What is Non-GMO and Why you don't have to worry about it

The rules of healthy eating are changing.  What it means to be organic and non-GMO today, is quite different then when many of us were small children and certainly different than when our grandparents were young.  Many things have changed over the past 30 years when it comes to food production, including the introduction of genetically modified organisms into our food supply.  Genetically modified organisms are new organisms created in a laboratory using genetic modification/engineering techniques.  Our exposure to GMO’s began in the mid 1990’s when “Round Up Ready” crops such as corn and soy were introduced to our food supply in an effort to increase farming yields and feed more people.  While pesticides and herbicides were used on crops prior to the introduction of GMO crops, they were done so at lower rates, to some degree limiting the residue on and in the foods we consumed.  After the introduction of GMO crops, the number of uses for the popular herbicide Roundup (containing toxic glyphosate) and the amount used increased exponentially.  Today more than 95% of the dairy and animal products consumed are fed GMO feed and the use of glyphosate increased from 11 million pounds in 1987 to over 300 million pounds used today.  Glyphosate residue is found in most produce (even organic) and is concentrated into many of the popular products on conventional grocery shelves containing corn, soy and sugar from sugar beets.  Recently, glyphosate has been tied to lymphoma and is likely the cause of many common health issues from leaky gut to auto immune issues. 

But there is hope.  Nuts ‘n Berries partners with The Non-GMO Project and supports your shopping experience by a dedication to not selling ANY product in our store that contains GMO’s.  This in turn limits your exposure to glyphosate and any other issues that consuming genetically modified organisms my cause.  We spend countless hours sourcing, asking questions and doing research to bring you the safest, clean, nutrient dense food possible.  But it’s time to go beyond just accepting the butterfly label (Non-GMO Project Verified) and the USDA Certified Organic symbol.  It’s time to understand why.  Our world has changed and there is a new generation of bio-engineered projects hitting grocery store shelves.  This new industry is often referred to as syn-bio uses new types of bio-engineering to create brand new organisms that are then used to create new plant based products.  While this may or may not be a good thing, the unfortunate matter is that for the past 7-8 years these products have been on the shelves and not labeled.  With over 70 percent of the processed food on the grocery shelves containing at least one first generation genetically modified ingredient, this new technology raises some important questions.  What are we really eating and how can we, as consumers trust that what’s on the label is true.  For this reason, we ask you to partner with us at Nuts ‘n Berries.  Our goal for you is to learn how to identify those products and make an informed decision of whether they are right for the health of you and your family.

Over the next year, we are going to be slowly introducing you to this new world of synthetic biology and giving you the option to avoid all GMO's while you are making a decision as to whether these products work for you and your family.  We are not here to judge or to condemn technology.  We simply want to help you to stay educated in a very noisy  and often polarizing space.  And most importantly, we want to take away the fear that many of the parties on both sides of the GMO debate want you to fell so you make a decision based on emotion.  When it comes to GMO’s, let Nuts ‘n Berries be your guide.  And trust that you can shop with us every day knowing that none of the products we sell contain genetically modified ingredients.