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Originally Posted by jacob  |
The diet of animals can affect their nutritional value. That is how they get the omega-3 rich eggs, they feed the chickens foods with lots of omega-3 fats. People have been affected by hormones fed to cattle. Also, overuse of antibiotics given to cattle result in resisitant micro organisms.
But, I thought the main attraction to organic foods was to avoid residues of insecticides and fertilizers.
However, there are also risks with organic food: manure fertilizer has caused food poisoning.
Also, chemical fertilizers and insecticides have increased crop yields to the benefit of the world's poor. GM foods will have the same effect.
All food crops and livestock have been bred over the centuries for desired traits and higher yield. Modern genetics is just more efficient. In that sense, there is no such thing a food that is not gentically modified.
I'm not sure why people don't like GM foods. I think they are afraid there might be a problem that is not currently known. Okay, people can believe that, and other people can believe that such thinking is just supersitious fear of change. I have a master's degree in molecular biology and I'm not afraid of GM foods. I think that is because I understand the technology, or maybe it just gives me a superstitious bias in favor.
People can have different opinions which is why I think it's fine to let the market decide availablity and price of organic foods. The problem is educating consumers. As usual there are special interest groups, with economic incentives or other reasons for being less than interested in the truth.
Plus there is the problem of legitimate scientific controversy due to misinterpreting the results of scientific studies. Last summer my doctor told me I had high cholesterol and I tried to learn about the subject. I have to say after doing research and trying to understand what the science says I have not been able to figure out what the best diet is. I think each person has to consider their risk factors individually.
Overweight people, (but not obese people) live longer than "healthy weight people".
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/07/he...gewanted=print
Elderly people have less risk of stroke if their cholesterol is high.
Cholesterol-Stroke Relationship Puzzling - Cholesterol Information Produced by Doctors For Patients Experiencing High Cholesterol Levels
Some people get almost violent when I tell them about this one:
Best Heart Benefits From Canola and Fish Oils -- Not Olive Oil Quote:
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Olive oil may be nearly as dangerous as saturated fat in clogging arteries, according to authors of a study comparing the effects of canola, olive, and fish oils.
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Do I believe these contrarian findings? I don't know what to believe.