Genetically modified organisms are becoming more and more a part of life, especially in the United States. Those who prefer to eat organically may also want to find organic non GMO supplements when they take vitamins, minerals, and herbal formulas. Many food items, from which a supplement may be made, and other plants and animals are now bio-engineered. Therefore, screening everything that will be ingested may be more important than ever.
There is a short-cut to checking. The label 'organic' should mean that nothing other than organically-raised and processed ingredients are in a product. Since the 'organic' designation is used only for food, this would mean that the supplement is food-based and contains only certified food and edible herbs or other plants. Not many companies in the United States produce such products, so the choice is limited.
This does not mean the choice is poor, however. Many companies that use food-grade ingredients have a complete product line. Consumers should be able to find what they need without too much trouble.
The best thing for concerned supplement users to do is to find a company that has earned the trust of the nutritional and alternative healing community. It's not hard to check out the certifying associations and the qualities superior products exhibit. Third-party testing and certification is important, as well as checking with the manufacturer themselves for answers to questions.
Usually a GMO-free logo will be displayed on the label of any product that can legally do so. This is not a mandatory procedure, but companies know that consumers are looking for this kind of reassurance. There is a movement to require any product with genetically-modified content to so state on the packaging, but this has proved difficult to get passed by states or on the national level.
Another thing to remember is that not all companies make their products from their own raw materials. When some or all of the ingredients are obtained from outside sources, making sure of purity gets harder. Again, the best guarantee is the integrity of the manufacturer. There are many fine, reputable companies that take extraordinary care to insure that their products are pure, safe, and effective.
Even though the amounts of any substance in supplementary form are small, they can be dangerous. In addition, they are often expensive. Consumers should be able to trust that they will get exactly what they pay for, in the amounts stated on the product label, and in a form that is bio-available (usable by the human system) and all-natural.
The research is not definitive yet, so no one really knows what introducing GMOs into the food supply and the environment is doing. The decline of honey bees and butterflies worries many, even though this has not been officially linked to the biochemical industry. In the meantime, consumers may want to err on the side of caution and avoid any but 100% organic supplements. Without mandatory truth in labeling, there is no other way to be certain of what is in a bottle or package.
There is a short-cut to checking. The label 'organic' should mean that nothing other than organically-raised and processed ingredients are in a product. Since the 'organic' designation is used only for food, this would mean that the supplement is food-based and contains only certified food and edible herbs or other plants. Not many companies in the United States produce such products, so the choice is limited.
This does not mean the choice is poor, however. Many companies that use food-grade ingredients have a complete product line. Consumers should be able to find what they need without too much trouble.
The best thing for concerned supplement users to do is to find a company that has earned the trust of the nutritional and alternative healing community. It's not hard to check out the certifying associations and the qualities superior products exhibit. Third-party testing and certification is important, as well as checking with the manufacturer themselves for answers to questions.
Usually a GMO-free logo will be displayed on the label of any product that can legally do so. This is not a mandatory procedure, but companies know that consumers are looking for this kind of reassurance. There is a movement to require any product with genetically-modified content to so state on the packaging, but this has proved difficult to get passed by states or on the national level.
Another thing to remember is that not all companies make their products from their own raw materials. When some or all of the ingredients are obtained from outside sources, making sure of purity gets harder. Again, the best guarantee is the integrity of the manufacturer. There are many fine, reputable companies that take extraordinary care to insure that their products are pure, safe, and effective.
Even though the amounts of any substance in supplementary form are small, they can be dangerous. In addition, they are often expensive. Consumers should be able to trust that they will get exactly what they pay for, in the amounts stated on the product label, and in a form that is bio-available (usable by the human system) and all-natural.
The research is not definitive yet, so no one really knows what introducing GMOs into the food supply and the environment is doing. The decline of honey bees and butterflies worries many, even though this has not been officially linked to the biochemical industry. In the meantime, consumers may want to err on the side of caution and avoid any but 100% organic supplements. Without mandatory truth in labeling, there is no other way to be certain of what is in a bottle or package.
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