“Glyphosate is a widely used herbicide that controls broadleaf weeds and grasses. It has been registered as a pesticide in the U.S. since 1974” – according to EPA. Glyphosate is the main ingredient in the weed-killer Roundup® and is the most widely used chemical herbicide in history.
Since the late 1970s the use of glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) has increased approximately 100-fold (by volume); some estimates put it at a 300-fold increase.
Chances are high, this chemical is in at least some of the food we eat today, even if that food is organic, non-GMO, and “all-natural.”
Why should glyphosate concern us?
Glyphosate has been labelled as a probable carcinogen by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer. According to Bloomberg, “Bayer, the pharmaceutical company that bought Monsanto (original manufacturer of Roundup) for $ 66 billion in 2016, is currently facing litigation by more than 9,500 plaintiffs in the U.S., mostly farmers, who blame exposure to glyphosate for non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Studies published in 2009 confirmed that glyphosate-based herbicides are toxic and endocrine disruptors in human cell lines.
In 2013 a group of researchers found that glyphosate induces human breast cancer cells growth via estrogen receptors.
The 2022 literature review study describes “general adverse effects of Roundup and its principal substance glyphosate with focus on endocrine disruption, oxidative stress and behavioral disorders” on animals and humans.
Do you want to know what foods contain the highest amounts of glyphosate?
Over half of all samples of soy (67.4%), wheat (47.8%), rice (80%), and corn (58.6%) contained pesticide residues. These were not the worst offenders, however. A staggering 95.9% of cherry fruit/juice and 90.8% of apple fruit/juice tested positive for pesticides. As for grape fruit/juice and raisins, 92.8% of samples were found to be contaminated, while 92.5% of strawberries were also tainted. As a group, almost four out of five samples (79%) of fruit or fruit products tested positive for pesticides.
Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit, nonpartisan research group put together a list of 12 produce items, “a dirty dozen,” where harmful chemicals were found in highest levels. Here is the link to their list – https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php
Glyphosate Products to Avoid
As well as EWG, a handful of NGOs like Moms Across America, Food Democracy Now!, and The Detox Project have tested a variety of products for glyphosate. Based on their reports, here are just a few types of foods and examples of brands that have tested positive:
• Granola by Quaker, KIND, Back to Nature, Nature Valley
• Instant oats by Giant, Quaker, Umpqua, Market Pantry
• Whole oats by Quaker, Bob’s Red Mill, Nature’s Path, Whole Foods
• Cereal by Kashi, Kellogg’s, including Lucky Charms and Cheerios
• Snack bars by Quaker, KIND, Nature Valley, Kellogg’s
• Orange juice by Tropicana, Minute Maid, Signature Farms, Kirkland
• Crackers, including Cheez-Its, Ritz, Triscuits, Goldfish
• Cookies by Annie’s, Kashi, and Nabisco (Oreos)
• Chips by Stacy’s, Lay’s, Doritos, Fritos
Glyphosate has also been found in miscellaneous products like Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, non-organic cotton products like tampons and clothing, and also in drinking water. It’s been found in 75% of air and rain samples. (watch this video)
What can we do to minimize the detrimental impact of glyphosate?
We should do the best we can with our food. Growing our own food and buying from trusted farmers are great ways but not available for many people. Eating organic when possible can help, but it doesn’t guarantee that our food and water won’t be contaminated.
Dr. Mercola reported, “To eliminate glyphosate, you need to saturate your body with glycine. Dr. Klinghardt recommends taking 1 teaspoon (4 grams) of glycine powder twice a day for a few weeks and then lower the dose to one-fourth teaspoon (1 gram) twice a day. This forces the glyphosate out of your system, allowing it to be eliminated through your urine.”
Please note that this is NOT a medical advice. This is an invitation to do your own research and consult with the doctor you trust.
Of course, we need to keep educating ourselves on how safe our food is and demand accountability and transparency from food manufacturers and food regulating agencies.
To Your Health,
Katerina and Indigo Team
