True Cellular Formulas Team - Jan 24, 2023

Is a Little Glyphosate in My Wine
Really That Bad?

Enjoying your evening glass of organic wine? Consumers beware! Research shows that even trace amounts of glyphosate in your wine can severely impact your health. Yes, even wines labeled as “organic” and “low sulfate.” Proponents may say, “low levels of glyphosate are safe.” However, any amount of glyphosate can destroy your microbiome and harm your health. 

Is a Little Glyphosate in My WineReally That Bad?

Glyphosate and Soil Toxicity?

Glyphosate, widely used in agriculture as a weedkiller, is toxic to human health¹. The chemical composition of glyphosate makes it vulnerable to degradation through hydrolysis and oxidation, which, when broken down, can lead to compounds such as arsenic². These toxic compounds build up in the soils where the wine grapes are produced.

Although this arsenic can take many forms, scientists are now more concerned than ever that it could cause serious problems in areas of toxic soil accumulation. Many people invest in organic wine to avoid this problem; in theory, it makes sense. In reality, however, traces of glyphosate are found in 75% of wines labeled organic 3. With the amount of glyphosate used worldwide increasing yearly, it’s important only to consume wine completely free from these gut-destroying toxins.

Glyphosate (even in small amounts) Destroys your Gut Microbiome

Research is increasingly showing that glyphosate can significantly affect gut microorganisms or microbiome, even in trace amounts⁴. Glyphosate works by interfering with the shikimate metabolic pathway found in bacteria, which your body needs to absorb essential nutrients like selenium, zinc, and sodium. Without these nutrients, your microbiome will suffocate and fail to function optimally – leading to an increased risk of conditions such as metabolic syndrome, obesity, and even neurological diseases caused by disruption of this essential flora.

Scientists have demonstrated that even .1 ppb of glyphosate has been shown to destroy beneficial gut bacteria and promote the proliferation of pathogenic gut bacteria⁵. For reference, the contamination levels of glyphosate in a wide range of wines tested levels ranging from .659 parts per billion in organic to 18.74 parts per billion in conventional wine⁶. 

Poor Microbiome = Poor Health

The gut microbiome contains 10 times the number of microbial cells compared to the rest of your body⁷. This results in roughly 100 trillion microbes and as many as 5,000 different species weighing approximately 2 kilograms. These microbes play a crucial role when it comes to generating human health, especially in generating a strong immune system and controlling the health of your nervous system and brain function^8,9,10.

One of the major ways in which glyphosate has impacted humans is the dramatic increase in celiac disease, gluten intolerance, and food allergies in general. Glyphosate is used in the growing and processing of wheat, which is the real ingredient that disrupts the gut’s tight junctions (not the gluten). These tight junctions are the gatekeepers between the foods that pass through the gut and the bloodstream. When the jucntions weaken, particles and allergens that should not normally pass through the gut do, leading to inflammatory responses and an increase in intolerances and allergies^11,12. 

Where Can I Buy Safe Wine?

There needs to be more than an organic label to trust that the wine is free from glyphosate because many countries are so polluted with glyphosate that it runs into organic vineyards through neighboring farms or through the irrigation of the vineyards with tap water. So buying safer wine can be done in two ways: by investing in wine from regions with low or no glyphosate use and by investing in dry-farmed wines (that don’t use water irrigation in the growing process of the grapes).

The most notorious users of glyphosate are the Midwest, California, and Texas represent about three-quarters of agricultural glyphosate use in the U.S., with the Midwest alone comprising a full two-thirds of total use¹³. This is one of the reasons why all the samples tested from certified organic Californian wines tested positive for glyphosate¹⁴.

Instead, consider buying your organic wine from countries that ban glyphosate, such as Mexico, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam¹³.

If you want to make sure you’re not ingesting any glyphosate in your wines, Dry Farm Wines is a company that goes above and beyond the industry standard for natural wines. Their wines are made from handpicked vineyards that use organic, regenerative, and dry farming practices worldwide. Their wines are then lab tested to ensure they are sugar-free, lower in alcohol, non-GMO, and contain absolutely no toxic additives. 

Summary

Although many invest in organic wine to avoid unnecessary toxins, glyphosate still makes its way into most organic wines on the market.

Avoiding this problem is difficult in countries that use glyphosate and that irrigate their vineyards with glyphosate-containing tap water. Avoiding even microscopic amounts of glyphosate is vital to preserving the health of your gut microbiome. To avoid exposure through your wine, consider investing in organic wine from countries that have banned glyphosate, or buy from companies like Dry Farm Wines that lab test their regeneratively-grown, organic wines. 

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