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.
Although there are not many producers, the ones that do offer products made from food that is organically grown and processed offer a full range of products. Consumers should not feel limited, since they should be able to get all that they need. Both single nutrients and multi-vitamin and mineral formulas are marketed.
Of course, single nutrients can be most easily checked. It's the multi-vitamins and formulas that are harder to evaluate with independent research. For this reason, concerned consumers will want to find companies on whose integrity they can rely. Third-party testing, certification, and rating is important when deciding what to purchase and take regularly. Most reputable companies will have toll-free numbers for customer contact, as well as maintaining user-friendly websites.
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.
There is another point to consider, as well. Not all companies produce their raw materials, instead obtaining them from outside sources. This makes assessing purity harder. The organic certification is not easily won, and this designation means that the producer has gone to extraordinary lengths to offer a pure, safe, and effective product line.
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.
Although there are not many producers, the ones that do offer products made from food that is organically grown and processed offer a full range of products. Consumers should not feel limited, since they should be able to get all that they need. Both single nutrients and multi-vitamin and mineral formulas are marketed.
Of course, single nutrients can be most easily checked. It's the multi-vitamins and formulas that are harder to evaluate with independent research. For this reason, concerned consumers will want to find companies on whose integrity they can rely. Third-party testing, certification, and rating is important when deciding what to purchase and take regularly. Most reputable companies will have toll-free numbers for customer contact, as well as maintaining user-friendly websites.
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.
There is another point to consider, as well. Not all companies produce their raw materials, instead obtaining them from outside sources. This makes assessing purity harder. The organic certification is not easily won, and this designation means that the producer has gone to extraordinary lengths to offer a pure, safe, and effective product line.
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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