In the last few days I have read two articles with snide comments about labeling. One was an article slamming a popcorn company for their non-GMO label, the other criticized companies for putting gluten-free labels on foods that never had gluten in them.
The assumption from both of these writers is that the companies are doing something wrong, that by labeling their products with these “trendy” labels, they are somehow duping their customers.
Let’s look at this from the consumer’s perspective.
GMO-Free Label
Consumer A has learned enough about GMOs to know she doesn’t want to eat them or feed them to her family. While the battle rages on in the media with biotech claiming their genetically modified foods are safe, she has learned that study after study has indicated the long-term, third generational effects of genetically modified foods raise serious concerns – among them, disruption of reproduction.
Biotech firms are so powerful they have blocked every attempt to label GM foods. The only way to avoid GMOs in processed foods is to know that every single ingredient in a food is not GMO. Any non-organic food is likely to have GM ingredients, especially if it contains corn syrup. Since an organic or certified organic label means that 95%-99% of the ingredients are organic, there is still a risk of GM ingredients though admittedly small. Only a 100% organic label protects you from GMOs. So, with no mandatory labels stating that GMOs are included, what is wrong with stating a product is GMO-free?
In the case of popcorn, we are told that 90% of the corn grown in the United States is GMO. This is common knowledge. At this time, popcorn is not a genetically modified food, but this fact is not common knowledge. And with the way things are going, popcorn could easily become genetically modified in the future. So let’s applaud a popcorn company that tells its consumers that its products are not genetically modified, even if all popcorn is still non-GMO.
Gluten Free Label
Consumer B cannot eat foods with gluten. Every time he does, he experiences joint pain, muscle pain, painful weeping rashes, and gastrointestinal problems. He has learned through experience that gluten is hidden in many processed foods. He would have to memorize a long list of ingredients to always avoid it. He truly appreciates finding foods with a gluten-free label and the stores that post a gluten free sign on the shelf. Whether a food has ever been gluten free or not does not concern him. He does not feel it is a manipulation to have a gluten free label on a food, he feels it is a welcome consideration.
Are these companies jumping on the bandwagon with these labels? Yes, of course, they are. But what’s wrong with that?
If every non-GMO food producer put a non-GMO label on their packages, we would quickly defeat the biotech industry’s attempt to keep us in the dark about what we are eating.
Other Labels
A few products found in the health food aisles or health food stores use every label that applies to their product and it makes shopping so much easier for those with food restrictions. What about the person who has a life-threatening reaction to nuts? Or the child who gets a nosebleed whenever a trace of a dairy product is eaten? Wouldn’t it be nice to see all of these labels used whenever they apply?
- 100% organic
- Gluten free
- Dairy free
- Nut-free
- Vegan
And for meat and dairy:
- Organic
- Grass-fed
- Antibiotic-free
- Free-range
Conclusion
In the meantime, it is good to remember that processed foods should be limited if not excluded from a healthy diet. A truly healthy diet consists of 80% or more fresh, raw, organic produce – more vegetables than fruits. Check out the 80% Raw Food Diet for more information.
If you suffer from any chronic illness, learn more about gluten and why it may be in your best interest to exclude it from your diet. Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases will address the basic issues and how to heal your gut.
We should commend any food company that provides additional labels to make our purchasing choices easier. And we should encourage all companies who sell GMO-free foods to advertise that choice with a GMO-free label.
Further Reading:
- Understanding And Detoxifying Genetically Modified Foods
- The Dark Act – Deny Americans The Right To Know – GMO Labeling
- How Gluten Can Affect Your Brain, Gut, and Skin
- No More Gluten – How I Found Health After Ms
- The Reasons Gluten Intolerance and Celiac Disease Are on the Rise
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