Genetically Modified Foods

Genetically Modified Food

When you walk down the aisle at your local grocery store, most likely the foods that you are seeing such as fruits and vegetables are genetically modified. These foods are known as GMO’s. These foods are created in laboratories rather than being home grown by local farmers. Genetically modified foods are becoming more and more popular as the years go on because they are longer lasting, easier to grow, and have health benefits yet they also have some health risks.

Many of the foods you eat for every meal of the day are most likely to be genetically modified. Foods such as corn, oranges, apples, and potatoes have all been modified. The foods have been created to have more nutrients in them, so when humans eat them they are eating a healthier food. Some are created to last longer, so they don’t become rotten as fast. Some are just created so that while they are growing, insects and viruses can’t attack the food in its growing process, which helps the production rate grow.

One of the more popular genetically modified foods being grown today is a clementine. A Clementine is a smaller, seedless orange. People claim that these are not genetically modified, but rather a natural hybrid of an orange but they are technically genetically modified. Scientists when first creating these oranges changed the DNA within them making them smaller than normal oranges and also removing the seeds from them so you aren’t just picking them out when you go to eat one. Below is a picture of an orange surrounded by clementines. The biggest one is an orange and the rest are clementines.

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Many people believe that these genetically modified foods are bad for a human or animal to consume as well as them also being damaging to the environment. There are many benefits to these foods that people do not think of. Crops such as sweet corn and potatoes that have been genetically modified have many benefits to both the consumer and the environment. They are enhanced with vitamins to make the nutritional value better so while one consumes it, they are getting more nutrients than what just a normal organic crop would have. They are also helping out the environment because some crops have added herbicides, which help fight off insects and viruses that try to ruin the crops. They leave behind nutrients in the soil which help for the next crop rotation to grow better and faster. The genetically modified crops can grow faster and more abundant which can help to provide for the world’s growing population.

Below is a picture of a genetically modified potato and an organic potato, both harvested at the same time. The genetically modified potato has longer life, which is shown on the left. Next time you are sitting down at the dinner table to eat a nice healthy meal or on the go eating a snack, think a little about what you are about to digest. It might not just be the natural, organic, healthy food that you think you are eating. It might be a genetically modified food that has been created in a laboratory.

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