How much do you know about the food you eat? Consumers are starting to open their eyes and taking a stand on the blinds the FDA (U.S Food and Drug Administration) and companies like Nestle, Bertoli, General Mills, and Pepperidge Farms try to pull on us.

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are present in the vast majority of processed foods found in most stores around the country. The Grocery Manufacturers Association estimates that between 75% and 80% of all processed foods available on grocery store shelves contain GMOs.

Recently there have been so many cases in the United States cracking down on the amount of GMOs that goes into our food, fish markets selling “fake fish” in New York City and even the most recent case of 15-year-old Sarah Kavanagh who started a petition against PepsiCo against the drink Gatorade.

The New York Times reported that Ms. Kavanagh, a dedicated vegetarian, read the label while drinking Gatorade and one peculiar ingredient caught her eye; vegetable oil. This pushed her to do further research and then she decided to start a petition on Change.org that has almost 200,000 signatures already. Her campaign is a way to persuade companies like PepsiCo to consider changing the drink’s formulation.

Brominated vegetable oil contains bromine, an element contained in things like upholstered furniture and children’s products. Research has found that a build-up of this element in both human and animals can cause “neurological impairment, reduced fertility, changes in thyroid hormones and puberty at an earlier age.”

Despite this, brominated vegetable oil has been deemed safe for consumption by federal regulators, says The New York Times.

Up to 10% of drinks sold in the United States contain brominated vegetable oil, including Mountain Dew, Powerade, Fanta Orange, Squirt and Sunkist Peach Soda.

“B.V.O. is banned other places in the world, so these companies already have a replacement for it,” Ms. Kavanagh told The New York Times. “I don’t see why they don’t just make the switch.” To that, companies say the switch would be too costly.

Currently in the United States, companies are not required to tell you if there are GMOs in the food they sell. Food companies can basically put whatever they chose to in your food. As long as it is “said” to be safe, they will use it without your knowledge.

Toonari Post contacted Nature Valley, a product of General Mills, by email and phone to ask why they use GMOs but claims on their website and Facebook page, “No matter how many flavors we create, they’re all made like the first, from wholesome, delicious ingredients. That way you can be assured that with Nature Valley you’re always getting The Taste Nature Intended.”

Amy Sadowski, Consumer Services representative for Nature Valley responded by email, ” For that reason, the FDA does not require special labeling for it. Because of the growing use of biotechnology by farmers and the way that grain gets commingled in storage and shipment, it′s certainly possible that some of our products may contain ingredients that have been improved through biotechnology. We can assure you, though, that every major regulatory agency, as well as independent scientific groups like the American Medical Association, has concluded that these ingredients are safe. General Mills also believes in providing consumers with a variety of food options. Toward that end, we do offer organic products that, by definition, do not use ingredients that have been improved through biotechnology. Please look for organic Gold Medal flour and a wide range of products from our Cascadian Farm and Muir Glen brands.”

So how can you protect yourself from food with GMOs and false organic labeling claims?

Avoiding corn and soy products that are not explicitly labeled as 100% Organic is a good first step in avoiding GMOs. According to the USDA Organic Program standards, organic foods cannot contain any genetically modified organisms. However, a company can still market a product as being made from organic ingredients while using some GMOs. If it is not labeled as being 100% organic, then it is likely to only contain a mixture of organic and non-organic agricultural ingredients.

You can also log on to Facebook and like the Label It Yourself page to see what foods to avoid.

In the end, there is no certifiable, authoritative, or inclusive list of foods that absolutely contain GMOs. The best thing to do is read before you eat, make the choice to shop at a local “mom and pop” organic health food store or shop at your local farmer’s market to play it safe.

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Chicago, U.S.A. — The National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) and The Gatorade Company have teamed up to declare July 11, 2012, a day when U.S. sports takes a break from competition, the first annual National Recovery Day.

With high school athletes suffering two million injuries each year(1), National Recovery Day has been established to focus the attention of athletes on the importance of proper athletic recovery in order to continuously perform at their best.

The Gatorade Sports Science Institute recommends the following fueling guidelines for proper athletic recovery:

1. Studies show that consuming about 20g of protein as soon as possible following training or competition, can help enhance the muscle recovery process.
2. To speed up your body’s muscle recovery between games or practices, consume approximately 1/2 g of carbohydrate/pound of body weight* when the next workout is less than eight hours away.
3. Drink 16-24 ounces of fluid with sodium for each pound of body weight lost during exercise following a workout or game.

Athletes are constantly on the move from one workout to the next, and proper recovery is essential not only for rebuilding muscle but for sustaining strength. The focus on post-competition routines has been brought to the national stage leading up to and on National Recovery Day with professional athletes including the NY Yankees’ Derek Jeter, Washington Redskins’ Quarterback Robert Griffin III and Carolina Panthers’ Quarterback Cam Newton discussing how proper athletic recovery has allowed them to evolve as an athlete and achieve success in their respective professional sports careers.

As part of National Recovery Day, NATA and Gatorade are asking athletes and athletic trainers nationwide to share their recovery tips on Gatorade’s Facebook and Twitter pages and NATA’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

“How athletes treat their bodies is critical to their performance,” said incoming NATA President Jim Thornton, MA, ATC, PES, CES. “How they prepare and recover physically and how they fuel their bodies before, during and after training or competition all make a difference. We hope that National Recovery Day will serve as a reminder to athletes worldwide to do everything possible to set themselves up for athletic success.”

“We are pleased to team with the National Athletic Trainers’ Association on this effort to emphasize the importance of athletic recovery,” said Asker Jeukendrup, global senior director, Gatorade Sports Science Institute. “By combining our areas of expertise, we are working to ensure athletes are aware that recovering well is the key to coming back a stronger and better athlete.”

For more information on National Recovery Day, please visit www.nata.org or www.gatorade.com.

Image Courtesy of  Herbert Kratky / Shutterstock.com

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Los Angeles, U.S.A. — The biggest names in high school and professional sports convened in Los Angeles as Gatorade honored the top prep male and female athletes with the tenth annual Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year awards. Gatorade National Football Player of the Year Johnathan Gray (Aledo High School/Aledo, Texas) was named the 2012 Gatorade Male High School Athlete of the Year and Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year Breanna Stewart (Cicero-North Syracuse High School/Cicero, N.Y.) received 2012 Gatorade Female High School Athlete of the Year honors.

Gray and Stewart received their awards at a dinner emceed by ESPN’s Stuart Scott and attended byRobert Griffin III (2006-07 Gatorade Texas Track & Field Athlete of the Year), Alonzo Mourning (1987-88 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year), Landon Donovan (four-time U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year and three-time MLS Cup Champion) Lisa Leslie (1989-90 Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year), Brandi Chastain (two-time gold medalist and two-time World Cup Champion) andOgonna Nnamani (2000 Gatorade National Volleyball Player of the Year).

Established in 1985, the Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport.

In addition to athletic excellence, the award recognizes academic achievement and exemplary character on and off the field. In 2003, the Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year awards were established to identify and honor the nation’s top overall male and female high school athletes from among the 12 Gatorade National Players of the Year honored during the high school athletic season.

All Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year nominees will walk the ESPY red carpet and be featured as special guests during The ESPY Awards Show. The show will take place Wednesday evening and air live on ESPN at 9:00 p.m. ET.

“The Gatorade Athlete of the Year awards stand apart in that they honor those who are not only the best on the field of play, but are also proven performers academically, and actively give back to their communities,” said Gatorade President North America and Global Chief Marketing Officer Sarah Robb O’Hagan. “Johnathan and Breanna are outstanding examples of what a leader and a student-athlete should exemplify.”

Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year Award Winners

Johnathan Gray: Gray led the Bearcats to a 14-2 record and a third consecutive 4A Division II state title. He rushed for 3,886 yards and a state-record 65 touchdowns on 347 carries.

• Two-time Gatorade Texas Football Player of the Year
• National record-holder, career touchdowns (205)
• No. 2 in national prep history, 1,232 career points
• Averaged 11.2 yards per carry (21.7 carries per game) and 4.4 TDs per game
• Caught 26 passes for 517 yards (19.9 yards per catch) and 5 TDs
• Ranks second in state prep history for career rushing yards (10,889)
• Owns state records in career carries (1,218), touchdowns, points, 100-yard games (51) and single-season rushing touchdowns (65).
• Ranks fifth in national prep history, single-season yards (3,886)*
• One of five high school backs in history to rush for 10,000-plus yards*
• Signed National Letter of Intent with University of Texas
• No. 2 ranked recruit in Class of 2012 as rated by ESPNU
• 2012 Under Armour All-America Game selection
• 2011 Sports Illustrated All-American
• 2010 and 2011 ESPNHS Mr. Football USA National Player of the Year
• Three-time Class 4A Player of the Year as named by the Texas Sports Writers Association
• 2009 and 2010 Class 4A, Division II state championship game Most Valuable Player
• Three-time Class 4A, Division II state champion
• 2010 and 2011 Tom Landry Award Winner
• 2011 Parade All-American
• 2011 USA Today All-USA First Team All-American
• 2011 US Air Force National Player of the Year
• All-Time scoring record in TX (2nd Nationally)
• 2009 Maxpreps National Sophomore of the Year
• B-plus average
• Youth Group mentor, Willow Park Baptist Church
• Aledo Independent School District Heath Committee, Aledo HS student representative, 2009-11 (promotes healthy lifestyles among peers)
• Aledo HS student council, 2009-11
• Aledo Youth Football mentor
• Helping Hands Foundation, Baylor All Saints Hospital (patient support)
• Alcohol and drug awareness, Shattered Dreams youth-led community collaborative
• AISD special education pupils’ mentor, 2008-11

Breanna Stewart: Stewart led the Northstars to a 23-3 record and a second straight New York State Public School AA Championship as well as New York’s Class AA Federation Tournament of Champions title. She averaged 26.4 points per game, 14.2 rebounds per game, 3.2 assists, 4.2 blocks and 3.1 steals per game this season.

• Two-time Gatorade New York Girls Basketball Player of the Year
• Recorded a 56.7 field goal percentage, 22 double-doubles and 81.2% free throw percentage
• 2012 McDonald’s All-American
• 2012 WBCA All-American
• 2012 Naismith High School Girls Player of the Year
• 2012 Morgan Wooten Player of the Year
• Miss New York Basketball
• 2011-12 Nike Tournament of Champions All-Tournament Team
• Signed a National Letter of Intent to attend the University of Connecticut
• Finished her high school career with 2,367 total career points
• Starter for the U-16, U-17 and U-19 Women’s National Teams
• Named to All-Tournament Team at the 2011 World Championships and won the Gold Medal
• Started for the 2011 Pan-American USA Team
• Won the 2011 Class AA state championship
• 2011 Top-ranked player, ESPNHS and Blue Star Report
• Two-time First Team All-State (2011 & 2012)
• Central New York Counties League Player of the Year (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
• A-minus average
• Youth Basketball Instructor at the YMCA
• Organizer at the Star Leadership seminar Cicero-North Syracuse High
• Instructor at North Syracuse Optimist Girls Basketball Program
• Volunteer for Youth Literacy-Outreach
• Volunteer at the March of Dimes
• Volunteer at the Salvation Army
• Volunteer at the Special Olympics
• Volunteer at Ronald McDonald House charities

Image Courtesy of  Jamie Roach / Shutterstock.com

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