Genetically modified foods have gotten a lot of press in recent years.  These foods have been modified on a molecular level to enhance certain traits without taking the amount of time it would take to do that with traditional growing.  Genetically modified foods may be more resistant to drought,  pests, and disease, and more tolerant of chemical treatments used on foods.  Because they can be grown more quickly they may provide larger amounts of crops to countries with food shortages.

This all sounds swell, so what’s the problem?  On an environmental level, growing genetically modified foods may have a negative impact on other, naturally occurring things, including the transfer of altered genes to surrounding crops and plants.  These foods may also create a resistance to pesticides (pesticide use on food is another entry entirely!).

On an individual level, we may see an increase in severe allergic reactions to foods that have been genetically modified.  Studies are inconclusive on the effects of GMOs on health, but there really is no way to know if these genetically altered foods will have a long-term effect on our health.  Children may be more susceptible to health problems from GMOs than adults.

This link contains information on how to avoid buying genetically modified foods.  The headline says 6 ways, the video says 4, and the site actually lists 7.  But despite their apparent math issues, it’s still got some good information:

http://bytestyle.tv/content/top-6-ways-identify-avoid-gmo-foods