Genetically engineered foods, health and economics
By Silvia Bernadini 

I keep reading a lot of literature about the advantages of choosing high-quality foods instead of what is usually described as junk food, and the concept is obvious enough to everybody. Nevertheless, I keep finding new implications and new research that amaze me.


In a previous Atención article I mentioned the incredible case of a jail in San Francisco that began a rooftop organic gardening project. The project was organized by, among others, one of our affiliates of Slow Food San Miguel.

The results of the project have been outstanding. The vegetables cultivated on the roof are now being sold in the local farmers' market and are a source of income for the jail community. The money was invested in nice tables and tablecloths and good plates and silverware to improve the quality and social experience of the community's meals. One result of this change was that the atmosphere in the jail improved enormously: violence during and outside of mealtime decreased by 80 percent.

I thought this was very interesting, and I interpreted the information to indicate that the changes in environmental conditions were directly responsible for the improvement in the quality of life. Apparently, other causes also directly contributed to the improvement.

According to Jeffrey Smith, director and founder of the Institute for Responsible Technology, the additives in food have a direct effect on people's behavior. 

In his book Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies about the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You Are Eating, he explains a number of consequences of consuming foods that are genetically modified and chemically altered.

Smith cites many studies with mice, children and teenagers that suggest there is a very clear, direct link between the consumption of bad and genetically altered foods and violent behavior. He also mentions many instances of coercion by powerful producers of transgenic foods and alteration of public information concerning their products.

Whether or not there is a direct link between feelings of stress, tiredness, irritability and restlessness and the foods we eat, it is better to try to eat good foods. The question is, How to do your shopping? 

We can choose to buy foods that are natural. Sunflower or olive oils guarantee a better quality than soy, corn and canola oils. The latter three oils are almost always genetically modified, and canola oil has been proved to be very dangerous to human health. 

Vitamins and food supplements are in large part transgenic, as are sugar substitutes and all the additives and colorings added to supermarket foods. To consume vitamins, all you need to do is eat fresh fruit and vegetables. If your diet is right, you do not need any chemical supplements in your diet!

The cheeses you buy in supermarkets often come from animals that have been fed genetically modified (GM) foods and antibiotics, especially if those cheeses are imported from countries where the producers are not obliged to declare the GM origin of their products.

Here is an advantage of living in Mexico, and in a small town: the products you find in the local markets usually are very genuine: the cheeses and the meats are more natural because very often it would be too expensive for a farmer to add chemical additives to his animals' feed. The same is true for vegetables and fruits: if you choose the ones in season they do not contain any pesticides because it is not economically convenient to spray chemicals on the crops.

Also, buying in local markets helps the economy of the town and of our farmers. The money we give to big distributors goes out of San Miguel and often out of Mexico-in particular if you buy in those foreign chains that concentrate in malls and shopping centers. We can be much better citizens and much healthier people by spending our money in the local markets. We can help the local economy and at the same time live a better life.