-inside.jpg "Genetically Modified Foods (GMO Foods)")
Genetically modified foods, also known as GMO foods have been a subject of much popularity in recent times. These foods refer to crop plants that are created using molecular biology techniques so that they can be consumed by both humans and animals. The biological creation of these plants involves enhancing certain traits of the plants such as improved nutritional value or more resistance to herbicides. Improving the nutritional value of plants can also be done by traditional breeding methods, but they are more time consuming and not accurate. Genetically modified foods are typically drought resistant and are not vulnerable to pests.
Each year thousands of acres of crops are lost due to pests, farmers have to incur huge financial losses due to this problem. Farmers usually deal with this problem by buying tons of chemical pesticides which can also be harmful when the food is consumed. Growing GMO foods does not require the use of pesticides since the crops are not vulnerable to pests.
Crops are vulnerable to many different plant diseases such as Fungi and Bacteria. These genetically modified foods are invulnerable to such diseases which make them safe food.
Nutrition deficiency is becoming more and more common as people rely on only one type of food for nutrition. Genetically modified foods are a rich source of nutrition since different nutrients can be added in the crops to make them richer; hence, you may find many different minerals and vitamins that are not naturally found in a certain crop.
This is yet another benefit of genetically modified foods; they are both drought and cold tolerant. Farmers lose a lot of money due to these two problems.
A study conducted in Philippines revealed that when an individual consumes GMO foods their bodies develop antibodies to BT toxins that are found in the foods. This leads to allergic reactions, some of which can actually be life threatening. So make sure that you consume these foods with care and consult your doctor. This is major problem since the safety of GMO foods have not been tested on humans, the researches were conducted on animals and the products were sold in the market.
Experts are concerned of the connection between the consumption of GMO foods and an increased cancer risk; studies find that genetically engineered material can increase the occurrence of tumors. This greatly increases the risk of developing cancer.
This is no joke! The genes used to make the crops resistant to pesticides can be transferred on to pests that feed on them. This can make the pests pesticide resistant as well, which may create a very huge problem for farmers.
Consuming genetically modified foods may be harmful, but they have benefits as well. You must first consult a medical expert before consuming any such foods just to be safe! Eat healthy and stay healthy!
