What Is Really in The Food You Eat?

Posted By admin on July 21, 2009

Capitalism and industrial agriculture have brought us food that is not only inexpensive but in some cases can last almost forever. While this may seem convenient for many, we have to question the safety and sanity of putting stuff in our mouths that our bodies no longer recognize as food thanks to genetic modifications, pesticides, irradiation and more. We are also putting in our mouths and bodies the fear, stress and pain of every animal that suffered and died so we could eat cheap meat. Modern food may be cheap and convenient, but what is the real cost?

By: Stewart Hare

The modern food industry rears its animals, grows its crops, manufactures and markets its foods with the impetus to cut costs, produce and sell more products.

To make profit they disregard animal welfare, promote unhealthy eating and advice, contaminate the land and livestock with pesticides, herbicides and antibiotics and go against laws of Mother Nature with genetic engineering and irradiated foods. While the companies involved within the food industry are making fat profits, the majority of western societies are also getting fatter and unhealthier. Rich western countries such as the Unites States and Britain are spending billions of dollars treating diseases such as cancer, yet the cure rate has not gone down and nobody seems to be trying to figure out why people are getting sick in the first place. Such research would no doubt bring up questions about the food we eat and modern day food industry practices.

Animal welfare is the price to pay by intensive methods that the modern factory food industry uses to increase rates of production. Every day 100,000 broiler chickens die prematurely in UK farms due to factory farming methods. In the UK 70% of the 29 million egg-laying birds are housed in battery cages, 35 million British Turkeys are fattened in cramped sheds that contain up to 25,000 birds which results in many ailments caused by overcrowding and 500,000 sows are kept indoors in cramped conditions throughout their lives which causes them to suffer from muscle weakness and lameness. Modern day dairy cows are bred to produce as much milk as possible and when either infertility or ill health set in (partly due by their welfare conditions) they are no longer of use and are culled. This is normally after only 5 short years.

“Industrially produced food appears to be inexpensive, but the pricetag doesn’t reflect the actual costs that we taxpayers bear. Factory farms pollute communities and adversely affect public health, thereby increasing medical costs for those living near such farms—costs that are often shouldered by public budgets.” Sustainabletable.org

For nearly 50 years, antibiotics have been used in farming as disease prevention since the cramped conditions of factory farming are exceptionally conductive to disease. The negative effects that antibiotic use in our food has on human health is now coming to light In the UK most intensively reared animals are given antibiotics on a daily basis. This is mainly as a preventive measure or to treat illness but some are given as growth promoters. The bacteria that live in these animals quickly become resistant to antibiotics. The antibiotics used for animals are similar to those used to combat human health problems and it is becoming more evident that there is a cross-over effect with the bacteria that cause illness in humans. Human bacteria are becoming more resistant to the antibiotics that we use, thus reducing effective treatments.

The genetic modification (GM) of food involves the artificial insertion of a foreign gene into the genetic material of an organism to create a food substance which is more economical to product. There are presently two types of GM crops, one to be resistant to herbicides in order to kill weeds and the other has been engineered to produce toxins to kill pests. In 1996 the first GM crop was grown in the US, now three quarters of the worlds GM crops are grown in North America. Soy and maize are the main GM crops grown in the US and oilseed rape is the main GM crop grown in Canada.

“If you recently ate soy sauce in a Chinese restaurant, munched popcorn in a movie theater, or indulged in an occasional candy bar – you’ve undoubtedly ingested this new type of food. You may have, at the time, known exactly how much salt, fat and carbohydrates were in each of these foods because regulations mandates their labeling for dietary purposes. But you would not know if the bulk of these foods, and literally every cell had been genetically altered!” 50 Harmful Effects Of Genetically Modified Foods

Advocates of GM crops claim that GM crops can provide a solution to world hunger with higher yields and are better for the environment because of their need for less herbicides and pesticides. Unfortunately, the benefits claimed by GM crops owners have not happened but many problems have. The facts are that GM crops do not increase yields and do not reduce the use of herbicides. GM and organic crops can not co-exist, in Saskatchewan Canada GM contamination wiped out the whole organic rape seed sector. In the US many people reported allergic reaction to GM Starlink maize which then had to be recalled with the estimated cost of $1 billion.

Pesticides are chemical substances that are used in modern farming to kill or control pests. Although there are some naturally based pesticides used in modern farming, the majority are made from synthetic chemicals. The usage of pesticides increased after the Second World War to increase food production. Pesticides have a very harmful effect on the environment and on people’s health. Pesticides have a major adverse effect on wildlife and are not only toxic to the pests that they target but also beneficial species, the whole food chain, the entire ecosystem and of course, human beings. Pesticides can adversely affect fertility and human health. Farmers and farm workers are especially venerable to short term poisoning and long term chronic illnesses. Some pesticides are non-toxic when used on their own but combined with other pesticides they can become extremely toxic. Organophosphates are probably the most dangerous pesticides that are used in modern farming and they have been linked to cancer, Parkinson’s disease, decreased male fertility, chronic fatigue syndrome in children and fetal abnormalities.

Food irradiation is the process of food being exposed to doses of ionising energy or radiation to extend shelf life and to kill insects, bacteria, molds and other harmful organisms. Advocates of food irradiation claim that it is safe but the real problem arises with how fresh and safe the food is, as food inspectors have no way of telling if the food is old or contaminated with food poisoning causing bacteria. Irradiation destroys Vitamin C, Vitamin E and the B complex of vitamins. It can cause unpleasant changes in texture, color and taste and not enough is known about its long term affects on human health.”

“Irradiated fruits and vegetables benefit the packer and grocer, not the farmer or consumer. The consumer receives an inferior product that appears fresh, but has depleted vitamins and enzymes.” Organicconsumers.org

In conclusion, the modern day food industry is motivated by profit and greed and as a result animals, the environment and humans are suffering. If a check on the way that the food industry produces its products is not implemented then further damage will be done to the environment and we will also see further increases in degenerative diseases such as cancer as well as an increase in both animal and human suffering.

If you truly understand the extent that the food industry controls what shows up on grocery store shelves and you are ready to stand up and take proactive steps to deciding what is actually in the food you eat, here is what you can do:

Buy Local
Join a Food Co-op
Grow Your Own Food
Buy sustainable, cruelty free, free range organic foods

Buy the Book: Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies About the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You’re Eating

Stewart Hare C.H.Ed Dip Nu. Bespoke consultations for a healthier natural life website: http://www.newbeingnutrition.com Get a free initial nutritional therapy diagnosis now…

Article Source: http://www.uberarticles.com/articles

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