By Tyler Williams
Food is a basic necessity for all human beings, and can have either a positive or negative effect on the human body – it all depends on the quality of what is being consumed.
According to the World Health Organization, genetically-modified foods are foods derived from organisms whose genetic material has been modified in a way that does not occur naturally. Many foods sold in supermarkets are not naturally occurring, but have been genetically engineered, thus increasing the potential of illness.
There are specific ingredients and food additives that trigger serious allergic reactions, according to a popular healthy eating website called Food Babe. One of those ingredients is a common food additive known as tert-butylhydroquinone or also known as tBHQ.
After nine years of research on tBHQ, Assistant Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology at Michigan State University Cheryl Rockwell uncovered that the additive has negative effects on the body’s T-cells that are used to fight infections. That is why so many people are allergic to tree nuts, legumes, milk, eggs, wheat and shellfish. This additive can be found in popular foods and snacks like Pop Tarts, Orville Redenbacher’s Popcorn, Cheez-It and Hungry-Man TV dinners, according to Food Babe.
Professor El Sayed Shaltout of Alexandria University in Egypt yielded similar results in his study on how genetically-modified foods are significantly more toxic than non-genetically-modified foods.
Many people are advocating for GMO reporting on nutrition labels and awareness on websites like Responsible Technology, citing animal studies showing organ damage, gastrointestinal and immune system disorders, accelerated aging and infertility. Human studies found that GMOs in food leave materials in human gastrointestinal system – one of the main reasons why the American Academy of Environmental Medicine does not recommend the consumption of genetically-modified foods.
