Glyphosate Found In Breakfast Cereal
A new report by the Environmental Working Group has provided yet another reason to ditch your oat based granola snacks and cereals in favor of healthier alternatives. It turns out the cancer-causing herbicide glyphosate, also known as Roundup, was found in a wide range of cereals made from conventionally grown oats.
Of the 45 products made from conventionally grown oats that were tested, fully 43 tested positive for glyphosate. Of these, almost three quarters had glyphosate levels that exceeded the threshold for child safety set by the Environmental Working Group.
Products made from organic oats only fared slightly better. Just under one-third of the 16 samples taken tested positive for glyphosate, albeit at levels below the child safety benchmark set by the EWG.
Monsanto to Blame For Rare Blood Cancer
It has not been a great week for Monsanto. As reported by CBS News, the chemical and seed giant was on the losing end of a $289 million dollar lawsuit levied by a San Francisco who is dying of a rare blood cancer which he attributed to Roundup exposure.
There is a common theme that links both these stories: the presence of glyphosate throughout the environment and the food supply. Monsanto’s role in the spread of glyphosate contamination should not be downplayed and they must be held responsible for the damage they have inflicted with an herbicide they market as safe.
Avoiding all GMO ingredients and eating only whole, nourishing and sustainably sourced foods is a great way to minimize your exposure and optimize your health. Unfortunately, glyphosate is reaching critical mass in the environment and it may be time to examine other protective measures. Internal FDA emails leaked to The Guardian found that the FDA was having difficulty locating foods that didn’t contain glyphosate.
Fighting a Weed Killer With the Weeds It Kills?
The good news is that mother nature has provided us with an expansive toolbox. Ironically, one of these plants is the sort of “weed” that Roundup was designed to eradicate. Dandelions have a long history as a detoxification agent. The scientific name of dandelion, Taraxacum officinale, references the plant’s long tradition as a healing herb.
A study in the Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology found that it may protect against and even reverse the intracellular damage inflicted by Monsanto’s toxic herbicide. Another study in the World Journal of Gastroenterology found that dandelion may also have a protective effect on the gastrointestinal system.
It is worth noting that dandelions harvested from the glyphosate belt of the midwestern United States are likely to be contaminated. Picking wild herbs from a heavily trafficked right of way that has likely been sprayed with Roundup is worse option still. There are better options available. One of the best sources of wild dandelion roots and leaves are the remote, wild northern forests of Canada.
Of course, glyphosate is only one of a murder’s row of toxic ingredients found in processed food. Manufacturers intentionally add heavily processed ingredients to increase shelf life and profit. Consumers are rejecting these chemicals in greater numbers and embracing the power of wild, natural herbs to reduce their toxic load.
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