Food for Thought—Non-GMO Foods Included

October 16^th was World Food Day—close on the heels of Canadian Thanksgiving Day, which we celebrated on October 13^th.

Fresh produce

It was a good time for the explorer in me to make a foray on Substack. So, follow me there and please subscribe to my newsletter, Fernz Holistic Choices, to get my posts and notes.

As someone who I’ve always known to be curious and observant, I have an obsession about the source of food, how it is grown, how it is processed (if at all), and what’s in it (yes, nutrients, beneficial phytonutrients and organic molecules), as well as what’s not in it (pesticides, genetically modified organisms, other toxins). That’s a lot to be obsessed with on a daily basis. But that’s what I do, so I can distill it down for you.  

Genetic modification occurs when plants or animals are changed at the subcellular level by inserting DNA into them from various foreign organisms, such as viruses and bacteria. 

As quoted in this article published in Jan 2022 in Environmental Sciences Europe, “Serious adverse events of GM (genetically modified food) consumption include mortality, tumor or cancer, significantly low fertility, decreased learning and reaction abilities, and some organ abnormalities.” 

Even if further human clinical studies are warranted, as they suggest, I would add that doing such clinical trials on humans would be a travesty. We know some of the most serious side effects, such as death and cancer, from observation. So why subject humans knowingly to these outcomes? 

They conclude with this statement, “It suggests the necessity of labelling GM food so that consumers can make their own choice.” That is the better choice: If you know there is a likelihood that eating something can kill you, would you still eat it? 

No to GMOs

On that note, here in Canada, genetically modified foods (GMOs) are not required to be labeled, and companies are not voluntarily disclosing if their food is genetically engineered or has genetically modified ingredients. 

But you can do your part to call for mandatory labelling of all genetically engineered foods so Canadians can exercise informed choice. Before November 3, 2025, please add your name to the e-petition, e-6768, to the House of Commons, and feel free to share the link.  And, in the meantime, choose non-GMO foods, preferably those that are organically grown or grown on local farms.

Thank you! 

What is the significance of World Food Day?  

It commemorates the establishment of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). It has commendable goals to raise awareness about hunger and malnutrition and to take action to counter them. 

Mobilizing resources for food production and distribution is key. Food needs to reach places where people need it the most. And it needs to be in a form that can be utilized when the need is dire and immediate. Some things, such as the sustainability of both the land the crops are grown on, and the people consuming the food, may be overlooked when urgency is a priority. 

However, if long-term gains are to be realized, I feel that the state of the lands producing the food, the state of the food, and the state of the people after they consume the food must sit higher on the totem pole. 

Let’s consider this first: the state of the food. 

Food is most beneficial to the human body when it is grown in naturally rich soils, free of harmful chemical pesticides, and artificial drying agents (as for grains, used before harvest). 

To this end, biodynamic agriculture, which pays attention to the state of the land, is the gold standard. Biodynamics is a holistic, ecological, and ethical approach to farming, gardening, food, and nutrition. 

The state of food is also determined by whether it is minimally processed or processed in a way that makes it conducive to digestion. Let’s call this latter type of processing conducive processing. 

Minimal processing is the gold standard for grains, for example. Grains are bleached and stripped of their bran and germ to create white flour. You could call this maximal processing, which is great for baking. But it does little for our bodies as it is devoid of essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. It becomes one that contributes to the high statistics of over-processed or ultra-processed food in this modern world, which results in overly fed but undernourished people in an abysmal and dismal state of health. 

Adding back some nutrients, such as iron and folic acid, is no substitute for the way the grain was originally created and meant to be consumed. The iron is inorganic—something foreign to the human body; the folic acid is synthetic—our body questions its existence. Bye-bye, donuts! 

Conducive processing is the gold standard for some vegetables. For example, tomatoes release their beneficial compound, lycopene, in greater amounts when they are cooked. Bring on the pasta sauce! 

The state of the people 

It only stands to reason that our bodies are meant to be nourished by food in its natural or close-to-natural state. Of course, meats and poultry have to be subjected to heat, and enough heat to prevent any foodborne illness. But the addition of herbs and spices helps in the preservation and amplification of the benefits of the meats, and counters any toxic byproducts that can result from the food being cooked. 

Food that we prepare and eat not only nourishes our bodies but also our minds and our spirits by sending the right information and the right signals at the right time. When we have the proper nutrients, our bodies can function at a higher level, our minds are sharper, and we become the people we were meant to be, as it nourishes our emotions and our soul, which is our torch that guides us. 

But let’s think of food also in terms of the thoughts we entertain, what we feed our eyes, ears, and noses, and what we feed our skin—after all, we can take in information in all these myriad ways too. 

I’m quite satiated. How about you? That’s a lot of food for thought! 

To get more practical health tips from me on a bi-weekly basis, and to get some insightful tips on freeing ourselves from unseen saboteurs, visit this page: Free Gift.  

Reference Evaluation of adverse effects/events of genetically modified food consumption: a systematic review of animal and human studies | Environmental Sciences Europe

DISCLAIMER: The content I share is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. I may receive a percentage of the proceeds if you purchase products linked from these blog posts. These affiliations help to support my work. 

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