Genetically Modified Foods | Teen Ink

Genetically Modified Foods

May 31, 2011
By Anneka Cimos BRONZE, Park City, Utah
Anneka Cimos BRONZE, Park City, Utah
4 articles 0 photos 0 comments

The food you are eating is killing you. These foods are genetically enhanced to make them last longer taste better, and shield themselves from pests and weeds. Genetically modified foods are in everything, you ate them for breakfast and you will eat them for lunch. You need to learn about these foods to save your family and friends from the terrible effects of these foods. You will learn what these foods are, the bad effects of them, and what will happen if we don't take action and put an end to them. These man-made foods are putting our health, wildlife, and ecosystems in danger.

A tomato called the FlavrSavr was the first genetically altered food to be put on the market. Genetically modified foods are derived from genetically modified organisms. They have specific changes introduced tot their DNA by genetic engineering. Little bits of DNA is drawn from the organism, then biotechnologists make changes to the DNA to change the characteristics of the organism. After the biotechnologist is finished changing the DNA, they inject the new DNA back into the organism. Just by changing small things in the foods we eat, we can have significant consequences for humans, plants, animals, and the ecosystem.

Over 70% of the foods we eat are genetically altered and many of the effects they have on us are bad. These foods have caused many terrible environmental effects, radical changes in diet, and major health issues.

When genetically modified foods were new, the biotechnologists thought of all the good effects their foods could have on people around the world. They forgot to think about the environmental effects they will have. The changes made in the DNA of genetically modified organisms have caused entire species of seeds and insects to go extinct. This is because the herbicides and pesticides injected into the organism kills off all bugs or plants that mingle with it. Also, genetically engineered organisms have contaminated other crops, insects, and plants this has lead to the evolution of superweeds. Many weeds and pests that have been contaminated are extremely invasive and are a danger to other species in the ecosystem. The ecosystems that were once places of balance are now disordered and endangered.

AAEM has called on physicians to educate their patients and encourage them to avoid genetically altered foods. Studies have shown that GE foods cause many changes in our diets and bodies. Radical changes in our diet and changes in the way we process foods are a few results of eating modified foods. Also, most genetically enhanced foods have limited nutritional values. Babies have shown signs of addiction to altered foods which may lead them to malnutrition, obesity, or other health problems as they grow older.

The producers of genetically modified foods assure us that there are no safety or health problems with their enhanced foods, but over fifty deaths and 2500 disabilities are recorded. That may just be a few people, but the numbers will only grow as we eat more and more genetically enhanced foods. Certain types of cancers and birth defects have also been proven to be caused by eating GM foods. Over the past 20 years, the chance of getting deadly food allergies in children has tripled. Parents have to check for things their children are allergic to in everything they buy. None of thee enhanced foods are worth all of these bad health effects.

"Nothing can happen, genetically modified foods are safe." This is what everyone that works on genetically altered foods say. What they say about these foods may be true based off of what they know right now, but we don't know what dangers they'll have in the future. Take the Fukushima nuclear meltdown for example. That power plant was safe until the earthquake and tsunami took out the cooling systems. The reactors went off causing one of two worst nuclear disasters in history. Now the Japanese are seriously considering to abandon Fukushima completely. A disaster with genetically modified foods will be unforeseen and will be as bad as the Fukushima meltdown disaster. Until we can gain all information and conduct all safety tests to learn all that we can about these foods, we cannot feed them to the world.

Genetically engineered foods were also made to decrease hunger throughout the world. A twenty year study done by Doug Gurian Sherman shows absolutely no decrease in hunger anywhere in the world. This is because scientists attacked the wrong problem, the world doesn't need more food, it needs better distribution tactics. The world can't get their food if we can't distribute them properly. Many third world countries hamper distribution so their people can't get any food. The hungry people in the world are hungry because they are poor. They can't pay for their groceries so why bother making more food for a cause that can't pay for it? Biotechnologists and agriculturalists didn't make these foods because they care about benefitting the world and helping the poor, they made genetically modified foods because it benefits their businesses.
There are many, many consequences that can, will, and has happened because of genetically modified foods. Our health, plants, animals, and ecosystems are in great danger. We need to stop making these foods now before it's too late. If we don't, then there will be irreparable damage to the environment, all of our food supplies will be ruined, our overall health will be destroyed, and our life expectancy will decrease greatly. If we all come together, we can put an end to this fatal industry before it is too late.



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