Clean eating should be a priority for all Americans because of increased health problems associated with common additives found in our everyday foods. Undoubtedly, every person in this country on any given day knows of individuals who are dieting, trying to eat healthier or doing it themselves. The desire to live a healthier, longer, more active lifestyle is a common goal in 2015. Unfortunately, many individuals have no idea what they are putting into their bodies while they pursue their goals. The key to a healthy life is simply clean eating. Ironically, it might not seem so easy in today's world. .
With the need to produce more and better food more efficiently came Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), "a process by which scientists manipulate DNA in a way to give a plant or animal a trait that it did not have before" (King 28). With this process, producers are able to increase their yields as well as modify production qualities such as making a plant resistant to pesticides, viruses, or herbicides. What many may not know is the adverse effects that GMOs may potentially have on their health. This is due to the United States being one of the least regulated countries when it comes to GMOs, even though we have three different agencies that oversee GMOs in the United States: the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) . Three countries have already banned GMOs entirely: Benin, Serbia, and Zambia. In 2012, the first long-term study was performed on animals, which showed damage to organs as well as tumors in rats that were fed a herbicide-resistant (genetically-altered) corn. In addition to GMOs, there are also several additives in our foods such as Artificial Food Coloring (AFC) and preservatives. AFCs can be found in a large percentage of manufactured or processed foods, and have proven to be linked to behavioral problems in children.