Industrial Foods and The Impact on Our Health

“LET FOOD BE THY MEDICINE AND MEDICINE BE THY FOOD.”- Hippocrates

Starting in the early 20^th century, the shift began from food being sourced from small local & regional farms to large scale industrialized farming factories. The advent of new farm machinery, pesticides, fertilizers and the purported need to feed the world populations fueled a more efficient high yielding process. For those willing, the government provided incentives, subsidies, and risk mitigation for losses for large scale agriproduct farming.  The saying Go Big or Go home, was the name of the game. The small & medium farms were financially pushed out and thus food production changed from natural farming to mass food production.

Growing up in a small rural town, I remember so many farmers trying to sustain their farms while also maintaining a dependable income by working at the local factories. No one subsidized their gains or losses. It was from dedication, sacrifice and hard work. They would work the farm before heading to their factory jobs, then come home and return to the fields until dark.

Though we ate plenty of packaged food, I was fortunate to have fresh or canned vegetables throughout the year and beef raised on the grasses and hay from my grandparents’ farm.  My uncle indulged me some early mornings milking the cattle-with the electric milkers of course. ; )

Slowly, I witnessed farms fading away. Though industrial farming began long before I was born, I can envision that this isolated image was what occurred on a larger scale

Modern food processing is a revenue-based industry focused on cutting costs with high production. This has introduced modern farming interventions including genetic engineering, pesticides, antibiotics, hormones and a multitude of food additives. This industrialization of agriculture and the foods it produces has raised concerns for public health and safety for many years.

Let’s Explore Some of these Concerns.

--GMO-Genetically Modified Organisms & use of Glyphosate “main ingredient in the herbicide Round Up”

 GMO foods are developed to resist the deadly effect of the herbicidal glyphosate used as a pretreatment in the fields before planting and during its growth to eliminate other plant and weed infestation. It stays in the soil, permeates the air and is pervasive in our foods. In the US, greater than 90% of our food sourced ingredients are glyphosate resistant genetically modified foods.  Primary GMO sources are corn, wheat, sugar beets, soybeans, cotton and canola (rapeseed oil). If you look at a processed food label, one or more of these ingredients is in almost all packaged and pre-made food stuffs.

Countries such as Germany, Italy, Austria and France have mostly banned GMO foods. Russia, Algeria and Mexico have even more stringent restrictions and most recently Mexico has banned GMO corn to be phased out starting in 2024.Not only is glyphosate in our packaged food ingredients but is also in the feeds given to commercially raised livestock, fish and poultry with significant levels of glyphosate being detected in these animals.

Industrial farming has also introduced widespread antibiotic use in livestock and poultry and the use of hormones such as estrogens, progestins, testosterone, and other androgenic substances such as the somatotropin, recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH). Subsequently being passed on to us in the meats we consume.

Health Effects

Human studies have associated glyphosate exposure with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, metabolic syndrome, cirrhosis, and chronic kidney disease in both adults and children. Glyphosate is also recognized as an endocrine disruptor, with research linking it to infertility, thyroid dysfunction, various cancers, and neurological disorders including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Additionally, it’s disruption of the healthy gut-microbiome or dysbiosis may result in further associated neurological conditions and inflammatory bowel diseases.

Industrialized farming and our modern diet have created what might be termed as Food stuff- Frankenfood-Food Product-Call it what you will but it is destroying our health and is virtually impossible to avoid 100%.

See the link for a list of allowable ingredients in our food.  FDA Food Additives List

BUT WE HAVE OPTIONS

Choose organic. Organic foods production, as defined by the USDA, follow soil quality guidelines which does not allow the use of synthetic pesticides or herbicides for 3 previous years prior to planting. Meats termed “organic” are raised in living conditions accommodating their natural behaviors (like the ability to graze on pasture), fed 100% organic feed and forage, and not administered antibiotics or hormones. As for processed multi-ingredient foods regulations prohibit foods from containing artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors and require that their ingredients are organic (USDA, 2012). Organic foods have also been tested as being more nutrient rich.

If organic if cost prohibitive or not available, look for items labeled non-GMO ingredients.

READ THE LABEL & choose the best option.

If the ingredient label has any of the following- AVOID IT!

• If the ingredient list looks like a science experiment and you can’t interpret the food label- AVOID IT!

• If the ingredients list contains nitrates, canola, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated-anything, polysorbate, non-GMO wheat, soy or food colorings; Red #40 or #3, Blue #2, Yellow #5.

  • Red Dye # 3 has recently been banned in the U.S. by the FDA due to cancer risks in animals, with a phase-out deadline of January 15, 2027, for food and January 18, 2028 for drugs.

• Buy items with limited ingredients list of 15 or less.

• Look for terms hormone free, antibiotic free, grass fed, free range.

  
  

In general, limit packaged foods as much as possible. Not only do we ingest the additives in the food we consume but also from the packaging-plastic, paper or cans-they most all contain forever chemical. (Forever chemicals are man-made chemicals transferred to our food from the packaging. These toxins are subsequently stored in our bodies “forever” with detrimental health effects.  (But that is a Blog for another day.)

Fresh produce from the local farmer's market.

The best advice I can give is this: if you can’t grow your own food, support our local farmers. We are fortunate to have an abundance of local and regional options. On my website, you’ll find a link to local farmers’ markets under Useful Links, Tidbits & Resources for a Healthier You. Many farmers offer seasonal vegetable co-ops in addition to their market booths, and there are resources for eggs, fruits, vegetables, meats, poultry, and much more. You will taste the difference when eating fresh local produce and meats when compared to store bought organic and non-organic.

While most markets are currently in the off-season, plan for the spring, usually beginning in May. Visit several markets, explore different vendors, and find your favorites. Some producers offer meat, poultry, and eggs throughout the winter as well. It’s truly enjoyable to see what’s in season, talk with the farmers, and sample some unexpected treats.

“THE FOOD YOU EAT CAN BE THE SAFEST MOST POWERFUL FORM OF MEDICINE OR THE SLOWEST FORM OF POISON.” -Ann Wigmore

 I encourage you to take control of your health by reading labels and choosing fresh produce, grains, and meats. Organic or non-organic, these whole foods come without labels and are the primary foundation of true health.

-I wish you all the best in your journey to wellness. Take care.

Bibliography

Amber Wves. (n.d.). Retrieved from U.S. Department of Agriculture-Economic Research: https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2024/september/global-changes-in-agricultural-production-productivity-and-resource-use-over-six-decades#:~:text=Improvements%20in%20farm%20mechanization%20and,land%20and%20with%20less%20labor.

Hong, H. (April). Modern Industrial Foods and Their Effects on the Human Body. Retrieved from Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320958368_Modern_Industrial_Foods_and_Their_Effects_on_the_Human_Body

Robinson, K. (2024, June 24). Glyphosate Herbicdes and Your Health. Retrieved from WebMD: https://www.webmd.com/cancer/herbicide-glyphosate-cancer

U.S. Department of Agriculture. (n.d.). Retrieved from National Agriculture Library: https://www.nal.usda.gov/economics-business-and-trade/agricultural-subsidies#:~:text=Economics%2C%20Business%2C%20and%20Trade,Farm%20Bill%20(farmers.gov)

USDA. (2012, March 22). Organic 101: What the USDA Organic Label Means . Retrieved from US Department of Agriculture: https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/blog/organic-101-what-usda-organic-label-means#:~:text=USDA%20certified%20organic%20foods%20are,organic%20standards%20specify%20additional%20considerations.