It can be overwhelming and a bit scary to consider, but it IS very important that we all become informed about genetically modified (GMO) foods. Here’s an informative (yet easy to understand) overview to get you started, but I highly recommend that you seek out additional info, as well, so you can make truly informed decisions.

If you choose, you can avoid GMOs, but you must make a conscious effort and also avoid most processed products (because they are full of the most frequently genetically altered ingredients: corn, soy, sugar from beets, canola and cottonseed oil).

I encourage you to take 25 minutes of your time to check out the videos below and learn about the health implications of these foods (e.g., allergies, mineral deficiencies, immune disease, inflammation, digestive distress, and reproductive problems/birth defects/death in animals), as well as the environmental impacts!

These organisms are banned in many other countries, but in the U.S. companies are not even required to label which of their foods are modified! Even worse, the same companies whose products are full of GMOs in the U.S., produce non-GMO versions overseas! We cannot wait around for policy changes; GMOs are not going to be banned from the top down – – we must ensure their removal through consumer demand! The power is ours, so please spread the word! One way to avoid GMOs is to buy foods that are certified organic. You can also check out this FREE downloadable shopping guide to learn which brands are non-GMO!

This is not an attack on peanuts, specifically, because the same marketing trickery is used on all sorts of foods. Peanuts just make a great example…

Quick, what ingredients would you expect to find listed on the back of this jar?
Hmm….did I hear, “peanuts”? Yep! Oh, and “sea salt”? You got it! What else? What do ya mean “that’s it”??? Think again!!
Oh, how lovely…among other unrecognizable things, there’s the word “monosodium glutamate” right before our very eyes! (The abbreviation for that is MSG by the way!) So just as they wanted, you choose their beautiful peanuts because you think you’re making the healthy choice by getting “sea salt.” And how sweet of them to print that right there on the front of the jar for your convenience. Too bad it’s marketing trickery! Ugh! Believe me, folks, I wish this sort of thing were only done with peanuts, but it’s everywhere!!! So you MUST always check the BACK of the package and look at the full ingredients list if you want to know what you’re really eating!

Has anyone seen the latest PediaSure commercial?? You know, the one with the kids playing soccer??? Well, here it is if you haven’t seen it:

Perhaps you’re left wondering what is in PediaSure that makes it so “nutritious”???
Ya, me too!!

Following is the list of ingredients from the PediaSure website for the “Vanilla SideKick.”
Is this really any way to fuel your child’s body??

WATER, SUGAR (SUCROSE), MILK PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, SOY OIL, SHORT-CHAIN FRUCTOOLIGOSACCHARIDES, SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE; LESS THAN 0.5% OF: CELLULOSE GEL, WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, POTASSIUM CITRATE, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, MAGNESIUM PHOSPHATE, CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, SALT (SODIUM CHLORIDE), POTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, CELLULOSE GUM, CALCIUM CARBONATE, CHOLINE CHLORIDE, ASCORBIC ACID, CARRAGEENAN, SOY LECITHIN, MONOGLYCERIDES, m-INOSITOL, POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE, TAURINE, FERROUS SULFATE, dl-ALPHA-TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, L-CARNITINE, ZINC SULFATE, CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, NIACINAMIDE, MANGANESE SULFATE, THIAMIN CHLORIDE HYDROCHLORIDE, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE, RIBOFLAVIN, CUPRIC SULFATE, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, FOLIC ACID, CHROMIUM CHLORIDE, BIOTIN, POTASSIUM IODIDE, SODIUM SELENATE, SODIUM MOLYBDATE, PHYLLOQUINONE, VITAMIN D3, AND CYANOCOBALAMIN.