Genetic Engineered Food — The Threat to the Athlete

Many European Beers are non-GMO

After a long back packing trip or a big race athletes often like to celebrate by having a beer.  After you read this blog you will likely want to find out if your beer is being made with genetically engineered bacteria and enzymes.

It is possible for an elite athlete to have his own body become a pesticide manufacturing plant and at the same time to develop resistance to commonly prescribed antibiotics like ampicillin by eating genetic engineered food. And these are only 2 of 21 documented risks to the athlete’s health in the International Bestseller Seeds of Deception by Jeffrey M. Smith.

The book is a thriller of intrigue that competes with the best spy espionage novel, but the sickening thing is the book is nonfiction. The story format is riveting, shocking, and disturbing right down to the death threats on researcher’s lives. The book will have you on the edge of your nerves.

Fortunately the book tells how to avoid genetic engineered food and save the health of the athlete and his family.

BEER BREWING ENZYMES THAT ARE GENETIC ENGINEERED

ENZYME NAME                   GM ORGANISM      USE (EXAMPLES)

• beta-glucanase                       bacteria                  improves beer filtration
• alpha-acetolactate                  bacteria                  removes bitter substances from beer

Many European beers are not genetic engineered.

The United States has chosen to suppress information to the public about which foods in our grocery stores are genetic engineered. So it is important that we learn how to avoid these foods on our own.

In the US genetic engineered foods are labeled until just before they reach the consumer, then the digits indicating if the food is genetic engineered are hidden (selectively not printed) on the labels presented to the public in grocery stores. Because the first number on the label that indicates if it is Genetic engineered food is not printed, the only way genetic engineered food can be avoided is to purchase organic foods.  In the US the government allows only the “9” prefix which indicates the food is organic to be printed on organic food labels.

This begs questions: Which foods are commonly genetic genetically engineered? And how can I avoid them besides purchasing organic? Why has the US chosen to suppress information that is readily available?

Some plants that are genetic engineered produce their own pesticides so they do not have to be sprayed with insecticides by farmers. However this means every cell in the vegetable or fruit contains pesticide and it cannot be washed off because it is inside every cell of the plant.

Honey often contains Genetic modified components.

When Bees gather pollen from GMO plants the honey they produce is considered genetic modified food.  Purchasing organic honey is suggested.

Many nations have banned GE and GM (genetic engineered or genetic modified) foods, others countries require that it at least be labeled. Are we in danger when we eat GE or GM / GMO foods?

There are other concerns including the fact that the plants tend to continue to mutate for up to 100 growing seasons (generations) after they are genetically engineered and therefore produce “surprises” in future seasons. These “surprises” can be quite unpleasant and have been the source of numerous food recalls after the US public has already consumed some of the food. The foods pictured below are commonly genetic engineered or contain genetically engineered enzymes. You may purchase organic or some European products for example select European cheeses and chocolate.  Yes, unfortunately many chocolates are genetic engineered — even maybe the ones used in popular sports nutrition bars.

Margarine

Examples of common GMO foods include margarine, chocolates, cheeses, and zucchini.

Cows, of course, are not told if their food is genetic engineered either. Nevertheless, they do seem to be able to tell GMO plant products from natural ones, as this anecdote from Seeds of Deception, page 76, indicates.

WISDOM OF THE COWS In 1998 Howard Vlieger harvested both natural corn and a genetically modified Bt variety on his farm in Maurice, Iowa. Curious about how his cows would react to the pesticide-producing Bt corn, he filled one side of his sixteen-foot trough with the Bt and dumped natural corn on the other side. Normally, his cows would eat as much corn as was available, never leaving leftovers. But when he let twenty-five of them into the pen, they all congregated on the side of the trough with the natural corn. When it was gone, they nibbled a bit on the Bt, but quickly changed their minds and walked away. A couple of years later, Vlieger joined a room full of farmers in Ames, Iowa to hear presidential candidate Al Gore. Troubled by Gore’s unquestioning acceptance of GM foods, Vlieger asked Gore to support a recently introduced bill in congress requiring that GM foods be labeled. Gore replied that scientists said there is no difference between GM and non-GM foods. Vlieger said he respectfully disagreed and described how his cows refused to eat the GM corn. He added, “My cows are smarter than those scien­tists were.” The room erupted in applause. Gore asked if any other farmers noticed a difference in the way their animals responded to GM food. About twelve to fifteen hands went up.)“If a field contained GM and non-GM maize, cattle would always eat the non-GM first.” —Gale Lush, Nebraska”A neighbor had been growing Pioneer Bt corn. When the cattle were turned out onto the stalks they just wouldn’t eat them.” —Gary Smith, Montana“While my cows show a preference for open-pollinated corn over the hybrid varieties, they both beat Bt-corn hands down.” —Tim Eisenbeis, South Dakota According to a 1999 Acres USA article, cattle even broke through a fence and walked through a field of Roundup Ready corn to get to a non-GM variety that they ate. The cows left the GM corn untouched.

The amazing thing about genetic engineered (GE) food is that because the idea of how to make it sounded somewhat safe to some people (not all scientists agreed) the food was never tested. It was “assumed” that the result would be safe food. The shock came when the food was tested and found to be quite dangerous.

GMO (Genetic Modified Organism) Papaya

Here is why the scientists were so shocked at the results.  First the scientists harvest genes from a plant that naturally produces pesticides and that is not food for humans, but a plant that was believed to be a plant that did not harm humans. Next the scientists inserted the genes from the pesticide producing plant into a plant that is safe to eat (for example a potato or corn). Here is a schematic of what we are talking about.

We will call this the PESTICIDE producing plant.

Take the genes from this nonfood PESTICIDE plant “safe for human consumption” and INSERT GENES FROM IT INTO a plant that is FOOD like a potato, tomato, corn, or soybean

This results in a SCIENTIFIC SURPRISE and TOTALLY UNEXPECTED RESULT

Food that is TOXIC and unsafe for humans to eat.

Potatoes and tomatoes and other foods had to be taken off the market after being sold and eaten by the public for 3 years and longer.

Corn, wheat, zucchini, yellow squash, and many others remain on the market, but not fully tested.

85% of US corn is genetic engineered (GMO) and 95% of US soy and soy oil is genetic engineered.

Genetic Engineering — A Shot in the Dark

For the rest of the story and how to protect yourself by selecting certain organic foods you may refer to our future blogs or to our complete electronic book.

WHAT ELITE ATHLETES EAT Volume II Chapter 10

“Genetic Engineering the Threat to the Athlete”.