Team Name/Username: AMEnvironment Email: [email protected] School: Jericho High School So what are GMO’s? GMO’s, or genetically modified organisms, are organisms whose genetic material has been changed in a laboratory. You must be thinking: That’s not natural at all! There has to be bad consequences! Well, there are. This process creates unstable combinations of animal, plant, bacteria, and viral genes that don’t happen in nature or through traditional crossbreeding techniques.

Here are my 5 go-to snacks! Let’s see if they’re Non-GMO:

Back to Nature Chocolate Chunk Cookies Ingredients: UNBLEACHED WHEAT FLOUR, SEMISWEET CHOCOLATE (SUGAR, CHOCOLATE*, DEXTROSE, COCOA BUTTER, SOY LECITHIN, VANILLA EXTRACT), EVAPORATED CANE JUICE, SAFFLOWER OIL, BROWN RICE SYRUP, BAKING SODA, SEA SALT. CONTAINS: WHEAT, SOY. *RAINFOREST ALLIANCE CERTIFIED(TM) COCOA BEANS.

Price: $5.29 per 9.5 oz, so that’s around $5.01

This product is NOT Non-GMO Soy products are at high risk of being GMO and A LOT of our foods contain soy!

FUN FACT: “RAINFOREST ALLIANCE CERTIFIED” MEANS THAT IT CONTAINS INGREDIENTS GROWN AT FARMS OR FORESTS IN A WAY THAT CONSERVES WILDLIFE!

GMO-FREE ALTERNATIVE: Simply Eight Junkless Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients: Wheat Flour, Brown Sugar, Palm Oil, Semisweet Chocolate Chips, Eggs, Baking Powder and Vanilla Extract

Price: $3.99 per 9.0 oz

WHY BUY THIS ITEM? 1. There are NO hydrogenated oils 2. It is Non-GMO! 3. There are NO artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives!! 4. THERE ARE ONLY 7 INGREDIENTS THAT YOU CAN READ & UNDERSTAND!!! 5. It’s cheaper than the conventional pack of cookies!

THAT’S MORE LIKE IT!

I am definitely switching! The Junkless Chocolate Chip Cookies look delicious and are made of ingredients that I use on a daily basis at home! Plus, it’s cheaper!!

Snyder’s of Hanover Honey Mustard & Onion Sourdough Nibblers Ingredients: Enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, palm oil, sugar, onion powder, maltodextrin, dextrose, whey (milk), salt, vinegar powder (maltodextrin, modified corn starch, vinegar), yeast, honey powder, hydrolyzed soy protein, mustard [(vinegar, water, mustard, salt, turmeric), maltodextrin, cornstarch], wheat starch, spices, extract of turmeric, citric acid, horseradish powder, natural flavors, soda.

Price: $4.92 per 12 oz bag, so that’s $3.28 for an 8 oz bag

This product is also NOT Non-GMO! Yeast products, maltodextrin, and citric acid are commonly derived from GMO risk crops. Soy and corn are GMO high risk crop! Also, there are soooo many ingredients I don’t know! Like thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, and dextrose!

I looked them up and… Thiamine mononitrate is synthetic and only “LIKELY SAFE for pregnant or breast-feeding women when taken in the recommended amount of 1.4 mg daily”. Riboflavan is also “LIKELY SAFE for pregnant or breast-feeding women when taken in the recommended amount of 1.4 mg daily”. In high amounts, it can cause diarrhea and an increase in urine, among other side effects. Dextrose, when used in a gel, can cause extreme allergic reactions.

Our health is the #1 priority, so why should we rely on a “LIKELY SAFE”?

GMO-FREE ALTERNATIVE: 365 Crunchy Pretzel Sticks Ingredients: organic wheat flour, salt, organic expeller pressed soybean oil, baking soda. Price: $2.19 for 8 oz

Why buy these 365 Crunchy Pretzel Sticks? 1. These are Non-GMO 2. These are organic 3. These are cheaper than the conventional GMO one!

Look for this! And this!

I can read the ingredients and know all of them! Though soy is a crop at high risk of being GMO, this one isn’t because it’s certified to be Non-GMO! This is a nice substitute not only because it is healthier, but also because they are bite size, too!

Skinny Pop Popcorn Ingredients: Popcorn, sunflower oil and salt. Price: $4.29 for 4.4 oz bag

Look at these benefits! Skinny Pop is non-GMO, has no artificial ingredients, and is gluten free, so those who can’t have gluten can enjoy them too!

There it is again!

Nature Valley Crunchy Oats ‘N Honey Granola Bars Ingredients: Whole Grain Oats, Sugar, Canola Oil, Yellow Corn Flour, Honey, Soy Flour, Brown Sugar Syrup, Salt, Soy Lecithin, Baking Soda, Natural Flavor.

Price: $2.98 for a pack of 6, so about $0.50 for each bar

THIS CONTAINS GMOs!!

Soy and canola products are at a high risk of being GMO!! GMO-FREE ALTERNATIVE: Bobo’s Oat Bar Original Ingredients: Organic Rolled Oats, Brown Rice Syrup (Brown Rice, Filtered Water), Earth Balance® [Natural Oil Blend (Palm Fruit, Canola and Olive Oils), Filtered Water, Pure Salt, Natural Flavor (Derived from Corn, No MSG, No Alcohol, No Gluten), Sunflower Lecithin, Lactic Acid (Non-Dairy, Derived from Sugar Beets) and Colored with Annatto Extract], Organic Sucanat (Non-Refined Cane Sugar), Xanthan Gum. May Contain Traces of Tree Nuts and Peanuts. Now Kosher certified by Earth Kosher. Price: $26.65 per box of 6, so 1 is $4.44

Look for the words Non-GMO

Though the alternative is more expensive, it is organic and Non-GMO, so the benefits outweigh the disadvantages.

KIND Oats & Honey with Toasted Coconut Bar Ingredients: Whole grain blend (oats, brown rice, millet, oat flour, buckwheat, amaranth, quinoa), tapioca syrup, dried cane syrup, honey, coconut, canola oil, brown rice syrup, gum acacia, sea salt, Vitamin E (to maintain freshness).

Price: $12 for a box of 15, so 1 should be $0.80

Many times, the product will say Non-GMO on the wrapping if it is free of GMO’s

I will buy more food items that specifically say that they are Non-GMO and certified USDA Organic, since I now know that a lot of the ingredients in GMO foods and packaged foods are terrible for your body. And GMO is simply not right! I was so surprised when I found out that Nature Valley, whose name implies that all of its ingredients are natural, has products that have GMO’s!