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Those of us who eat a lot of grains and/or grain-fed livestock are always on the lookout for ways to get more omega-3 fatty acids. That's because grains are skewed toward the omega-6 fatty acids, which are inflammatory, and can contribute to heart disease.
But, wouldn't you know it, Monsanto has been working on the problem. They have developed a soybean that produces a lot of SDA, a compound that like ALA, humans can convert to omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, but which is much more shelf-stable than EPA or DHA. And the soy oil will taste better than fish oil. Their plan is to use it to create a high-omega-3 soybean oil, but perhaps it will find other uses as well. They've concluded their soy oil is safe for rats.
Will they try for a high-omega-3 corn next, for livestock feed to produce high-omega-3 meats?
Is this a good thing or not?
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Omega-3 and genetic engineering
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3 comments:
Studies have shown that the human body is not very efficient at converting the ALA found in flaxseed oil into the more usable forms of EPA and DHA found in fish oils. Even though Monsanto can produce this genetically modified crop, you're still having to convert the ALA in our bodies. Personally, I don't like eating any GMO foods and this is a perfect example of one. I'd prefer to get my healthy fats and omega 3 fatty acids from whole food sources such as fish, fish oils, flaxseeds, hemp seeds oil and krill oil.
Monsanto decided to put SDA in the soybeans because it is much more easily converted to EPA and DHA.
This soy oil will then be on the shelves and in prepared foods. Will there be a GMO label on the foods?
I'm thinking that, if they succeed with soy, they'll want to have a go at corn varieties for human food as well as livestock feed.
Monsanto is going to kill us all.
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