"Natural"/Organic = better?

[lilithu]

Splicing in a bit of carrot DNA into a rice plant is not a natural process.

It may not be, but neither is cross-fertilizing two strains that would normally never "meet."

I agree with Halcyon. I do not understand the near hysterical fear of GM produce. If the DNA of the "natural" tomato does not interact with you when you eat it then the DNA of the GM tomato is not going to interact with you either. You eat it. You digest it. You absorb the nutrients and expel the rest. No big whup.

Otoh, the concerns that Terry raises are very real. We don't know how these plants will interact in the environment, and lord knows we've unleashed enough invasive species. And as Booko said, why assume that an internally produced pesticide is any better for you than an externally sprayed chemical? At least with the chemical, you can wash some of it off.

 

[lilithu]

A while ago my dad grew some tomatoes organically and they were the sweetest tomatoes I ever ate in my whole life!

Probably because they were allowed to ripen naturally on the vine. The tomatoes that you buy in the stores are picked while they are still green, because ripe red tomatoes are too soft to transport and go bad too easily. The green tomatoes are transported to their destination and then "ripened" by exposing them to high concentrations of ethylene gas. That makes them red and softer but they don't have time to develop all the complex compounds that they normally would, so they don't have the same flavour. And they don't have time to make the sugars, so they aren't as sweet.

 

[Booko]

I agree with Halcyon. I do not understand the near hysterical fear of GM produce.

What I don't understand is how at times anyone who prefers to reserve judgement on the matter until further and better evidence is available gets tarred as "hysterical."

I don't equate "conservative" with "hysterical" though there is clearly some hysteria about the subject.

I just look to the law of unintended consequences and think, "uh...is this really necessary?"

If the DNA of the "natural" tomato does not interact with you when you eat it then the DNA of the GM tomato is not going to interact with you either. You eat it. You digest it. You absorb the nutrients and expel the rest. No big whup.

What is digestion? The DNA of that tomato doesn't just go through your alimentary canal intact. I may just be reading this wrong. Sorry if I am.

Otoh, the concerns that Terry raises are very real. We don't know how these plants will interact in the environment, and lord knows we've unleashed enough invasive species.

Actually in some cases we do know. GMO corn in the plains states is playing havoc with some butterfly species and other beneficials such as honeybees (like we don't have enough problems with falling bee populations?) and ladybugs.

Cornell News: Engineered corn kills Monarch butterflies

And as Booko said, why assume that an internally produced pesticide is any better for you than an externally sprayed chemical? At least with the chemical, you can wash some of it off.

I can remove the peel as well. If it's in the 'DNA, I'm stuck with it.

I'd rather not take any chances on that. I have enough health problems as it is without messing around with things that do not occur in nature.

 

[MaddLlama]

I'd actually like to remind everyone that this isn't a thread about GM foods and the issues that go along with it. And, my question isn't even about produce really. If you guys want to debate about GM can you start a new thread please?

My question is: is there a difference, nutritionally, between packaged foods (such as cookies, pasta, bread mixes etc) that are made with mostly or all natural ingredients (like Kashi brand packaged foods), and big name brand packaged foods, like Oreo cookies?

 

[Booko]

I'd actually like to remind everyone that this isn't a thread about GM foods and the issues that go along with it. And, my question isn't even about produce really. If you guys want to debate about GM can you start a new thread please?

:sorry1:

My question is: is there a difference, nutritionally, between packaged foods (such as cookies, pasta, bread mixes etc) that are made with mostly or all natural ingredients (like Kashi brand packaged foods), and big name brand packaged foods, like Oreo cookies?

Trans fats, though that may be a difference that disappears in the not too distant future.

 

[lilithu]

My question is: is there a difference, nutritionally, between packaged foods (such as cookies, pasta, bread mixes etc) that are made with mostly or all natural ingredients (like Kashi brand packaged foods), and big name brand packaged foods, like Oreo cookies?

If the packaging says that the nutritive value is equivalent then it's equivalent. There's nothing magically better about vitamins from "organic" foods versus foods without that label. Altho there are other considerations that mere packaging may not take into account, like for example fiber content. I highly doubt that oreos have as much fiber as Kashi's foods do.

Bottom line is to use your best judgment.

 

[lilithu]

What I don't understand is how at times anyone who prefers to reserve judgement on the matter until further and better evidence is available gets tarred as "hysterical."

I wasn't calling you personally hysterical. I was referring to people who think that GM foods will somehow mutate the consumer. And if you do think that, then we'll have to take it up in another thread.

 

[Booko]

I wasn't calling you personally hysterical. I was referring to people who think that GM foods will somehow mutate the consumer. And if you do think that, then we'll have to take it up in another thread.

Sorry, lilithu. I didn't mean to imply that you were. I've been accused of it by others though, which is what spawned the comment.

And no, I don't think that.

And we're going to have one Madd Llama to deal with if we don't shut up about it now. :cover:

 

[lilithu]

And we're going to have one Madd Llama to deal with if we don't shut up about it now. :cover:

Meh, what's she gonna do, spit at us?

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Don't know.
Indiana also lacks on the organic food market, so it isn't an option for me to experiment with.

 

[MaddLlama]

Meh, what's she gonna do, spit at us?

Didn't you know? I'm super llama. I spit faster than a speeding bullet