Besides sounding scary, what are specific problems with GMO
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80% are manufactured to survive mad amounts of herbicide, so more herbicide on your food and in the environment
I don't like how they are patented and then when they contaminate a farmer's crops the farmer is sues (no fair! Uber mean)
Health wise I'm kinda scared about introducing new protein structures to the human diet. Protein=enzymes=potential for loads of action. I'm a fraidy cat.
I eat them almost daily too.
New protein structures? Howz that? I know they modified wheat so that it would produce MORE gluten (wheat protein) but I've never heard of genetic manipulation being able to invent new proteins.
Yes, they have made crops be resistant to herbicides, but not MAD amounts of it are needed to keep the non-resistant (weeds) in check. Just the usual amounts.
It's not just that they have been genetically modified to resist herbicide spraying (weed control), but most (about 85% of crops) have also been modified to produce their own pesticide!
The plants produce vast amounts of BT-toxin including the Cry1Aa toxin which is a type of protein and there are studies that show that these toxins are present in human blood.
I suggest running a google search for "GMO built in pesticides" and take a look at the effects.0 -
80% are manufactured to survive mad amounts of herbicide, so more herbicide on your food and in the environment
I don't like how they are patented and then when they contaminate a farmer's crops the farmer is sues (no fair! Uber mean)
Health wise I'm kinda scared about introducing new protein structures to the human diet. Protein=enzymes=potential for loads of action. I'm a fraidy cat.
I eat them almost daily too.
New protein structures? Howz that? I know they modified wheat so that it would produce MORE gluten (wheat protein) but I've never heard of genetic manipulation being able to invent new proteins.
Yes, they have made crops be resistant to herbicides, but not MAD amounts of it are needed to keep the non-resistant (weeds) in check. Just the usual amounts.
It's not just that they have been genetically modified to resist herbicide spraying (weed control), but most (about 85% of crops) have also been modified to produce their own pesticide!
The plants produce vast amounts of BT-toxin including the Cry1Aa toxin which is a type of protein and there are studies that show that these toxins are present in human blood.
I suggest running a google search for "GMO built in pesticides" and take a look at the effects.
I suggest a review of pubmed and listening to scientists . . .0 -
80% are manufactured to survive mad amounts of herbicide, so more herbicide on your food and in the environment
I don't like how they are patented and then when they contaminate a farmer's crops the farmer is sues (no fair! Uber mean)
Health wise I'm kinda scared about introducing new protein structures to the human diet. Protein=enzymes=potential for loads of action. I'm a fraidy cat.
I eat them almost daily too.
New protein structures? Howz that? I know they modified wheat so that it would produce MORE gluten (wheat protein) but I've never heard of genetic manipulation being able to invent new proteins.
Yes, they have made crops be resistant to herbicides, but not MAD amounts of it are needed to keep the non-resistant (weeds) in check. Just the usual amounts.
It's not just that they have been genetically modified to resist herbicide spraying (weed control), but most (about 85% of crops) have also been modified to produce their own pesticide!
The plants produce vast amounts of BT-toxin including the Cry1Aa toxin which is a type of protein and there are studies that show that these toxins are present in human blood.
I suggest running a google search for "GMO built in pesticides" and take a look at the effects.
I suggest a review of pubmed and listening to scientists . . .
Lol! Silly scientists! My husband is one of those. I tried to tell him the scary GMO proteins are potentially good for him. He's all like "where's the proof! Blah blah blah..." And now thanks to Fit2Strip I have photographic evidence! Wait... which side was the before again?0 -
80% are manufactured to survive mad amounts of herbicide, so more herbicide on your food and in the environment
I don't like how they are patented and then when they contaminate a farmer's crops the farmer is sues (no fair! Uber mean)
Health wise I'm kinda scared about introducing new protein structures to the human diet. Protein=enzymes=potential for loads of action. I'm a fraidy cat.
I eat them almost daily too.
Not all proteins are not enzymes. Most aren't. Enzymes are proteins. There's nothing wrong with eating GMO.
Love, your neighborhood friendly geneticist.0 -
Acronyms are an indicator of evil and badness.
I read that as baldness. And I loled.0 -
80% are manufactured to survive mad amounts of herbicide, so more herbicide on your food and in the environment
I don't like how they are patented and then when they contaminate a farmer's crops the farmer is sues (no fair! Uber mean)
Health wise I'm kinda scared about introducing new protein structures to the human diet. Protein=enzymes=potential for loads of action. I'm a fraidy cat.
I eat them almost daily too.
Not all proteins are not enzymes. Most aren't. Enzymes are proteins. There's nothing wrong with eating GMO.
Love, your neighborhood friendly geneticist.
Not sure if that's a typo, but the vast majority of proteins are enzymes (I mean, if you had a list of all the different proteins, most would be enzymes, but of course if you're talking about the total AMOUNT of protein in the body then no, most of that is not made up by enzyme mass). However, 99% (I have no source for that number, I just mean mostly with a few rare exceptions) of enzymes are rendered useless by your highly acidic stomach and/or your highly alkaline small intestine. They unfold and they have no activity. Then they are digested by proteases into indvidual amino acids and are absorbed by your gut. There is still skepticism about the cytotoxicity of BT toxin, as previously mentioned because in nature we would encounter this toxin as a proto-toxin, however the gene inserted into GMO crops is a truncated version which could have adverse effects on our gut. There have been in vitro tests on a human cell line that suggest BT-toxin alone and in combination with a glyphosphate based herbicide increase necrosis statistically significantly (source: http://gmoseralini.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/mesnage2011.pdf). However, I haven't seen any in vivo testing. There has been some work done on mice I think but I haven't read much about it. That being said, I'm still pro-GMO in general. Not all GMOs are equal, which can make it difficult to discern which ones may damage the environment or our bodies (which would be pretty rare, maybe only in the case of BT toxin which was thought to be insect-specific) so do your research and use your head.0 -
GMO means (likely) buying American for one thing...
First off, I would like to say that while I went along with the anti GMO flow at first, that was before I truly understood. There's a whole lot of fear mongering.
There are no proven risks to GMOs, but thats because there isn't enough data to really tell. So far, it seems okay. People think it goes against nature and immediately freak out. There's fears of them containing pesticides inside of them. Theres a lot of fears. But truth is? GMO's at the moment have more benefits than risks, and the benefits are more sure whereas the risks are merely the unknown.
Here's how it works:
You take plants with the qualities you need, like being disease resistant, healthy, and preferable taste/flavor. What it comes down to in the simplest terms is you breed them. Dog breeders do the same. They pick dogs with preferable features and behaviors and breed, with the goal of having a better product with the desired traits. Now, that selective breeding process just takes too long and has probability for failure, not to mention takes a whole lot of breeding to refine these traits, kinda like when theres talk of lineage whenever people talk about breeding animals.
Everyone wants their food to be without pesticides, disease, well portioned, and tasty. Thats a lot of expectations, and there's a lot of diseases and pests and then just unsatisfying product likely to happen. That ups the prices. Now get rid of GMOs? Not only are the prices going to sky rocket and no one would be able to afford produce, but we jsut wouldn't have enough food to feed ours (and other countries) continually growing populations.
So here comes GMOs, a scientific product that could turn out to be a huge win for everyone, so far without any known risks. GMO's are more resistant to things that will contaminate crops. To skip decades of selective breeding they have to modify it on a level not everyone feels okay with. There's no proven risks, but people fear it, they think its playing god. But these modifications take a significant chunk out of the breeding process, and produce products that help farmer's meet the demand.
Everyone is seeking the same thing: sustainable healthy produce to feed ourselves and our families.
We should stop assuming, and start investigating and learning about the possibilities and realities, for ourselves and others.
I know its a long article, but if anyone really cares about what is happening with their fruits and veggies and what the pros and cons of GMO's are, please give this a read. Its one of the best, most educational articles on the subject I could find that gave honest information.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/next/nature/fewer-pesticides-farming-with-gmos/0 -
I've been a "organic foods are a scam" type of guy till recently. Now we eat organic only and actually save money since we eat less of . Need less to get full, and feel full much longer on organics. plus by not eating GMO's, you end up avoiding all fast food and all super high carb restaurants.....we lost weight by that alone.
I dunno for sure if GMO's are bad for you, but because theres even a question, I'm not risking my family's health. To each his own.0 -
These are things I have a problem with. That and the fact that we have these GMO crops sending their pollen into the air, potentially contaminating organic, non GMO crops. And, as was alluded to above, if that happens, its the organic, non-GMO farmer who gets sued for patent violation, even though he should really be able to sue for his crop being contaminated.
The whole thing people are saying about a consistent food supply is short sighted, we will have a consistent food supply for a time... then when the Bees become extinct, food chains will collapse everywhere... and bees are dying out, largely because of GMO crops and increased herbicides and pesticides being used them.
While I have some concerns for my own personal health because of GMO food, I have a greater concern for the fact that we are flirting with complete ecological collapse.
THIS^^0 -
These are things I have a problem with. That and the fact that we have these GMO crops sending their pollen into the air, potentially contaminating organic, non GMO crops. And, as was alluded to above, if that happens, its the organic, non-GMO farmer who gets sued for patent violation, even though he should really be able to sue for his crop being contaminated.
The whole thing people are saying about a consistent food supply is short sighted, we will have a consistent food supply for a time... then when the Bees become extinct, food chains will collapse everywhere... and bees are dying out, largely because of GMO crops and increased herbicides and pesticides being used them.
While I have some concerns for my own personal health because of GMO food, I have a greater concern for the fact that we are flirting with complete ecological collapse.
THIS^^
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I don't have any problem with GMOs. I do think it would be nice if they were labelled with what the genetic modification was for though.0
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Man has been creating his own GMO crops since he sat down in one spot and started farming.
The entire farming approach is man specifically breeding or growing what he wants from animals and plants. Just because it's done in a lab it isn't any different.0 -
To much to type here about the problems of GMO. But you might want to start here.
http://fightagainstgmos.com/0 -
I want to rant so hard...but i will refrain.
In for reading.0 -
A. Plants evolve over time...corn definitely did not have as much "meat" on it several hundred years ago. Native Americans planted seeds from corn that had higher yeilds thereby suppling their tribe with more food. After some time, the orginal corn that maybe only consisted of 10-20 kernels was no longer in existence. GMOs just speed up the process..
B. One poster mentioned being worried about BT being present in the plant tissue and being passed on to humans. BT or bacillus thuringensis is a bacteria that is completely harmless to humans. It is used for control of worms or mosquito larvae depending on the particular strain. It works by breaking down the stomach lining of these organisms so they no longer consume your plant and will die eventually. It is used even in organic farming practices.
C. Companies should be responsible for their practices and the FDA certainly holds these companies that produce food or products that enter our food to the upmost scrutiny.
D. Round Up- aka Glyphosate is a neutral compound once it reaches the ground. It does not affect other crops by residue left in the ground. GMO's in corn and wheat help to make the plants more resistant to the chemical because when you have lots of weeds you get lots of insects, lots of insects, lots of potential plant diseases, end result being huge losses of crop and of course food for us. Therefore killing weeds is in fact one way to help prevent having to spray tons of insecticide which are the actual scary compounds.
*edited to add* I do think it is everyone's choice as to what the put in their own body, so if you choose it then props to you. Just don't push it on me. Sorry for the rant, I know that the fear that is associated with GMO's is putting a lot of hard working farmers in some bad places now.0
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