Do You Know What You'Re Eating

Do You Know What You Are Eating

Genetically engineered food also known as Genetically Modified food or GM for short as well as being known as Bioengineered foods, are foods that have had foreign genes (genes from other plants or animals) inserted into their genetic codes. (UMM Medical Reference) This is done for many reasons, 1) to increase nutritional values by adding other vitamins into them, 2) to put antibiotic in them so people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to get antibiotics would be able to, 3) to help keep insects from eating them by putting a form of pesticide in the genes of the food, 4) to give them a longer shelf life, and 5) to feed our livestock which is cheaper and more efficient well as the nutritional value we get when we eat their meat or drink their milk. With all these positives, one has to ask themselves, what are the negative effects it has on us and our children for consuming these genetically altered products?

Scientist have been genetically engineering foods since the 1990’s to increase their nutritional values. Take for example Golden Rice, golden rice was created to help fight a vitamin A deficiency that affects 250 million people worldwide, which can cause blindness or even death in some cases. Scientist believed that creating a grain of rice that already had vitamin A in it would be easier to get it to the people than a vitamin supplement. They have also found a way to put antibiotics into foods such as potatoes so that the people consuming them would be able to boost their immune systems. Which makes these engineered foods more valuable.

One of the most common reasons scientist have for growing genetically engineered produce, is that they can grow year around in almost any climate, they take less water to grow them, and the size and quantity of produce is greater. This is why we can find seasonal fruit all year long. Take GM tomatoes, they have a longer shelf life and better taste, which means that they can be left on the plant...