I thought I would share a few highlight points from my class last night. We looked at the three types of food we often see at your local stores – Local, Non-GMO, and Organic.
Local depends on who is defining it. One large grocery chain defines it as 1,500 miles! At Whitaker’s, we define it as anything within the state of Ohio…the closer the better. Local also only references the area it is grown, produced, or manufactured. Local does not equal non-GMO or Organic. In fact, Amish farmers in general have some of the highest pesticide usage!
Non-GMO means that there are no genetically modified organisms in the item. GMOs are the result of a laboratory process where genes from the DNA of one species are extracted and artificially forced into the genes of an unrelated plant or animal. They are known to cause gut inflammation, toxicity, cancer, ADHD, and much more! So eliminating them is definitely a step in the right direction; however, non-GMO foods can still be sprayed or fertilized chemically.
Organic is no GMOs, no usage of synthetic chemical inputs (e.g. fertilizer, pesticides, antibiotics, food additives), no irradiation, and no usage of sewage sludge. The usage of pesticides is known to cause inflammation, fertility issues, cancer, leukemia, thyroid issues, ADHD, birth defects, miscarriages, possibly Parkinson’s, and much more! So going 100% Organic in your diet eliminates many of the dangers from our food chain, reduces inflammation, and protects your body from ongoing damage.
Be sure to check out our ever expanding Organic selection on your next visit to Whitaker’s – everything from your baking supplies, eggs, meat, and general grocery items.
Tune in next week as I share the history of the development of GMOs…and why going non-GMO is so important to preserving our farm land!
