Danielle Moore

3/29/15
Professor Joseph Montgomery
ENG 121
GMOs Vs. Non-GMOs: Which is More Beneficial to Our Health?
As of 2014, the average American consumed about 1,966 pounds of food in a year. Of that 1,966
pounds, about 193 pounds of the food consumed was genetically modified (Toro). There has been great
debate over whether organic or genetically modified organisms is better for human health. There is also
concern about what the health effects of each are, especially when it comes to genetically modified
organisms. Genetically modified organisms can be harmful and can cause negative effects on human
health, while organisms that classify as organic can have more positive effects on human health, and
are able to function fully without intervention from pesticides.
Within the past couple of years, I have become more and more interested in the topic of health. One
reason that I have become so interested in health is because it affects everyone. I recently found out that
a close friend of mine has been suffering from various health issues. After a few visits to the doctors
and being in and out of the hospital, she was informed that a healthy diet and regular exercise would
help improve her conditions and prevent diseases from occurring later in life. I decided that I would
improve my diet in support of her, which has lead me to the amount of research that I have been doing
on food consumption and human health.
Keeping the human body healthy is especially important to me because one would not be able
to function without it. I am always searching for new fitness routines and healthy foods and recipes that
contribute to positive health. I not only look for what foods are good for improving health, but what
functions they serve to the human body as well as why they serve these functions. I chose to do
research on the effects that genetically modified organisms have on the human body versus the effects
that organic organisms have on the human body because it would further my research on having a

healthy diet and what a healthy diet consists of.

Genetically modified organisms are organisms that are chemically manipulated by humans in
order to produce livestock and agriculture with more desirable results and at faster rates. These types of
organisms are classified into two different types. The types of genetically mordified organisms are
classified depending on the amount of risk they have of being genetically modified. These two
categories of genetically modified organisms include high risk organisms and monitored risk
organisms.
Organisms that have higher risks of being genetically modified are classified as high risk
organisms, and are usually modified due to high demand and commercial production. Because
commercial production calls for larger quantities of products at a faster rate, they tend to contain more
genetic modifications. These modifications include pesticide use and the use of hormones to increase
production rates. Organisms that are classified as high risk include corn, soy, and cotton.
Monitored risk organisms are expected to have been contaminated or known to be contaminated
by genetically modifying pesticides. This means that these organisms have been expected to be polluted
by pesticides or have actually been genetically modified intentionally. However, they are still only
monitored risk because these are not organisms that are genetically modified as much as the high risk
organisms. Two examples of monitored risk organisms include rice and wheat.
Despite the widespread use of genetically modified organisms, there are still health concerns
involved with these types of organisms. One recorded health effect includes organ damage. In a study
conducted by the International Journal of Biological Sciences, it was stated that, These substances
have never before been an integral part of the human or animal diet and therefore their health
consequences for those who consume them, especially over long time periods are currently unknown
(Goldstein). In other words, the human body was not built to consume genetically modified organisms.
The study results also displayed prominent damage to kidneys and livers, as well as damage to the
heart, adrenal, spleen, and blood cells. The damage done to these organs were results of consuming

genetically modified organisms.

Genetically modified foods can also lead to new allergic reactions. Some of the allergic
reactions that may occur could be spontaneous, meaning that someone could suddenly suffer an allergic
reaction to something that they have never been allergic to before, without warning. This is dangerous
to human health because these spontaneous allergic reactions could be mild, or very serious. Because of
this, treatment for the allergic reaction could be very hard to find, especially within enough time.
There are other allergic reactions that can occur that are undiscovered. These are reactions that
have never been seen in allergy cases before. Reactions like these are caused by proteins being added to
organisms that are new to humans. When these new proteins are consumed, some peoples bodies are
not able to accept them, causing reactions that have never been seen before. Allergic reactions that have
not been seen before are much harder to treat, because there is little to no knowledge on the allergic
reaction. This could be a very serious problem because there are people who are developing allergic
reactions that cannot be treated.
Genetically modified organisms tend to have lower levels of nutrition value. In a study
comparing the nutritional values of genetically modified corn to non genetically modified corn, called
the Corn Comparison Report, it was found that glyphosate pulls out nutrients from organisms,
including corn. The study showed that non genetically modified corn contained 437 times more
calcium than genetically modified corn, 56 times more magnesium, and seven times more manganese
(Underground Health). Concluding from this information, genetically modified organisms are shown to
contain lower levels of nutrition than non genetically modified organisms.
To gain further information on organic and genetically modified organisms, I interviewed
Stephanie Collins, a dietician at St. Joseph Mercy Hospitals Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP). A
normal day for Stephanie would include setting up diet plans for athletic patients or patients with eating
disorders. Stephanie understands what is healthy for the human body to consume, which is why I chose
to interview her.

Although the consumption of genetically modified organisms can have many negative health effects,
there are ways to be careful when consuming them. When it comes to eating genetically modified
organisms, Stephanie says that washing fruits and vegetables before consumption is one way to
decrease pesticide consumption. Even after washing fruits and vegetables off, however, there are still
negative health risks that come with eating genetically modified foods.
In organic production, the farming methods that are used are to minimize the amount of
pollution in the organisms being grown. The United States of Department of Agriculture (USDA)
defines organic as using sustainable agricultural production practices. The USDA also states that
organic meat, poultry eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or
growth hormones. One common misconception about organic organisms is that they are free of all
pesticides. This is not true. The pesticides that are used for organic production are usually made from
plants, herbs, and other non artificial substances.
There are very few products that are used for organic production that are artificial. A few of the
synthetic substances that are approved for organic production include alcohols, chlorine materials,
copper sulfates, and hydrogen peroxide. For example, alcohols are allowed to be used as disinfectants
and sanitizers. Even though substances like these have been approved for organic production, there are
still guidelines on when and how these substances are able to be used in order for an organism to still
be considered organic. These substances must also follow guidelines that involve how the substances
are stored as well.
Although organic foods are not 100% pesticide free, production of these organisms still need to
follow certain guidelines to be certified as organic. The USDA has issued a list of pesticides that do or
do not meet qualifications to be considered organic. Any organisms that contain traces of pesticides or
any other substances that are not included on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances
are not considered organic.
Organic food consumption has shown positive health effects in humans. For example, people

who eat organic tend to take in more nutrition. Organic fruits and vegetables contain higher levels of
nutrition, such as vitamin C, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, polyphenols, and many more. Also,
organic meats are less fatty, and the fats that are included in the meats are healthier than the fats found
in genetically modified meats. Because these organisms are not tampered with by using extreme
amounts of chemicals and artificial substances, the nutrition within the organisms do not get stripped
away.
Eating organic also leads to a stronger immune system, which is key to avoiding illnesses or
fighting off illnesses faster. People who consume organic foods regularly are not putting as many
pesticides and toxins into their bodies. They are also limiting the amount of antibiotics that are entering
their body. When one consumes too many antibiotics consistently, they begin to build up immunity to
the antibiotics. Because of this, it is harder to treat illnesses because their bodies will not react to the
antibiotics since they have built up tolerance for them.
Organic eating also helps with having a positive mental and physical well-being. It also helps to
boost natural energy. Because organic organisms are have higher counts of antioxidants and nutrition,
they tend to have a more positive effect on mental and physical health. People are able to consume the
maximum amount of nutrition from organic organisms, which will have a greater effect on the mind
and body than organisms that have had their nutrition stripped away due to genetic modifiers. Because
of this, humans feel more energized when consistently consuming organic organisms. Humans also
have a more positive mental state because of regular organic eating habits. Combining these four
benefits of eating organics seem to give plenty reason as to why organic organisms are beneficial to
human health.
When considering the effects that genetically modified organisms have on the human body with
the effects that organic organisms have, I find organic organisms to be more beneficial to human health.
Like stated earlier, I have been doing plenty of research on what a healthy diet consists of. Researching
the topic of genetically modified and organic organisms has led me to various definitions, causes, and

effects that correlate with genetically modified organisms and organic organisms.
After considering the research that I have done for this topic, I feel that I am able to walk away
with what I need to know about genetically modified and organic organisms, and that I have
successfully gained more knowledge when it comes to eating healthy. I now know that one way to
further improve my health is to eat more organic foods in order to cut out the extra pesticides and
hormones that my body does not need. Not only do I feel more knowledgeable on the subject, but I also
feel comfortable enough to inform others on the subject as well. I feel that the research that I did was
sufficient and allowed me to gain my own opinion on the topic, which is that organic organisms are
more beneficial to human health than genetically modified organisms.
It is important to every human being to take care of their body and to stay healthy. A persons
dieting habits plays a major role in their overall health, which can be affected by what they are
consuming. Something that has been a huge issue is the effects that genetically modified organisms
have on human health and the effects that organic organisms have on human health. Genetically
modified organisms contain pesticides and other artificial substances that can be harmful to human
health. Some of the health risks that are associated with the consumption of genetically modified
organisms include organ damage, the development of allergies, and the development of undiscovered
allergies. There are certain organisms that are genetically modified more frequently than others, and are
fitted into a category of either being at a high risk or a monitored risk of genetic modification. Although
organic organisms do contain some pesticides, they still have to pass certain guidelines to be
considered organic. Since organic foods contain less chemical alteration, they tend to be healthier and
have better effects on human health. Overall, organic organisms are more beneficial to human health,
and should be more widespread and attainable to help improve human health everywhere.

Works Cited
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