Consumers today face a new challenge. Not only do they need to know which foods and health aids make up a healthy diet, they need to know how to get non GMO vitamins and supplements. Mainstream American farmers and food producers have enthusiastically embraced genetic modification. It's harder than ever to get truly natural, untainted foods and nutritional products. The only way to do it is to grow your own or find producers whose integrity you can rely on.
So far, the 'organic' certification should mean that no genetically modified ingredients are in a product. However, this could change if forces that want to weaken the standards succeed in getting the FDA to change the rules. Those who care should make their views known to the government and should ask questions of supplement providers to be sure of their standards.
It's never wise to depend on information that's really cleverly-disguised advertising. This is why the organic certification is important. It's a third-party seal to assure consumers of a product's quality. An all-natural claim is not the same. There is a push going on to include genetically engineered ingredients in 'natural' products; it has not succeeded as yet but probably will not go away any time soon.
Know your manufacturers. All reputable companies will post purity information on websites and display it on their labels. Never rely on advertisements, no matter how impartial or informational they seem. Few supplements are truly natural, anyway. Vitamins do not usually occur in nature in the concentration we have come to expect from our supplements. An orange contains 60 milligrams of Vitamin C; we want 500 to 1,000 milligrams in a single pill.
Even with certifying associations, it's still buyer beware. Many original pioneering companies in the industry have been sold. This fact may not be well-publicized, since the cachet of the brand is important to the new owners. However, the philosophy of the present ownership might not be the same. If a brand has been acquired by a major conglomerate, you need to be aware of the fact.
Many products will have a non-GMO seal on the package. This means that no active ingredient, filler, flavoring, coloring, or capsule should be made of genetically engineered matter. Purists in the health food community hope that growing customer awareness will force even mainstream producers to avoid using modified substances.
Confusion arises because industry-backed research says including genetically modified ingredients in a supplement does not pose a threat. Other studies, however, do raise concerns, especially for infants and young children still developing and for those already weakened by age, illness, or chronic disease. Those who like their food and supplements as clean and unprocessed as possible are used to erring on the side of caution when it comes to products on the market.
There is a long history of safety claims made for innovative products, especially when the innovation is done for convenience of growers and manufacturers rather than to enhance the benefits. Often early concerns prove to be more accurate than the assurances of safety. At this time, many consumers choose to live without GMOs.
So far, the 'organic' certification should mean that no genetically modified ingredients are in a product. However, this could change if forces that want to weaken the standards succeed in getting the FDA to change the rules. Those who care should make their views known to the government and should ask questions of supplement providers to be sure of their standards.
It's never wise to depend on information that's really cleverly-disguised advertising. This is why the organic certification is important. It's a third-party seal to assure consumers of a product's quality. An all-natural claim is not the same. There is a push going on to include genetically engineered ingredients in 'natural' products; it has not succeeded as yet but probably will not go away any time soon.
Know your manufacturers. All reputable companies will post purity information on websites and display it on their labels. Never rely on advertisements, no matter how impartial or informational they seem. Few supplements are truly natural, anyway. Vitamins do not usually occur in nature in the concentration we have come to expect from our supplements. An orange contains 60 milligrams of Vitamin C; we want 500 to 1,000 milligrams in a single pill.
Even with certifying associations, it's still buyer beware. Many original pioneering companies in the industry have been sold. This fact may not be well-publicized, since the cachet of the brand is important to the new owners. However, the philosophy of the present ownership might not be the same. If a brand has been acquired by a major conglomerate, you need to be aware of the fact.
Many products will have a non-GMO seal on the package. This means that no active ingredient, filler, flavoring, coloring, or capsule should be made of genetically engineered matter. Purists in the health food community hope that growing customer awareness will force even mainstream producers to avoid using modified substances.
Confusion arises because industry-backed research says including genetically modified ingredients in a supplement does not pose a threat. Other studies, however, do raise concerns, especially for infants and young children still developing and for those already weakened by age, illness, or chronic disease. Those who like their food and supplements as clean and unprocessed as possible are used to erring on the side of caution when it comes to products on the market.
There is a long history of safety claims made for innovative products, especially when the innovation is done for convenience of growers and manufacturers rather than to enhance the benefits. Often early concerns prove to be more accurate than the assurances of safety. At this time, many consumers choose to live without GMOs.
No comments:
Post a Comment