Do you know that when you are biting into your favorite processed food that you are eating GMOs? If you said yes, then here is another question for you: Do you know what a GMO is? If you are one of the thousands of people that said no, then it is time to educate yourself.

GMO stands for genetically modified organisms. GMOs are present in 70%-80% of processed foods. They are organisms that have been created using gene-splitting techniques. This allows the DNA from one species to be injected into another species. In other words, this is an unnatural process. The long term effects on your health that these products may have is still unknown.

GMOs were first patented in 1980, and were approved by the FDA in 1982.Then in 1994 the FDA approved the Flavr Savr tomato, which has a delayed ripening because of the added GMOs, causing it to have a longer shelf-life. In 1997, the European Union ruled in favor of mandatory labeling on all GMO products, including animal feed. This ruling is impressive–it is 2014 and the United States has yet to make this ruling.

When people think of processed foods, they often think of donuts, chips, and other foods containing numerous artificial products. The unfortunate news is that this is not the case. Yes, these foods all contain GMOs but so do thousands of other foods including corn, soy, meat, and dairy products. Maybe we need to think twice between choosing corn on the cob as a healthy choice.

To make matters worse, foods that say natural on the package very often contain GMOs, so our so called “natural” food is clearly not natural. Only three out of the fifty states have passed laws that require companies to label their products that contain GMOs. Although the health effects of GMOs is still unknown, thousands of people do not want to consume GMOs. It difficult to find foods to eat since all of the food around us contains GMOs.

When Jimmy Kimmel interviewed people at a farmers market, many stated that they keep GMOs out of their diet for health reasons— yet many of them did not even know what “GMO” stood for.

Whether or not you decide to cut GMOs out of your diet is ultimately up to you. But if you choose to keep eating them, then just keep in mind what you are eating, and know that the effect GMOs might have on you is truly a mystery.