I'm sure you've seen those PLU codes (the barcode and numbers) on your fruits and veggies in the grocery store. Yes, that's what the cashier uses to check you out, however, it's also a means for you to get the most out of your purchase. If you're interested in being healthy, and I know you are, you should keep reading.
The next time you are in the store, take a look at the numbers on your fruit and veggies. There are two sets of numbers, a five digit or four digit number. A five digit number starting with a 9 means the item is organic. If there is something you eat that requires you to eat the skin (grapes, apples, peppers, etc) then I recommend you only buy organic.
A four digit code that begins with a 3 or 4 means the produce was more than likely grown conventionally. While these may contain several nutrients, there is an huge possibility those fruits and veggies also contain a multitude of chemicals, some of which are known to cause cancer.
A five digit code that begins with an 8 is a genetically modified organism. In case you don't know, it contains genes from other organisms. For example the genes from a specific type of worm may have been spliced with a tomato to make the tomato resistant to certain insects. The trouble here is that you may not see many of these codes, food manufactures are allowed to label these GMO foods as conventionally grown. Some of the foods that are mostly GMO in the U.S. include: corn, soybeans, canola, cotton, papaya and squash. This also includes the products created from them such as: oil, syrup, lecithin, etc. A lot of the creations are used in packaged food products.
The information on this post is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Ware and his functional medicine experience. Dr. Ware encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.