he Importance of the Foods We Eat

We all know that nutrition is important for us. It gives our bodies the nutrients we need to stay healthy, grow, and work properly. But when the nutritious traditional foods (i.e. oranges, fish, rice, meat, etc.) that have been grown and eaten for centuries becomes this scientific research project (genetically modified), we are now left wondering if these foods are safe to eat. Can they lead to other serious issues? Way before scientists had learned to modify our foods, the human race has methodically improved crop plants through selective breeding for many thousands of years. Genetic engineering allows that time-consuming process to be accelerated and exotic traits from unrelated species to be introduced. In the United States, this type of agricultural industry began emerging in the early 1980s (Pickrell, 2006). We find the crops like corn, soybeans, and wheat mixed in our food sitting on the shelves in the super markets. We now find it swimming in the oceans that commercial “farmers” sell to local supermarkets that sell it to locals to eat. We find it growing on farm lands, in which test fields release sites with genetically engineered rapeseeds, sugar beet, wheat, potatoes, strawberries, and much more. There has been no warning or no consultation with the local communities. Many of us eat them everyday, whether we know it or not. In the 1990s, genetically modified foods began to show up in markets and grocery stores. From breakfast cereals to soft drinks, hamburgers to soymilk, GMOs have recently worked their way into 60 to 70 percent of our food supply according to the Center for Food Safety. One cannot help but think about what specific chemicals are put into the plants and animals we eat and what are the risks and benefits of GM foods. Considering the connections between the GM foods, the environment, and the people, one cannot fail to wonder what the impact this relationship has on the recent spike of puberty starting at a younger age, the

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