The Serious and Growing Concern in Our Food

Are you worried about laboratory-created genetically modified organisms (GMOs) 
in food? There are plenty of reasons to be.

But if you’re troubled about GMOs alone, it’s important to know that’s only part of the story. The more serious concern that goes hand-in-hand with GM crops is an ever-increasing use of herbicide, most notably glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto’s flagship weed killer Roundup. Independent research is finding troubling links between glyphosate and a growing number of diseases, including cancer.

Herbicide Use on GM Crops

“Roundup Ready” genetically engineered glyphosate-tolerant crops were introduced in the United States in 1996. They’re designed to survive being sprayed with Roundup while the non-GM weeds and other plants around the crops die. Nature, however, has adapted: The spraying of crops with herbicide has led to the development and spread of so-called “superweeds”—weeds that withstand the herbicide, resulting in even more spraying.

Though the chemical companies that produce GMOs said GM crops would lead to less pesticide use, research shows there has been a dramatic increase in herbicides: 527 million more pounds of herbicides were used on GM herbicide-tolerant corn, cotton, and soy between 1996 and 2011, the first 16 years of genetically modified crops being grown, according to a 2012 report published in Environmental Sciences Europe.

Globally, glyphosate use has risen almost 15-fold since “Roundup Ready” glyphosate-tolerant GM crops were introduced. Two-thirds of the total volume of glyphosate applied in the U.S. from 1974 to 2014 has been sprayed in just the last 10 years.

Glyphosate herbicide isn’t just sprayed on crops—it is absorbed by plants and becomes systemic; glyphosate residues in food cannot be removed by washing or cooking. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) do not test for glyphosate residues in food. But independent, FDA-registered laboratory food testing has found extremely high levels of glyphosate in some of America’s most iconic food products.

Why Be Concerned?

In 2015, leading cancer experts from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the research arm of the World Health Organization, assessed evidence from human, animal, and cell studies and declared glyphosate a “probable human carcinogen.”

The ruling by the 17-member international panel of scientists was unanimous. Based on the IARC’s declaration, in the summer of 2017, the state of California officially added glyphosate to the list of substances known to cause cancer.  After the IARC classification, more than 1,000 people have filed lawsuits who allege they, or a family member, have non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma because of exposure to glyphosate-based Roundup.

In a 2014 study, scientists found that “chronically ill humans had significantly higher glyphosate residues in urine than healthy humans.”  Researchers believe glyphosate may damage health in a number of ways. First, it may act as a hormone, or endocrine, disruptor,  a chemical that interferes with the normal functioning of the endocrine system. The endocrine system produces our bodies’ hormones and plays a central role in metabolism, growth and development, reproduction, sleep, mood, and behavior. Epidemiological studies have linked endocrine disruptors to reproductive changes, neuro-behavioral and neuro-developmental changes, metabolic syndrome, bone disorders, immune disorders, and cancers in humans. Animal studies have also linked them to infertility, asthma, learning and behavioral problems, early puberty, obesity, and Parkinson’s disease.

Animal research links exposure to glyphosate with a host of health issues, including tumors, reproductive problems, birth defects, and kidney and liver damage. In a 2016 study, researchers concluded that even in “extremely low doses,” rats exposed to Roundup developed non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD, over a two-year period.  The dose of glyphosate from the Roundup administered was thousands of times below what is permitted by regulators worldwide.

Non-GMO cs. Organic Products: Do You Know the Difference?

Products that carry the Non-GMO Project Verified label are independently verified to be in compliance with North America’s only third-party standard for GMO avoidance, including testing of at-risk ingredients. Even though they’re non-GMO, they still could be sprayed with synthetic chemical pesticides, such as glyphosate.

Products that have the USDA Organic seal cannot, by law, contain any GMO ingredients. They must also be produced without irradiation, sewage sludge, antibiotics, and growth hormones, and without synthetic chemical fertilizers and pesticides, including glyphosate.

For the best protection against GMOs, choose products with both the USDA Organic label and the Non-GMO Project Verified label—or just avoid foods made with, or derived from, common GMO ingredients, such as corn, canola, cottonseed, alfalfa, soy, and sugar from sugar beets. Opt instead for foods that have not yet been genetically modified, such as nuts, most vegetables, and most fruits. (Take note: corn, potatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, apples, and papaya are produce items that could be GMO if they are not labeled organic.)

For the most protection against both pesticides and GMOs, choose organic products. A 2014 study found that just one week on a diet composed mostly (but not entirely) of organic foods reduced urinary metabolites of pesticides in adults by 96 percent.

Melissa Diane Smith is a sought-after non-GMO speaker, holistic nutritionist, leading health journalist, and the author of Going Against GMOs and Going Against the Grain. To learn more, or follow her free Eat GMO-Free Challenge, visit melissadianesmith.com.

How to Steer Clear of Glyphosate

In 2016, Food Democracy Now! and The Detox Project commissioned tests that found high levels of glyphosate in many popular American foods, including some products that are organic or non-GMO.  Given the widespread use of glyphosate in modern food production, you’re wondering how to avoid glyphosate-sprayed food when you shop. Here's a rundown on what you need to know:

The Non-GMO Project Verified label verifies that a product doesn’t contain GMOs
helpful information to know. But it, unfortunately, won’t tell you if the product you are buying is free of glyphosate. The herbicide can be, and often is, sprayed on non-GMO crops such as wheat, barley, oats, and beans.

The best way to currently steer clear of glyphosate-sprayed food is to seek out products that have the USDA Organic label.
In order to receive organic certification, food producers cannot knowingly spray food with synthetic chemical pesticides such as glyphosate. Unfortunately, glyphosate use is so rampant in our environment today that it may be contaminating food that isn’t directly sprayed with the herbicide, including some organic food. Natural Grocers is among the few retailers to be a USDA certified organic handler and only sells 100% USDA organic produce, which means there is no chance of contamination with conventional produce sprayed with synthetic chemical pesticides, including glyphosate.