Organic Versus Traditionally Grown Foods
June 26, 2009 – 3:08 pm by MarinaHanes
Some common genetically engineered (GE) foods include soybean, corn, flax, alfalfa, sugar beet, rapeseed (a.k.a. canola) and sugar beet. If you purchase these foods from the grocery store without checking the label or knowing how the vegetable has been grown, it’s most likely not organic. However, by growing your vegetables and beans in your backyard, you have more control over what your food is exposed to. Plus, if you’re concerned about the potential health hazards of GE foods, growing organically is the best option.
What Are GE Foods?
GE foods are created with certain characteristics in mind, so they are not derived from organic seeds. The crops are designed to tolerate severe weather such as droughts as well as insects and viruses. Although these traits are ideal for farmers since they have to produce such a large quantity of crops to meet the public’s demand, the GE crops become super organisms. The full circle consequences of this technology are yet to be determined but some are known.
One drawback is that the genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can contaminate natural organisms, which will have a negative effect on the planet’s biodiversity. The desirable traits can spread and cause “genetic pollution.” Secondly, GMOs are treated with insecticides and pesticides to control aphids (small insects that feed on the crops). These chemicals can potentially penetrate through to the crop’s flesh, which we eat.
Protect Your Health
There is not any evidence whether GE foods can cause allergic reactions, but they are still for sale in grocery stores. Interestingly, in 2000 StarLink corn may have been a cause of allergies because it contained cry9C protein. This protein was used to protect the crop from black cutworms and other corn borers. Although the treated corn was meant for nonfood products and animal feed in 1998, traces of the protein were found in taco shells and other products. Asthma suffers assumed that their attacks were a result of consuming this contaminated corn. The Center for Disease Control tested the corn, but the study’s results were inconclusive.
Because there are too many unanswered questions, regarding both environmental and health concerns, it’s risky to grow and consume GE foods. Even though studies have not determined whether organic foods are better than traditionally grown crops, there is some comfort in growing natural crops without chemicals in your backyard.
Tags: organic farming, organic vegetables, organically grown, traditionally grown foods