Top 10 GMO Foods to AvoidElizabeth Renter If produce is certified USDA-organic, its non-GMO (or supposed to be!) Also, seek out local farmers and booths at farmers markets where you can be ensured the crops arent GMO. Even better, if you are so inclined: Start organic gardening and grow them yourself. 1. Corn: This is a no-brainer. If youve watched any food documentary, you know corn is highly modified. As many as half of all U.S. farms growing corn for Monsanto are using genetically modified corn, and much of it is intended for human consumption. Monsantos GMO corn has been tied to numerous health issues, including weight gain and organ disruption. 2. Soy: Found in tofu, vegetarian products, soybean oil, soy flour, and numerous other products, soy is also modified to resist herbicides. As of now, biotech giant Monsanto still has a tight grasp on the soybean market, with approximately 90 percent of soy being genetically engineered to resist Monsantos herbicide Roundup. In one single year, 2006, 96.7 million pounds of glyphosate was sprayed on soybeans alone 3. Sugar: According to NaturalNews, genetically-modified sugar beets were introduced to the U.S. market in 2009. Like others, theyve been modified by Monsanto to resist herbicides. Monsanto has even had USDA and court-related issues with the planting of its sugarbeets, being ordered to remove seeds from the soil due to illegal approval. 5. Papayas: This one may come as a surprise to all of you tropical-fruit lovers. GMO papayas have been grown in Hawaii for consumption since 1999. Though they cant be sold to countries in the European Union, they are welcome with open arms in the U.S. and Canada. 6. Canola: One of the most chemically altered foods in the U.S. diet, canola oil is obtained from rapeseed through a series of chemical actions. 7. Cotton: Found in cotton oil, cotton originating in India and China in particular has serious risks. 8. Dairy: Your dairy products contain growth hormones, with as many as one-fifth of all dairy cows in America are pumped with these hormones. In fact, Monasntos health-hazardous rBGH has been banned in 27 countries, but is still in most US cows. If you must drink milk, buy organic. 9 and 10. Zucchini and Yellow Squash: Closely related, these two squash varieties are modified to resist viruses. The dangers of some of these foods are well-known. The Bt toxin being used in GMO corn, for example, was recently detected in the blood of pregnant women and their babies. But perhaps more frightening are the risks that are still unknown. With little regulation and safety tests performed by the companies doing the genetic modifications themselves, we have no way of knowing for certain what risks these lab-created foods pose to us outside of what we already know. The best advice: steer clear of them altogether. Additional Sources: Explore More: This article first appeared at Natural Society, an excellent resource for health news and vaccine information. 