It has become increasingly hard to escape the reach of GMO foods in our country, especially when eating out, it is hard to learn about where your food is coming from and if it is organic or not. The consumption of GMO products is known to cause various health issues, bringing more and more people into hospitals. One health care facility in Vermont aims to remove GMOs from its menu, implementing more organic options to ensure healthier food, meaning healthier patients.
The goal of hospitals is to help patients get healthy, yet how healthy can a hospital be if it serves unhealthy food? The CDC estimates that diet prevents up to 75% of modern-day diseases. Many hospitals have very poor food choices on their menu, leaving patients with no choice but to choose an unhealthy diet while checked-in. This lack of nutritious food certainly does not help patient health.
There are several known benefits of using diet and food as medicine and the incentive to protect health with a good diet should no longer only be the decision of individuals in their personal lives. It should be the decision of health establishments as well. The serving of nutritious meals in hospitals should be a priority to ensure the absolute health of patients.
A well-known hospital in Vermont is tackling this dilemma. The University of Vermont Medical Center’s cafe, which serves 2 million meals a year, will be reducing its inclusion of GMO foods on its menu so that visitors and patients alike will have better access to healthier, cleaner food. Diane Imrie, the director of nutrition for the hospital, says that she does not believe that the safety of GMO products has been proven. For this reason and others, there has been an interest for years in the hospital to reduce GMOs served in their food. In 2014, the hospital started increasing its organic purchases by over 50%. This included the purchase of organic milk, spinach, and other greens.
The hospital will switch to a healthier menu by purchasing more organic food, and by seeking labeled GMO-free products. Some GMO-free items they are seeking include soy, edamame, sunflower oil, and milk.
The hospital wants to be seen as a role model, showing other health establishments that the transition into using healthier foods is possible. With food-related health concerns on the rise, and few hospitals stepping up, this is a hopeful example of positive changes being made by people in the health care system of the United States.
Ariana Marisol is a contributing staff writer for REALfarmacy.com. She is an avid nature enthusiast, gardener, photographer, writer, hiker, dreamer, and lover of all things sustainable, wild, and free. Ariana strives to bring people closer to their true source, Mother Nature. She is currently finishing her last year at The Evergreen State College getting her undergraduate degree in Sustainable Design and Environmental Science. Follow her adventures on Instagram.
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