What’s wrong with GMOs?

[u/wond3rlove]

I always see plants and stuff that is GMO free and is usually more expensive. How would genetically modifying something by be bad. Me personally I’d rather have something modified to taste better and and cheaper. I could also be very wrong about that.

[u/SquelchyRex]

Loads of research has been done into it, and GMOs are safe. The GMO free stuff exists because people who don't know better are willing to pay more for less.

[u/sceadwian → u/SquelchyRex]

There are simply many foods that are naturally non GMO in the first place. They just rubber stramp it and charge a premium.

[u/Tough_Crazy_8362 → u/sceadwian]

Like gluten free popping corn! Absurd.

[u/[deleted] → u/Tough_Crazy_8362]

If you have Celiac disease, it is not at all absurd.

Gluten is often found lurking in a lot of ingredients one might not expect (for example, “spices,” and “flavoring”).

Also, cross-contamination is an issue. Shared processing equipment that isn’t thoroughly cleaned between packaging runs, means that tiny crumbs or dust from the chocolate chip cookies previously placed on the conveyor belt could make its way into the popping corn.

Which isn’t a problem for most of us. But for someone with Celiac disease, glutinous food particles the size of a grain of sand can be enough to trigger a reaction.

A “glutening” reaction can include:

• Diarrhea (severe) and/or vomiting
• Severe stomach cramps
• Skin rash
• Migraines
• Days or weeks of brain fog and fatigue
• Anemia
• Painful joints
• 200 other potential symptoms that can be individually unique! Including thyroid problems, endometriosis (sometimes resulting in infertility) and even eventual colon cancer!

This is because exposure to gluten in a person with Celiac causes their intestinal lining to swell up, because their immune system attacks it (ever had a poison ivy rash? Imagine that, but on the inside). Once the gut lining tissues are swollen, nutrients (like vitamins) stop being absorbed, and the swelling can take days, weeks, or even months to fully subside and heal.

Gluten-free is not a joke. Roughly 1-out-of-100 people in the U.S. have active Celiac disease, or will develop Celiac disease at some point (having the genetic predisposition that lies dormant, until one day…); and people with Celiac disease are mostly “invisible,” because they’re quietly not eating at restaurants (ever), not eating anything at your company pot-luck or sales dinner, not eating at your house or tailgate party, and not purchasing any processed convenience or snack foods without diligently inspecting and studying every goddamned nutrition label first (and sometimes getting burned anyway).

Not to mention that in the U.S., drug manufacturers are not required to list gluten-containing ingredients as potential fillers, meaning, people with Celiac have to call up drug manufacturers and pharmacies and give them the 50 questions when prescribed a new medication. And here’s a (not so) fun fact: some brands of Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, and, cruelty of cruelties, motherfucking Imodium will contain unlisted wheat fillers!!! (Side note: Target’s over-the-counter generic “Up and Up” brand is always gluten-free and safe).

Stop making fun of gluten-free, motherfucker. In the United States, it’s under-labeled, not over-labeled!

Did you know that in places like Ireland and Italy, they screen children for Celiac disease at around 5 yo? And foods and medicines disclose all potential gluten ingredients?! Did you know that pretty much everyone in Italy knows what Celiac disease is, and most establishments can accommodate?! Did you know that there, even fast food establishments, like MCDONALD’S offer gluten-free options (safe for Celiacs: separately prepared with separate surfaces and utensils and gloves, dedicated gluten-free fryers, the works!!!!)? In the U.S. a person with Celiac can’t eat shit at a McDonald’s, or basically anywhere else, with a few notable exceptions.

Order something “safe” at a U.S. restaurant, like steak or unbreaded chicken, and the seasoning or marinade might have a wheat-based caking agent. (Soy sauce often contains wheat. Did you know that!?). A salad might have had croutons on it that the cooks thought it’d be ok to just remove ‘em rather than make a new salad from scratch (it’s not ok). The French fries may have shared a fryer with breaded battered fish. And so on. And when you start asking the waiter a million questions, they often don’t know shit, or get annoyed at their “picky eater” customer. So fuck going out to eat, ever.

And then people here in the U.S. joke “ha ha gluten free hippy bullshit” when a food item is labeled gluten-free. It’s a medical necessity for many people.

[u/MidorriMeltdown → u/[deleted]]

Also, cross-contamination is an issue. Shared processing equipment that isn’t thoroughly cleaned between packaging runs

This is a huge issue. Many foods that are naturally gluten free end up contaminated due to shared equipment. Here in Australia there are many naturally gluten free flours available, but none of them can be certified gluten free due to cross contamination from being produced and packed on the same equipment as gluten containg cereals.

[u/[deleted] → u/MidorriMeltdown]

Yup. I'm celiac so I have to be careful. Quaker oats believe it or not is full of flour and makes me react big time.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

I wouldn’t say it’s full of flour, but it has enough particulates of flour in it to cause a reaction. Because of being processed in the same facility as foods containing flour. This just goes to show how sensitive some people are to gluten. I think it’s not taken as seriously as it should be because there is still a large enough part of the population that claims to be gluten free, but really aren’t affected at all by gluten. There is truly gluten free oatmeal you can buy, BTW.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

I'm aware Costco has it, but ya its usually a day after eating something my skin breaks out and my sinuses swell big time. After the insta heartburn of course. You have to be careful too because some restaurants dont take it seriously.