMO Pure Food Dinners and make sure to make a special effort to come to these meals. Our Non-GMO Pure Food Dinnersbeing well attended sends the message loudly and clearly to restaurant managers and owners that there is a high demand for non-GMO “pure food” in restaurant meals. When enough of us show up and vote with our dollars, restaurants will offer more Non-GMO options and eventually completely GMO-free options on their menus.

Tip # 26

Purchase organic eggs, which means they are from chickens that are not fed corn or soy that has been genetically engineered.

Tip # 27

Switch to eating more and more organic and grass-fed meats and wild-caught fish and seafood. Conventionally raised animals are usually fed GMO Corn and GMO soy-based diets and farm-raised fish are often fed GMO feed, too. Organic and grass-fed meat and wild-caught fish are the way our sources of animal protein were until 60 to 70 years ago or so. Find local grass-fed meats at your local farmer’s market. You can also purchase organic grass-fed meat and wild-caught fish at good sale prices periodically at natural food stores.

Tip # 28

Enjoy a grass-fed burger out in a restaurant. Local restaurants that serve grass-fed hamburgers are Pasco and Wilko, which are both located on University Blvd., the Lodge on the Desert on Alvernon Way, Acacia on Skyline Drive, and Harvest on La Canada Drive.

Tip # 29

Read labels very carefully and check out the following link so that you can avoid “hidden” GMO ingredients:  Invisible GM Ingredients. Common hidden forms of GMOs that are surprising to many people include xanthan gum, vitamin C, vitamin E, maltodextrin, and soy lecithin.

BONUS TIP: Download the Non-GMO Shopping Guide App to your iPhone to help you do your shopping.

Tip # 30

Grow your own organic food, or buy organic food from a trusted source, and make more of your meals at home. This is the only way you can be completely sure that your meal is GMO Free.

Tip # 31

Keep reading information about GMOs to stay educated. Visit our Useful Links page for other good websites to go to for additional info and also our News page and our Facebook page (which you can read even if you aren’t a Facebook member). Regularly come to (and hopefully volunteer to work with us at) our educational events. Keeping the information fresh in your mind is a very important part of sticking with eating non-GMO, and being around fellow non-GMO eaters is even better.

Final Words About the Challenge

Congratulations on completing the Eat GMO Free Challenge! We bet you already feel better and we know you have protected your health from unknown risks of GMOs and have contributed to a collective movement to create positive change in our food system.

With fresher, less processed, real foods in your diet, you’re bound to be healthier in the long run. So, don’t stop. Keep it up…

We’d love to hear about your experiences during the challenge and hope you’ll join us at the GMO Free Project of Tucson — email us at info@gmofreeprojectoftucson.org to join our group – to keep spreading the word so we can create a healthier community. If you can’t give your time to help out, please consider giving a financial donation to help support our work.

https://www.justgive.org/nonprofits/donate.jsp?ein=86-0641419&designation=GMO+Free+Project+of+Tucson

Source: http://www.gmofreetucson.org/gmo-free-challenge/