thanks to dr mercola for this information

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

I've urged you to steer clear of unfermented soy foods because of the detrimental impact they can have on your health, but another reason to avoid them entirely is the devastating toll they are taking on people around the world. In Paraguay, the world's fourth largest soy exporter, industrial soy production is threatening to wipe out rural communities while poisoning villagers and water supplies.

As written in The Ecologist:

"An investigation in Paraguay has discovered that vast plantations of soy, principally grown for use in intensively-farmed animal feed, are responsible for a catalogue of social and ecological problems, including the forced eviction of rural communities, landlessness, poverty, excessive use of pesticides, deforestation and rising food insecurity."

In the 2010/2011 season, Paraguay is expecting a soy crop of over 8 million tons -- a success for soy producers and a lethal blow to area residents.

Pesticides for GM Soy Sicken and Kill Local Residents

It's estimated that 90 percent of the soy grown in Paraguay is genetically modified (GM). GM soy is created to withstand large pesticide applications that would kill ordinary plants, and this makes it one of the highest pesticide-contaminated crops around.As Jeffrey Smith, the executive director of the Institute for Responsible Technology, stated:

"The primary reason crops are [genetically] engineered is to allow them to drink poison. They're called herbicide tolerant, and are inserted with bacterial genes that allow them to survive otherwise deadly doses of toxic herbicide.

Biotech companies sell the seed and herbicide as a package. Monsanto sells Roundup Ready crops and Roundup herbicide. Bayer CropScience sells Liberty Link crops and Liberty herbicide.

Between 1996 and 2008, US farmers sprayed an extra 383 million pounds of herbicide on these poison-drinking GMOs (genetically modified organisms). Because weeds are becoming resistant to the overused herbicide, farmers are spraying considerably more each year. The last 2 years of the 13-year study alone accounted for 46 percent of the increased herbicide use."

The massive pesticide applications sprayed onto soy crops can have a devastating impact on the locals living nearby, and is often used as a tactic by agribusiness giants intent on driving peasants and small farmers off of valuable farm land. As Friends of the Earth states:

"For soy producers in Paraguay, people are a bigger nuisance than bugs and weeds … Industrial soy production is sweeping across Paraguay. Standing in its way are communities of farmers and families who call this land home.

Spraying soy with toxic chemicals is often used as a deliberate tactic to force people from their land. Communities living near to soy may be sprayed with pesticides without warning up to 20 times per year.

The poison seeps into peoples' homes, destroys their crops and pollutes their water supplies. It causes headaches, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea and sometimes death."

The organization states that on January 7, 2011, 17 residents of a small Paraguay community were taken to the hospital after being poisoned with agrochemicals. Their symptoms included fever, coughing, stomach aches, vomiting and skin eruptions, and one man, whose neighbors said they were "subjected to constant aerial and tractor spraying," died.

A Threat to Local Food Supplies and Small Farmers

Along with the issues of pesticide poisoning, the intensive soy farming is also threatening biodiversity and access to locally grown produce. The Ecologist reports:

"Attracted by cheap land prices, poor environmental regulations and monitoring, widespread corruption and low taxation on agricultural export commodities, agribusinesses have long viewed Paraguay as an ideal country in which to do business. In recent decades increasing chunks of rural land have been bought up and turned over to export-orientated soy cultivation …

The arrival of export-orientated soy production in Paraguay has led to significant swathes of forest being destroyed to make way for crops, according to critics, threatening biodiversity and depleting resources vital for many rural communities.

In testimonies collected by investigators from villages adjacent to soy plantations -- and featured in the film -- local people complain that there is no longer an abundance of food and other produce."

The film referred to is the Killing Fields: The Battle to Feed Factory Farms, which also highlights the serious human rights abuses and environmental damage going on in Paraguay at the hands of multinational soy farmers.

A Simple Way to Stop Contributing to This Madness

If you want to take a stand against the damaging spread of GM soy plantations, one of the best ways is to avoid buying GM soy. Most of the GM soy grown in Paraguay, and around the world, is actually used for animal feed, so avoiding it means avoiding all meat that is not organically grown.

Organic meats (as well as 100% grass-fed beef) are raised on feed that does NOT contain genetically modified ingredients like GM soy.

If we want to instill change on an industry-wide level, it's important that we vote with our pocketbooks and purchase only non-GMO foods of all kinds when we can. So how do we do that?

Again, the most practical option you have is to choose organically certified varieties -- the gold standard of which is the USDA 100% Organic label -- as the only GM ingredients allowed in them are those produced by contamination, which is well below one percent.

Additionally you can participate in Jeffrey Smith's Non-GMO Tipping Point Network on a number of levels, depending on whether you're a consumer, a retailer, or a food manufacturer

The Institute for Responsible Technology has also created a variety of tools that make it easier for you to choose non-GM foods, and this is the way to eradicate GMO's from your local store. Remember, if no one wants to buy them, stores can't sell them, and will simply stop ordering them. Food manufacturers, and subsequently farmers, will have to adjust and quickly change their ingredients and crops or risk losing their business.

Here is a list of Action Items you can pick and choose from:
Distribute widely the Non-GMO Shopping Guide to help you identify and avoid foods with GMOs. Remember to look for products (including organic products) that feature the Non-GMO Project Verified Seal to be sure that at-risk ingredients have been tested for GMO content.
Download the free iPhone application that is available in the iTunes store. You can find it by searching for ShopNoGMO in the applications.
You can also order the Non-GMO Shopping Guide in bulk and give it to your family and friends.
Join the Non-GMO Tipping Point Network, where you can connect with Local and National Non-GMO Action Groups to learn more and help get the word out about GMOs to others.
Bring the film Hidden Dangers in Kid's Meals to your local access TV station, or perhaps your child's school, along with some educational material specifically designed for teachers and educators.
Share Your Milk on Drugs - Just Say No!, and Jeffrey's lecture, Everything You Have to Know About Dangerous Genetically Modified Foods with everyone you know. Post them to your Facebook page, or email the links to your network of friends and family.
Send a letter simultaneously to dozens of food companies, dairies, and supermarkets, telling them you're one of the millions of non-GMO eaters and urge them to prevent GM alfalfa from entering their supply chain, and to take steps to remove all GMOs. To sign and send these letters automatically, see this link.
Join the Institute for Responsible Technologies Facebook page, or follow them on Twitter.
Also support the Non-GMO Project by urging your local food retailers to join the Non-GMO Project's Supporting Retailer Program, and food manufacturers to join and become Non-GMO Project Verified. This is currently the best way for manufacturers to get around the fact that there's no GM-labeling system.

This content above may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Dr. Mercola is required.
Copyright Dr. Joseph Mercola, 2011. All Rights Reserved.

Institute for Respsonsible Technology
The most comprehensive source of GMO health risk information on the web.

65 Health Risks of GM Foods (we have only 5 of them on this site )

http://www.responsibletechnology.org/gmo-dangers/65-health-risks/5

Section 1: Evidence of reactions in animals and humans

1.1 GM potatoes damaged rats
1. Rats were fed potatoes engineered to produce their own insecticide.
2. They developed potentially precancerous cell growth in the digestive tract, inhibited development of their brains, livers and testicles, partial atrophy of the liver, enlarged pancreases and intestines and immune system damage.
3. The cause was not the insecticide, but in all likelihood was the process of genetic engineering.
4. GM foods on the market—which were created with the same process—have not been subject to such an extensive testing protocol.

1.2 Rats fed GM tomatoes got bleeding stomachs, several died
1. Rats were fed the GM FlavrSavr tomato for 28 days.
2. Seven of 20 rats developed stomach lesions (bleeding stomachs); another 7 of 40 died within two weeks and were replaced in the study.
3. The tomato was approved despite unresolved safety questions by FDA scientists.

1.3 Rats fed Bt corn had multiple health problems
1. Rats were fed Monsanto's Mon 863 Bt corn for 90 days.
2. They showed significant changes in their blood cells, livers and kidneys, which might indicate disease.
3. Although experts demanded follow-up, Monsanto used unscientific, contradictory arguments to dismiss concerns.

1.4 Mice fed GM Bt potatoes had intestinal damage
1. Mice were fed either GM potatoes engineered to produce the Bt-toxin or natural potatoes spiked with Bt-toxin.
2. Both diets created abnormal and excessive cell growth in the lower part of their small intestine (ileum).
3. Similar damage to the human small intestine might result in incontinence or flu-like symptoms, and may be precancerous.
4. This study overturns the assumptions that Bt-toxin is destroyed during digestion and is not biologically active in mammals.

1.5 Workers exposed to Bt cotton developed allergies
1. Agricultural laborers in six villages who picked or loaded Bt cotton reported reactions of the skin, eyes and upper respiratory tract.
2. Some laborers required hospitalization.
3. Employees at a cotton gin factory take antihistamines everyday.
4. One doctor treated about 250 cotton laborers

1.6 Sheep died after grazing in Bt cotton fields
1. After the cotton harvest in parts of India, sheep herds grazed continuously on Bt cotton plants.
2. Reports from four villages revealed that about 25% of the sheep died within a week.
3. Post mortem studies suggest a toxic reaction.

1.7 Inhaled Bt corn pollen may have triggered disease in humans
1. In 2003, approximately 100 people living next to a Bt cornfield in the Philippines developed skin, respiratory, intestinal reactions and other symptoms while the corn was shedding pollen.
2. Blood tests of 39 people showed an antibody response to Bt-toxin, which supports—but does not prove—a link.
3. The symptoms reappeared in 2004 in at least four other villages that planted the same corn variety.
4. Villagers also attribute several animal deaths to the corn.

1.8 Farmers report pigs and cows became sterile from GM corn
1. More than 20 farmers in North America report that pigs fed GM corn varieties had low conception rates, false pregnancies or gave birth to bags of water.
2. Both male and female pigs became sterile.
3. Some farmers also report sterility among cows.

1.9 Twelve cows in Germany died mysteriously when fed Bt corn
1. Twelve dairy cows died on a farm in Hesse Germany, after being fed a diet with significant amounts of a single GM corn variety, Bt 176.
2. Other cows in the herd had to be killed due to some mysterious illness.
3. Syngenta, the producers of Bt 176, compensated the farmer for part of his losses, but did not admit responsibility for the cow deaths.
4. In spite of demands by the farmer and even public protests, no detailed autopsy reports were made available.

1.10 Mice fed Roundup Ready soy had liver cell problems
1. The liver cells of mice fed Roundup Ready soybeans showed significant changes.
2. Irregularly shaped nuclei and nucleoli, an increased number of nuclear pores and other changes, all suggest higher metabolism and altered patterns of gene expression.
3. The changes may be in response to a toxin.
4. Most of the effects disappeared when GM soy was removed from the diet.

1.11 Mice fed Roundup Ready soy had problems with the pancreas
1. Mice fed GM soy showed changes in the synthesis and processing of digestive enzymes.
2. The production of alpha-amylase, a major digestive enzyme, dropped by as much as 77%.
3. This, combined with other pancreatic changes, suggests that GM soy may interfere with digestion and assimilation, as well as alter gene expression.

1.12 Mice fed Roundup Ready soy had unexplained changes in testicular cells
1. The structure and gene expression pattern of testicle cells of mice fed Roundup Ready soybeans changed significantly.
2. The cause for the changes is unknown, but the testicles are sensitive indicators of toxins.
3. Some of the changes might possibly influence adult fertility as well as the health of the offspring.
4. Mouse embryos from GM-fed mothers did show a temporary decrease in gene expression.

1.13 Roundup Ready Soy Changed Cell Metabolism in Rabbit Organs
1. Rabbits fed GM soy for about 40 days showed significant differences in the amounts of certain enzymes in their kidneys, hearts and livers.
2. A rise in LDH1 levels in all three organs suggests an increase in cellular metabolism.
3. Changes in other enzymes point to other alterations in the organs.

1.14 Most offspring of rats fed Roundup Ready soy died within three weeks
1. Female rats were fed Roundup Ready soy starting before conception and continuing through pregnancy and weaning.
2. Of the offspring, 55.6% died within three weeks compared to 9% from non-GM soy controls.
3. Some pups from GM-fed mothers were significantly smaller and both mothers and pups were more aggressive.
4. In a separate study, after a lab began feeding rats a commercial diet containing GM soy, offspring mortality reached 55.3%.
5. When offspring from GM-fed rats were mated together, they were unable to conceive.

1.15 Soy allergies skyrocketed in the UK, soon after GM soy was introduced
1. In a single year, 1999, soy allergies in the UK jumped from 10% to 15% of the sampled population.
2. GM soy was imported into the country shortly before 1999.
3. Antibody tests verify that some individuals react differently to GM and non-GM soy varieties.
4. GM soy also has an increased concentration of a known allergen

1.16 Rats fed Roundup Ready canola had heavier livers
1. The livers of rats fed GM canola were 12-16% heavier than those fed non-GM varieties.
2. The liver is a chemical factory and primary detoxifier for the body.
3. Heavier livers may indicate liver disease or inflammation.
4. If this were caused by oil-soluble toxins, they may be present in canola oil.

1.17 Twice the number of chickens died when fed Liberty Link corn
1. The death rate for chickens fed Chardon LL GM corn for 42 days was 7%, compared to 3.5% for controls.
2. GM-fed chickens also had more erratic body weight and food intake, and less weight gain overall.
3. The study was designed so that only huge differences would be statistically significant.
4. The results were therefore dismissed without follow-up.

1.18 GM peas generated an allergic-type inflammatory response in mice
1. In advanced tests not normally part of GM crop evaluations, protein produced by GM peas generated a dangerous immune response in mice.
2. That “same” protein, when produced naturally in beans, had no effect.
3. The GM peas produced a subtle, hard-to-detect difference in the way sugar molecules attached to the protein, which likely caused the problem.
4. The response in mice suggested that the GM peas could provoke inflammatory or allergic reactions in humans; commercialization of the peas was therefore cancelled.
5. This type of subtle but dangerous change in the GM protein would rarely, if ever, be detected in the safety assessments typically used to approve GM crops.

1.19 Eyewitness reports: Animals avoid GMOs
1. When given a choice, several animals avoided eating GM food.
2. In farmer-run tests, cows and pigs repeatedly passed up GM corn.
3. Animals that avoided GM food include cows, pigs, geese, squirrels, elk, deer, raccoons, mice and rats.

1.20 A GM food supplement killed about 100 people and caused 5,000-10,000 to fall sick
1. One brand of the supplement L-tryptophan created a deadly US epidemic in the 1980s
2. The company genetically engineered bacteria to produce the supplement more economically.
3. Their product contained many contaminants, five or six of which were suspected as the cause of the disease.
4. Discovering the epidemic required multiple coincidences, suggesting that adverse reactions to GM foods may be hard to identify.

Section 2:

Gene insertion disrupts the DNA and can create unpredictable health problems

2.1 Foreign genes disrupt the DNA at the insertion site

2.2 Growing GM crops using tissue culture can create hundreds or thousands of DNA mutations

2.3 Gene insertion creates genome-wide changes in gene expression

2.4 The promoter may accidentally switch on harmful genes

2.5 The promoter might switch on a dormant virus in plants

2.6 The promoter might create genetic instability and mutations

2.7 Genetic engineering activates mobile DNA, called transposons, which generate mutations

2.8 Novel RNA may be harmful to humans and their offspring

2.9 Roundup Ready soybeans produce unintentional RNA variations

2.10 Changes in proteins can alter thousands of natural chemicals in plants, increasing toxins or reducing phytonutrients

2.11 GM crops have altered levels of nutrients and toxins

Section 3: The protein produced by the inserted gene may create problems

3.1 A gene from a Brazil nut carried allergies into soybeans

3.2 GM proteins in soy, corn and papaya may be allergens

3.3 Bt crops may create allergies and illness

3.4 The Bt in crops is more toxic than the Bt spray

3.5 StarLink corn's built-in pesticide has a "medium likelihood" of being an allergen

3.6 Pollen-sterilizing barnase in GM crops may cause kidney damage

3.7 High lysine corn contains increased toxins and may retard growth

3.8 Cooking high lysine corn may create disease-promoting toxins

3.9 Disease-resistant crops may promote human viruses and other diseases

Part 1: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods

Section 4: The foreign protein may be different than what is intended

4.1 GM proteins may be misfolded or have added molecules

4.2 Transgenes may be altered during insertion

4.3 Transgenes may be unstable, and rearrange over time

4.4 Transgenes may create more than one protein

4.5 Weather, environmental stress and genetic disposition can significantly change gene expression

4.6 Genetic engineering can disrupt the complex relationships governing gene expression

65 Health Risks of GM Foods

Part 1: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods

Section 5: Transfer of genes to gut bacteria, internal organs, or viruses

5.1 In spite of industry claims, transgenes survive the digestion system and can wander

5.2 Transgene design facilitates transfer into gut bacteria

5.3 Transgenes may proliferate in gut bacteria over the long-term

5.4 Transgene transfer to human gut bacteria is confirmed

5.5 GM foods might create antibiotic-resistant diseases

5.6 The promoter can also transfer, and may switch on random genes or viruses

5.7 If Bt genes transfer, they could turn our gut bacteria into living pesticide factories

5.8 Genes may transfer to bacteria in the mouth or throat

5.9 Transfer of viral genes into gut microorganisms may create toxins and weaken peoples' viral defenses

60 more reasons at this site

http://www.responsibletechnology.org/gmo-dangers/65-health-risks/5

Which Veggie Burgers Were Made With a Neurotoxin?
Posted by Dr. Mercola | May 15 2010 | 21,272 views


The Cornucopia Institute reports that most non-organic veggie burgers currently on the market are made with the chemical hexane -- a neurotoxin.
Makers of many soy-based burgers submerge the soybeans in hexane to separate the oil from the protein and reduce the amount of fat in the product.
If a non-organic burger contains soy protein isolate, soy protein concentrate, or texturized vegetable protein, it was likely made using hexane.
Veggie burgers made with hexane include:
Amy's Kitchen
Boca Burger, conventional
Franklin Farms
Garden Burger
It’s All Good Lightlife
Morningstar Farms
President’s Choice
Taste Above
Trader Joe's
Yves Veggie Cuisine

Alternet notes that:
“Products labeled ‘organic’ aren't allowed to contain any hexane-derived ingredients, but that rule doesn't apply to foods that are labeled ‘made with organic ingredients.’”
Sources:
Alternet April 13, 2010
The Cornucopia Institute May 18, 2009

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

First of all, you probably know that I am not a major fan of non-fermented soy, which is the primary protein most of these burgers are made from.
Over 91% of soy in the United States is GMO, which means it is LOADED with pesticides because that is why it is GMO in the first place -- so Monsanto can sell loads of their toxic Roundup pesticides to kill the weeds around the GMO soy, but the GMO soy survives as it can tolerate the pesticide. It is loaded with it when it is finally harvested.
However the pesticide issue is only one of my concerns and if you haven’t reviewed the hundreds of pages I have compiled on the dangers of soy, you can do so when you have some free time.
However, there is a recently discovered additional concern about veggie burgers in general that I need to bring to your attention.
Many health-conscious consumers are being misled with every veggie burger that passes through their lips. Most are contaminated with hexane, a noted neurotoxin that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also classifies as a “hazardous air pollutant.
This chemical is not only used as a cleaning agent and solvent for glue and varnish, it’s also used to extract oils from soybeans, peanuts, corn and other seed and vegetable crops. This latter use is actually the primary one, and The Cornucopia Institute reports that grain processors (including soy processors) account for more than two-thirds of hexane emissions in the United States.
In their “Behind the Bean” report, the Institute calls “the widespread use of a toxic and environmentally damaging chemical, hexane, in the manufacturing of “natural” soyfoods such as vegetarian burgers, nutrition bars, and protein shakes” a “dirty little secret.”
What are the Risks of Eating Hexane-Tainted Food?
Hexane is a known toxin, although most of the research is on exposure via inhalation, which is thought to be the primary route of exposure. The EPA reports:
“Acute (short-term) inhalation exposure of humans to high levels of hexane causes mild central nervous system (CNS) effects, including dizziness, giddiness, slight nausea, and headache.
Chronic (long-term) exposure to hexane in air is associated with polyneuropathy in humans, with numbness in the extremities, muscular weakness, blurred vision, headache, and fatigue observed. Neurotoxic effects have also been exhibited in rats.”
Health effects beyond these, including those that occur from eating hexane, are unknown, simply because the research has not been done. The Cornucopia Institute reported:
“The effects on consumers of hexane residues in soy foods have not yet been thoroughly studied and are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Test results obtained by The Cornucopia Institute indicate that residues—ten times higher than what is considered normal by the FDA—do appear in common soy ingredients.”
Beware: Hexane is Even in Organic Infant Formula!
By definition, foods that are 100 percent organic should not contain hexane, but there is a loophole that many food manufacturers are taking advantage of. If a food is labeled “made with organic ingredients” it may contain the chemical.
Further, the National Organics Standard Board has allowed certain ingredients that are hexane-extracted to remain on the list of approved substances for organics “if the organic version is commercially unavailable and it is deemed safe.”
One of these is a form of soy lecithin, which is produced using hexane and acetone, another toxic chemical. Outrageously, another example is a form of DHA and ARA oils that are commonly used in organic infant formulas! According to the Cornucopia Institute’s report:
“Other hexane-extracted ingredients that many industry experts believe should not be present in organic foods, especially organic infant formula, are algal DHA and fungal ARA oils.
These oils—nutritional supplements containing omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids—are produced by Martek Biosciences Corporation by way of a process that immerses fermented algae and soil fungus in a hexane bath.
The Cornucopia Institute is especially concerned with evidence obtained through a Free dom of Information Act request with the FDA that these DHA and ARA oils, when added to infant formula, are linked to serious health complications experienced by some infants. Organic foods should be a refuge from chemically processed additives in foods: consumers expect nothing less.”
So if you eat non-organic or even some organic varieties of processed soy foods, you can be fairly certain you are also eating hexane residues. This chemical is also likely present in virtually every processed food that contains edible oils from soy, peanuts and corn (which would be the vast majority of processed foods on the market).
More Reasons to Ditch Veggie Burgers and Other Forms of Processed Soy
When you add up all the health risks of processed soy, trying to find a hexane-free veggie burger becomes a moot point (unless you can find the rare variety that may also be soy-free).
The truth is that even without the hexane issue, any soy that is unfermented -- soy milk, tofu, soybean oil, soy veggie burgers, soy infant formula and all the other processed soy products out there all belong to this category -- is not a health food and in fact is not a food I would advise eating at all. This is true whether it is “organic” or not.
Unlike the Asian culture, where people eat small amounts of fermented, whole soybean products, western food processors separate the soybean into two golden commodities -- protein and oil. And there is nothing natural or safe about these products.
Says Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story:
“Today's high-tech processing methods not only fail to remove the anti-nutrients and toxins that are naturally present in soybeans but leave toxic and carcinogenic residues created by the high temperatures, high pressure, alkali and acid baths and petroleum solvents."
Dr. Daniel also points out the findings of numerous studies reviewed by her and other colleagues -- that soy does not reliably lower cholesterol, and in fact raises homocysteine levels in many people, which has been found to increase your risk of stroke, birth defects, and yes: heart disease.
Unfermented soy products have been linked to everything from reproductive disorders and infertility to cancer as well.
Further, unfermented soy contains isoflavones that are clearly associated with reduced thyroid function. Eating unfermented soy products is likely the single largest cause of hypothyroidism in women.
Another major problem with unfermented soy is that it contains natural toxins known as “antinutrients.” This includes a large quantity of inhibitors that deter your enzymes needed for protein digestion. While a small amount of these antinutrients would likely not be a problem, the amount of soy that many Americans are now eating (and drinking in the form of soy milk) is quite significant.
The result of consuming too many of soy’s antinutrients is extensive gastric distress and chronic deficiencies in amino acid uptake, which can result in pancreatic impairment and cancer.
Unfermented soy is also loaded with phytoestrogens (isoflavones) genistein and daidzein. These compounds mimic and sometimes block the hormone estrogen, and have been found to have adverse effects on various human tissues.
Drinking even two glasses of soy milk daily for one month has enough of the chemical to alter a woman’s menstrual cycle, and although the FDA regulates estrogen-containing products, no warnings exist on soy or soy milk. Soy phytoestrogens are also known to disrupt endocrine function, may cause infertility and may promote breast cancer in women.
Why You Want to be Very Careful With Veggieburgers
Given the fact that most veggie burgers on the market are made with processed soy and contaminated with hexane, I do not recommend you eat them.
You might want to try tempeh, a fermented soybean cake with a firm texture and nutty, mushroom-like flavor. Even though tempeh is a form of soy, it is a healthy form because it is fermented.
After a long fermentation process, the phytic acid and antinutrient levels of the soybeans are reduced, and their beneficial properties -- such as the creation of natural probiotics -- become available to your digestive system. It also greatly reduces the levels of dangerous isoflavones, which are similar to estrogen in their chemical structure, and can interfere with the action of your own estrogen production.
The vast majority of the soy sold in the natural food industry is most likely non GMO. Please be aware however, that this doesn't necessarily apply to the oriental market. It's possible that no one knows for sure. Unless you can confirm that the source of the soy is non GMO, would probably be best to avoid it.

about monsanto and gm c rops

The New Secretary of Agriculture is a Fan of Factory Farms, GM Crops and More

Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack is now the Secretary of Agriculture, an appointment that took place despite massive public outcry. What was needed for an effective Secretary of Agriculture was someone who would develop and implement a plan that promotes family-scale farming and a safe and nutritious food system with a sustainable and organic vision.

What we got was yet another politician who’s already made room in his bed for the industry lobby. As the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) points out:[3]

*

Vilsack has been a strong supporter of genetically engineered crops, including bio-pharmaceutical corn

*

The biggest biotechnology industry group, the Biotechnology Industry Organization, named Vilsack Governor of the Year. He was also the founder and former chair of the Governor’s Biotechnology Partnership.

*

When Vilsack created the Iowa Values Fund, his first poster child of economic development potential was Trans Ova and their pursuit of cloning dairy cows.

*

The undemocratic and highly unpopular 2005 seed pre-emption bill was Vilsack’s brainchild. The law strips local government’s right to regulated genetically engineered seed (including where GE can be grown, maintaining GE-free buffers or banning pharma corn locally)

*

Vilsack is an ardent supporter of corn and soy-based biofuels, which use as much or more fossil fuel energy to produce them as they generate, while driving up world food prices and literally starving the poor.

*

Overall, Vilsack’s record is one of aiding and abetting Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) or factory farms and promoting animal cloning.

You may also be interested to know that Vilsack is widely regarded as a shill for biotech giants like Monsanto (he even reportedly often travels in Monsanto’s jet)![4]

The New Senior Advisor for the FDA is a Former Monsanto VP!

Michael Taylor, a former vice president of public policy and chief lobbyist at Monsanto Company, is the new senior advisor for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Who is Michael Taylor? He is the person who “oversaw the creation of GMO policy,” according to Jeffrey Smith, the leading spokesperson on the dangers of GM foods. Smith continues:

“If GMOs are indeed responsible for massive sickness and death, then the individual who oversaw the FDA policy that facilitated their introduction holds a uniquely infamous role in human history. That person is Michael Taylor. He had been Monsanto's attorney before becoming policy chief at the FDA. Soon after, he became Monsanto's vice president and chief lobbyist.”[5]

The FDA policy being referred to is the 1992 GMO policy, which stated:

"The agency is not aware of any information showing that foods derived by these new methods [genetic engineering] differ from other foods in any meaningful or uniform way."

In reality, there was major concern among FDA scientists that GM foods were in fact different than natural foods, and that their creation could prompt unknown and unpredictable health problems.

Along with being a key player in the initial pushing of GM foods onto Americans’ plates (without any required safety studies), Taylor also oversaw the policy regarding Monsanto’s genetically engineered bovine growth hormone (rbGH/rbST).

This growth hormone, which has been banned in Canada, Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand because of cancer risks and other health concerns, was approved in the United States while Taylor was in charge at the FDA. Smith writes:

“Taylor also determined that milk from injected cows did not require any special labeling. And as a gift to his future employer Monsanto, he wrote a white paper suggesting that if companies ever had the audacity to label their products as not using rbGH, they should also include a disclaimer stating that according to the FDA, there is no difference between milk from treated and untreated cows.”

Taylor’s white paper, which again was untrue as even FDA scientists acknowledged differences in the rbGH milk, allowed Monsanto to sue dairies that labeled their products rbGH-free.

Dennis Wolff, Another Monsanto “Yes Man,” May be the Next Under-Secretary of Agriculture for Food Safety

In another ironic turn of events, it’s rumored that Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff may be appointed the new Under-Secretary of Agriculture for Food Safety -- the top food safety post at the USDA.

Wolff declared that labeling products rbGH-free was against the law, and ordered all such labels to be removed from Pennsylvania. Fortunately, due to consumer demand Pennsylvania's Governor Ed Rendell stepped in and stopped the ban on rbGH-free labels (although he did require such claims to include Taylor’s FDA disclaimer that there is no difference between milk from treated and untreated cows).

As Jeffrey Smith explains:

“Rumor has it that the reason why Pennsylvania's governor is supporting Wolff's appointment is to get him out of the state -- after he "screwed up so badly" with the rbGH decision. Oh great, governor. Thanks.”[6]

Not only did Dennis Wolff attempt to ban rbGH-free labels, but OCA points out that he has “also worked to deprive communities the right to ban toxic sewage sludge, factory farms, and GMOs.”[7]

Monsanto’s Long-Reaching Grasp on the U.S. Government

Clearly, Monsanto -- the world leader in genetic modification of seeds -- has worked its way into varying high-level positions in the U.S. government. There are other less noticeable connections too, such as Sharon Long, a former member of Monsanto’s board of directors who was part of Obama’s scientific advisory team during the election/campaign.[8]

Monsanto is a very dark cloud hanging over the future of health and food safety in the United States. This powerful entity has already managed so many reprehensible acts it boggles the mind, including:

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Leading the world into a new age of potentially hazardous genetic modification of seeds.
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Patenting not only their own GMO seeds, but also a huge number of crop seeds, patenting life forms for the first time -- without a vote of the people or Congress.
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Not allowing farmers to save their seeds to replant the next year -- a practice that has been done for generations. Instead, they aggressively seek out and sue farmers they suspect of doing so.
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Suing farmers who have not been able to prevent the inevitable drift of Monsanto’s GE pollen or seed onto their land for patent infringement!
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Producing two of the most toxic substances ever known -- polychlorinated biphenyls, known as PCBs, and dioxin (Agent Orange).

Perhaps their biggest assault to your food supply already is what’s known as terminator technology. These are seeds that have been genetically modified to “self-destruct.” In other words, the seeds (and the forthcoming crops) are sterile, which means farmers must buy them again each year.

The implications that terminator seeds could have on the world’s food supply are disastrous: the traits from genetically engineered crops can get passed on to other crops. Once the terminator seeds are released into a region, the trait of seed sterility could be passed to other non-genetically-engineered crops, making most or all of the seeds in the region sterile.

If allowed to continue, every farmer in the world could come to rely on Monsanto for their seed supply!

So What Can You Do?

The first step you have already done, and that is to get informed. You can continue to spread the word further by sharing this article with your friends and family.

Next, hit Monsanto and industrial agriculture where it counts ... their bottom line. By boycotting all GM foods and instead supporting organic (and local) farmers who do not use Monsanto’s GM seeds, you are using your wallet to make your opinions known.

This means abstaining from virtually all processed food products (most are loaded with GM ingredients) and sticking to fresh, locally grown, organic foodstuffs instead.

You can join the fight to truly revamp the FDA as well, by signing this petition from the American Association for Health Freedom (AAHF). AAHF is leading a campaign to reform the FDA, and your help is urgently needed, as a large number of signatures are required to compel Congressional Action.

Finally, you can voice your opinion directly to the Obama Administration. Simply use this form from the Organic Consumers Association to send a message to President Obama, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius (oversees FDA) demanding Michael Taylor's resignation, and letting them know you oppose Dennis Wolff's appointment.

TAKE ACTION to Demand Michael Taylor’s Resignation and Oppose Dennis Wolff’s Appointment Now!

[1] Mercola.com “U.S. Paying Through the Nose for Poor Quality Health Care” August 7, 2008 http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/08/07/u-s-paying-through-the-nose-for-poor-quality-health-care.aspx

[2] New England Journal of Medicine May 1, 2008, Volume 358:1881-1883, Number 18 http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/358/18/1881

[3] Organic Consumers Association “Six Reasons Why Obama Appointing Monsanto’s Buddy, Former Iowa Governor Vilsack, for USDA Head Would be a Terrible Idea” November 12, 2008 http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_15573.cfm

[4] Organic Consumer’s Association “Six Reasons Why Obama Appointing Monsanto’s Buddy, Former Iowa Governor Vilsack, for USDA Head Would be a Terrible Idea” November 12, 2008 http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_15573.cfm

[5] Smith, Jeffrey. “You’re Appointing Who? Please Obama, Say It’s Not So!” HuffingtonPost.com July 23, 2009 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeffrey-smith/youre-appointing-who-plea_b_243810.html

[6] Smith, Jeffrey. “You’re Appointing Who? Please Obama, Say It’s Not So!” HuffingtonPost.com July 23, 2009 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeffrey-smith/youre-appointing-who-plea_b_243810.html

[7] Organic Consumers Association “Another Monsanto Fox Guarding the Henhouse in Obama’s Transition Team” November 19, 2008 http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_15710.cfm

[8] Wired.com “Obama Campaign Reveals Science Advisors” September 17, 2008 http://www.wired.com/wired science/2008/09/obama-campaign/

Related Links:

A Fake Group Fights for Monsanto's Right to Deceive You

A Revealing Look at the Inside of Monsanto And Their Genetic Engineering Machine

Food Safety in Question: New Concerns to Consider...

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