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Finding Non GMO Vitamins And Supplements

By Ina Hunt


There are several reasons to choose alternative products that are truly natural, without ingredients that have been overly processed or changed in a fundamental way. In this day of genetic tinkering with the plant and even the animal world, it's more important than ever to be an informed consumer. Choosing non GMO vitamins and supplements only makes sense, at least until altered organisms have been around long enough for their effects to be fairly assessed.

Efforts to include GMOs in certified organic or all-natural foods and products have so far been unsuccessful. Actually, there are no binding guidelines for 'natural' products. The food industry has spent millions in an attempt to keep from having to put any information about genetic engineering on labels. It's presently up to the consumer to find out if the products they take are free of this kind of tampering with nature.

It's also important to ask manufacturers directly about quality control policies. Few supplement producers make their own ingredients. Most buy raw materials and then compound their products; some merely buy already finished products and re-label them. The third-party 'organic' certification will mean that all ingredients are 'clean'. However, it's still the integrity of the producer that really matters. Remember, too, that an 'all-natural' claim may be virtually meaningless, since this term has not been legally defined.

The best way to proceed is to know the manufacturer. There are some well-known names in the industry that people trust to be true to the ideals of providing carefully-manufactured, 'clean' products that are as natural as possible. After all, you won't find vitamin C in 1,000 milligram concentration in an orange or a rose hip. Some processing is necessary to concentrate nutrients and deliver them in usable form.

Even with certifying associations, it's still buyer beware. Many original pioneering companies in the industry have been sold. This fact may not be well-publicized, since the cachet of the brand is important to the new owners. However, the philosophy of the present ownership might not be the same. If a brand has been acquired by a major conglomerate, you need to be aware of the fact.

Many products will have a non-GMO seal on the package. This means that no active ingredient, filler, flavoring, coloring, or capsule should be made of genetically engineered matter. Purists in the health food community hope that growing customer awareness will force even mainstream producers to avoid using modified substances.

One problem is that the research has not been definitive on the subject. Although GMOs are relatively new, they've been included in foods before their safety has really been established. The fact that they may not be quick-acting poisons or instant health hazards does not mean that there are no consequences for the young, the infirm, the elderly, or for future generations. There are studies that show developmental problems in lab rats fed GMO grains, for instance.

Industry claims that genetic modification is safe are suspect because of conflict of interest and the history of the food industry using ingredients subsequently found to be harmful. Vitamin pills and other supplements that are natural are, of course, made from foods. The consumer who wants to be healthy and to live a natural life needs to shop carefully.




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